Chapter 286 Playing Monk
It took a while for Gabriel's inner agitation to settle. Sitting in the car, the air conditioner was running, sending cool drafts of air wafting through the car’s interior space.
Gabriel unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing his immaculately sculpted collarbone.
His condition had visibly improved—he was now completely immune to Sophia, and even when his female subordinates got a bit too close, his reaction wasn't as intense as before.
Today, however, when that woman touched him, the visceral rejection was overwhelming.
Had years of solitude turned into a physiological habit?
"Drive to Rochester Edward's place," Gabriel ordered as soon as Alex got into the car.
The car slowly pulled away, heading toward a luxurious neighborhood.
Rochester Edward had been Gabriel's high school classmate; they had lost touch when Edward went abroad for college. Last month, Edward had returned and sought Gabriel's help, eventually reconnecting through mutual classmates.
"How's it looking?" Gabriel asked, opening his eyes as Edward poured him a glass of water.
"You believed she was dead, and the guilt you felt had a profound impact. It caused you to subconsciously avoid other women, even developing an aversion," Edward explained calmly.
"The saying goes, 'He who tied the bell must also untie it.' When you learned she was alive, that guilt in your subconscious began to dissipate,” he continued.
"The human brain is complex, with many subconscious elements that we, ourselves can't detect. All I can say is, throughout these years, you've never received proper treatment, which is why your brain and body have formed this habit,” he added.
After switching from finance to psychology in college, Edward made significant strides in the field overseas.
He noticed Gabriel's furrowed brow.
"It will be quite difficult to fully recover, but I believe you should try," Edward suggested.
"What happens if I don't get treatment?" Gabriel asked.
Dr. Edward Rochester raised his eyebrows in surprise. No treatment? Was Gabriel ready to live a monastic life indefinitely?
Gabriel had been dealing with his condition for five years. One could only imagine that for five years, he'd gone without a normal, intimate life.
As a man himself, Dr. Rochester couldn't help but wonder if Gabriel was hiding some other physical ailment.
Feeling the odd intensity of the doctor's gaze, Gabriel's expression turned frosty.
"How bad is it?" he asked.
Edward remarked, "Well, neglecting treatment shouldn't have any serious consequences, but if you abstain from intimate activity over the long term, your body might develop some minor issues."
Gabriel reacted, "Oh."
Edward observed the way he reacted, Gabriel seemed almost pleased with the answer.
Dr. Rochester was baffled. How could anyone choose to live without the touch of a woman for the rest of their life?
But then again, wasn't Gabriel immune to the charms of his ex-wife?
Perhaps… Dr. Rochester thought he had stumbled upon the truth.
By eleven o'clock, Gabriel arrived home.
After a busy day, he wanted to check on the kids. He peered into Emma's room—nobody there. His brows drew together slightly, and then he headed to Ethan's room—again, there was nobody.
Could it be that all three kids were sleeping together?
He moved on to Sam's room.
The sight before him caught him off guard. There, sleeping soundly on the bed, Sophia was surrounded by the children, snug in her embrace.
They were sleeping so soundly, their breathing shallow, almost in a synchronized rhythm.
At that moment, Gabriel felt a deep, maternal warmth envelop his heart.
It was as if the cold mountain streams had thawed, like a lost elephant calf finding its herd, like a lonely drifter finally coming home.
"Gabriel, you lost a good wife." His grandmother's words suddenly popped into his head, causing his heart to quiver.
He walked over, bent down, and kissed each child's face, then his gaze landed on Sophia's fair face and lingered for several seconds. At last, he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.
"Goodnight," he whispered faintly before turning to leave.
Lately, Sophia had been having trouble sleeping, restlessly tossing and turning every night. But tonight, with the three children by her side, she had slept quite peacefully and greeted the morning with a dream-filled smile.
By morning, the three kids were already awake.
Ethan and Sam had gone to wash up and get dressed, while Emma still clung to the warmth of the bed, refusing to get up.
"Mommy," Emma rolled into her embrace, prompting Sophia to quickly check her wound. Thankfully, it hadn't reopened.
"Mommy, it's itchy here," Emma pointed to the spot where she was hurt.
"The itch means it's healing, you're getting better," Sophia reassured her.
"I don't want more 'healing.' I'm already getting chubby," she lamented, feeling as though she was on the verge of becoming a plump little one.
"Okay, it won't get worse, just remember not to scratch it," the mother instructed gently.
"Got it, mom," the child agreed.
Sophia was annoyed with herself for having fallen asleep there the previous night. She knew that Gabriel might misinterpret her actions as having an ulterior motive.
Eager to avoid an uncomfortable encounter with Gabriel, Sophia placated Emma for a little while before trying to leave. But Emma clung to her, refusing to let go.
"Honey, be good. Mommy will come see you after work and we'll spend the weekend together, okay?" Sophia tried to reason with Emma.
"Mommy, I just wish it could be like before when we were together every day," Emma said, sadly.
"Mommy's doing her best to bring us all back together," Sophia assured her.
"Why does the meanie Daddy have to separate us from Mommy?" Emma complained.
"Because..." Sophia paused, choosing her words carefully, "he's lonely, he wants you and Ethan to keep him company."
Emma pouted, obviously feeling bad for her daddy being alone since she and Ethan had left with Mommy.
Sophia froze as she realized Gabriel was standing at the doorway, having overheard their conversation.
Still, she had been caught.
She braced for Gabriel's scorn, expecting him to mock her. However, Gabriel approached them, took Emma into his arms, and his eyes radiated warmth and affection.
"Did you sleep well?" he asked, gently.
"With mommy here, I slept wonderfully," Emma stated.
"How about tonight you sleep with Daddy, is that okay?" he suggested.
Emma hesitated but reluctantly agreed, "Okay."
"Let's go down for breakfast," Gabriel said, though it was unclear whether he was speaking to Emma or Sophia.
"I haven't brushed my teeth yet," Emma protested.
"I'll help you with that," Gabriel offered, leading Emma away to take care of their morning routine.
Feeling out of place, Sophia descended the staircase. She was still in yesterday's clothes, now creased from sleep. After a brief greeting to the housekeeper, she hurried away.
Ethan watched his mother leave, his little fists clenched. Without his sister and him by her side, he knew their mother would feel very lonely at home.
He was determined to help his mommy.
Gabriel, carrying Emma downstairs, saw Ethan looking towards the door. He put Emma down and told her to head to the dining room for breakfast. Emma obeyed, leaving Gabriel to approach Ethan and ruffle his hair.
Ethan sharply dodged the gesture, upset, and turned away to walk off.
Gabriel retracted his hand, feeling a pang of helplessness wash over him.
Sam had always been a well-behaved, sensible child, and after becoming autistic, he became even quieter, never showing any minor mood swings. Emma, on the other hand, was a little girl, and though she had her emotional moments, she was generally easy to console.
But Ethan was different. When upset, he wouldn't cry or make a fuss, and he was particularly intelligent, and mature beyond his years.
Gabriel felt somewhat at a loss when it came to Ethan.
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