CHAPTER 328: CHAOS AT TANIA’S APARTMENT

Later that day...

At the Beaumont Group...

Although the news of Gabriel’s affair with Tania had been successfully buried, Jeanne’s sudden disappearance ignited chaos within the Beaumont household. Whispers began swirling not only in society but also inside the company, fueling suspicion.

Speculations spread like wildfire—some claimed Gabriel’s marriage was collapsing, others insisted he was entangled in another secret relationship.

When the rumors reached Gabriel, rage surged through him. He didn’t need proof to know who was responsible.

"Denis," he snarled, jaw clenched tight. "You, poisonous snake. I gave you everything, and you dare sink your fangs into me? I’ll destroy you."

Snatching up the receiver, he barked at his secretary, "Send Denis to my office. Now." Then slammed it down with a curse.

His voice seethed in the room. "Ungrateful bastard. I handed you my name, wealth, and power. I can strip it all away just as easily. You dared to betray me—I won’t forgive you."

A sharp knock interrupted his fury. The door creaked open, revealing Denis. Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, his stare cutting like a blade.

"You wretch," he roared, hurling a paperweight at him.

But Denis’s reflexes were quick. He caught it mid-air, lowering it slowly, his glare locked with Gabriel’s.

"You’ve been spreading rumors about me?" Gabriel’s voice thundered through the office. "Stirring chaos in the office right under my nose? Just what game are you playing?"

"I want answers for my mother," Denis shot back coldly. "She has vanished – no phone calls, no messages. She isn’t at her father’s home, nor has she seen her friends. Her phone was discovered abandoned on a desolate highway. She didn’t just walk away. Something has gone terribly wrong with her. And you—"

His eyes narrowed, suspicion sharpening his tone. "You act as if it doesn’t matter. That alone makes me doubt you."

Tilting his head, he fixed Gabriel with a cutting stare. "Tell me—did you have a hand in her disappearance? What did you do to her?" His voice rose at the last sentence, reverberating inside the office.

Gabriel stiffened, feigning shock. "You think I would harm her? She is my wife. Why on earth would I?" Yet despite his protest, an icy shiver crawled down his spine.

Denis’s lips curled in disdain. "You have already hurt her. You deceived her, impregnated another woman. And now she left without a trace. I fear the worst. The authorities are already investigating, and you are their prime suspect."

A cold dread gripped Gabriel. He hadn’t imagined Denis would involve the police so quickly. If the truth came to light, his entire world would collapse. He even imagined himself locked in prison.

His face drained of color at the thought, but almost instantly, he masked his fear with fury.

"Ridiculous," he barked, slamming his palm against the desk. "She walked out on her own. Why would the police think otherwise?"

"Because you drove her out," Denis retorted icily. "You shattered her with your betrayal. Your affair is what forced her away. Pray she is still alive. If she is not, I swear I’ll forget you are my father and make you pay."

"Denis," Gabriel growled, his face contorting with fury. "Don’t push me too far. I’ll make you pay for this."

"Save your threats," Denis shot back, his tone sharp and unyielding. "That won’t work on me anymore. I’m not the pawn you used to control. Try to challenge me, and you’ll lose everything you’ve built."

With that, he spun on his heel and stormed out, leaving the door rattling in his wake.

Alone, Gabriel clenched his jaw, rage seething beneath his skin. Yet Denis’s parting words echoed in his head, unsettling him. ’What is he plotting? Has he already set a trap for me?’

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his dark thoughts. One glance at the screen made him go still in his place—Tania. For a moment, he thought of ignoring the call. But then the thought of his unborn child crossed his mind, and his resistance crumbled. What if something had happened to her? To their baby?

He swiped to answer. "Hello?"

"Gabriel, please—come quickly..." Tania’s voice cracked with panic. "The whole society has turned on me. They are pounding on my door, screaming at me to leave. I’m terrified they’ll hurt the baby. Please, hurry."

The words sent a jolt of fear through him. He shot to his feet, every muscle tense.

"Stay calm. I’m on my way." Hanging up the phone, he bolted out of the office.

He drove recklessly, his pulse hammering with each passing second. In a few minutes, he was at Tania’s apartment building. He stormed into the elevator and rode it up to the top floor.

The moment the doors slid open, he was met with a mob crowding the hallway, their voices rising in a mix of jeers and curses. Some hurled insults, others pounded on Tania’s door.

