Chapter 175
"You insolent child, do you want me to dump these snakes in your room?" boomed Alan, his voice thunderous upon seeing Dakota return.
Dakota's face drained of color as she turned towards her father, her voice quivering, "Dad, I... I..."
"Dakota, when will you ever learn your lesson, when will it be enough for you? Do you really want to bring ruin upon our whole family? If you managed to get us all in trouble, what good would that do you?" Karen interjected before Dakota could stammer out her response, her voice laced with angst and sorrow, tears brimming in her eyes. She gestured to the bags of snakes and continued, "Look at this mess, Gabriel had someone throw these into our home. Thankfully, these are non-venomous, but if they were... Your father and I might have been in danger, and your brother, he's terrified of snakes. How could you be so thoughtless!"
"No more excuses, all these snakes go to her room. She caused this; she needs to face the consequences." Alan was livid, beyond his breaking point. The Clinton family was already on shaky ground, and without the support of the Harriman family, they would have lost their footing in River North long ago. And now, Dakota had not only failed to win over Gabriel but had brought more trouble, angering both the Garcia and Bennett families.
If events continue to play out this way, the Garcias will take a very serious action that may wipe out the Clinton family.
He could not let a reckless daughter ruin the whole Clinton family's being.
"Yes, sir," came the reply.
"Dad, no!" Dakota's fear finally got the better of her, her knees buckled completely and she dropped to the floor with a heavy thud, tears streaming as she begged, "Dad, Mom, I'm so sorry. I won't ever do it again, I swear. Please... please just forgive me this time!"
"Forgive you?" Alan snorted with a mix of anger and disdain, "You apparently don't learn unless you've been through the lesson."
"Dump the snakes in her room and lock her in there. She doesn't come out till sunrise," Alan ordered decisively.
"Yes, sir," the housekeepers nodded before heading upstairs, each carrying a snake in hand.
"Dad, please, no! Dad, I'm begging you..." Terrified of spending a night with so many snakes, Dakota scrambled to Alan's feet, clinging to his legs and sobbing for mercy.
Karen glanced at the bags of sinister-looking snakes and then at Dakota kneeling before her, mouth opening as if to plead for leniency, but the stern look on Alan's face made her hold her tongue.
"Begging me?! It's not about you begging me; I'm begging you to stop making foolish mistakes that hurt others and yourself."
"Take her back to her room," Alan instructed the housekeepers without a trace of sympathy.
"Right away, sir." Two housekeepers immediately stepped forward to escort Dakota upstairs.
"No, Dad, please... Mom, please, talk to Dad. I won't go back to my room, I won't..." Dakota struggled and wailed, but her pleas were in vain.
...
After the party, Teresa and Gabriel returned home to find their kid was already fast asleep. Teresa checked on the little one, kissed his cheek, whispered "Goodnight," and then joined Gabriel back in their room.
Despite the house being thoroughly cleaned, the memory of the afternoon's incident still sent shivers through Teresa.
Gabriel sensed her panic and embraced her from behind, kissing her neck with his hot lips and blowing a searing breath over her skin while comfortingly whispering, "Don't worry, I'm here."
Teresa turned to face him in his embrace, biting her lip while looking into his eyes, "Did you really release a bunch of snakes at the Clinton's?"
"Yep," Gabriel hummed affirmative, holding her closer, his head buried in her embrace, moving tenderly.
Teresa shivered involuntarily, her hands cradling his head, "Even if it was just Dakota causing trouble, releasing all those snakes at the Clinton's could have hurt innocent people."
"Don't worry, they're all non-venomous. Nobody's going to be hurt..." Gabriel's head pressed down again.
"Hmm..." Teresa's body vibrated with desire, a low moan escaping her lips, she searched for a way to slow him down as she finds it difficult to avoid the erotic feeling, "I haven't showered, I'm covered in all these mixed perfume scents, doesn't that bother you?"
"Hmm..." Gabriel's smile was a husky, irresistibly sexy purr as he kissed her. In a swift motion, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms, "Then let's go take that shower together, right now!"
Teresa scolded him with a teasing frown.
That man, Gabriel was always thinking about how to devour her every second they were together. And the worst part? She was finding it harder and harder to resist.
Especially when he would...
Teresa's heart erupted at the mere thought, causing her cheeks to flush hot. “Oh, Teresa, you are now in serious trouble, totally overpowered by the demon.”
...
