Chapter 206 - HELPING GABRIEL II

Winter walked briskly towards the farm without waiting for Gabriel at all. It wasn't an issue to Gabriel though because he easily caught up with her.

"Don't walk so fast or you'll get tired soon." Gabriel commented who was already walking leisurely with his long strides beside her. "I can carry you if that happens though."

"I am perfectly fine. I am not weak so shut your mouth." Winter snapped at him without even throwing him a glance.

Soon, they reached the farm that the Avery family owned which was now given to Travis after his mother passed away.

After what happened to her relationship, Winter refused to see her parents or her siblings. It was them who introduced that man to her when she was merely 15 years old, young and foolish, easy to please and couldn't tell what's truth from lies.

"When was the last you've visited this farm?" Gabriel asked her when they passed by the huge barn. There were different kinds of animals, different fruit trees and crops that the farmers tend to everyday.

"I hate this place." she murmured with her eyes closed. "After that accident with Travis, I never set my foot here." she recalled how hard they tried to escape from those kidnappers.

That night was the longest night of her life. Travis gnashing his teeth from so much pain with his large wound on his back, bleeding excessively and he was sweating. She was limping beside him as they ran away from their pursuers.

In the end, due to her slow movement, they caught up with them. With a swing of a bat, she was hit at the back of her head, slipping from her consciousness. The next thing she knew was that they were in the hospital but she could no longer remember anything of her past aside from that traumatic experience. Since then, she promised to get stronger and protect her cousin.

"Winter? Winter, are you listening to me?" Gabriel was shaking her shoulders, snapping her out of her trance. "What's wrong?"

"Don't touch me." Winter swatted her hands away from her shoulders. She walked towards the apple orchard and sat under one of the apple trees. She frowned and looked at the tree again. "I'm having a deja vu." she whispered to herself, ignoring the man who was still standing not far from her.

"Have you ever thought that this farm holds most of your memories? The ones you've completely forgotten."

"I don't care. Maybe losing my memories was a good thing. I don't want to recall anything of my past." She answered him firmly. She's determined to bury her past behind her no matter what happens.

On the other hand, Jillyanna was shocked from the news she learned from Savannah.

"I didn't know it happened! Travis didn't tell me about this." Jillyanna exclaimed while making a pattern for her crochet.

Savannah took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "I thought he told you about this since he told you about the kidnapping incident. Sorry for telling you without his permission."

"It's fine. I'll ask him about it later. I'm pretty sure he's got his reasons for not telling me." Jillyanna just shrugged her shoulders before she continued drawing her pattern. Even though she said it, she couldn't help but feel guilty towards Winter.

Perhaps, it was fate that they met and became friends. She would've never thought that she was with Travis during that incident.

As promised, she stopped working with her crochet after two hours. She got the watches she bought from Savannah and let her keep their materials.

She was looking for Travis to talk to him about the incident when Winter stormed inside the room. She was rather pale compared to the time she left and she refused Gabriel's help as well to carry her back to her room.

"Just stay away from me. I'm begging you." Winter plead which stopped Gabriel on his track. Despite her strength and skills in combat and missions, she was still a woman who's weak in front of him.

Gabriel didn't press her and just watched her leave from his sight. He saw Jillyanna who was watching them from the second floor with a questioning gaze thrown at him.

Gabriel just shrugged his shoulders and went to the kitchen to get something to drink for Winter. Jillyanna knew he wouldn't just ignore her friend so she continued to look for Travis.

She found him in the study room with several photo album. "You look worried." she stated while walking towards him. "I heard about Winter. I have deduced that she lost her memories with what Dad said earlier. However, I didn't expect her to be involved in that incident."

"Let's talk inside our room. I'll give these albums to Gabriel first." Travis replied to her and picked up the album. When they got out of the study room, Gabriel was on his way to Winter's bedroom. "Gabriel, I have something for you." he handed him the albums which contained pictures of him and Winter when they were kids.

"I don't think she can handle another stimuli this time. I'll keep it and show this to her next time. Thanks."

"We should be the one thanking you for helping us." Travis commented before turning his back and walked with Jillyanna towards their room.

Just as he opened the door, Gabriel called out to him. "I am not doing this for you or for her family. I am doing this for me and for herself. I never thought of her as a task."

Travis smiled and looked at his friend. "I've known that since we were kids. No need to explain anything to me. Everything was spoken through your eyes."

Knowing that he got their support, Gabriel went to find Winter in her room. He wanted to make her realize that she did the right choice by cutting off her marriage, that what happened to her relationship had a purpose. He was only worried of one thing, that was for her to find out that everything was a set up.