Chapter 148 Deal with Your Own Mess
When Teresa returned to the Garcia family estate, she took a detour to check on the renovations of her and Gabriel's new home at Foxglove Fields.
Gabriel had been eager to move out, yearning for a place just for the three of them; though, admittedly, he'd been more interested in leaving the kids with the grandparents at the estate, so he and Teresa could revel in their private world. So, he pressed the top-notch renovation team to work around the clock, aiming to finish all the work within a month.
Now fully united as a married couple, Gabriel's impatience to move had only intensified. He issued a directive to expedite the renovations.
Consequently, the construction company dispatched its best team to Foxglove Fields, determined to fulfill Teresa and Gabriel's vision for the perfect home within the tightest timeline possible.
Upon Teresa’s arrival at the villa, dozens of workers and several designers were bustling about, fervidly driving the renovation forward. In just under ten days, they had already completed nearly half of the project.
Guided by the designers, Teresa inspected all three stories and couldn't have been more pleased. With so many experts fixated on perfection down to the minutest detail, how could she be anything but satisfied?
Leaving Foxglove Fields just after five in the afternoon, her phone rang as soon as she got into her car; it was Gabriel, calling to exchange endearments. She ended the call after a short conversation, but just then the car came to a grinding halt, throwing Teresa forward as a result of the car's inertia.
Fortunately, her seatbelt was fastened, and the car's plush leather interior cushioned the impact. She was unharmed.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" The bodyguard in the front seat turned around immediately to check on her.
Teresa resettled herself and shook her head, "I'm fine. Did we hit a dog?"
She recalled seeing a pet dog dart out from the greenery at the moment she ended Gabriel's call; it was likely the cause of the abrupt stop.
Unfastening her seatbelt, she stepped out to check on the dog. The bodyguard saw her getting out and swiftly opened his door to follow.
Teresa's heart skipped a beat as she stepped out of the car and approached the front where there lay a no-small pit bull, barely breathing and motionless on the ground.
As Teresa neared the animal with furrowed brows, a soft, pitiful whine broke the silence.
Just as she moved closer, merely a few steps away, the pit bull, previously looking like it was on its last legs, miraculously sprang to life. It lifted its head and let out a bark at Teresa. In a flash, it was on its feet, charging at her with jaws wide open, ready to lunge at Teresa.
Startled, Teresa froze, her hands instinctively raising to protect herself, but her bodyguard was quicker. With swift efficiency, he kicked the dog, sending it flying several feet away.
The pit bull landed hard, whimpered, and attempted to get up, its cries turning frantic as it failed. It was clear the dog’s leg was hurt, possibly quite severely.
“Agent, my little Agent, what's wrong?” A well-dressed woman flanked by a housekeeper-like person rushed over in distress at seeing the dog grounded and unable to rise. Shrill and commanding, her voice cut through the air, “Did you hit my Agent? You’ll pay for this!”
“Take the lady and her dog to the vet. We'll cover all the expenses,” Teresa commanded her bodyguard, unwilling to engage further with the imposing woman still reeling from the shock of the event. With that, she headed back to her car.
Had it not been for her bodyguard's swift action, Teresa didn't want to contemplate what damage the formidable pit bull could have done to her.
“Yes, ma'am,” replied the bodyguard.
“Hold on!” The woman charged at Teresa, intent on grabbing her.
Luckily, the bodyguard stepped in time, shielding Teresa. With a cold stare, he said, “Madam, if there's an issue, please direct it to me.”
“Who are you? Nothing but a servant!” The woman scoffed at the guard with contempt. “You're not even worthy to stand in Agent's shadow.”
“Firstly, it was your negligence that let your pet roam into the path of danger, nearly wrecking my car and causing me harm,” Teresa interjected, “Secondly, we stopped immediately to check on your pet, which then chose to attack, forcing us to defend ourselves. Thirdly, we've agreed to help take your pet for treatment and will bear the costs. We’ve done all we can. If you wish to create more trouble out of this, I'm afraid I won't be as accommodating.”
"You... you must be Teresa, right?" the woman pointed at Teresa, her eyes blazing with fury before she suddenly crumpled to the floor, sitting with a thud, bursting into sobs and vitriol. "You think you're hot stuff because you're with the Garcias, huh? That you can just do as you please, feeling above the law? That hitting my Agent with your car doesn't require any sort of amends? Agent is more precious to me than my own life. My dog is barely hanging on after you ran over it and your bodyguards mistreated it, but you don't seem to care! Not even a quick 'I'm sorry' before attempting to get behind the wheel. Do you even consider yourself human? Are you morally bankrupt?
Teresa looked down at the woman throwing a tantrum on the ground and felt she was beyond reasoning. Behind her, the housekeeper stood perplexingly idle, as if watching a soap opera unfold.
Since the woman was being irrational, Teresa saw no point in wasting more time. After giving a brief instruction to her bodyguard, she headed straight for the car.
Seeing Teresa get into the car, the woman attempted to rush over and grab her, but the bodyguard intervened. Even after Teresa had driven off, the woman continued her ruckus, sobbing and shouting uncontrollably.
