Chapter 143 Hayden's coming.
Good Lord! This man sure knew how to sweet-talk. She was almost at a loss for words.
Knock, knock... At that moment, Finley knocked timidly on the door, careful not to intrude. "Sir, William is here."
William's arrival meant it was time for business. It would be rude to keep him waiting.
"My brother's here," Teresa noted, glancing at the sunlit doorway before nudging Gabriel. "You better go meet him. Hayden should be arriving soon too, and I’ll go down to greet her."
"Sure," Gabriel agreed with a nod, leaning down to kiss her forehead, "Have Skylar book your favorite restaurant. After I wrap things up with your brother, we can head straight there."
Actually, Hayden getting so cozy with Teresa and defending her at every turn, quickly becoming besties, it's not like Gabriel couldn't see right through Hayden's true intentions.
Back in the day, when his family wanted him to marry Hayden, Gabriel had already dug up the fact that William was Hayden's first boyfriend.
Now here's Hayden, making a beeline for Teresa, clearly just trying to worm her way back into William's life through Teresa. She didn't harbor any ill will toward Teresa; it was all about rekindling that old flame with William.
If William ended up with Hayden, the three powerful families joining forces would be unstoppable, a win-win for everyone.
Good thing he hadn't rushed into marrying Hayden back then, or he’d be in a real mess right now.
Of course, William didn’t want their past dredged up for public consumption, Teresa included. So, Gabriel naturally kept his lips sealed, even from Teresa.
"You didn't make a reservation?" Teresa asked in surprise.
Gabriel chuckled, affectionately pinched her nose, and replied, "Nope, you handle it."
Teresa rolled her eyes playfully and nudged him, "Alright, I got it. Now get going."
With another laugh and a quick peck on her lips, Gabriel turned and strode out the door.
Once Gabriel left, Teresa started to open the other boxes, admiring the jewelry, when Skylar appeared at the door, knocking.
"Come in," Teresa said, looking up with a smile.
"Ma'am, what would you like for lunch? I can book a restaurant," Skylar walked in, eyeing Teresa with utmost respect.
But it was the array of dazzling jewels spread out before Teresa that she was truly gazing at in awe. Each piece was to die for, worth a fortune that most women couldn't lay their hands on in a lifetime. Yet, Gabriel had casually picked up seven or eight for Teresa, which spoke volumes of his care and affection for her.
Gabriel's attitude towards Teresa was starkly different from his behavior when he married Unity. Skylar vividly remembered how he wouldn't even let them call her “Mrs. Garcia,” let alone allow her to set foot in his office.
Such a contrast made it crystal clear just how much Gabriel adored Teresa and how she stood out from the rest.
...
Teresa looked at Skylar with a smile and asked, "How should I address you?"
"Skylar is okay, I’m Mr. Garcia's executive secretary," Skylar replied.
Teresa nodded, "Any good Chinese cuisines around here? Something within a ten-minute drive?"
She didn't want to stray too far and waste Gabriel's time.
"Sure," Skylar affirmed and proceeded to recommend a few upscale Chinese restaurants in the vicinity.
Some of them seemed to be owned by her family, the Bennetts. But this time, Teresa wanted to taste something different. So, she asked Skylar to make a reservation at a different restaurant.
As soon as Skylar left, Teresa's phone buzzed. It was Hayden calling.
"Hayden."
"I'm here. Where are you?"
"In Gabriel's office. I'll come down to get you."
"No need. I can make my way up. They won't stop me."
"Alright, cool. I'll wait for you in Gabriel's office." Teresa cheerfully agreed, hung up, and then opened a jewelry box to reveal a diamond bracelet.
This bracelet was much more understated and delicate compared to the serpent-shaped one on her wrist. The bold serpent one wasn't really suitable for everyday wear, but this one certainly was; it could add elegance to any regular day.
She tried to remove the serpent bracelet to try on the diamond bracelet, but the clasp was tricky to open with one hand. Teresa struggled with it for a while without success.
Knock, knock... Just as she was about to give up, a knock came from the door, and she looked up to see Hayden had arrived.
"Hayden, come help me out, will you? I can't seem to get this bracelet off," Teresa saw her savior in Hayden.
"Wow, Mr. Garcia sure knows how to go all out. Most people gift jewelry one piece at a time; your husband does it by the truckload." Hayden teased her with a laugh as she walked over to the table laden with sparkling treasures.
Teresa playfully scolded her, "Like you care for such things."
"Who says I don't? If the man I loved gave me even a single petal, I'd treasure it," as she spoke, Hayden moved closer and with a smile said, "Here, give me your hand."
Teresa extended her arm.
"Oh my, looks like you husband's personal touch is all over this one." Hayden was surprised when she saw the serpent-shaped bracelet on Teresa's wrist as she reached out.
"What's so surprising about this jewelry?" Teresa was indifferent to such things, and her knowledge was limited.
Hayden glanced at her, "Surprising? Of course, it is! This bracelet is a prize-winning creation by Italy's most esteemed jewelry designer. It's one of a kind; display only, not for sale. No matter the cost, I can't imagine what sweet nothings Garcia, your hubby, whispered to get his hands on it."
As she spoke, Hayden had already helped Teresa remove the bracelet and teased her with a smile, “Maybe it wasn't just sweet talk, could've been his charm at play too.”
Teresa just looked at her, speechless.
"And this necklace, it seems to be the only one of its kind, too," Hayden commented with a smile. She took out the emerald necklace and held it up to Teresa's neck. "From what I understand, this necklace can be worn in two ways: either around the neck or as a tiara."
With that, Hayden transformed the necklace into a tiara and placed it atop Teresa's head, exclaiming, "See? I'm right, another unique piece. Easily worth tens of millions of dollars. But of course, money isn't the most important thing."
