Chapter 108
Ever since the accident at the school yesterday and Dakota's emergence, Gabriel had arranged for a bodyguard to discretely protect Teresa and their son.
So now, Gabriel had his finger on the pulse of Teresa's every move; he knew exactly what she was up to at any given moment.
"Are they all right now?" Gabriel asked, only settling down once he was assured of their well-being.
"They have gone back to the Garcia’s house," the reply echoed.
Back to the Garcia’s house.
A flicker of satisfaction crossed Gabriel's deep eyes as he stood up swiftly and headed back home.
When Gabriel arrived, Teresa was on the phone in the garden. He got out of the car, crept up behind her, and enveloped her in an embrace.
Teresa knew it was him; she had noticed his car pulling in. His arms around her didn't spark any resistance, not even a glance back; she just continued with her phone call as if this level of closeness and mutual trust was the most natural thing for lovers deeply in love.
Without any movement from Teresa, and with no further action from Gabriel, he simply held her, his chin gently resting on top of her head, listening to her speak fluent German on the phone. He felt completely fulfilled and content.
Teresa's call went on for a good ten minutes after Gabriel's embrace before she finally hung up.
As soon as she did, Gabriel's hands, with their distinctively articulated fingers, reached to tilt her chin, turning her face towards him, aiming for her red lips.
But this time, Teresa didn't comply, covering her mouth just in time.
Being denied a kiss on the lips wouldn't stop him; a kiss on the forehead would do just as well.
With that, Gabriel turned her in his arms and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Why are you taking calls outside?" he murmured tenderly, his voice irresistibly soft after the kiss.
Teresa shot him a sideways glance, “I didn't want to disturb them."
Observing Teresa's frankness, a smile found its way onto Gabriel's lips, and he took her hand, leading her away, "Come on, I'm taking you somewhere."
"Shouldn’t we let them know first?" Teresa said, not questioning where he was taking her; she knew from breakfast he had been eager to take her somewhere.
She trusted he had her best interests at heart.
"No need to. The butler will let them know," replied Gabriel, who started off by holding her hand but, sensing her openness and seeing no anger towards himself, now wrapped his arm around her.
Eyeing the man so near, and thinking that Croissant might also grow to walk in his shoes, her lips involuntarily twitched.
It seemed to Teresa that perhaps, someday, a daughter would prove more reliable than a son.
A daughter?
Aware of the fact that her thoughts had wandered, Teresa quickly diverted her gaze, her cheeks flushing in silent embarrassment.
Gabriel wrapped his arms around Teresa and the two of them climbed straight into the car, not even bothering to grab Croissant, and left the grand estate behind.
Once they were on the road, he held her hand as she looked out the window, still turned away from him. Without a word, Gabriel fished a simple yet elegant ring from his pocket and slipped it onto her right ring finger.
The cool touch of the metal stirred Teresa, who glanced down to find a golden ring, tasteful and understated, adorning her hand.
"I know you don't like flashy diamonds, so I had this custom-made," Gabriel said, tightening his grip on her hand and bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss.
Teresa noticed that on his right hand, he wore a matching ring.
"How did you know I don't like big diamond rings?" Teresa quirked her lip, implying a challenge, yet she let him continue to hold her hand and made no move to take off the ring.
"Ah, my love, I stand corrected," Gabriel quickly acknowledged with a nod and kissed her hand again, “But do you like this ring?"
Teresa shot him a sideways glance and said nothing.
"Great, silence from my dear must mean she likes it."
Teresa just looked at him.
It wasn't a long drive to their destination. In just over twenty minutes, they entered Foxglove Fields, a high-end villa community developed by Capital Construction a few years ago. The community was expansive yet exclusive, home to only twelve lavish villas, each worth over a hundred million dollars and distinct in design, the work of world-renowned architects who had painstakingly planned every hill, every water feature, every plant, and tree; it was essentially a sprawling private park.
"Why are we at Foxglove Fields?" Teresa asked, peering through the car windows at the astonishing scenery outside with a hint of awe.
"We're going to check out our new home," Gabriel replied, never loosening his hold on her hand. His deep eyes shone with a thick layer of bliss as he spoke of their new abode.
He had reserved the best-positioned, most scenic, and private villa in Foxglove Fields three years ago, all in anticipation of this moment.
From their first fervent kiss three years ago, Gabriel had been dreaming of the day he would bring Teresa home.
Their new home.
Teresa was even more astonished as she turned to look at the man beside her.
"I know it's not easy for you to live with my grandparents and parents, so I talked to them. We're moving out," Gabriel explained, his smile reassuring as he observed the surprise on her face.
"And your parents are okay with this?" Teresa pressed.
Gabriel, the only child of the Garcia family, knew that even if Mason and Raymond agreed, it was not certain that Katherine would.
Nodding, Gabriel suddenly reached out, tipping Teresa's chin with his long fingers before quickly leaning down to press a kiss to her lips, “Don't worry. Our new place is just about a half-hour drive from your family home and mine; they have no reason to object."
Teresa shot him a playful glare, “I never said when I'd move in with you."
Gabriel just grinned, his eyes twinkling, “Doesn't matter. You are my dearest regardless."
Their car glided through the elegantly designed gardens before reaching a bridge that led to the heart of the lake. As Teresa looked up, she saw a three-story villa standing majestically on an island at the center of the water.
Surrounded by the embrace of both clear waters and verdant hills, the villa's beauty and uniqueness were breathtaking. They pulled up to a slow stop in front of the grand entrance.
