Chapter 250
In the bathroom, Gabriel snagged Teresa’s electric toothbrush, even squeezing out some toothpaste for her.
As Teresa reached for it, she missed the toothbrush, but Gabriel leaned in close, capturing her lips in his.
After a harrowing miscarriage and weeks of careful recuperation, Teresa’s health had bounced back, her complexion as radiant as ever.
“Stop it, you’re being silly,” Teresa murmured, hands pressing against his firm chest, though not resisting his affectionate advance.
Grinning, Gabriel dropped the toothbrush and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against him. Pressing her back against the glass sink, his kisses grew more urgent.
Teresa didn’t resist. Her arms looped around his neck as she passionately kissed him back.
Their fervent embraces intertwined until Teresa, almost breathless and melting into his embrace, was finally released by Gabriel.
“Sweetheart, I feel like something,” he confessed, forehead against hers, his dark eyes blazing with intensity and his voice huskier than ever.
Teresa sensed the intense changes in his body, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she bit her lip and whispered, “You know, I’m pretty much back to normal now, but you gotta hurry. The doctor will be here any minute.”
Gabriel chuckled softly as he gazed at her. The doctor had advised them to abstain for a month to avoid any complications.
He was already wracked with guilt over Teresa’s miscarriage. He couldn’t bear the thought of causing her even the slightest pain now.
Not a bit, not at all, no matter how much it tormented him.
“Just twelve more days, I can hold out,” he said, then leaned in to kiss her slightly swollen lips gently. “But after that, no more tears and begging for mercy.”
Teresa glared at him fiercely in return.
Jerks are always jerks. Some things never change.
“Darling, what’s this?” Suddenly, Teresa spotted a peanut-sized bump on Gabriel’s neck. Reaching out, she gently pressed it. “Does it hurt?”
Gabriel shook his head, looked into the mirror, and noticed the raised bump himself, furrowing his handsome, narrow eyebrows. He touched it as well.
No pain.
“It’s nothing, probably just a minor inflammation from the fever. It’ll go away in a few days,” Gabriel reassured Teresa and himself as well.
Concern creased her brow as she touched it again, “Hurry up and get ready. The doctor will be here soon.”
“All right.”
By the time Teresa and Gabriel had freshened up and dressed, they descended the stairs just as the housekeeper greeted the family doctor at the door.
The doctor took Gabriel’s temperature first. It had dropped since morning, now reading at 99.5°F.
After a quick examination and without a prompt from Teresa or Gabriel, the doctor noticed a small bump on Gabriel’s neck.
Once the check-up was complete, the doctor asked Gabriel a few straightforward questions, to which he responded honestly.
“How is my husband doing?” Teresa asked impatiently as the doctor finished the examination and the questions.
“It might just be a common cold caused by a chill. You don’t need to worry too much,” the doctor said with a reassuring smile. He didn’t want to burden Gabriel and his wife, Teresa, with unnecessary anxiety before a definite diagnosis. Yet, pivoting his tone, he added, “But just to be safe, I’ll draw some blood from Mr. Garcia for a detailed lab workup.”
“Sure,” Teresa agreed without waiting for Gabriel’s nod and proceeded to help roll up his sleeve...
After breakfast, Gabriel drove Teresa to the language academy. As they arrived at the foot of the academic building, Teresa seemed reluctant to leave the car. She turned to Gabriel once more, cautioning him, “Remember to take your medicine when you get to the office, and if you’re feeling unwell, you need to tell me right away.”
Looking at her concerned face, Gabriel chuckled, his large hand tenderly touching her forehead before leaning down to kiss it. “When did my sweetheart become so naggy?”
Feigning annoyance, Teresa pouted, “What, you’re bothered by it?”
“No, just falling more in love,” he replied.
Blushing yet feeling incredibly sweet inside, Teresa’s lips curved into a blissful smile. She leaned forward, giving him a quick kiss before turning to step out of the car.
But Gabriel wasn’t done. He pulled her back for a passionate kiss on her lips before finally letting her go. He watched her enter the building, and only when her figure disappeared into the academic halls did he instruct the driver to leave.
Teresa walked into the classroom just as the bell rang. After exchanging a few lighthearted words with her students, she began her lesson.
Unlike some instructors who took roll calls, Teresa never did. Her classes were the kind where students rarely missed a session unless under extraordinary circumstances.
“Teresa, I’m sorry, I’m late,” Tessa blurted out, rushing into the classroom about fifteen minutes into the lecture, interrupting Teresa with a flustered apology.
Teresa paused her teaching, glancing over at the door just in time to notice a telltale hickey peeking out from underneath Tessa’s collar. This clear message didn’t escape Teresa’s understanding.
It was evident that Tessa had spent another night entangled with Liam, losing track of time.
“It’s all right, come in and take your seat,” Teresa said calmly, then resumed the class.
With a grateful smile, Tessa dashed to an empty seat near the back, pulled out her textbook, and settled into the lesson.
Though Teresa no longer liked Tessa—in fact, she found herself somewhat repulsed—it was clear that even if Tessa were to become Liam’s wife someday, friendship was out of the question.
As a teacher, she treated all her students equally. After class, having answered some of their lingering questions, Teresa headed straight to her office.
While walking, she remembered that this morning, the family doctor had taken Gabriel’s blood for tests. It had been over three hours now—the results should be ready.
Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed the doctor’s number.
