Chapter 274 It's All Because of You
"But I think it's worth it," Gabriel said.
Jessica's eyes were all puffy and red, and she couldn't get a single word out, her heart just bursting with emotion.
"Let's drop this topic. Sit down and have a proper meal with me. I haven't had a decent bite in days," Gabriel said.
Jessica didn't push any further and plopped down next to him.
She'd already eaten most of her food, so she just sat there while he dug in.
For a bit, the only sounds were the clinking of cutlery and plates.
Gabriel sat there like a statue, rocking a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his lean, strong forearms.
He chewed through almost all the dishes slowly and carefully, his moves smooth and classy. Every action of his just fit the vibe perfectly.
Even though they didn't say a word, they both started to chill out.
Jessica sat there, taking in the decor of the private room. On closer look, she realized the place was super detailed. Every little thing was comforting and oozed class.
After sipping the last bit of soup, Gabriel put down his chopsticks. Jessica asked, "You full?"
"Yeah," he nodded, his voice soft. "This is the best dinner I've had in days."
"That's good," Jessica said.
Gabriel looked at her and said, "It's not 'cause the food's amazing, but 'cause you're here with me."
Jessica stayed quiet. She didn't know what to say.
"This place is huge. We've only seen one room, and there's a ton more inside. Wanna take a tour?" Gabriel asked softly, one hand casually in his pocket.
Right then, the waiter handed Jessica the store's intro booklet.
She opened the fancy booklet, and the first page had her hooked. She was a sucker for vintage styles.
Thinking of something, she quickly turned to look at Gabriel.
Her love for vintage clothing, architecture, and items was always her little secret. As a vintage culture fan, she quietly admired them.
She never made a big deal out of it or went on crazy shopping sprees. So how did he know?
While touring the store, Jessica realized how little she knew about it.
No wonder the owner built the store in such a hidden and peaceful spot; it was full of surprises inside.
Almost every corner gave Jessica a big surprise.
The store's size was beyond her wildest dreams; it was like a mini vintage world.
It had everything.
Restaurants, decor galleries, design studios, photography studios, shopping areas, auction houses, performance halls, exhibition rooms, treasure rooms, wedding dress shops...
Pretty much anything you could think of was here.
Jessica felt overwhelmed as she looked around.
This place was so beautiful and unique. She really loved it and didn't want to leave.
After touring the main hall, the young tour guide asked softly to the two of them,
"Mr. Walton, Ms. Morgan, since we're short on time today, we might only be able to visit one gallery. Which one would you like to see first?"
Gabriel looked at the tour guide and then at Jessica, saying, "Up to her."
"Ms. Morgan, let me know when you've decided," the tour guide said.
"The photography studio," Jessica said.
"Sorry, Ms. Morgan, it's kinda late, and the photographers and staff have already bounced. All the other galleries are still open. Wanna check out another one?"
"Sure, can I see the treasure room?"
"Absolutely."
The young tour guide let out a sigh of relief.
Good thing she was quick on her feet; otherwise, the secret would've been blown.
Truth is, it wasn't 'cause it was late or anything, but 'cause Gabriel had booked the whole place.
Basically, besides the staff, they were the only ones there.
When the heavy carved doors of the treasure room swung open, Jessica was still blown away.
The whole gallery was grand, and the decor was straight-up magnificent. The moment she stepped in, she felt like she had time-traveled.
Every little detail in the gallery was crafted to perfection, leaving people in awe.
Inside, there were all sorts of treasures on display. Gorgeous clothes, various items, books, and a dazzling array of vintage jewelry.
Gotta admit, women love beautiful things. When Jessica saw those stunning clothes, she was floored.
She stood there, staring for a long time. Her face was full of envy and admiration, and her eyes sparkled like stars.
She really loved them. From every angle, these clothes were drop-dead gorgeous.
"Do you like them?" Gabriel asked, standing next to her.
Jessica smiled with her eyes twinkling. "It's more like I appreciate them. Some things are so beautiful, but they're just for admiring, not for owning."
'Just like some people, like, him,' Jessica thought.
After a few more glances, Jessica kept moving forward.
The display cases ahead were packed with precious jewelry, gold, and diamonds—pretty much everything you could think of.
The jewelry inside was blindingly beautiful, and Jessica could tell at a glance they were pricey.
In the two years she had been married to Gabriel, he had always been super generous with her financially.
On various holidays, she got diamond necklaces and all sorts of jewelry. Not just from him, but also from her in-laws. Even though it had only been two years, she had a whole big box of them.
So, Jessica had seen a lot of fancy stuff, probably more than most people. But even so, when her eyes landed on a pair of gemstone earrings, they lit up.
A light purple color, looking super soft and beautiful at first glance, full of elegance. The shape was smooth, and the size was just right.
Jessica fell in love at first sight.
But with her past experience, she didn't show too much affection for the earrings, just silently admired them a bit longer.
But even if she hid it well, Gabriel still noticed, sharp as ever.
And this time, he also stayed quiet.
After touring the treasure room, Jessica sighed. "The owner must've put in a ton of time and effort collecting all these treasures."
The young tour guide nodded eagerly. "Ms. Morgan, you're spot on. These were collected by the owner over many years, and a lot of them are his personal treasures, his favorites. So everything in our store can be priced and sold, except for the items in the treasure room, which are just for display, not for sale."
"Mr. Walton, Ms. Morgan, you guys toured pretty quickly, and there's still some time left. Up ahead is our store's main gallery, our specialty gallery—the wedding dress gallery. Wanna check it out?" the tour guide asked.
