The sharp, relentless beeping of a timer pierced the tense silence in the room, sending a fresh wave of terror through me.
“W-What the hell is that?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Gabriel didn’t answer. He was already tearing through the room like a madman, throwing pillows, ripping open drawers, and flipping furniture. The beeping grew louder, faster, and more urgent.
“Gabriel, what’s going on?” I shouted, my panic rising with each second.
He stopped, his face pale. “It’s a bomb. Everything was a trap."
A TRAP? W-WHAT?
I froze, my heart dropping into my stomach. “A b-bomb? Are you serious?”
Without answering, he dove under the bed, yanking at something. A second later, he emerged holding a small device with a tangle of wires and a bright red countdown.
15 seconds left.
My breath caught in my throat. “We need to get out of here! Now!”
“No!” Gabriel barked, his eyes wild. “If I can stop it, we might have a chance.”
I grabbed his arm, trying to pull him toward the door. “There’s no time! Let’s go!”
He shook me off, his fingers frantically searching for the right wire. The clock ticked down mercilessly—10 seconds, 9 seconds.
I screamed, desperate. “Gabriel, please! We’re going to die!”
Finally, he cursed under his breath, pulled his gun, and fired at the CCTV camera in the corner of the room, shattering it with one shot. He whirled around and fired again, this time at the speaker embedded in the ceiling.
“Let’s go!” he yelled, grabbing my hand.
I stumbled after him as he dragged me toward the balcony. My legs felt like jelly, my mind spinning with panic. “W-Wat are you doing?”
“We’re jumping,” he said, his tone grim.
“What? No! I can’t—Gabriel, I can’t swim!”
He didn’t hesitate. “You’d rather stay and die?”
The timer hit 3 seconds.
I barely had time to scream before he wrapped an arm around me and hurled us both over the railing.
The explosion tore through the ship just as we hit the water. The force of it was like being hit by a speeding truck, slamming me into the icy waves. Saltwater filled my mouth and nose as I thrashed, desperate to stay afloat.
Gabriel’s arm was suddenly around me, his grip like iron. “Hold on!” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the flames and the crashing waves.
I clung to him, coughing and sputtering, as he swam with powerful strokes away from the burning wreckage. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, but I didn’t let go.
The cold water sapped my strength, and darkness crept into the edges of my vision. The last thing I remembered was Gabriel’s voice, shouting something I couldn’t make out.
When I opened my eyes, the world was blindingly bright. I coughed, sputtering up seawater, and realized I was lying on sand. The distant sound of waves lapping at the shore reached my ears, but it was Gabriel leaning over me, his hands pressing rhythmically against my chest, that held my attention.
“Come on, Ana. Breathe!” he said, his voice raw with desperation.
I coughed again, taking in a shaky gasp of air, and his shoulders slumped in relief. “Thank God,” he muttered, sitting back.
I struggled to sit up, my body aching all over. “You… you saved me.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, his tone curt, but I could see the relief in his eyes.
I looked around, taking in the deserted beach and the endless ocean beyond. “Where are we?”
“No idea,” Gabriel admitted. “But at least we’re alive.”
Silence hung between us for a moment before I asked the question that had been burning in my mind since the explosion. “Why did you save me, Gabriel?”
He didn’t meet my gaze. Instead, he busied himself checking the gun strapped to his side. “You shouldn’t have been involved in this mess,” he said finally.
“That’s not an answer,” I pressed. “You could’ve let me die. Why didn’t you?”
He sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. “Because I owe you that much after you protected me from all of those bullies back the . They could've killed me. Ana, you were my friend and it's something that I cherished the most. After everything your family went through because of Elizalde… it’s the least I could do.”
I frowned, confused. “W-What are you talking about?”
Gabriel hesitated, his jaw tightening. “I used to work for Elizalde,” he admitted. “Years ago. I owed him my life—he saved me from the fire at the orphanage.”
I stared at him, the pieces slowly clicking into place. “You worked for him? But you’re not on his side anymore?”
He shook his head. “Not now. I learned my lesson."
“What did you learn?”
Gabriel’s gaze darkened. “He’s the one who embezzled money from your family’s company, driving it into bankruptcy."
The world seemed to tilt around me. “What?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Before I could press him further, he stood abruptly, brushing sand off his pants. “We need to move. If Elizalde knows we survived, he won’t stop until we’re dead.”
“But—”
“No buts,” he said sharply. “You wanted to know why I saved you? There’s your answer. Now get up.”
I stared at him, my mind racing with questions. But for now, I pushed them aside. Gabriel was right. If Elizalde was behind all this, then he wouldn’t stop until I was gone for good.
And if I wanted answers, I had to stay alive.
“B-But why does he need to kill the innocent parents who adopted me and... me if he embezzled our wealth already?" I asked, my voice trembling.