"We won’t tolerate a homewrecker here," a woman shouted venomously. "Get out..."

"Yes, leave. We don’t want you here," voices chorused, growing louder.

Gabriel’s chest tightened at the scene, his heart sinking.

"ENOUGH." His roar thundered over theirs, silencing the crowd in an instant.

Dozens of eyes snapped toward him.

He swept them with a furious glare. "Shame on all of you—harassing a defenseless, pregnant woman. Not one of you feels a shred of compassion?"

"Compassion?" a woman spat back. "For her? She is a mistress, sleeping with another woman’s husband, flaunting her sin with a bastard child. We won’t let her stay here."

None of them realized that the child they cursed belonged to Gabriel himself.

"Yes, we don’t want her here," the voices rang harshly through the corridor.

"Back off," Gabriel snapped, his tone cutting like a whip. "Stop harassing her. I’ve already called the police. They are on their way. If you don’t want trouble, leave now."

The mention of the cops instantly cracked their bravado. Murmurs replaced shouts, and hesitation flickered across their faces. One by one, they backed away.

Gabriel exhaled deeply, tension easing from his shoulders. He hadn’t actually called the police, but the bluff was enough to scatter them.

When the last of them vanished, he stepped up to the door and knocked gently. "Tania, it’s me. Open the door. They are gone. You don’t need to be afraid anymore—I’m here."

A moment later, the door creaked open. Relief washed over him as he saw her unharmed. He slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.

"You alright?" he asked with concern.

Tania immediately collapsed into his arms. "I was terrified," she sobbed. "They wanted to throw me out. I didn’t know what else to do, so I... I called you."

She tilted her face up to him. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you at work. I was just... so scared they’d hurt the baby."

"Don’t apologize," he murmured, brushing away her tears with his thumb. "You did the right thing. Nothing matters more than the baby."

His hand rested gently on her stomach. "I’m just glad you both are safe."

Tania’s brows knit together, doubt clouding her eyes. "I don’t understand how they found out about my pregnancy. Didn’t you say no one would know what happened yesterday? Then how did this spread?"

Gabriel’s face darkened, suspicion immediately sharpening toward Denis. Only a handful of people knew this apartment belonged to him, and none of the Beaumonts had ever cared enough to come here. For years, the place had been leased out, with the agency handling everything.

Even Jeanne had not known Tania had been living with her. If she had known, she would never have gone to the hospital looking for her. She would have come here and created a scene.

’No, it’s Denis’s doing.’

He was certain about it.

’That snake must have traced Tania down. Who else would stir up trouble like this?’

Gabriel was convinced Denis had deliberately spread the news in the neighborhood, stirring hatred to drive Tania out and smear her name.

"You told me this place was safe," Tania pressed, "that no one would discover I was here. What if it’s Jeanne? She made such a scene at the hospital. Maybe she already knows where I live and turned everyone against me."

At the mention of Jeanne, Gabriel’s expression froze. A flicker of dread crossed his face as the memory of her lifeless body, buried deep in the jungle, flashed before him.

"No... it’s not Jeanne," he blurted, his pallor betraying the panic clawing at him. "It can’t be her."

Tania’s eyes narrowed, watching him intently. "Why do you look so shaken?" she asked, suspicion lacing her tone. "If not her, then who?"

Gabriel’s features twisted with fury. "Denis," he growled. "He has grown defiant, daring to oppose me, spreading rumors in the office. This has his hand all over it."

"Denis?" Tania gasped, feigning surprise.

"That ungrateful wretch," Gabriel snarled. "After all I’ve done for him, he dares to challenge me. He thinks he is untouchable, but I’ll break his pride, remind him where he belongs."

The rage in his eyes burned hotter with every word.

Reaching for his hand, Tania softened her voice. "Gabriel... this is getting dangerous. You saw their hatred. I can’t stay here any longer. It’s too risky."

Gabriel didn’t protest. He couldn’t put his child into danger. To protect his child, he was ready to go to any lengths—even marry her and bring her into the Beaumont family itself.

"You are coming with me," he declared, pulling her into his arms.

Tania rested her head against his chest, her lips curving in a sly smile. She knew the baby gave her power over him to bind him to her completely.

’Fool,’ she mocked silently. ’You think Denis spread the rumor. But it was me. All me. I needed you to bring me in, and now, you will.’