Chapter 318 Someone Spoke Ill of Me
"That's different." Jessica, feeling her heart race with Gabriel so close, pushed him away clumsily. "You need to leave now."
Gabriel leaned in for another kiss, pretending to help her unbutton her shirt. Jessica vaguely heard a knock at the door.
She quickly whispered, "I think someone's knocking."
Gabriel ignored her, only letting go after he was satisfied with his kisses.
When he finally went to open the door, Jessica looked down and saw her shirt was completely unbuttoned.
She pressed the cool back of her hand to her cheek, quickly buttoning up her shirt.
After fixing her clothes, she stepped out of the walk-in closet and saw a well-dressed middle-aged woman talking to Gabriel.
Jessica didn't catch what the woman was saying, but she heard Gabriel's voice. "She's not available right now. She didn't know you were here. I'll bring her over later."
Even though Jessica didn't walk directly to the door, Imogen still caught a glimpse of her.
Jessica, without checking the mirror, remained unaware of her flushed face, a potential source of misunderstanding.
When she fully appeared in front of Imogen, the woman immediately understood what Gabriel meant by "inconvenient" upon seeing Jessica's face.
Seeing Jessica approach, Gabriel didn't hesitate and pulled her to his side.
"And this is..." Jessica looked at Imogen, already having a rough guess.
Before Gabriel could introduce her, Imogen's eyes swept over the kiss marks on Jessica's neck. She suppressed her displeasure but spoke coldly, "I am Gabriel's mother."
Jessica had already guessed it, her mind racing, but she paused slightly before reacting, smiling calmly. "So you're Mrs. Harriman. Hello, I'm Jessica. I didn't know you had returned to the country, so..."
"So you slept in at the Harriman family until this late? Didn't even greet the elders during breakfast?" Imogen interrupted, her expression cold. She glanced at the flush on Jessica's face and the kiss marks on her neck, then looked at Gabriel with even more displeasure. "Gabriel, this is the Harriman family. You should know your limits. You knew Kimberly and I had just returned to the country. Last night, you had an urgent matter and left, which is understandable, but bringing such a woman back, with an unclear relationship, and relying on Michael's good mood to not care, staying in the room all morning, this is not like your usual behavior. You haven't let some negative talk get to you, making you all careless, have you?."
Jessica was taken aback by Imogen's harsh words and didn't respond. Though the smile in her eyes didn't fade, she clearly heard Imogen mention Kimberly and her just returning to the country.
'Kimberly?'
'The one who calls herself Gabriel's little squirrel on Facebook?'
'The one who posted a picture of herself standing next to Gabriel with the words—My man is back.'
"You didn't even give me a chance for a formal introduction and already labeled my girlfriend as unclear. Mom, I don't remember you being so hasty." Gabriel's calm voice was unhurried, with a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Imogen frowned, clearly displeased. "I heard you had a girlfriend last night, but I didn't say anything. Today, I finally see her, and it's only because I came knocking. How precious is this girlfriend of yours? In the Harriman family, she has no manners. Wouldn't she cause a big stir outside?"
Gabriel continued to hold Jessica's hand steadily, his gaze calm and indifferent. "She didn't know you were at the Harriman family. I've said this more than once."
"She didn't know, but did you?"
"I knew. She wasn't feeling well last night, so I let her sleep a bit longer. It's my fault for not bringing her to see you earlier. You are a reasonable person. Since you understand she didn't know, the responsibility isn't hers. There's no need to vent your dissatisfaction on her." Gabriel's voice remained calm. "You and Kimberly are family, not outsiders. Mother and sister returning home is no big deal. I know how to balance the rules in front of family."
Hearing Gabriel emphasize that Kimberly was a sister and that Jessica, like them, was part of the Harriman family, Imogen couldn't find a way to vent her anger. Decades of upbringing prevented her from launching an excessive attack on Jessica, but her obvious rejection and displeasure were not hidden.
"Family? Don't say that too soon." Imogen said this while looking at Jessica.
Jessica didn't speak, only facing Imogen with a polite smile.
Despite cursing in her mind, thinking that she used to find people like Michael stubborn and difficult to deal with, she now found Michael adorable. She had thought Imogen and Kimberly were in the Y Country and wouldn't return, so there wouldn't be much interaction. But as soon as they returned, they came to give her a warning.
She had always suspected Kimberly's intentions towards Gabriel, and now seeing Imogen's attitude, she understood what was going on.
Jessica maintained a polite and appropriate smile. "Mrs. Harriman, I'm truly sorry, but I really didn't know you were at the Harriman family. You're right, whether you're here or not, there are many elders here, and the proper manners and respect should be observed. I will remember that in the future. I promise to correct my mistakes. Mrs. Harriman, you are kind and loving, please give me a chance."
Imogen wanted to say more but was blocked by Jessica's words. Although her expression remained displeased, she couldn't be overly harsh.
Jessica seemed to be pampered by Gabriel, but her words were respectful and neither servile nor overbearing. She stated her position and apologized appropriately, speaking without giving anything away, clearly a clever person.
Jessica hadn't even had time to comb her hair, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders. Her body wasn't ready to face Mrs. Harriman, but her mind was quickly prepared, her eyes clear and bright as she looked at Imogen, always smiling.
But Imogen seemed to have looked at her neck several times.
Jessica was puzzled and thought, 'What was wrong with myneck?'
