Chapter 214 He's Willing to End the Marriage
"I said, let her go." Gabriel's eyes locked with Teresa's.
Her face was pale and worn, her eyes filled with tears and despair, and the sobbing son she held in her arms; it all tore at his heart, the pain, the discomfort, almost too much to bear.
But the words that came out were resolute, defiant.
Through her blurred tears, Teresa looked at him and managed a faint, sardonic smile, then she walked past Katherine heading boldly towards the door.
"Mommy, Daddy..." The little boy cried, trembling with inquisitive emotion, and as Teresa walked past Gabriel with him in her arms, he looked up at his father with big, tearful eyes and wept, "Are we not staying with Daddy anymore? Why not... Mommy, why don't we want Daddy?"
Though the boy's cries were heart-wrenching and Teresa felt even worse inside, she did not slow her stride and briskly passed by Gabriel's side...
"Slap!"
It was just a few steps after Teresa passed Gabriel that a crisp slap rang out behind her. Her heart skipped a beat, and her footsteps suddenly halted.
"Grandpa, you can't hit Daddy, don't hit Daddy..." The little boy immediately cried out in distress; on seeing Gabriel being struck, he reached out his small arms to him and sobbed even more helplessly, "Mommy, let's not leave Daddy behind, please don't..."
"Apologies to Teresa," Raymond bellowed after the slap.
The force of the slap sent Gabriel's head snapping to the side.
Hearing the heart-wrenching cries, only heaven knew the turmoil in his heart. Raymond's hand had struck his cheek, but Gabriel felt no pain, even his grandfather's cane hit seemed nothing now.
Teresa stood motionless.
She became numb-struck ignorant of what to do next and oblivious of what to expect
After a moment of silence and no word from Gabriel, Teresa finally let out a faint, sardonic chuckle and walked away with determined strides.
"Teresa, Michael!" Katherine hurried to catch up, attempting to stop Teresa, but as she dashed past Gabriel, he grabbed her arm.
"Gabriel, what are you doing? Do you really want to divorce Teresa and give up on your son?" Katherine asked, eyes reddening with urgency.
Holding Katherine's arm tightly, Gabriel's bloodshot eyes grew even more crimson. With great effort, he barely muttered, "It does not rest with me, it’s her call”
Raymond observed his pain, so clearly manifested on his face that it couldn't be hidden.
The father knows his child best. Gabriel was far more stubborn than Teresa, and pressuring him now seemed futile, so Raymond reluctantly chose to stay silent.
"Son!" As much as Katherine was frantic, with Gabriel's firm grip, she could do nothing but let out a heavy, helpless sigh.
As Teresa briskly walked towards her car, Croissant in hand, Mason's car pulled up beside her.
"Teresa," She intended to ignore Mason and get into her car but paused when he called out to her.
"Grandpa," Teresa stopped and turned to face him. Mason had always doted on her as if she were his biological granddaughter. Out of respect and reason, Teresa felt she shouldn't implicate Mason.
Mason got out of the car, walked up beside her, and noticed the puffed-up face of the distraught child. With a furrowed brow, he lovingly assured, "You can stay at the Bennett residence for a few days. Don't worry, I'll take care of this for you."
Watching Mason, Teresa fought back tears welling in her eyes and nodded with a faint smile, "Thank you, Grandpa."
She didn't know what else to say. Her heart had surrendered to utter despair, abandoning any last shred of hope for Gabriel.
Mason nodded, "Good girl, don't be sad."
Teresa nodded, with slight smile, then turned and got into the car with her son.
Mason stood there, watching as the mother and son drove away. He sighed deeply then turned to go inside.
"You scoundrel, stop!" The moment Mason entered and caught sight of Gabriel heading upstairs, he called out to him with his usual commanding and robust voice, although notably free of anger.
Gabriel, respecting Mason's words, stopped and looked at him.
"Dad," As Mason came in, Katherine rushed to assist him, "Why did you let Teresa take Michael just like that?"
Mason gave Katherine a glance, "What else should I have done? Should I have allowed Gabriel to keep upsetting that young lady?"
Katherine was speechless.
With a cold snort towards Gabriel, who had halted, Mason walked unhurriedly to the couch and sat down. Holding his cane, he cast an imposing look at Gabriel and asked, "Explain to me, why did you contrive such a spectacle with Kay Baxter just for Teresa?"
Mason wasn't the least worried about the public's opinion; money talks, especially when it comes to swaying the press.
All they needed to do was release Kay Baxter’s skeletons in the closet, clarify that Gabriel had nothing to do with her, that it was all her trying to entrap him, and the trending headlines would naturally turn against her.
