Chapter 253
Their kiss was fervent and lingering until their breath became erratic. Gabriel finally broke away, kissing the tip of her nose, wrapped his arms around her, and whispered huskily, “Do you need anything? What’s up?”
Teresa lifted her gaze to meet his, trying to smile as gently as she could, “Darling, the doctor said your blood samples from this morning got spilled. So, I’m here to take you to the hospital for another test. Is that okay?”
“Spilled?!” Gabriel raised an eyebrow, slightly skeptical but not doubting Teresa. He chuckled, affectionately pinching her nose, “Look, I’m perfectly fine. The fever’s gone. Don’t worry.”
But Teresa shook her head, “Whether you’re okay or not, that’s for the doctor to decide. Let’s go to the hospital now, All right?”
Gabriel saw through her forced smile to the unease and fear in her eyes. “Sweetheart, are you hiding something from me?”
Facing him, Teresa couldn’t suppress the tears welling up, though she still tried to smile. “Darling, do you love me?”
He laughed, touched by her careful, frightened demeanor, and teased her nose again, “If I didn’t love you, then who do you think I love?”
“What about our son?” she pressed.
“Our son is part of us, born of you — of course, I love him,” Gabriel answered with pride.
“What about our parents and grandfather?”
“What’s really going on? Talk to me!” Gabriel’s concern grew with Teresa’s increasingly unusual behavior.
Watching him, Teresa tried to muster a smile and shook her head. “It’s nothing serious, just... something might be off with your health. But with how fast medical technology is advancing, any problem you might have can be fixed.”
Realization washed over Gabriel as he looked at Teresa. He understood why she’d been acting the way she had.
‘No small issue, then.’
“What’s the sickness exactly, sweetheart? Tell me,” Gabriel pressed, disliking being kept in the dark.
“The doctors aren’t sure yet. Can we go to the hospital now, please?” Teresa implored once more.
Gabriel frowned deeply. A wave of foreboding hit him. “Sweetheart, are you scared you’re going to lose me?”
Teresa’s eyes suddenly filled with tears she couldn’t hold back.
She shook her head firmly. “No, it’s just... I’ve only just realized how much I love you — more than I ever thought possible.”
Gabriel chuckled at her words, a warm gesture lifting his spirits. He caressed her smooth cheek, “And how much is that?”
With a smile brimming with earnestness, she replied, “So much more. In this lifetime, I could never love another man but you.”
“All right, we’ll head to the hospital now.” Gabriel hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’m not going anywhere. Forever.”
Forever.”
...
At the hospital, Gabriel cooperated with the medical examinations – blood draws, bone marrow biopsies, and other comprehensive tests to diagnose his condition.
The test results would take time, so after the procedures, Teresa and Gabriel left the hospital to grab lunch at a fancy restaurant owned by the Bennett Group nearby.
“Sweetie, does it hurt?” Teresa gently touched Gabriel’s lower back, the site of the recent bone marrow extraction.
She had watched a needle, as thick as a straw she’d never seen before, insert into his lower spine to draw out the marrow. The pain seemed unbearable even to her, and yet Gabriel had stubbornly refused any anesthesia, enduring it all unflinchingly.
Holding her close, Gabriel managed a smile. “A little. Maybe a reward would make it feel better.”
Pointing to his lips, Gabriel hinted at what kind of reward he had in mind.
Teresa shot Gabriel an annoyed glance but nonetheless eagerly pressed her lips to his in a fervent kiss.
“Silly girl, don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” Gabriel reassured her, wrapping his arms around her. He gently brushed her tousled bangs aside, his gaze deep into her eyes.
“Yeah,” Teresa nodded emphatically. “We haven’t even had our wedding or gone on our honeymoon yet. You better not let anything happen.”
Gabriel chuckled. “Honey, where would you like to go?”
“Anywhere with you is perfect,” Teresa blurted out.
“Sweetheart, you’ve changed,” Gabriel remarked solemnly all of a sudden.
“What?” Teresa pouted playfully at him.
Gabriel grinned. “You’ve become even more tender and caring. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
Teresa gave him another sharp look, her eyes sultry. “Fine then, Gabriel. If anything happens to you, I’ll take all your wealth and our son and remarry in an instant.”
Gabriel pulled her closer with a laugh. “That’s my wife.”
Teresa was left speechless.
