Chapter 120 go to the hospital
Standing beside Gabriel, Teresa gripped his hand tightly as tears streamed down her face. The sight of blood oozing from the acid-eaten wounds on his back was too much for her to bear, sending shivers of shared pain through her body. She reached out to touch the scorched skin, but her trembling hand hesitated, afraid to cause more pain.
"Honey, I'm alright, don't cry, it doesn't hurt anymore," Gabriel reassured her, ignoring the drenching water as he stood up to wipe her tears.
Teresa, fighting back her own tears, nodded and urged him into the car, "Let's go, we need to get to the hospital."
"Okay," he agreed, letting her lead him quickly to the vehicle. The driver sped off towards the hospital while the bodyguard took the assailant into custody.
Once the chaos had settled, and the car had disappeared, the crowd began to disperse, still shaken by the dramatic incident that seemed more suited to fiction than real life. The saying "fame comes with trouble" had never seemed more apt.
"Don't cry," Gabriel said as they drove away, his heart torn between relief and concern for Teresa, who couldn't stop her tears.
"I'm not crying. Turn around and lie down," Teresa insisted, finding another bottle of water, her eyes evidently red from crying.
"I'm drenched already, even my underwear is soaked," Gabriel remarked with a smile, gently stroking her tear-stained cheeks.
Teresa pushed his hand away, "Are you going to turn or not?"
"Okay, okay." Seeing her irritation flare, Gabriel complied quickly, releasing her and lying face down with his back towards her.
As he lay there, Teresa poured water to cleanse the chemical burns from his shoulder and back. Fortunately, his suit and shirt had absorbed the brunt of it. Thanks to Gabriel's swift reaction, only a fraction of the sulfuric acid had splashed onto him. The burns were not extensive; they had been quickly treated and were not overly severe. His skin wasn't blackened, looking more like a severe sunburn, with trickles of blood seeping through.
But to Teresa, the sight was enough to send a shiver of fear through her.
Feeling the icy touch of her trembling fingertips on his back, Gabriel couldn't hold back any longer. In a swift move, he sat up, turned around, and captured Teresa's lips with his own, drawing her head towards him.
Tears mixed with the kiss, their salty tang contrasting with the sweetness he felt from her lips, an inexplicable blend of happiness for him.
Teresa tried to push him away, but her feeble attempts only urged him on, deepening the urgency of his kiss. Angry at first at his brazenness during such a moment, she found herself inexplicably giving in, closing her eyes to welcome and slowly reciprocate his advances.
Gabriel's elation grew with her response, their embrace becoming tighter.
Teresa, inexperienced and unskilled in matters of intimacy, felt a powerful current pulse through her, igniting a desire for more that she'd never felt before.
"Ouch!" Caught up in the moment, Teresa had forgotten his injured shoulder and instinctively reached for it.
Gabriel automatically let go of her, struggling to breathe due to the intense pain.
"I'm so sorry!" Teresa's voice snapped her back to reality, and realizing where her hand lay, she jolted back as if electrocuted, recoiling from him.
With a crooked smile at her reaction, Gabriel chuckled. He lifted his hand to her chin. "It's okay, let’s keep going."
"No way!" With a mixture of shame and theatrical aggression, Teresa shoved his hand away and panted, "Touch me again, and I'll claw at your wounds."
"It’s alright, if you insist, you can go ahead..." he teased, leaning in once more. With a smooth gesture, he reached up and pressed the button that raised the partition between the front and rear of the limousine.
The entanglement between the two seemed timeless, only coming to an end as the car rolled into the hospital and came to a halt. It was then that Teresa snapped out of it and pushed the man off her.
"We're here," Teresa gasped out to Gabriel, unable to deliver the words in one go.
Faced with the dangerously attractive man before her, Teresa felt an unfamiliar urge to throw herself at him, something that stirred deep within her, both body and soul.
But it was not the right time. She knew that. So, she hurriedly straightened her clothes.
"Honey..."
"Gabriel, if scars mar your shoulders and back, I'll nag you for life." Her hands, once again ensnared by his, were swiftly pulled away by Teresa, who glared at him fiercely, her eyes enchanting and bright.
"Heh..." Despite the searing agony racking his body, Gabriel's spirits soared higher than ever. His deep eyes sparkled with amusement, "Sounds like my dear is promising to stick by me for life."
"Stop kidding around and get out of the car to get your wounds treated. You are not having that scar," Teresa said, desperation painting her face as tears welled up in her eyes.
Gabriel was deeply moved by Teresa's commanding yet endearing concern. Without further teasing, he lowered his head to kiss her forehead, pressing his own against hers with a husky voice, "Alright, I promise, no scars."
"Then hurry up and get out of the car," Teresa commanded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I can't exactly go out like this, look." Gabriel chuckled softly, "Give me two minutes, just two."
Avoiding his gaze, Teresa turned her head away in a flush of embarrassment, falling silent.
Gabriel, watching her, chuckled helplessly, then closed his eyes, focusing on calming himself.
After a short while, they exited the vehicle and made a beeline for the emergency room...
