This Crazy Rich Boy - Chapter 103

As Miguel drives back to the hospital after bringing Claire home safely, Michelle Alcantara is still in her new office in the TXCI Tower, overseeing the furniture and all that. She’s having a minor crisis with a large painting—it has a sentimental value to her so she had it brought here, only to find out that it’s too big for any wall in her office. She fumes—Gabriel must have planned this, she thinks, so convinced in her imagined oppression. She’s about to tear the painting off the wall when she hears knocks on the door.

It’s Mrs. Gomez, Gabriel’s loyal receptionist. Instantly, Michelle’s face shifts to one of fake delight.

“Have you heard about the news?” Mrs. Gomez steps inside the office, looking around. “Oh, you’re still fixing it up. Aren’t the people from Facilities the ones in charge of finishing this office?”

“They were. I sent them home,” Michelle says, a hand on her hɨps. “I wanted to be fully hands-on, but I guess I have to recall them back tomorrow. Look at this wall—it’s too small. My art work could not fit in here.”

Mrs. Gomez scoffs. “Michelle, everything is too small for you, even the entire world.”

Michelle throws the woman a look. They have known each other for years. Mrs. Gomez has been Gabriel’s receptionist and sort-of girl Friday for as long as anyone could remember, and she doesn’t put up with bullshit. Mrs. Gomez has always called her simply by her name, perhaps to insist on putting her in her place, even if she’s now co-partner in this new company. And if there’s anyone here Michelle could never threaten, it’s this old biddy—Gabriel loves Mrs. Gomez, despite their often love-hate relationship.

“You mention some news,” Michelle says. “I’ve been cooped up here in the past many hours. I haven’t seen Gabriel or his new ȧssistant. We’re supposed to discuss a few things.”

“That’s the news,” Mrs. Gomez says. “Gabriel is in the ICU.”

Michelle stares at her with that puzzled look. “ICU? What’s that?”

Mrs. Gomez rolls her eyes. “Intensive care unit. The nearest hospital. Gabriel’s very sick, Michelle. I’m going to visit tomorrow, see how he’s doing.”

“What?” The look of shock on Michelle’s face is genuine. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? When was this? How’s he doing? And why not go and visit him now? We can go together.”

“Maybe because you were busy? Cla—I mean, Bella rushed to the hospital as soon as Gabriel’s people called her up this morning. She’s been there ever since, I gather.”

Michelle paces the floor nervously. “No, we should go there tonight. Oh, my God. My Gabriel…”

“My Gabriel?” Mrs. Gomez thinks, wondering what illegal drugs Michelle was on. Last she heard, the Gabriel-Michelle tandem has long joined the fate of the dinosaurs. “I can’t go tonight, even if I wanted to.”

“Why not? Let’s go together in my car. It’s the nearest hospital, right? The one a few blocks from here?”

“I can’t go tonight. No one else is going to babysit my newest granddaughter. Her parents are going to be on a date night. They’d be disappointed, furious even, if grandnanna doesn’t show up. I’ll go visit Gabriel first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Jesus,” Michelle mutters. “If he’s in the ICU, then it must be really serious,” she says, grabbing her bag. “I’m going. I hope I’m not too late.”

“I’m not worried, Michelle,” she hears Mrs. Gomez say behind her. “Gabriel Tan is un-die-able!”

As Michelle zips past the city’s legal speed limit just to get to the hospital as quickly as possible, she begins to realize her own emotional response. Why is she so worried, anyway? What can she gain from this? Have you forgotten how Gabriel threw furniture at you the last time you met? Yet, Michelle brushes off these questions—truth be told, she’s still hoping Gabriel could see the light and forgive her. She did spend the past few years cheating on him—she didn’t think Gabriel would have the heart to leave her even if he found out. She thought Gabriel’s love for her was bottomless, regardless of how badly she’d treat him. But as it turned out, the man did reach the end of his rope. And now, there seems to be nothing she could do to regain back his affection. But perhaps Gabriel falling ill could present some opportunity.

She finds Miguel in the waiting area right outside Gabriel’s ICU room, sleeping as he sits in the cold metal chair.

“Miguel?” she whispers. “Miguel?”

He’s just half-asleep, and when he hears that female voice, his heart jumps; he thinks it’s Claire, for some silly reason. He opens his eyes and is never more disappointed in his life when he sees who it is. “Michelle? What brings you here?”

“I’m sorry, but I just learned about what happened to Gabriel. How is he?”

“Oh, he’s fine. But if you want his condition to worsen, go ahead and enter that room.”

Michelle pouts. “Come on, Miguel, you, too? Can’t we have a civil conversation, like the old times?”

Miguel says nothing. He just looks at her with that face devoid of expression.

“Tell me, please. Is Gabriel in danger?”

He sighs. “Officially, yes, according to the doctor. But personally, based on what I know about him, I don’t think my brother is in danger. This is just a passing thing.”

“Are you serious? Why is he in the ICU if this is just some normal illness?”

“That’s how we roll, Michelle, don’t you remember? A simple flu and we immediately roll out the big guns.”

“Be serious.”

He shrugs. “I am serious.”

“Is he here, in this room?”

“Yeah,” he says. “But visitors are not allowed. I suggest you go home and get some sleep, Michelle. It would be a better way to spend your time.”

“Why are you being so mean to me? We used to be close, Miguel.”

He upraises his two hands. “Look, I don’t have the heart to walk down memory lane with you right now, Michelle. I’m just saying, I’m here to take care of my brother. We don’t need anyone else.”

Michelle looks around. “So where’s Bella, his ȧssistant? I heard she’s been here since morning.”

“Oh, her? She only checked on him briefly then went home. She had no business here.”

Michelle sighs. She slumps on the metal chair beside him. “Then I’ll wait with you here. I’ll wait till he wakes up.”

Jesus Christ, you, too? Miguel thinks, recalling how Claire just a few hours earlier would say almost the same exact lines. What is it with these women in Gabriel’s life? How does my crazy brother command such loyalty? Well, not really applicable to Michelle because she cheated on him, but still.

“You’re going to wait a very long time, Michelle,” he says.

“I don’t care. We were supposed to meet this morning. He never showed up. If he’s not at the office, then I don’t have any business there. So I’d better wait for him here.”

“Do you intend to discuss business with him here? You can give him an actual heart attack.”

“I’m not discussing business! I just want to see him wake up.”

What’s the big deal about Gabriel waking up, Miguel thinks as he gazes at Michelle, who in all fairness is still a striking beauty—after all, it was Michelle and him who first used to date, before Gabriel came into the picture.

“I’m telling you, Michelle, Gabriel isn’t waking up in the next few days,” Miguel says.

As if on cue, the door to the ICU opens with a creaking sound. Out comes one of the nurses, who smiles upon seeking them.

“Mr. Miguel Tan?” she says, smiling. “Your brother is looking for you. He has just woken up.”