Chapter 235 The Jerk Liam
Gabriel glared at her, listening intently as she spilled every dirty secret in detail.
Initially, Dakota installed a camera in Teresa's office to capture incriminating footage of Teresa and Terry tangled up post-drugging, and then she would show it to Gabriel.
As fate would have it, Gabriel had decided to visit that day, stumbling upon the scene and rendering Dakota's setup unnecessary.
Moreover, the joy Dakota felt when she'd witnessed on camera Teresa's loud arguments and fall out for Terry's sake was known only to the heavens above.
Dakota had intended to let Teresa off the hook once she'd watched her fall out with Gabriel— she wanted Teresa out of The Garcia family, plain and simple.
However, Kay Baxter's sudden and complete blacklisting led Dakota to think that Teresa's demise was the only way Gabriel could ever be truly untangled from her.
So, she hired someone to make it look like an accident.
But Teresa hadn't stepped out for two days. Finally, on Monday morning, when Teresa left for the courthouse, Dakota's hired hand seized the opportunity and plowed into her.
Buzz.
Once Dakota finished confessing, Gabriel felt his phone vibrate inside his pocket. Glancing at the incoming call, it was Teresa. Standing up while answering the phone, he spoke with an affectionate tenderness, "You're awake?"
"Yeah, have you gone to the office yet?" A groggy Teresa, who probably woke up due to excessive sleep over the last few days, had noticed Gabriel's absence and immediately called him.
Her dependence on him was beyond her expectations.
Dakota slumped on the floor, watching Gabriel leave with such gentleness in his voice as he took the call—she knew instantly who was on the other end. In a moment of venomous spite, she screamed, "Teresa, you tramp, you'll get what's coming to you. Even if I turn into a ghost, I won't let you be..."
"Argh!"
Observing Dakota's outburst, Luke kicked her again. With a piercing scream, Dakota collapsed, the pain overwhelming her ability to cry out.
Gabriel had already walked a reasonable distance away, yet Dakota's vengeful shriek came through the phone's earpiece, crystal clear to Teresa.
Teresa stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows in her bedroom, shivering as a scream from her phone sent chills racing from her soles.
It was Dakota's voice. Teresa was sure of it.
Could it be that Gabriel had caught her?
"Darling, did you catch Dakota?"
"Yep." Gabriel didn't bother to hide it. "Don't worry, honey. Dakota won't be a threat to you anymore."
"All right," Teresa nodded a simple acknowledgment. "Where are you now?"
"Missing me?" Gabriel teased, his face expressing a pleased smirk as he picked up the pace toward the house.
Teresa fell silent, feigning indifference, "Not at all. Just deal with Dakota. Bye." Without another word, she hung up.
Dakota deserved what was coming. This time, Teresa wouldn't forgive her.
Gabriel ended the call, quickening his stride to the house while instructing Luke, "Hand her over to the police. And inform her family. Save Dakota or save themselves. They've got only one option."
"Understood."
...
Diana waited every day for Liam's return from his business trip to Washington.
But days passed, and there was still no sign of him. On the fifth day, she finally mustered the courage to ask him when he'd return after he finished discussing work matters.
"Anything wrong?" Liam's voice was emotionless.
"It's nothing. I just wanted to book your return flight," Diana replied, her laughter barely hiding her longing.
To her dismay, Liam didn't respond and simply hung up.
The dead tone from her phone felt like a chill piercing her heart.
No matter what, when Liam came back, she'd have to lay everything on the line for their child.
The days of waiting were excruciating. Every day at the office without Liam, she felt lost every evening back in her apartment. She’d be listless, unsure of what to do with herself.
A week had passed since Liam left on his business trip.
In that week, beyond the routine work calls, there was no other communication between them, not even a simple greeting.
It was as if, to Liam, she was nothing more than a secretary.
Ever since Liam left, Diana began to wonder if he was avoiding her on purpose.
As the days of Liam's business trips stretched on, his demeanor toward her grew colder with each passing moment. Diana was almost sure he was avoiding her.
He didn't want to commit to anything with her beyond their work interactions.
That’s reasonable. It was she who had initiated their first tumble between the sheets, and she had relished every moment they shared, reaping immense pleasure.
Moreover, Liam had never made any promises, nor had he spoken a word about taking responsibility for her.
They were simply consensual “bedfellows”.
