Chapter 132 Gabriel's anger
He clicked on the link as fast as his fingers would allow.
Mason, with concern, leaned in for a closer look.
As the video expanded to fill the monitor screen and the audio echoed through the room, the expressions on Mason and Raymond's faces turned stony.
Halfway through the clip, Raymond got the picture. He snatched up the landline receiver and barked into it, “William, we will handle this mess. You go make sure Teresa's safe for now.”
“Got it, thanks, Raymond.”
Raymond grunted a response and hung up, then turned to Mason.
“That Yvonne,” he growled, “she's crossed a line, messing with the Garcia’s family member with such petty malice.” It was clear that Mason's anger was more than simmering; it was boiling over.
“But Dad, what if it really was Teresa's fault?” voiced Raymond, his faith in Teresa was still unsteady, not yet cemented with deep trust.
“Even if Teresa is to blame, she's one of the Garcias, and that doesn't give anyone the right to lay a hand on her,” Mason shot back, his voice raising in a fiery crescendo.
“So, what’s the plan? Should we try to block the video, lock down the story?” Raymond queried further.
After a brief pause, Mason shook his head. “Leave the video and online chatter for now. First, we need to get a handle on Yvonne and investigate thoroughly, then we can decide on how to proceed.”
The rationale was twofold: the video going viral online was too swift, erasing the clip was nearly impossible; and more importantly, Mason had faith in Teresa, certain the truth wasn't as the video portrayed.
The priority was to uncover the real story.
“Alright, Dad, I’ll get right on it,” Raymond confirmed and headed out to delegate the tasks.
Meanwhile, just seconds after the call ended in the CEO's office of the Bennett Group skyscraper, Jeffrey entered.
“Get a hold of the traffic main domain and retrieve the full video. We need to see where Teresa was taken, and then we're going right there,” William commanded, passing his secretary's phone to Jeffrey.
“Understood,” Jeffrey nodded, took the phone, and went to work.
...
In Chicago.
The signing ceremony for Capital Construction was to be held at the six-star hotel where Gabriel was staying.
As preparations were finalized and the signing was about to commence, Gabriel felt his phone vibrate twice in his pocket.
His thoughts, still orbiting around Teresa's possible presence at Liam's place, had distracted him throughout the day. He felt an urge to call her, to verify her whereabouts.
So, when his phone buzzed, he instinctively reached for it, anticipating a message from Teresa.
Instead, he found two unsolicited video clips, both featuring Teresa at their very start.
In the first, Teresa appeared draped in a white towel, her clothes and hair damp, her head tilted, her expression blank.
The second was more disturbing: Teresa lay bare on a bed, pinned beneath a man.
And not just any man, a clear profile shot confirmed the dark suspicion clawing at his mind: it was Liam.
Without even tapping play, Gabriel's heart felt as if it had been viciously squeezed and stabbed.
In the next instant, he shot to his feet, long legs poised to stride out of the ceremony room.
"Boss," Finley sensed the urgency and tailed him, "The signing's about to start, where are you going?"
"Where's Teresa's security? What the hell is he being paid for?" Gabriel's low growl rumbled as he halted in his steps, his glare slicing through Finley like a blade.
Finley visibly shuddered under that stare, momentarily stunned.
Gabriel's fury was unmatched, his menacing aura more intense than Finley had ever witnessed.
"Boss..." he stammered.
"Arrange for a jet, now. I'm heading back," commanded Gabriel, resuming his purposeful exit.
"Boss," Finley, recovering his wits, dashed ahead to block his path, his voice laced with alarm, "The signing is about to begin."
With billions at stake, how could Gabriel just walk away?
Halting, Gabriel glanced back through the open doors of the VIP lounge toward the ceremony, then with a swift motion, he brushed Finley aside and instructed firmly as he continued to leave, "You stay. Sign on my behalf."
"Boss, I..."
"Zip it! If you can’t, get lost." Finley strode to catch up, his words cut off by Gabriel's growl, a beast-like rumble of anger.
Finley, silenced by the sight of Gabriel’s back consumed by fury and resentment, obediently shut up and got on the phone to arrange his flight home.
The trip to Chicago was on the Garcia family’s private jet, available for Gabriel’s use at any time.
Leaving the hotel, Gabriel got straight into the car, heading for the airport.
It was only after the car had set off that Gabriel unlocked his phone again, compelled to view those two videos.
The first clip was a verbal venom spewing forth: "You trashy slut, leaving my son only to marry that Gabriel, and now with him by your side, you dare come back and seduce my boy? Drugging him, too! Teresa, how shameless can you be with your twisted and vile schemes? I'll never understand what blinded my son to fall for a worthless whore like you."
As he watched the first video, Gabriel saw Teresa being struck and berated by Yvonne in public, her disheveled state on full display. The veins on the hand clutching his phone bulged with suppressed rage.
He couldn't believe it. Teresa wouldn't seduce Liam, and she definitely wouldn't drug him.
Yvonne was framing her, trying to destroy Teresa's reputation.
With the first video ending after a brief few seconds, Gabriel hesitantly played the second. There, on a large bed, a man and a woman intertwined, their faces not visible, but Gabriel could unmistakably identify them.
The video seemed edited, cutting to the most intimate entanglement, then abruptly ending after less than twenty seconds.
They... they'd truly been together!
The moment the video ended, Gabriel slumped in the backseat like a deflated ball, a single thought racing wildly, pounding within him.
Teresa had slept with Liam, for real!
Replaying that morning's phone call to Teresa in his mind, her unnaturally flustered tone now made horrible sense. The veins on his hand stood out again, his temples throbbing violently.
During the call, Teresa was flustered, not disoriented.
She had been lucid, painfully lucid!
Could it be that Liam, drugged and out of control, had led to her consensual betrayal?
She was his beloved, and she slept with Liam?
Every time he wanted her, she had an excuse, always unwilling.
His love for her was his undoing. He adored her so profoundly, he couldn’t bear the thought of her facing the slightest injustice or unhappiness. Every moment was plagued by restraint, indulging her every whim, spoiling her endlessly.
But then she went and slept with Liam!
In an instant, Gabriel's eyes blazed with uncontrollable fury, his hands by his sides balled into fists so tight they creaked.
Was it possible? Did his unwavering trust in Teresa, his overflowing affection, make her reckless, believing she could do anything and still be forgiven? That he would always treat her like a treasure, even to the extent of appeasing her?
Teresa, Teresa!
With his eyes closed, Gabriel silently screamed her name, and before he knew it, tears had escaped the corners of his eyes...
