Chapter 159 - He Deserves That

Gabriella watched her brother chug down his drink in one go. She could not help but worry because Quentin wasn't saying anything. 

"Really. I tried not to ask, but can you tell me what happened?" she asked helplessly when Quentin put down his glass on the bar counter. She slid her arms closer to him, who sat on her left.

"Please?"

Quentin only cast her a quick glance and smiled. "I'm celebrating."

"Oh, please! You're acting as if you're mourning." She rolled her eyes, not pleased by this obvious lie. Quentin chuckled in a low tone, raising a finger, and asked for another glass of scotch. 

"Gabby, I'm really celebrating," he asserted and caught his drink that was sliding towards him. He gazed down at the scotch, lips curling into a subtle yet bitter smile.

"She is engaged."

"She...?" Gabriella tilted her head, and soon realized who he could be talking about that made her eyes dilate. "You mean your ex? You've met her? When?"

Quentin just nodded with his eyes fixed on his drink. His mind drifted to the memory of Dion and Devon, making his eyelids droop weakly.

"At the coffee shop. While I was waiting for you, I noticed this lady buried with piles of books." A brief chuckle slipped past his lips, recalling his time in the coffee shop. "I thought to myself, what a hard worker, and it reminded me back in the day she and I cram together."

"Brother..."

Gabriella's eyes softened while staring at her brother. Quentin was always kind to her, but he turned into a different person when working. Still, that was what she admired about him. Kindhearted to the people he cared for and was compassionate with the people he worked with, but a monster against his enemies. 

Quentin had never shown his weakness to anyone. The only time she witnessed how vulnerable he could be was several years ago. She thought he had finally recovered and moved on. But alas, here he was, broken for the same reason and for the same person. 

"Then our eyes met. I was so shocked I can't speak. I thought this was my chance to reconcile with her. Deep down, I already planned to win her heart again. It's funny that in a split second, my mind had processed five different thoughts at the same time. But then, I saw her hand." He paused and chuckled with ridicule. He lifted his glass to his lips and hissed when the drink travel through his throat.

"What was I thinking?" He cleared his throat as he put down the glass. "It's been years since we split. Of course, she will meet other people. She is beautiful, excellent, incredible — many will go head over heels for her. I'm not the only one who has eyes to see how precious she is."

"Also, it's not like it's her fault why we broke up." he continued with a bitter tone. "I hurt her mentally, emotionally, and physically in a moment of rage. Why would she settle for someone who gave her nightmares at night?"

"Brother, that is why you should've forgotten about her. The second you raised your hand to her, it's over." Gabriella advised. Although this was her first time hearing the details of their breakup, she set aside her shock and thought rationally. 

"Love... I don't know about love. But, what I know is Father never hurt mother, and whenever Mom is in pain, the one who is in the most pain is father," she said soothingly, sliding her arm to hold her brother's hand. "If hurting her doesn't hurt you, it's not love. That is just an obsession, a way to fill that ego, and just about anything but love."

Even though Quentin was her brother, Gabriella didn't want to be biased. She was a woman and hearing her brother's confession was disappointing. But instead of condemning him, she wanted him to realize he was wrong. That he had to let the woman he loved go if he truly loved her.

"I know." Quentin glanced at her. His eyes glinted with pain and desperation.

"I know Gab. I know that," he repeated through his gritted teeth before looking away. "That's why I'm trying to be happy for her. Although it hurts like hell, I need to be glad that she is happy even though I'm not the reason."

"Ken..."

"Fuck..!" Quentin ground his teeth and chugged the rest of his drink. 

It was not like he wasn't hurt when he raised his hand at Devon in the past. But he knew she did the right choice of leaving him because he couldn't control his emotions back then. No matter what she had done or said, he shouldn't have hurt her.

That was why he was trying; he kept on trying to control his emotions and actions so as not to fall into the same mistake again. Not that he hoped she would accept him again, but it was more like to show his sincerity.

"You will get over her." Gabriella smiled gently as she withdrew her hand. "For now, we celebrate the wedding we will never get invited to."

"Hah... damn right." He cast her a look once again, cocking his head lightly with a slight smirk. "Thank you, Gab. And sorry that you have a messed up brother like me."

"Tch." She clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "How can you hurt women when you have a little sister? Aren't you afraid your karma will be redirected to me?" 

"Don't believe in such things." He humored, trying to bury his heartache with his sister's company and their drinks. "You're the only De Luca who believes in such things. You should also stop that habit of reading horoscopes."

"What? That has nothing to do with this, duh?" Her nose scrunched up as she gestured for the bartender for another drink. "That's on me."

She turned to Quentin and winked, treating him with a glass. He chuckled, knowing that his sister just liked receiving gifts from him but rarely gifts him. Well, it was his fault because he didn't like gifts.

"Thanks," he said, catching his third glass for tonight.

"No problem." She smiled subtly and looked away. "I'm disappointed, but proud that you're trying."

********

Gabriella and Quentin had a blast, but she didn't drink just as much as him. She was already happy that they got to bond together, as her brother had been busy with the company. Thankfully, she had foreseen that he'd get wasted tonight. Or else the two of them would look very pitiful. 

She called their driver to pick them up and when he arrived, he helped her carry Quentin back in the car. The bar they partied in wasn't that far from the hotel they stayed in. On the way, Gabriella gazed to her right, where he was sleeping while murmuring. 

"He really loves her, huh?" she whispered, taking a deep breath and exhaling it sharply. "He's really an idiot for hurting her."

All she could do was shake her head and look at the window on her side. She had always believed her brother was perfect; that he was akin to a god of all big brothers. But alas, the stronger the light, their darkness was just as intense. 

"I should thank her for making him man up," came out a murmur, thinking that whoever broke her brother's heart deserved an apology and gratitude.

One would think Gabriella was insane for not siding with her brother. But she honestly believed that Quentin deserved this pain. A man who hurt a woman once could do it again until it would become a pattern. If Quentin's ex let that one time go, just what kind of person would Quentin become?

She was just lenient because Quentin was trying, and she was her brother. But if they didn't break up, Gabriella would do any means to stop her brother's madness. That was not to sabotage him but to save him.

"He survives until now. He can survive this, right?" 

Soon, their car reached the hotel they were staying in. Thanks to their driver, Gabriella didn't have to carry her brother back to their room. 

"Thanks, Mister." Gabriella expressed while walking their driver out. 

"It's not a problem, Miss. I will go now."

She only nodded and closed the door when the driver left. A shallow exhale slipped past her lips before walking to her brother's room. She stayed idle when she was by the door, just looking at him.

"I'll just take off his shoes," she mumbled, seeing that he was still wearing his footwear. 

Just as she said, Gabriella took his shoes off while Quentin continued to mumble. Once she took off both shoes, she assisted herself up. To her surprise, Quentin's eyes were opened.

"Gosh! That scares me!" she jumped, patting her chest at the sight of her brother.

"You're here?" her brows furrowed when Quentin smiled, staring at the ceiling. "You came for me?"

"Brother?" Gabriella called in puzzlement, watching Quentin raise his hand in the air while smiling. "Brother...."

Gabriella balled her hands into a fist as it seemed her brother was seeing something she couldn't. She wanted to wake him up, but she didn't have the heart to. Instead, she ground her teeth and stormed away from his room. 

"Just this once," she mumbled. She would only allow this madness just tonight.