Sorry My Step-Uncle, I'm Not Your Backup Plan novel Chapter 83

Gabriella glanced down at her caller ID.

It was Lucy Jenkins from her law firm.

She answered the call.

"Ms. Rodriguez, could you possibly come over? There's something I need your help with."

Gabriella composed herself quickly. "What's happening?"

Lucy kept it brief, explaining the situation succinctly.

Gabriella's brow furrowed with concern. "Wait for me. I'll be right over."

Ending the call, Gabriella grabbed her handbag and prepared to leave. "I've got to go—something's come up. Let's catch up another time."

Victoria pouted dramatically. "Is it really urgent? You're not setting an alarm as an excuse to escape our interrogation, are you?"

Gabriella sighed, showing Victoria her call history. "I'm not making it up, I promise. It's genuinely important."

Victoria crossed her arms. "Fine, then. But next time I'll subject you to a proper grilling—you'll have to tell us absolutely everything!"

"Agreed."

With that single word, Gabriella hurried out.

Victoria shuffled closer to Charlotte on the sofa. "Charlotte, what do you think... it feels like? You know... that."

Charlotte's face turned crimson, stuttering: "I... I wouldn't know... I've never had a boyfriend..."

"Ah, yes." Victoria patted Charlotte's shoulder with mock solemnity. "You're the good girl. You're not allowed to date. None of those ruffians deserve you anyway."

Her words reminded her of her own regrettable first relationship.

Victoria had dated once, during her first year at university.

Her boyfriend had been an attractive upperclassman with many admirers.

Victoria was beautiful and from a wealthy family, so she had plenty of suitors herself, but she had fallen for that particular senior.

He had been the one to pursue her.

In the early days of their relationship, she had been inseparable from him, constantly flaunting their happiness to Charlotte and Gabriella.

As the saying goes, "Show off your love, and it'll quickly die"—and how true that proved to be.

Victoria had learned this the hard way.

Less than two months into their relationship, the senior's long-distance girlfriend had confronted her, and Victoria discovered she had unwittingly become "the other woman."

She had joined forces with the girlfriend to expose the cheater, making his two-timing known across campus and turning him into a social pariah.

Sebastian had even stormed into the university and given the scoundrel a thorough beating.

In the end, Sebastian had used his family's influence to force the man to drop out.

Since then, Victoria had been wary of relationships and hadn't dated anyone in all these years.

The most intimate thing she had done with the cheater was kissing—she hadn't even contemplated sleeping with him.

"Bloody hell..." Victoria let out a heavy breath, "I feel like I might never get to experience it..."

...

When Gabriella arrived in her car, Lucy was comforting a distraught young woman.

"Ms. Rodriguez, thank goodness you're here!" Lucy's eyes brightened at the sight of Gabriella. "Please help Teresa. She's in a dreadful situation."

Gabriella asked: "Lucy, could you explain what's happened in detail?"

"It's like this—this young woman is Teresa Bormen, my neighbor. Teresa is an orphan and dependent on her brother. Her brother left school early to work and support her education, but..."

Lucy's expression became pained, her eyes growing misty. "Teresa was recently diagnosed with leukemia. She had to leave school and was hospitalized for treatment. Her brother, Mark, took on extra shifts at the factory to cover her medical expenses, working over twelve hours a day..."

At this point, Teresa, whom Lucy had just managed to calm, began crying again. "My brother was exhausted. His concentration lapsed at work, and his hand got caught in the machinery. He's lost his entire right hand..."

Teresa broke down, unable to continue. "I... I..."

Lucy gently rubbed Teresa's back to comfort her. "Ms. Rodriguez, Mark is currently hospitalized. This is clearly a workplace injury, but the factory hasn't provided proper compensation. The owner merely gave him two months' salary and dismissed him. Mark has been sacked, and the factory hasn't paid any of the required compensations—the disability allowance, medical subsidy, or employment assistance payment."

Teresa wept heartbrokenly. "I know I don't have much time left, but my brother still has his whole life ahead of him. All his savings have gone toward my treatment. Now that the factory won't pay, he can barely afford his hospital bills. Ms. Rodriguez, please help us."

Gabriella felt a heavy weight in her chest. Visibly moved, she comforted Teresa: "I understand the situation. Please try to calm down. Would it be possible to take me to see your brother at the hospital now?"

"Yes!" Teresa nodded eagerly. "I'll take you there."

...

Meanwhile, at the Tribeca flat.

"Mr. Ashcroft, what do you think of this flat?" asked the estate agent in a black suit with a polite smile.

He had shown Drake several units in this building.

From Mr. Ashcroft's expression, this one seemed to please him the most.

Drake stood with his hands in his pockets, surveying the room before nodding slightly. "This one is quite suitable. I'll take it."

The agent was delighted and produced the purchase agreement. "Would you like to sign the contract now?"

"Yes."

"Excellent!" The agent cheerfully handed the contract to Drake.

Drake took the papers, sat down on the sofa, flipped through them briefly, and signed.

Recently, Grace had given him a business card. When he contacted the person, they had indeed invested a substantial sum in the Ashcroft Group. With the capital in place, the company's projects could continue, and before long, Ashcroft Capital was back on track.

Money was no longer a concern for him.

To see Gabriella regularly, Drake had decided to buy a flat in her building.

This development had been completed a few years ago. Located in a prime area, the units had sold quickly, and there were no new flats available.