Chapter 3: The Rescue

Words : 1823 Updated : Oct 23rd, 2025

Eden glared at Gabriel and snapped, "What the hell did you just say? My painting is fake?" Madison stared at Gabriel as if she no longer recognized him. In her memory, he'd always been someone others pushed around, never talking back. And today he dared to contradict Eden? Gabriel curled his lip. "I said your painting was a fake, aged with the fumigation technique. And the job is crude. It still smells like burned coconut shells. Only a newbie would fall for it." Eden let out a mirthless laugh. "You useless son-in-law, acting like you know what you're talking about. You think you understand art?" "Gabriel, if you don't know, don't spout nonsense. Stop slandering Eden," Lauryn snapped. "Yeah, look at yourself. Know your place." "Quit pretending to be a professional. Since when did you start acting like a big shot?" "At most, he can tell salt from sugar, since all he ever does is cook at home. Ha!" Laughter rippled through the hotel, shrill and cutting. Gabriel stayed calm. "Here's how the fumigation technique works. A forger seals the painting in a small room, then smokes it for days with burning coconut shells or incense. The paper turns coffee-brown. Go ahead, take a whiff. Doesn't it smell like coconut husk smoke?" The Jauncy family collected only masterworks, and Gabriel's grandfather had been a true connoisseur. Gabriel naturally knew more about paintings than this crowd. Eden lifted the painting to his nose. His face changed. Just from that, the onlookers guessed Gabriel was right. No one had imagined the Ades family's so-called deadbeat son-in-law actually knew art. Even Lauryn stared at Gabriel in surprise. "This painting is genuine." A voice rose behind Eden. Everyone turned to see Eden's father, the Ades family head, Aaron Ades, staring coldly at Gabriel. "But..." "Silence." Gabriel hadn't finished before Aaron cut him off icily. "You, a good-for-nothing son-in-law-what right do you have to question Eden?" "Uncle Aaron!" Madison cried, frowning. "Be quiet," Aaron barked. Anyone with eyes could see he was shielding Eden, but no one dared to speak. Gabriel glanced at Aaron and held his tongue. Some things were better left unsaid. Even if he shouted himself hoarse, what people saw first was Eden's status. It was not the time to reveal himself. What was a little forbearance? He'd swallowed his pride for three years; a few more minutes wouldn't matter. At the banquet that followed, Madison's branch of the family was seated in a corner, and Gabriel's gift was placed at the bottom of the pile. The annual family feast ended with them getting the cold shoulder, same as every year. Once outside the hotel, Gabriel walked off alone. Watching him walk away, Madison called out on impulse, "Get in the car." Gabriel looked at her, surprised. Lauryn's expression brimmed with distaste, but she didn't object. On the way home, none of the three spoke a word. Gabriel sat in the back, staring out the window, lost in thought. Suddenly, the car slowed to a stop. Gabriel looked up and saw that traffic was backed up. "Go check what's going on and how far the jam goes," Lauryn told him. He got out and made his way forward. A crowd had gathered around. He squeezed through and saw the cause: a car crash. A woman was crouched on the pavement, holding a man whose clothes were slick with blood. Desperate, she shouted, "Call an ambulance! Please, someone, call an ambulance right now!" Gabriel's brow furrowed when he saw the man in her arms. He hurried over and crouched. The woman flinched as he appeared. "What are you doing?" "Saving him," Gabriel said. "Are you a doctor?" Hope flickered across her face. "Keep talking and he'll die," Gabriel said, frowning. With one glance, he saw the man was bleeding heavily inside. The woman froze, then gave way, letting Gabriel take over. Gabriel laid the man flat. "Lucky for you, you ran into me," he thought. If this had happened yesterday, his hands would have been tied. But today, he had received the Grand Healer's Legacy. This man wasn't meant to die. Time was running out. He had no golden needles, so he gathered his energy and used it like needles. He was about to begin when Madison's voice cut in. "Gabriel, what are you doing?" She'd come to look for him after he failed to return to the car, and arrived to see him pressing what looked like random points on the injured man's body. Anger flared. "You're not a doctor. Stop making things worse," Madison snapped. Gabriel had no time for her. His fingers moved in quick, precise bursts across the man's torso. A rush of blood spilled from the man's mouth. "All right. The internal bleeding is stopped," Gabriel said, nodding. "When the ambulance arrives, tell the doctors to transfuse blood as soon as possible." "That's it?" The woman stared at him, stunned, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. Had she just met a fraud? "Honey. Honey, are you all right?" the man murmured, eyes opening. "You're awake!" the woman cried, joy breaking through her fear. "Young man, thank you so much!" "Thank him?" Madison looked at Gabriel in disbelief. "Did he really just save that man?" "Be sure to remember what I said," Gabriel replied evenly. Sirens wailed closer, and the ambulance pulled up. Gabriel helped the medics lift the man onto the gurney, then turned back to Madison. "That looked like Pedro Warth." "I think so too." "Who would have thought this young man is a doctor?" The crowd's whispers swelled. Madison seethed. "We're leaving. Get in." She decided it had been pure dumb luck. Gabriel had married into the Ades family and lived under their roof for three years; if he had any medical skill, wouldn't she know? Her distaste only deepened. A man could lack ability, fine, but showboating for attention was unforgivable. Back in the car, Madison couldn't hold back. "Do you have any idea what you just did?" "What did he do?" Lauryn asked, puzzled. "He saved Pedro Warth. People are calling him a doctor," Madison said, irritated. Lauryn's face changed. She slapped Gabriel on the head. "You little wretch, do you know you might have stirred up trouble? If Pedro dies, the whole of Zerton will be shaken." "You'd better pray he's fine. If they pin it on you, what will you do?"

Chapter 3: The Rescue

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