Sorry My Step-Uncle, I'm Not Your Backup Plan novel Chapter 80

Early the next morning, Gabriella was awakened by a telephone call.

She groggily pressed answer, her voice heavy with sleepiness. "Hello? Who is it?"

"Gabriella, you need to come to the hospital to see Drake." James' urgent, worried voice came through the line. "Drake nearly died, do you know that?"

The mere mention of Drake's name filled Gabriella with irritation. She'd already been exhausted from the previous night's activities, hadn't slept nearly enough before being rudely awakened, thinking it must be something important—only for it to be about Drake.

Gabriella was thoroughly annoyed, her temper flaring. She responded testily: "If he dies, just arrange the funeral. Let me know when it's happening, and out of respect for our past relationship, I'll send a generous condolence gift to his mother."

With that, Gabriella promptly hung up, not caring about James' reaction, and switched her phone to silent.

The commotion had awakened Asher. From beneath the covers, he tightened his arm around Gabriella, his voice deep and magnetic. "Stay and sleep a bit longer with me."

Gabriella nestled closer to Asher, like an affectionate kitten seeking warmth.

The two of them lay snuggled in the same warm duvet, holding each other close.

The world seemed to contain only the two of them.

No matter how fiercely the snow and wind raged outside, it had nothing to do with them.

...

When James placed the call, Drake was already awake.

The call had been James' own idea, though he knew exactly what Drake was thinking.

Drake was clinging to an unrealistic hope—he desperately wanted to know if Gabriella would be concerned about him nearly dying. Would she come to see him?

So he had anticipated this call eagerly.

He had instructed James to put it on speakerphone.

However, when Gabriella heard he had nearly died, not only did she offer not a single word of concern, but she responded with such cold-hearted words.

Drake's hands clenched into tight fists, the veins on the backs of his hands protruding, his face paper-white, his lips completely drained of colour.

James put away his phone, swallowing nervously. He thought Drake would explode with anger, and he barely dared to breathe.

However, Drake didn't fly into a rage as he typically would.

After a prolonged silence, he simply said quietly: "Leave me alone. I need some time to myself."

Just as James exited the hospital room, he encountered Sienna coming toward him. James was surprised—Sienna had actually traveled all the way to Annecy.

Sienna's face was full of concern. "How is Drake?"

James sighed, shaking his head helplessly. "Not good at all."

"What happened? How did a simple vacation land him in hospital?"

James explained: "Last night was freezing with snow falling, about five or six degrees below zero. He was wandering around in just a thin shirt, eventually collapsed in the snow. Some passerby brought him to the hospital."

Sienna frowned. "Why would he do something like that?"

James hesitated, seemingly caught between speaking and remaining silent.

Although Drake hadn't said anything, James could guess the reason—it could only be because of Gabriella.

The place where Drake had collapsed last night was near their accommodation in Annecy, where Gabriella and her boyfriend were also staying.

How could he explain this?

It was such a headache.

When Sienna had first returned from abroad, Drake and Gabriella were still together.