Chapter 2 That Man Was Not Him
His warning felt like needles, digging deep into her heart.
“You can just consider me as making a scene,” Eleanor suddenly laughed, “but I will find the evidence.”
She couldn’t stand to stay any longer. Steadying herself, she stumbled out of the room.
After she left, Gabriel subtly explained to Sienna, “Margaret was very important to her. She may have spoken too harshly. Don’t take it to heart.”
Sienna shook her head, biting her lip in grievance. “I always thought she was a gentle person. I didn’t expect her to have such strong hostility toward me.”
She added, “Gabe, does what you said before still stand?”
Gabriel lowered his gaze, remaining silent.
“Hasn’t she already mentioned divorce to you?” she asked cautiously, probing. “She’s so fragile right now. She probably needs someone by her side, doesn’t she?”
Gabriel pressed his lips tightly together, his fist clenching tighter as he thought about the reasons Eleanor had given for the divorce.
The man she loved. Unfortunately, that man wasn’t him.
They had been married for three years, and he had kept his desires in check. But a few days ago, he woke up to realize he had slept with Eleanor.
He was angry at being manipulated, but Eleanor vehemently denied it and handed him a divorce agreement.
“Gabriel, let’s get a divorce.”
She had always been obedient, never once bringing up the topic of divorce.
“Is there someone else?” He toyed with the divorce papers, mocking her.
To his surprise, she smiled and admitted, “Yes.”
“Does he mind that you’ve been married?” he asked again.
“He knows.”
“Mm.”
He wanted to ask more, but didn’t know where to start.
It had been three years, and with their constant separation, he never had the chance to truly understand her.
She really had found someone she liked. She hid the man so well that no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find any clues.
Since she had found someone, he should let her go.
In Sienna’s eager gaze, Gabriel slowly nodded.
After the funeral, Eleanor began to handle the divorce matters.
But Gabriel seemed to have disappeared. He wasn’t at the villa, and when she called, he didn’t answer. People at the company said Gabriel was on a business trip and wouldn’t be back for a week.
This week, Eleanor went through the hardest week of her life.
The media widely reported on Gabriel and Sienna’s trip abroad.
In the photos, Sienna wore a beautiful smile, exuding happiness, while the man beside her wore sunglasses, standing tall and exuding charisma. They looked like a couple madly in love.
She tried to convince herself that they were getting divorced, so she shouldn’t care.
But every time she thought about him and the woman who had killed her grandma, she couldn’t sit still.
When Gabriel returned, and she got word of his whereabouts, she grabbed the divorce papers and left the house.
To the outside world, she and Gabriel were still in a secret marriage, and everyone believed Gabriel was still single.
Sienna had used this gap to flaunt her love with Gabriel, so Eleanor decided to tear off this mask herself.
At the Maze Bar, a place rumored to be where rich young men liked to do business.
On the dance floor, women dressed provocatively and swayed their waists, while men drank crazily. It felt like another world, bizarre and wild, where everyone was indulging and lost in pleasure.
She endured her discomfort and walked through the noise, heading toward the private room where Gabriel was.
Inside the room, the music was loud, and empty bottles lay scattered on the floor.
A few men sat on the couch, each with a woman in their arms, all blooming like fresh flowers.
Gabriel sat with his legs crossed, coldly leaning against the leather sofa, his eyes chilling and imposing.
Unlike the other men, only Sienna was beside him.
“Mr. McKenzie, having just one woman by your side is so boring. Why not call a few more over?”
The man’s handsome face wore a wicked smile, with a natural upward curve to his lips, exuding a rebellious charm.
Gabriel lowered his eyes and said nothing.
He was here to discuss business with Ethan Xander, not interested in this game of playing with women.
“Ethan, I’m still here,” Sienna flirted, taking over the conversation. “How dare you introduce women to Gabe in front of me? What will you do when I’m not around?”
These past few days, she’d done everything she could to cling to Gabriel, even leaking their time together to the media, just to show everyone that she was back.
Ethan whistled with a mischievous grin. “Women are like clothes. What’s the point of wearing the same one every day? Besides, you and Gabriel aren’t even married, so what’s with the Mrs. McKenzie act?”
Ethan and Sienna had always clashed, and he didn’t hold back any of his words.
Sienna, a daughter of the Sullivan family, wasn’t used to being treated this way.
She blinked her innocent eyes, angrily saying, “I remember your sister went missing and was never found. Aren’t you afraid she might end up like these girls, being played with?”
With a crash, the bottle in Ethan’s hand smashed in front of her, the glass shattering all over the floor.
The entire room fell silent.
The Xander family was the richest in Newayne, operating in both the legal and illegal spheres, essentially ruling Newayne. However, the Xander family had a widely known secret.
The Xander family had four children. The first three were boys, and after a long wait, they finally had a girl. But on her hundredth day, she was stolen.
Unexpectedly, Sienna, fearless as always, dared to mention this matter.
For a moment, the expressions of everyone in the private room varied.
At that moment, a sudden noise came from outside the door.
“What’s all the noise about?” Ethan, already in a bad mood, felt the effects of the alcohol kicking in at the sound of the argument.
The waiter awkwardly replied, “A woman came, insisting on coming in to find Mr. McKenzie.”
A woman?
Gabriel narrowed his eyes, a person flashing across his mind.
He snuffed out his cigarette, his voice lazy as he spoke, “Let her in.”
Hearing the sound from inside, Eleanor tightly gripped the divorce papers and walked in.
In the dimly lit private room, pairs of curious eyes all turned to her. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and perfume, which made her feel nauseous.
She forced herself to ignore the discomfort and walked toward them.
Sienna, sitting next to Gabriel, showed a surprised expression upon seeing her.
Thinking about the news about them, Eleanor’s last remnants of affection disappeared.
Under the gaze of everyone, she slightly parted her lips, her voice sweet and sickening. “Oh my dear husband, so this is where you are!”
Husband? Mr. McKenzie is married? So, Sienna is the mistress?
Everyone in the room gasped and turned their eyes toward Sienna.
Sienna’s face turned a mix of pale and red.
Now, everyone knew that she had meddled in Gabriel’s marriage.
Sienna nervously gripped Gabriel’s shirt, as if clinging to her last hope.
Gabriel looked at Eleanor, his eyes like water, deep and inscrutable.
This scene made everyone in the room feel like they were sitting on needles.
No one dared to watch Gabriel’s drama. People in the room quietly left.
Only Ethan remained seated on the couch, unmoving, his gaze tightly fixed on Eleanor’s face, filled with excitement.
