Husband With Benefits-Chapter 545: Arabelle

It was the stillness of the night that attracted him to this place. B- town was scenic and quiet. A perfect combination. He could imagine people coming here and letting go of the stress of their bad emotions.

He let his mind drift as he watched the tiny ripples in the water. Even those ripples were that of calm adding to the harmony of the place instead of taking from it. Absently, he twisted the ring on his hand, his mind focused on Autumn and his own actions towards her.

There were countless girls and women in the world who were going through troubles. It was why he had been setting up the Trust to help them. Then why did he make Autumn his personal business? It was a mystery to him. It wasn’t as if he had planned to marry her after rescuing her. He’s only asked the person in the waiting room to keep an eye on those people so that he would be able to send her home then.

And now, he was not just married to her but also staying married to her for a year at least. And he’s agreed without her having to give him the explanation he’d asked for. He’d already told Jack of his marriage so he knew without saying that he would be getting a call from one or more of the other Frosties soon. To investigate the matters. And if he didn’t have some answers by then...The Frosties and their girl gang would probably descend here.

He smiled at that. He’d taken to calling the others and himself as Frosties as well because of Nora and the girl gang. Those girls were no less than mafia. And that reminded him of Nora’s situation. Hadn’t she been in a similar predicament? To be jilted at the altar by her sister and the man she loved? But she’d discovered their plan timely and turned the tables.

But Autumn hadn’t had the chance. She would have been spared some humiliation since she had not filled that form... but not much more... And that man in the restaurant. That was the most worrisome. His instincts were telling him something that he did not want to believe but it was most likely.

He watched as a little bird came and perched on the side of the pool and smiled. Somehow, it felt as if Autumn was as delicate as this bird. But she wasn’t. It needed strength to stand firm in facing all those rumors and looks. He’d give her until tomorrow to clarify eveything before...

Just as he would have closed his eyes, he saw a movement in the corner that made him frown. There was someone trying to hide behind the fake bushes on the other side of the pool.

With a frown, he stood up to check it out in case someone was thinking to cause mischief. However, as he closed upon the small foliage, he could not help but smile. Looking at the little girl, trying to hide, he asked in amusement," Well well well..what do we have here?"

The little girl turned around and flashed him a cheeky smile," Mister Gabriel. You caught me!"

Gabriel smiled even as he hesitated to call out the name," Miss Arabelle. It seems like I did. But what were you doing that needed you to hide from me?"

"Hush! I am not hiding from you. I am looking for a monster."

"A monster? But we don’t have any. We just sent the few resident ones to Scotland yesterday. So if you’re scared, you need not be."

Instead of being relieved the little girl’s face crumpled and she looked ready to cry," Mister Gabriel? Can you not ask them to bring one back? Only one? The most scary one? Please? He should be really really scary."

He looked down at the girl who was now tugging at his pant leg and almost crying for him to fetch a monster for her

Gabe sighed. What was he supposed to do? He looked around, hoping to see her parents emerge from somewhere but no one did. Raising his hands in surrende=rd, he tried to calm the little girl by asking her about it but she looked ready to have a full blown tantrum..

Hurriedly, he picked her up in his arms and carried her from there, gently placing her on the lounge chair," So, Miss Arabelle, why do you want to have a chat with a monster?"

"To save someone..."

"To save someone? But you would need a Hero for that, won’t you? How can a monster save someone?"

"See, I told Aunty N the same thing but she said that heroes are a figment of the imagination and only monsters are real..."

Gabe blinked, trying to process the little girl’s words. "Aunty N said that did she?" he murmured, more to himself than to Arabelle.

Arabelle nodded vigorously, her small face serious. "Yes, Mister Gabriel. Aunty N says that heroes are just make-believe, like unicorns or dragons. But monsters... monsters are real. They can do things that heroes can’t.

Gabe felt a twinge of concern. What sort of ideas was the little kid being exposed to? He knew that children often had vivid imaginations, but this seemed more than just a flight of fancy. "And who do you want to save with this monster, Arabelle?" he asked gently.

Arabelle frowned and looked at him with hesitation.

But Gabe stilled. Holy shiffff.... The eyes, the gaze.. He knew already. He knew whom this little girl wanted to save and suddenly, he didn’t want to hear it. He stood up, ready to flee. Just what had he gotten himself tangled in?

What kind of a fool was he? Why did he not investigate things properly before taking action. But his fear was proven right when he heard the name from the little kid," I want to save my sister. From a monster."

Gabe felt his stomach drop! This is what he had feared. But he still ought to confirm it..

"Your Sister? You mean Autumn?"