Chapter 195
"Today's dad's birthday?!" Teresa was stunned, looking up at Gabriel, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
That sneaky man!
Watching Teresa's reaction, Gabriel laughed, "Early or late, it's the same; we're having dinner at the mansion either way."
Teresa glared at him, wanting to give him a piece of her mind. It was her first time celebrating her father-in-law's birthday, and she had no gift prepared.
After giving Gabriel a heated glare, Teresa turned to Terry and apologized, "I'm sorry, Terry, I..."
"No worries!" Terry cut her off with a smile before she could finish, "If you can't make the rehearsal, you have to come to the party on New Year's Eve, will you?"
"Sure, of course."
Teresa had a lecture in the afternoon, and after it ended, she and Gabriel headed back to the Garcia family mansion together.
But on the ride back, Teresa's delicate brow was furrowed with worry.
First, there was the matter of her foreign service exam results, which were unbelievable. Second, it was Raymond's birthday, and she hadn’t prepared anything. She was contemplating what gift would be appropriate.
"What's wrong? Are you still unhappy with the exam results?" Gabriel softly spoke as he reached for Teresa's hand and looked up from some papers. Teresa was reclining back in her seat with a worried expression.
"What did you use to give your dad for his birthday?" she asked.
"I never really gave him anything," Gabriel replied, unabashed.
Teresa scowled at him, "Then, let's swing by my family home first. I remember my dad had this pair of beautiful ancient blue-and-white porcelain vases. I'll talk to him and borrow them for now."
"Hmm..." Gabriel chuckled as he looked at her, neatly setting aside the paperwork before leaning in, his large hands gently grasping Teresa's slender waist. With a playful exertion of strength, he lifted her onto his lap, sitting her down facing him.
"What are you up to?" Teresa chided him, wriggling in his embrace.
"Sweetheart, are you thinking..."?
Before Gabriel could finish his teasing remark, Teresa's hand clamped over his mouth, her pout glaring back at him, "Can you be serious for a moment? I mean it."
"It's my dad's birthday. What do you think he'd say if I grabbed one of the collectible vases my father-in-law cherishes to give to him?" Gabriel asked, smiling affectionately at the adorable woman in his arms, his tone suddenly sincere.
"So, what should I do? What should I do right now to get ready, in your opinion?" Teresa became irritated upon realizing that Gabriel was still making jokes.
He tightened his embrace and planted a kiss on her forehead, "Darling, the gift itself isn't what's important. What matters is that now he has you and our son in our family. Haven't you noticed how much happier my parents and grandpa have been these past months?"
"But for Dad's birthday, giving a gift is just a small token of appreciation as his daughter-in-law. No, I really should go back to my family home to prepare something," Teresa insisted.
"No need," Gabriel said with a chuckle, "If you really want to give something, I've got it ready in the trunk."
Staring at him in disbelief, Teresa felt like giving him a piece of her mind, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Gabriel raised an eyebrow playfully. "I wasn't planning on it, but since you're so keen on giving, I had to pull it out."
Teresa was speechless.
What kind of man is this? Unbelievable! She really felt sorry for Raymond.
...
After celebrating Raymond's birthday at the grand estate, Teresa and Gabriel didn't head back to Foxglove Fields until after ten at night. It was too late, and their little son had already fallen asleep, so they didn't take him with them, just the two of them returning alone.
As soon as they entered their house, Gabriel overwhelmed her with passion, unable to wait a second longer, taking her right there in the living room.
In order to maintain utmost privacy, the owner's quarters at Foxglove Fields were distinctly separate from those of the housekeepers. The housekeepers usually entered and exited through the back door and resided in a space behind the mansion. Cleaning was conducted only when Teresa and Gabriel were out. If they were at home, unless summoned or given explicit permission by the couple, the housekeepers had no liberty to encroach upon their private space.
This arrangement ensured Teresa and Gabriel their coveted private space.
After a passionate moment in the living room, Gabriel carried Teresa in his arms to their bedroom upstairs.
Feeling somewhat limp and tender, Teresa nestled into his embrace, her cheek against his chiseled chest. She listened to his heart, each beat stronger and more vigorous than the last, and furrowed her brow with concern. She reached up to touch his forehead and asked in puzzlement, “Honey, why do I feel like your temperature is high and you’re sweating so much? This wasn’t the case before!”
Still holding her, Gabriel strode into the bedroom and pecked her flushed lips, “That’s because I put in some extra effort today. Didn’t you realize how loud you were? There were moments when I almost lost control listening to you.”
Teresa blushed and pouted silently.
The audacity of him, blaming her for being loud when he was the one going all out!
