Chapter 136 Get a divorce, Gabriel
"Gabriel, weren't you in Chicago? What brings you back so suddenly?" Sophia asked in surprise after a brief moment of shock.
Gabriel? Teresa’s brow furrowed deeply. Without warning, her eyes flew open, turning towards him.
Indeed, there at the doorway stood Gabriel. It was unmistakably him.
Their eyes locked, and Gabriel's deep gaze showered Teresa with silent intensity. His lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. After a few seconds, he turned to Sophia, "Sophia, could I have a moment alone with Teresa?"
"Of course," Sophia readily agreed, releasing Teresa. She wiped away her own tears and reassured her daughter, "Teresa, I’ll be right outside."
Teresa, her head cocked, continued to gaze steadily at the man in the doorway, seemingly oblivious to Sophia's words, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Sophia didn't mind. She let her eyes linger on Teresa for a second more before excusing herself and softly closing the door behind her.
"You..." Once Sophia was out of earshot, Teresa attempted to calm the storm of emotions inside her, to act as if nothing had happened. She parted her lips, hesitated, then managed to ask, "How come you came back early?"
"What's wrong? Didn't miss me?" Teresa's calm voice finally allowed Gabriel to loosen the tense grip he had on his nerves.
His reply, however, carried an unmeant weight of emotion.
Only heaven knew how he had endured the past ten or so hours.
It was an agony like no other.
Teresa furrowed her brows, lips parting to speak, yet found herself speechless and lowered her head instead.
Gabriel’s words were laced with frustration, defiance, and a hint of accusation. She sensed them.
"Two videos have gone viral; are you aware of this?" At that moment, Gabriel wanted nothing more than to pull Teresa into his arms, to forget and forgo everything. But the mental image of her entwined with another man, her heart belonging to someone else, twisted his words into something bitter.
"What videos?" Teresa's head snapped up, defiant tears glistening in her large eyes as she stared at Gabriel with an unsettling calm.
She had not expected Gabriel to confront her with accusations, not after his weary journey to reach her.
"The first video shows Yvonne attacking you, and the other..." Gabriel paused, maintaining a few feet of distance before continuing reluctantly, "shows you in bed with Liam."
"Do you believe it?" she asked, her voice eerily steady.
"Did you do it?" he asked back, his eyes turbulent with suppressed emotions as he attempted to remain calm.
All she needed to say was that she hadn't done it, and he would believe her.
Ah...
Did you do it?
Gabriel didn't believe her.
He was her husband, yet he lacked faith in her!
Suddenly, Teresa's eyes reddened again, and she turned her head away, breaking their intertwined gaze.
"Gabriel, you hurried back to my side just so you can accuse me?" Teresa fought the tears, addressing Gabriel without looking at him.
"Just tell me, did you or did you not?" He insisted.
He was desperate to know if the woman he cherished, the one he wanted to hold dear, loved him or Liam.
"What if I did?"
For some reason, at that moment, Teresa felt pierced by a thousand needles, a pain more excruciating than any physical torment Yvonne could inflict. It wasn't just her heart that felt the chill, her entire being did.
What if I did?
Gabriel's brow quivered, and, unable to contain the emotion welling up within, his eyes started to redden, his once clear voice now hoarse with pain. "Teresa, tell me, is it still just Liam that you love? Do you feel nothing for me?"
Was it true? Was Teresa's heart still entwined with Liam's, leaving no room for Gabriel?
Teresa turned her head away, refusing to meet his gaze. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting the warm tears threatening to break free. “Gabriel, if my love for you isn't met with even basic trust, what is there to keep it going?” This is what Teresa was thinking.
"Let's get a divorce. I don't want anything from you, just Michael," she stated firmly, her resolve not to let emotions take over palpable in her voice.
"Teresa!" Gabriel clenched his fists at his sides, his handsome features twisted in a frown, his whole body trembling with a raw, fragmented pain he'd never experienced before, "I won't accept the idea of divorce. Don't even think about it!"
His words came out through gritted teeth, and in the next moment, he turned and swiftly opened the door of the hospital room, striding out with long steps, and with an emphatic slam, the door shut behind him.
Hearing the door slam, Teresa's long eyelashes shivered, and the tears she'd been holding back finally fell freely.
This is what it feels like to truly love someone; even their misunderstood words can bring such a profound sense of sorrow that it feels like you could die.
Outside the room, Sophia was on the phone when she saw Gabriel leave abruptly. She paused, mid-conversation, and called after him, "Gabriel!" But he didn't look back.
Realizing that something was amiss, Sophia didn't chase after him; instead, she hurried back to the hospital room.
"Teresa!" As she pushed the door open and saw Teresa shaking uncontrollably on the bed, Sophia immediately went to her and wrapped her in an embrace, "Teresa, what happened? What's wrong?"
Teresa shook her head, trying to rein in her emotions. "Mom, I want to see Croissant. I want to see him now."
"Okay, okay, don't cry. I'll call someone to bring Michael over right now."
"Okay, thanks."
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