Sorry My Step-Uncle, I'm Not Your Backup Plan novel Chapter 86

Gabriella didn't dare consider this possibility.

Her heart rose to her throat, her fingers trembling slightly.

It couldn't be.

Asher wouldn't do this!

He had told her that she was the only one in his heart and eyes.

But how could she explain the recording Drake had just played?

Gabriella's mind was in turmoil.

Drake remained silent for a moment.

Giving Gabriella's racing thoughts ample time to spiral.

After a while, Drake continued: "Vanessa kidnapped your sister and tried to kill you. Asher took a knife for you—she nearly killed him! Logically, after everything Vanessa did, the Blackwood family wouldn't possibly let her go free. But think about it—Vanessa was already in police custody. Why was she abducted immediately after claiming to be pregnant?"

Gabriella's brow furrowed deeply, her lips pressed tightly together as she remained silent.

"You might wanna consider whose baby Vanessa might be carrying?"

This question struck like lightning from a clear sky.

Gabriella was so disturbed that her body trembled uncontrollably.

"Shut up!"

She was visibly upset, looking up to glare fiercely at Drake as she shouted: "Stop spreading these ridiculous lies! Asher isn't that sort of person! He's nothing like you! Don't project your own foulness onto others!"

A flash of hurt crossed Drake's dark eyes, a bitter feeling rising in his chest.

Was Asher really so perfect in her eyes?

Was he himself so utterly contemptible?

How ironic.

Drake suppressed the bitterness in his heart, composed himself, and affected an air of casual indifference, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm only telling you the truth, Gabriella. You trust Asher too much. If he had nothing to hide, why would he keep this from you?"

"Get out!" Gabriella demanded furiously.

Drake shrugged, smiling slightly. "Asher is with Vanessa right now. Why don't you call and ask him yourself?"

"Stop trying to drive a wedge between us!" Gabriella gave Drake a forceful push and turned to enter her flat.

Drake grabbed her wrist and yanked her back toward the door, causing Gabriella to stumble and nearly fall.

Drake caught her by the waist, leaning down to inhale deeply near her hair, a look of obsession on his face. "Gabriella, leave him. Come back to me."

Gabriella drove her knee hard into Drake's stomach.

Drake let out a cry of pain and released her.

Gabriella unhesitatingly delivered a resounding slap to Drake's face.

"SLAP!" The sound echoed sharply in the corridor.

Gabriella's eyes flashed with angry sparks as she berated him: "Drake, stay away from me! You're not worthy!"

Drake's head tilted from the force of the slap.

Then he raised his eyes to look directly at Gabriella, the corners of his eyes reddened, the handprint clearly visible on his face.

"Gabriella, why are you so cruel to me?"

His voice was soft, sounding genuinely hurt.

Gabriella gave a cold laugh, her eyes filled with contempt.

"You really need to ask why? Because you're tainted now. We can never go back to the way things were."

Gabriella raised her chin, looking down at him haughtily. "A man who doesn't respect himself is like a rotten cucumber. I never make the same mistake twice!"

With that, she gave Drake no chance to respond, turning to slam the door shut with a resounding "BANG."

Drake stood outside, staring at the closed door, profound pain brewing in his dark eyes.

Because you're tainted now.

We can never go back to the way things were.

Her words cut him deeply, one by one, like needles piercing his heart, leaving it riddled with wounds, a bloody mess.

Drake returned dejectedly to the flat he had just purchased.

Right next door to Gabriella's.

After Asher was stabbed, Vanessa had broken down, crying and laughing hysterically, appearing genuinely remorseful and frightened. It hadn't seemed like an act—she had been truly terrified that something might happen to Asher.

Thinking back to when Asher was injured.

Gabriella clearly remembered that even as Asher lay wounded, his life hanging in the balance, he had wiped away her tears, softly comforting her, telling her not to cry.

He had been on the verge of death, yet his eyes had shown only relief.

Relief that she hadn't been the one injured.

Asher loved her so deeply—how could he possibly betray her?

Drake must be trying to cause trouble between them!

Asher had been willing to risk his life for her, not hesitating for even a moment when taking that knife for her. How could his feelings for her possibly be false?

As for the recording...

Even if it was genuine, the recording was clearly edited, proving nothing.

The recording contained only Vanessa's voice, not Asher's.

Drake's purpose in playing it was to make her doubt Asher, and she couldn't fall into his trap.

Asher had said he would explain everything in person after handling the urgent matter.

All she needed to do was wait.

She couldn't let Drake's words lead her astray.

He claimed Vanessa was pregnant, but first of all, was that even true?

Even if it were, how could he prove it was Asher's child?

Drake wanted her to speculate wildly, to believe that Vanessa was carrying Asher's child.

She couldn't let him succeed!

With this realization, Gabriella gradually calmed down, her chaotic thoughts settling.

She opened her phone and sent Asher a text message.

[Tried ringing earlier but no answer. Hope everything's alright with your urgent matter. Give me a call tomorrow when you're free. Off to bed now. Night x]