Chapter 177 Jessica, I Like You Too 1
Gabriel froze, standing there like a statue.
Did he just hear that right?
Did Jessica say she liked him?
So, she liked him all along?
How could that be?
If he hadn't heard it himself, he wouldn't have believed it.
"Jessica," Gabriel murmured, his voice a mix of tenderness and excitement.
His heart pounded like it was about to burst out of his chest. He was so excited he could barely speak.
"I didn't hear wrong, did I? You really like me?" He gently wiped away the tears streaming down Jessica's face, his voice soft and patient.
Jessica looked up, her eyes filled with tears, gazing gently at him. Before she could speak, tears rolled down her cheeks like beads.
"Don't cry."
"Jessica,don't cry."
Seeing her cry made Gabriel's distressed. He reached out and pulled her close, kissing the tears off her cheeks.
As her tears flowed, he kissed them away, his touch incredibly gentle.
But the more he did, the more Jessica cried.
She even thought she was dreaming because only in dreams was he this gentle with her.
All day, he had been so cold, treating her like a stranger.
How could he suddenly be so kind?
"Gabriel," Jessica sobbed, holding his hand, "Am I dreaming?"
"Silly, I'm right here. How could this be a dream?"
"But..." Jessica curled up into a small ball, speaking pitifully, "You treated me like a stranger, ignored me when I drank, and just watched others bully me."
"Gabriel, how could you be so nice to me this time?"
Jessica couldn't forget those moments.
In the private room, his eyes and tone were so cold, like a sword piercing her heart.
"I'm sorry, Jessica. I was wrong. It was my fault." Gabriel held her face, deeply regretting his actions.
Frank was right; he was foolish. There were so many ways to express his true feelings, but he chose the most foolish and roundabout way.
He hurt not only himself but also her.
"If you're upset, you can hit me, punish me, anything, just don't ignore me." Gabriel gently coaxed.
Jessica looked at him, then suddenly reached out, her slender, soft fingers landing on his face.
Eyebrows, nose, and finally his lips.
"But how could I bear to ignore you?"
She loved him too much to ignore him.
Jessica's fingers gently caressed Gabriel's lips.
Such a gentle touch. He was right there with her, yet she still felt an emptiness inside.
At that moment, looking at his lips, Jessica suddenly stopped thinking. Her mind went blank, or maybe she deliberately chose not to think.
Following her instincts, she leaned in, her soft lips landing on Gabriel's.
In the past, he was always the one to initiate.
But this time, Jessica seemed eager to prove something, kissing him urgently.
She kissed him with urgency, completely letting go of her shame and hesitation, taking all her courage and kissing in desperation.
She just wanted to follow her heart, to let herself be free for once, to express her true feelings.
But soon , she knew something was off.
Gabriel stayed stiff, like a statue, barely moving except to breathe.
Jessica's heart sank, turning cold.
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her, drenching her completely.
Not just her body, but her heart went cold.
'He really doesn't like me.'
Even when she lowered herself to kiss him, putting aside all her pride, it was useless.
If there was no love, she couldn't force it.
Letting go of his lips, Jessica stepped back.
She forced a bitter smile.
At that moment, she could only use a smile to hide her inner pain.
She wanted to leave; the room felt suffocating and oppressive.
But before she could turn around, Gabriel reached out to stop her.
He held her face, asking softly, "Jessica, can you say it again for me?"
"Say what?"
"You just said you liked me, really liked me. Is that true?" Gabriel asked cautiously, as if afraid of startling her.
"I'm sorry." Jessica lowered her eyes.
She shouldn't have said it. She had hidden it well for so long.
If she hadn't been extremely drunk and in extreme pain, she wouldn't have said it.
She loved him, but he didn't like her at all. She didn't want her love to seem cheap.
"I didn't. You heard wrong." Jessica shook her head.
But Gabriel grabbed her hand, "No, Jessica, I heard it clearly. You said you liked me."
"It was a slip of the tongue!" Jessica insisted.
Gabriel, however, was unwilling to let it go. He insisted, "It doesn't matter. Even if it was a slip of the tongue, it still means you like me!"
These words made Jessica break down. She was already trying to take it back, why force her to admit she likes him!
She didn't want to say it, didn't want to love anymore!
She was in pain, she was hurting.
She couldn't afford to love anymore. She just wanted to give up.
Her heart was already in enough pain, why make it worse?
Finally, Jessica couldn't hold it in anymore. She shouted, "Fine, I admit it. I didn't say it wrong. I like you. I really like you."
"But Gabriel," Jessica suddenly calmed down, her eyes dim, her voice soft and clear, "Love is a personal matter. I like you, but I never intended to bother you or cling to you. It's just my own business."
She had tried to tell him before, but after several failed attempts, she gave up completely.
Rather than face the humiliation of rejection, she preferred to keep this love in her heart, at least preserving some beautiful memories, not making it so broken and ugly.
"Silly, are you ready?" Suddenly, Gabriel moved closer, holding her face gently.
"Ready for what?"
"You told me your feelings. Don't you want to know my answer?"
Jessica immediately shook her head.
No, she didn't want to know at all.
The answer she had long anticipated, the rejection she had long anticipated, who would want to hear it?
She wasn't that strong. She was just an ordinary woman who could feel pain and hurt like everyone else.
Did it have to be so cruel?
Jessica lowered her eyes, and at that moment, Gabriel's firm voice rang out, "But I have to tell you my feelings!"
