Chapter 135 Belated Affection Is Worthless
How did she not notice when he became so petulant, so gentle, and so articulate?
He made it so she couldn't even bring herself to refuse him directly.
The night in the ancient town was exceptionally beautiful.
Even the moon seemed to have been fished out of the water, exuding an extreme gentleness.
Moonlight poured down like water, quietly enveloping the two of them.
Jessica and Gabriel walked side by side toward the old mansion, both quiet as if they had an unspoken understanding, neither speaking a word.
Suddenly, Jessica cried out.
Gabriel quickly grabbed her hand, steadying her.
It turned out there were uneven patches on the downhill path that Jessica hadn't noticed, almost causing her to stumble.
After regaining her balance, Jessica gently pulled her hand away from Gabriel's, politely saying, "Thank you!"
Rationally and emotionally, Gabriel should have replied with a "You're welcome."
But as he looked at her dimly beautiful face in the moonlight, he felt a bitter ache in his heart and couldn't bring himself to utter those words no matter what.
On this day, she laughed freely, charmingly, and alluringly.
At one moment, he felt as if they had returned to the early days of their acquaintance, as her face always bore a brilliant and innocent smile, so lovely.
He even thought that she had let go of the past and wanted a fresh start.
But all illusions were brutally shattered in that moment.
She hadn't.
Her smile was not because she had forgotten but to conceal.
When the sunlight faded and night fell, she quickly retracted all her smiles, returning to her previous cold demeanor, once again distancing herself from him.
That's why she swiftly pulled back her hand.
That's why she politely said thank you.
Her politeness, her courtesy, felt like a punch to the gut at that moment. It was really uncomfortable.
If he could, he wished she could skip around him, laugh and play.
But those beautiful moments would never return.
Arriving at the entrance, Jessica looked up. She saw the entire old house bathed in the moon's radiant light, especially the two large lanterns adorning the front, which looked exceptionally delicate.
Entering the house, a faint fragrance of flowers wafted in.
At that moment, Gabriel hung up the phone and caught up with Jessica from behind.
Suddenly, with a bang, a dazzling firework burst in the sky above the old house.
Followed by a second, a third...
Soon, the entire sky turned into an ocean of fireworks, clusters of them sliding across the sky like shooting stars, blooming into colorful flowers, red, yellow, and blue, in various shapes, incredibly beautiful.
The fireworks illuminated the entire old house in an instant.
In the hazy light, Gabriel watched as surprise and delight flickered on Jessica's delicate face.
She raised her head, her face brimming with a gentle smile, looking especially happy.
’Everything is worth it.‘ At that moment, Gabriel's world fell silent, with only these words ringing clear.
As for everything else, it seemed unimportant.
The fireworks continued for a long time.
The entire sky was lit up, and Jessica's face always bore a faint smile.
When the last firework bloomed and then subsided, Gabriel stepped forward, asking softly, "Was it beautiful?"
Jessica nodded. "Yes, very beautiful. I never expected such a surprise."
She smiled, and her face showed obvious excitement and joy.
Gabriel watched her, not saying anything.
After watching the fireworks, the two of them entered the room.
"We'll stay here tonight," Gabriel said.
Seeing the neatly arranged room and the clean and warm bed, Jessica felt a warmth in her heart, a kind of indescribable coziness.
She nodded. "Okay."
Seeing her straightforward agreement, Gabriel felt she might not fully understand his meaning.
He cleared his throat and explained. "I mean, we'll both stay in this room."
Jessica pointed to the only bed in front of them, incredulous. "You mean we'll both stay in this room on one bed?"
Gabriel nodded. "Yes. There are only two rooms here. The other one is filled with stuff and has no bedding."
It meant that besides here, he had nowhere else to stay.
Jessica fell silent.
She thought Gabriel's ability to play the victim was becoming increasingly impressive.
It would be a shame not to act.
Gabriel said with a grievance， "I know you don't want to sleep on the same bed with me. If you're not comfortable with it, it's okay; I'll find a hotel in town."
"How far is it to town from here?" Jessica asked.
Gabriel responded, "By car, it's quick, about ten to twenty minutes, but it's hard to get a ride at night here, so it's about an hour's walk."
Jessica fell silent.
After all, they were staying in his house, and she felt she had no right to drive him away.
In the end, Jessica took a step back. "Since it's inconvenient, don't leave. You sleep on the bed; there should be extra blankets around. I'll sleep on the floor later."
"Yes." Gabriel quickly nodded.
He understood that this was already Jessica's biggest concession, and he had to be content, not asking for more.
"I'll go take a shower first. I'm a bit tired after running around all day, and I want to sleep early," Jessica said.
Gabriel said, "Okay."
When she finished the shower, Gabriel was bending down to lay out the blankets on the floor. When he looked up and saw Jessica, he froze for a moment, then quickly averted his eyes.
But even though he looked away quickly, he remembered her skin as fair as snow, her beauty and allure.
Because she had just showered, Jessica's skin was delicate and rosy, as if she could squeeze water out of it—not at all like someone who had been married for two years but rather like a young girl.
Gabriel struggled to restrain himself and spoke. "You sleep on the bed; I'll sleep on the floor."
"No need, I'm not that delicate; I can sleep on the floor just fine." After saying this, Jessica took off her shoes and walked toward the bed on the floor.
Seeing this, Gabriel bent down and directly lifted Jessica into his arms, carrying her to the bed.
In an instant, all the faint fragrance on her body rushed into his nostrils. The barely discernible scent stirred his nerves, almost immediately reigniting the fervor in his heart.
His body suddenly felt scorching hot. Even the hands holding her became hot.
Gabriel avoided looking at Jessica, afraid of losing control.
However, when he placed Jessica on the bed, he stumbled and almost fell toward her.
"Be careful," Jessica exclaimed.
Gabriel quickly grabbed the edge of the bed, stabilizing himself.
As he tried to stand up, he realized his face was directly in front of Jessica's. Their noses were almost touching, and they were so close that they could clearly hear each other's breathing.
More importantly, their lips were very close, almost just inches apart. A slight move forward would make them touch.
