Chapter 179 Beyond Hope
At the dawn of the next day, while Theresa was still enjoying the comfort of her bed, the entire Garcia family's mansion was busy preparing for the evening's banquet.
Tonight, the Garcias were hosting an event to formally introduce Theresa as the newest addition to the family and present Michael, their precious youngest member, to all their friends and loved ones.
It had been a while since the Garcia household hosted a dinner party, and this one held particular significance as it was a formal introduction of Teresa and her little one. It was an occasion that demanded a grand setup, not to be taken lightly in the slightest detail.
Yet, while downstairs was bustled with a beehive of activity, upstairs, Teresa and Gabriel's room remained serene with the window ajar and the curtains undrawn; the work downstairs did not stir them from their slumber.
This was thanks to Katherine's strict instructions to keep the noise to a minimum, so as not to disturb Teresa and Gabriel's sleep-in. After all, aside from the couple themselves, the Garcias' most fervent hope was for Teresa to conceive soon and add more children to the family.
Their morning sleep-in was tacit evidence that the couple had been busy the night before, working on that very project, so it was important to let them rest undisturbed.
Teresa was finally awakened, not by the din, but by their toddler rushing in, climbing onto their bed, grasping her face, and showering her with kisses and a fair amount of drool.
"Mommy, get up! There are so many flowers downstairs, and lots of people too."
Barely prying her sleepy eyes open and giving the little one a kiss, Teresa murmured in a voice heavy with sleep, "Baby, mommy's so sleepy. Can I have ten more minutes?"
"Come with me, baby, let Mommy sleep a little longer. Daddy will take you out to play," Gabriel said, lifting their child into his arms.
"Okay, ten more minutes for Mommy," the kid agreed, his shiny eyes, flashing bright as he stretched out ten little fingers, "Ten minutes, Mommy, you have to keep your promise."
Teresa couldn't help but smile at his earnestness; her drowsiness halved by the moment as she nodded, "Okay, just ten minutes."
"Rest up, I'll take our son out," Gabriel whispered tenderly, kissing her on the forehead.
Teresa smiled and nodded, watching them leave before stretching luxuriously and getting out of bed. She threw on a robe and stepped out onto the balcony for a look.
Good Lord, the space in front of the main house was packed with delivery trucks, and the grounds were laden with a bounty of fresh flowers, food, drinks, and lavish tableware. Over a hundred people were scurrying about in a busy flurry.
Not wanting to delay further, Teresa quickly got ready, changed her clothes, and headed downstairs.
As the evening's guest of honor, she couldn't just sit back; she had to chip in, even if it meant learning on the fly.
"Katherine, what can I help with?" she asked Katherine, who was orchestrating the setup.
"Did you sleep well?" Katherine asked with a warm smile.
Teresa returned the smile, "Yeah. I’m sorry I slept in, next time, I'll wake up earlier."
"No need, you and Gabriel work so hard during the week, sleeping in on weekends is deserved. I'm not lacking help, and what's truly important is you taking care of yourself, especially preparing yourself, to give Michael some little brothers and sisters," Katherine said with boundless affection.
Teresa was flustered for a moment, "Well, what can I do now?"
"Do you really want to help out?" Katherine asked, clearly delighted.
"Yeah, I should learn a thing or two from you."
"Alright then, go have breakfast with Gabriel first, and after that, I'll show you."
"Okay."
After breakfast, Teresa spent most of the day closely shadowing Katherine, learning from her. Katherine, a lifelong socialite and matriarch, had plenty of wisdom to impart. Now genuinely fond of her daughter-in-law, she was fully invested in grooming Teresa to one day be the leading lady of the Garcia family.
It was five in the afternoon by the time they finished their preparations, and then the makeup artist and stylist arrived to help Teresa get ready. She was the star of the evening and had to shine brightest, exuding beauty, class, and elegance.
For tonight's gala, Teresa had three gowns to choose from, two of which were the latest haute couture from Elie Saab, while another was the showstopper from Zuhair Murad's latest collection. Each dress was tailored specifically for Teresa, ensuring a perfect fit for her figure and personality.
As Teresa sat for her makeup and hair, Gabriel stood vigilantly by her side, his gaze unwavering. His presence, however, made the stylists rather self-conscious; they were either nervous or kept stealing glances at him until Teresa had to send him away.
With Gabriel gone, they could focus entirely on their work. Teresa had a beautiful complexion, fair, smooth, and flawless, making the makeup artist's job a breeze. In under thirty minutes, Teresa boasted a natural and sophisticated look. The stylist found it effortless to create the perfect hairstyle for her.
The banquet was set to commence at 7 p.m., but Gabriel couldn't wait and went upstairs around 6:30 to see her. Having just finished dolling up, Teresa was dressed in a stunning ethereal gown, standing in front of the wardrobe mirror, making sure every detail was impeccable.
Gabriel stepped into the room and was immediately captivated by the sight of the slender woman who seemed as if she had stepped right out of a painting. Lord knows how his heart skipped a beat at that moment, how much he adored her.
Softly, he walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her neck, his voice husky with emotion, "Honey, maybe you shouldn't dress up so beautifully next time."
Teresa caught his reflection in the mirror and laughed, "Why not? Don't you think looking good adds to our dignity?"
"I don’t think so," Gabriel murmured like a spoiled boy, his lips tracing a path down her neck to her delicate shoulders, "You're my wife. I don't want other guys staring at you."
With a sideward glance at him, Teresa just stared, speechless.
