Blackmailing His Runaway Bride by Dance-is-me (carter reed .txt) 📗

Fifty Five

Claire Oxford's smile was so unusual, it made the women around her very curious and a bit worried because they heard she was left out of her son’s wedding to a divorcee.

But the woman had no care in the world about what they thought. They were all looking for a topic to munch on. 

So, she excused herself and after making sure to tell the housekeeper to entertain her guests well, she made for her room.

As soon as Mrs. Oxford closed the door of her plainly decorated room which held more of her clothes and accessories in a way that irked her husband but comforted her, she became more relaxed.

Taking out her phone to call Charles, Mrs. Oxford wondered if he would be with Isabella Shade. She then wondered if her son was aware that his so-called wife had a thing or two she was keeping from him. 

At the thought of the things she had found out, Claire Oxford wore a smile. 

She knew her son well.

 When he learns about Isabella's secrets, he would feel betrayed and he would certainly and finally acknowledge that the woman was not the one for him. And he would follow his mother’s wishes. 

As Mrs. Oxford's mind went to the discovery she had made the previous day, her hands fisted in anger.

How dare that Shade woman boldly marry her son?

 Claire strongly wished she could drag the wench to a corner and spit some words into her head. 

Urging herself to stay calm, Mrs. Oxford proceeded to call her son. But something cold pressed against the back of her neck.

Before she tilted her head to the side, the coarse and unforgettable voice of Gabriel Manifold commanded gently, “Don’t move, ma’am.”

While she thought hard about Gabriel's reason to be in her room, she swallowed hard and gave a short nod. “What do you want?” she asked, caution in her voice. 

“I want you to sit.” 

Claire found the solemnity in Gabriel's voice surprising. So, out of curiosity, she complied and walked to the closest chair.

After she had her seat, Gabriel’s heavy footsteps filled the room and he settled in front of her. When he looked down at Claire, she didn’t fail to notice how dark his eyes were.

They were filled with some kind of hatred.

Scratching the back of his head with the tip of the gun in his hand, Gabriel said, “You must be wondering why I am here. I should be in prison right?” Head dancing slowly, the man assumed a squatting position before he continued. “I escaped two days ago. See… I just wasn’t okay with the idea of not having Isabella by my side.”

“She-” 

A large hand stained with dirt was raised to shut her up. 

“I know you are the one that sent me to prison. You made it possible. I should make you suffer for your betrayal.” The calmness he wore still bothered the woman. “But, I won’t kill you.” Gabriel shook his head. “That would be easy revenge. Too easy”

“What exactly do you want?” Mrs. Oxford asked.

“Good question.” His face wore a thinking expression. “How about we make your son suffer? Uh?” His lips grew a smile that sickened the woman. “I know he won’t let me have Isabella, so I’ll just get rid of him. And when he dies… boom!" A click of his fingers followed. "His mother becomes sad and suffers the pain of losing her child for a long, long time.”

“You are a very disturbed person.”

Gabriel’s lips scrunched as though they discovered something distasteful. “No. I am not disturbed. I am just very sick.”

Claire Oxford’s lips fell apart at his statement. But she really had no time to wonder if he used to live in a psychiatric hospital before joining the world. 

With a warning in her tone, she said, “You know I won’t let you even dream of touching my son.”

Eyes bulging, he tilted his head to the side, and Gabriel let out a small chuckle before saying, “You can’t stop me, ma’am. You can’t stop a man who has love and hatred running in his veins.”

“Love?” She scoffed. “You are not capable of loving someone. I might not want Isabella for my son, but I won’t even wish her to be with you ever again.”

“So what?” Her statement seemed to greatly disgust him. “Will you let her stay with Charles?” Claire looked to the side. “Do you want your son to die?”

“Please, leave. I need to think.”

Gabriel slapped the side of his thighs as he got up. “I hope you think fast enough.” Claire's eyes stayed on her hands. “If you don’t, you could hear devastating news right after concluding your thoughts.”

“Are you still here Gabriel Manifold?” 

A huff answered her and by the time she lifted her head, the man was gone and she could finally breathe normally.

Without wasting a second, Claire grabbed the phone she had earlier set aside and dialed a number. As soon as the recipient answered, she swiftly said, “I need you to keep an eye on Gabriel Manifold. Be smart about it. And prepare a car, I need to visit my son.”

She gave the man on the other side no chance to speak and her phone was tossed aside again while her mind raced and prayed for her son’s safety.

 

~

“Any news about Gabriel?” 

On hearing Isabella's question, Charles looked up from the laptop and shook his head.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, his hands now tucked beneath his chin.

Sighing, Isabella sat opposite him. 

They were presently in his study. Isabella decided to join him there because she was bored to death with just sitting alone in the living room. 

“I know he is coming for me,” she said.

“That sounds so sexual, Bella.” Her brows cocked at Charles's statement. “Why on earth would you say your ex-husband is coming for you?”

“Yeah… he is.” Isabella's eyes narrowed. “It is very obvious that he is… Wait a minute…” She chuckled in bits as it occurred to her that her husband was trying to make a sexual joke.

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