C315 He Thought I Am Gabrielle

Alicia took a slow breath before speaking. “Good evening.” For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence on the other end of the call. Then an elderly voice finally answered. “Hello?” Alicia straightened in her chair. “Sir, I’m calling regarding...” Before she could finish, the old man's voice suddenly became excited. “Gabrielle?” Alicia froze. “Is that you?” Her fingers tightened around the phone. The voice on the other end became even more emotional. “Gabrielle, is that really you, my child?”

Alicia didn't know what to say. She had expected questions. She had expected suspicion. She had even expected the person to tell her that the number no longer existed. But she had not expected someone to call her Gabrielle. The elderly man continued before she could answer. “My child, it has been so long. They told me you were dead.” The old man continued, his voice trembling. “They told me you died. My child, are you really alive?” Alicia remained silent. She suddenly felt as though she had stepped into a story that had touch many deep wounds.

She knew her mother's name. She knew her mother's family had died. She knew her mother had survived. Just now she found out that she was adopted by Gupta family. And this man clearly knew much more. Finally, Alicia found her voice. “Sir…” The old man immediately answered. “Yes, my child?” “I found your number because I need to know something.” There was a brief silence. Then the man's voice became calmer. “Anything.” Alicia swallowed. “My mother…” The words almost got stuck in her throat. The old man interrupted gently. “You know I have always treated you well. There are many things we need to discuss.”

Alicia's eyes slowly filled with tears. She could hear the affection in his voice. He wasn't speaking to a stranger. He was speaking to someone he believed was Gabrielle. Someone he had apparently loved like a daughter. Alicia wiped the corner of her eye. “Can we meet tomorrow?” The elderly man didn't hesitate. “Of course. Of course, my child.” His voice sounded relieved. “I will send you my address immediately.” Alicia nodded even though he couldn't see her. “Thank you.” The old man was quiet for a moment. Then he asked something that made Alicia freeze again. “But why aren't you calling me Father?” Alicia's heart sank.

She finally understood. The man wasn't talking to her. He was talking to her mother. He believed that Gabrielle was alive. He believed that the woman on the other end of the phone was the daughter he had lost. Alicia couldn't bring herself to correct him. She didn't know how. She didn't know how to explain that Gabrielle's daughter was the one standing on the other side of the call. And she didn't know what would happen if she told him that Gabrielle was truly dead. Her lips parted, but no words came out.

After several seconds, she quietly ended the call. Alicia lowered the phone and stared at it. Her eyes were still wet. A few moments later, the phone vibrated. She looked down. The address had arrived. Alicia read it carefully. A faint smile appeared through her tears. “Grandpa…” She whispered the word almost unconsciously. “I'll tell you everything tomorrow.” She looked toward her mother's diary. “There are so many things I need to know.” She gently closed the book and stood up. For several seconds, she remained there in silence. Then she walked out of the study.

The moment she entered the bedroom, I turned to look at her. At first, I didn't understand what I was seeing. Then I noticed her eyes. They were red. There were tears on her cheeks. I immediately stood up. “Wife?” She didn't answer. I walked toward her. “What happened?” She shook her head. I stepped closer. “Wife, what’s wrong?” She suddenly wrapped her arms around me. I froze. Her embrace was tight. Much tighter than usual. Then I felt something warm against my back. Tears. She was crying.

I gently placed my arms around her. “Wife…” She continued holding me. “Did something happen?” She shook her head again. For a moment, I didn't know what to do. I had never liked seeing Alicia cry. Especially when I had no idea why. After a long silence, she finally whispered, “He thinks I'm my mother.” I pulled back slightly. “What?” She released me and wiped her cheeks. “He thinks I'm Gabrielle.” I stared at her. I still didn't understand. “Who thinks you're your mother?” “The man who answered the phone.” I looked at her carefully. “What did he say?”

Alicia looked down. “He called me Gabrielle. He said they told him she was dead. He kept asking if I was really alive.” She took a shaky breath. “He is from the Gupta family.” I remained silent. Gupta. The name was very unfamiliar. “You found something?” Alicia nodded. “I found more than I expected.” She looked at me. “You'll know everything tomorrow.” I wanted to ask more. There were so many questions running through my mind. But before I could say anything, Alicia suddenly turned around and rushed toward the bathroom.

The door closed. Then I heard the lock. “Wife?” No response. I stood outside. A few seconds later, I heard her crying. My heart tightened. I placed my hand against the door. “Alicia…” Still nothing. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know what had happened. All I knew was that something inside her had been shaken. And there was nothing I could do to fix it because I didn't even know what was broken. I remained outside the bathroom, waiting. Several minutes passed. Then I heard the sound of water running. I waited a little longer.

Eventually, the door opened. Alicia stepped out. Her face had been washed, and although her eyes were still slightly red, she had managed to regain her composure. She looked at me and smiled. “Husband, let's sleep.” I didn't move. “We have a long day tomorrow.” She walked past me toward the bed. I watched her carefully. “Alicia…” She turned around. “Hmm?” “Are you sure you're okay?” She smiled. “Yes.” But I could tell she wasn't. Still, I didn't push her. She climbed into bed and switched off her light. Within a few minutes, her breathing became steady. She had fallen asleep.

I remained awake. I slowly lay down beside her, staring at the ceiling. My mind refused to rest. I kept thinking about what had happened. Why had that man called her Gabrielle? Why did he believe her mother was alive? What exactly had Alicia discovered in that diary? And who exactly was Gupta family? I turned my head and looked at her. She was sleeping peacefully now. For a moment, I reached out and gently touched her hand. I remembered the way she had hugged me. The way she had cried. Something had frightened her. Something had touched a part of her heart that even I didn't know existed.

I whispered to myself, “Did she finally discover the truth about her mother?” I stared into the darkness. “Or did something else happen?” Another thought entered my mind. “Could the Harris family have caused another problem?” The possibility sent a chill through me. Too many things had happened lately. The Harris family was already moving. The Maguire family had been murdered. We had discovered armed men at the old house. We were preparing a training facility. And now Alicia had suddenly discovered another family connected to her mother. Every answer seemed to open another door.

I looked at Alicia again. Then my eyes slowly moved toward her stomach. She was six months pregnant now. Only three months remained. I placed my hand gently over her stomach. “Our child…” I whispered. “I hope you're safe.” I looked at Alicia. “I hope you're both safe.” For a long time, I remained awake beside her, listening to her quiet breathing while countless unanswered questions continued running through my mind.