Chapter 197
Gabriel gave her a tight hug and a firm kiss on the forehead as he cast anxiety and worry-filled gaze in her direction. "Make me a promise: next time, you will notify me first, no matter what. Please don't go running off by yourself.
Teresa looked at him lovingly, a playful smile on her lips, her eyes shimmering with both happiness and sweetness, "Are you afraid I'll run away and leave you?"
"Try it and see!" Gabriel said teasingly as he gently pinched her cute nose.
Laughing, Teresa stood on her tiptoes and kissed his chin, "I'm hungry," she pouted.
"Me too," he said, releasing her to take her hand, "Let's go fill you up first."
Nearby, two female staff members snapped out of their daze as they watched them walk away.
That couple is just too sweet; it felt like the entire airport is floating on their sugary vibe.
...
After lunch, Teresa and Gabriel headed to the hotel.
It was the same one they'd stayed at before, a prestigious hotel owned by Nebula, with a presidential suite on the top floor reserved just for Gabriel.
Of course, now it was reserved for Teresa as well; only she and Gabriel had the privilege of staying there.
Back at the hotel, Gabriel couldn't keep his hands off her. After a lavish session of love, they tidied up and went to check Teresa's exam results.
Thanks to Gabriel's prior arrangements, a staff member was already waiting to assist them.
Teresa was polite as she explained their reason for visiting, but the staff member could only offer an apologetic grin as they said, "I'm really sorry, Mrs. Garcia. For some reason, your test paper got lost along with two other candidates. We've searched everywhere and couldn't find them."
"Lost?!" Teresa was stunned. "How does that even happen?"
Gabriel leaned against the wall, his hand casually in his pocket. He observed Teresa's surprised and disheartened expression, furrowed his brow a bit, but remained silent.
"We're looking into it," the staff assured her with an awkward smile, "Rest assured, Mrs. Garcia, we'll find your papers as soon as possible and get back to you with a satisfying response."
"Are you sure it's really lost?" Teresa didn't hide her disbelief. "Why does it seem too unbelievable? I came all the way here because I was told there were issues with grading my paper, and now when that I’m here to check, you're telling me it's lost?"
Was there some kind of conspiracy?
"Mrs. Garcia, we have no reason to lie to you," the staff continued cautiously, smiling, "This was indeed an oversight on our part. We will investigate the responsible parties thoroughly and ensure you get a satisfactory answer."
Teresa could see the sincerity in the staff member's eyes. Even if she felt a surge of anger, it was clear there was nothing she could vent it at.
After all, it was just a small diplomatic service exam. What kind of conspiracy could there be? And even if there was, they wouldn't dare mess with Teresa.
"Sweetheart, It's possible it might just be a coincidence. Let's head back for now," Gabriel suggested softly, putting an arm around her.
"Mr. Garcia’s right," the employee added cheerily, "Mrs. Garcia, we'll notify you immediately once we have any updates."
After exchanging a look with Gabriel and then back at the staff member, Teresa let out a sigh, resigning herself to the situation for the moment.
What else could she do? Throw a tantrum right there?
Nodding her head, she left with Gabriel.
Since they'd come to the capital and since Capital Constructions had some matters that needed Gabriel's attention at the local branch, they headed there after leaving.
Gabriel was in a meeting with the branch executives while Teresa waited in his office. It wasn't long before Hayden texted her, inviting her out to catch up over afternoon tea.
While she was here, Teresa couldn't deny that she really wanted to see Hayden. She'd refrained from saying so out of fear of disrupting her work, but now that Hayden had brought it up, she certainly wasn't going to refuse.
After quickly instructing her assistant to inform Gabriel after the conclusion of his meeting, Teresa headed straight for the place where she and Hayden had agreed to meet.
Though it had only been about a week and a half since they'd last seen each other, Hayden looked noticeably thinner, her complexion was off, and dark circles had formed under her eyes. Moreover, the slight bulge of her abdomen was now visible; if one looked closely, signs of pregnancy were apparent.
"Hayden," Teresa's heart ached when she saw her; she hugged her, her eyes brimming with emotion.
The thought of her own brother's callousness made Teresa seethe with anger.
What grudge or resentment could exist between her brother and Hayden? He couldn't even forgive Hayden now that she was carrying his child; instead, he was set to engage with a woman like Michelle!
She was pissed off!
"I'm sorry you have to go through this alone," Teresa said after holding Hayden for a long moment, releasing her with nothing but apologies, at a loss for what else to say.
"Why are you apologizing to me? You haven't done anything wrong," Hayden said with a relaxed, carefree smile, as if she was unconcerned about everything.
"My brother's a jerk, Hayden. You should stop caring about him; go find someone who truly loves you." The calmer Hayden appeared, the more Teresa felt sorry for her.
I didn't call you here to discuss your brother, Hayden said, chuckling as he took a seat on the couch. However, you're right, he is a jerk. I've decided to let him go and find someone new."
"And the baby...?" Teresa sat down beside her, her words trailing off, filled with unspoken concern.
"The baby is mine, and has nothing to do with him."
Teresa nodded, affecting a touch of lightness as she laughed, "Well, then, can I be the godmother when the baby arrives?"
Hayden took a sip from her juice and chuckled, "Aren't you worried about your brother disowning you?"
Teresa pouted, "If he disowns me, so be it. Starting now, I don't really want to acknowledge him as my brother anyway!"
Seeing Teresa's genuine happiness and simplicity, devoid of any ulterior motives, Hayden felt a pang of envy.
If only her parents had been like Teresa's, then she and William might not have ended up in such an irreparable situation.
Ironically, in her womb, she wasn't carrying just one child, but a set of twins—a boy and a girl.
William had once shared his ideal family plan with her: just one son and one daughter, as he believed that childbirth was demanding, and he didn't want her to endure too much hardship.
