Chapter 149
"Ma'am, I'd suggest you make good use of your time and get your dog to the vet," the bodyguard advised kindly, looking down at the pit bull sprawled on the ground, ears drooped, barely hanging on.
"Agent, my boy!" the woman cried out, clutching her dog, tears and snot mixed in a flood of grief, " Your death is so unfair..."
The bodyguard stood there speechless. It was obvious the dog was still alive, yet she carried on about its tragic demise.
Not keen on dealing with her theatrics, and seeing she had no intent to help her own pet, the bodyguard calmly stood by, letting her tire herself out until she was ready to take her dog to the vet.
Driving off from Foxglove Fields, Teresa couldn't shake off the harrowing encounter with the pit bull. It wasn't until she got home, carrying her adorable child to have fun, that she finally let go of the unpleasant episode.
Meanwhile, over at the Capitol Construction office building, it was 6 PM, quitting time. Gabriel was shutting down his computer, ready to call it a day when Finley knocked and entered his office.
"Boss, have a look!" Finley strode up to Gabriel and handed him a tablet.
Gabriel's normally cool demeanor twisted into a frown as he scanned the screen.
"It's clearly a smear campaign; gotta be a bunch of trolls behind those comments and shares, just trying to drag Mrs. Garcia through the mud," Finley said in a grave tone.
The matter at hand was a video that had gone viral on Twitter and other social media platforms. It captured the chaotic moments right after Teresa's car hit a pit bull. A wealthy woman was left wailing on the pavement beside the dying dog while Teresa, without so much as a backward glance, had her bodyguard stay behind as she drove off in a huff. The clip, maliciously edited to put her in the worst possible light, had gone viral in less than fifteen minutes, and now the internet was awash with vitriol against Teresa.
"When did this happen?" Gabriel's brows unfurled after watching the clip, showing no real concern.
"Just half an hour ago, as Mrs. Garcia was leaving Foxglove Fields for the mansion," Finley replied respectfully before inquiring, "The maliciously edited footage is spreading like wildfire, what's our move?"
"No rush. Let's get to the bottom of this mess, and fish out whoever's pulling the strings behind the scenes," Gabriel instructed, handing the tablet back to Finley, "We can clear the air tomorrow morning when this has peaked. No harm in waiting."
Considering the shenanigans pulled by Yvonne just days prior, Gabriel's trust in Teresa was rock-solid now; there was no way he'd buy into the narrative being spun online.
"Somebody's in a hurry to tarnish Teresa's name. Well, why not let 'em have their fun for a while," he thought.
"Got it, sir."
......
Upon returning home, Teresa had been tending to her son, too preoccupied to check her phone. It was Diana who ultimately broke the news of her newfound infamy online. Halfway through viewing the inflammatory video on her phone, a large hand suddenly snatched the device away.
"So, you saw it already?" Teresa nonchalantly asked the man who had just returned from work.
Gabriel smirked at the sight of Teresa, who seemed utterly unfazed by the internet's scorn, and plopped down next to her on the carpet. Wrapping his arms around her, he planted a kiss on her forehead, "Sweetheart, aren’t you upset?"
Teresa shot him a sidelong glance, "It's all over the internet," Teresa acts like she owns the place because she's Gabriel's sweetheart, if you are not throwing a fit, why should I?"
When Teresa mentioned "Gabriel’s sweetheart," it was like his heart was filled with honey. Wrapping his arms around her with a beaming smile, he said, "Honey, do you have a Twitter account? If not, you should sign one."
He handed her phone to her with those words.
Taking back her own phone with a suspicious glance, Teresa eyed him, "What are you up to?"
"I've already asked Finley to handle the situation. When the time comes, it would be best for you to clear things up yourself. What do you think?" Gabriel's dark eyes sparked with a hidden laughter as he watched her.
"Daddy, look, a monster!" At that moment, Croissant ran over holding a little monster he had just assembled.
Gabriel scooped up his son and planted a big kiss on him, "Let's see, what kind of monster is this?"
"Daddy, I made this monster! Look at its teeth and mouth. It looks like it could eat somebody..."
Teresa sat watching, smiling as Gabriel earnestly played with Croissant. She stood up, flipped through her contacts for Finley's number, and made the call.
...
Later that night, after Croissant had fallen asleep, Teresa took a bath and settled into her room to read, preparing for the upcoming diplomat exam.
She was so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice Gabriel's approach until his arms encircled her from behind, his hot breath on her skin, and his lips brushed her neck. She turned her head and..."Hmm!"
But before she could fully turn, he captured her lips.
"Um..." Faintly flustered, Teresa tried to push him away and turn her head, "Gabriel, cut it out, let me go. I haven't finished my learning for today..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Gabriel lifted her, and with a small yelp of surprise, she found herself sitting on the desk, face to face with him.
"You jerk!" she exclaimed, playfully pounding her fist against him.
Grinning, Gabriel grabbed her ankles and leaned his body into hers, wrapping her legs around his waist, his head pressing down toward her.
"Gabriel!" she hastily grabbed his head to stop him.
"Sweetheart, there's something I want to discuss with you," Gabriel said, wrestling with restraint as he spoke in a husky voice.
Teresa leaned back a bit, creating some distance, "What is it?"
Gabriel's voice grew huskier, more alluring as he said, "Kyle's birthday is tomorrow. He's throwing a bash in the evening. He wants us all to be there. You'll come with me, won't you?"
"Tomorrow night?!" Teresa cupped his face in her hands, looking into his eyes, "I’m afraid I can't, Gabriel. The lecture I missed got rescheduled for tomorrow evening."
"Alright then, I won't go either," Gabriel said without a moment's hesitation.
"Don't be like that, you grew up with Kyle," Teresa frowned, thinking for a second before adding, "How about you go ahead, and I'll join you after my lecture."
"Deal. I'll do as you say..." Mid-sentence, Gabriel planted a kiss on her red lips.
"Mmph!" "Gabriel... let... let me go..." "Argh! You jerk, don't touch me..."
...
