Chapter 62 It’s Undoubtedly His Son
Gabriel's car followed Liam's, arriving one after another at the Bennett Estate.As they approached within a few dozen meters of the Estate's gates, Gabriel saw Liam's car enter. He immediately ordered the driver to stop.The memory of yesterday morning washed over him — the moment he had burst into the Bennett Estate to confront Teresa with the truth that he was the one she'd been with that night. The anger, even hatred, in her eyes was something he couldn't shake off.If he burst in now and revealed to Liam that Croissant was his and Teresa's child, Teresa might lose her mind and come to despise him completely.His bond with Liam, his buddy, was breached beyond repair, a rift Gabriel had braced himself for.Yet he couldn't bear the thought of earning Teresa's hatred.If the boy was indeed his son, he owed Teresa far too much already. He simply couldn't inflict more harm on her.With this thought, he had no choice but to sink back into his seat, close his eyes, and feel an anguish like none he'd ever felt.He had to win over Teresa, whether or not the child was his. The dilemma was how to make Teresa willingly accept him and become his wife.Money, status, power — Teresa cared for none of it. If he threatened her with the Bennetts’ future, it would only serve to alienate her further — she would despise him even more.So even now, with the power to move mountains at his command, when it came to Teresa, he was utterly powerless. Right now, what he longed for most was the hope that Teresa's son was indeed his. Only with that proof could he stand a chance of winning Teresa's heart.Knock, knock.Time seemed to have slipped away when suddenly someone rapped on the car window. Gabriel's eyes snapped open to see who it was. Without hesitation, he opened the door and stepped out."Gabriel, what brings you here?" William asked, taking two steps back, studying Gabriel with a barely-there smile playing on his lips.Gabriel looked down, a wry smile at the corner of his mouth before he lifted his gaze back to William. "Yeah, I've got something on my mind. But since Liam's inside, it doesn't seem right to barge in.""Looking for Teresa, Gabriel?" William played dumb, knowingly prodding with an ambiguous smile. "Seems you're quite taken with her. But don't you think it's inappropriate to interrupt when Teresa and Liam are about to tie the knot?""I agree. A true gentleman wouldn't get himself between them if they're about to get married," Gabriel replied, lips curving into a mischievous grin. "But I have no intention of being that kind of gentleman. I'm set on crossing Liam and Teresa... I've set my sights on her, too.""Huh..." William observed Gabriel with an unreadable expression and remained silent. Internally, he admired Gabriel's audacity. It was something even he couldn't match."William, could you do me a favor?" Gabriel suddenly asked with a smile, his eyes twinkling with a newfound idea.William nodded. "Please, tell me what you need. As long as it's within my power, I won't delay."After all, Gabriel had done so much for the Bennett family. Even if he hadn't, William would still be inclined to help him."This shouldn't be too difficult for you," Gabriel said with a dark glint in his eyes and a slight smile on his face. "I need a DNA sample from your nephew tonight. Can you make it happen?"For Gabriel to get a DNA sample from the boy tonight was out of the question. If he dared to set foot in the Bennett household, Teresa would have his hide long before he could even lay eyes on the child. But William was a different story.Watching Gabriel closely, William's lips now lifted into a grin. He genuinely hadn't anticipated Gabriel's quick deduction that the boy, 'Croissant,' was his son."What if I refuse to help with this favor, Gabriel?" William posed the question, curiosity lacing his tone. "I'll handle it myself if I have to," Gabriel replied with a faint smile curving his lips."All right," William agreed immediately. "Stay here, Gabriel. I'll get Michael's DNA sample for you as soon as I can."Even if William didn't lend a hand, he couldn't stop Gabriel from seeking out the truth about his connection to the kid.In that case, why shouldn't he do Gabriel a favor in return?Besides, letting Gabriel discover the child is a member of the Garcia family would only benefit The Bennetts. There were no downsides."Aren't you going to ask why I need my nephew's DNA?" Gabriel asked, surprised by William's nonchalance."No need to ask. Teresa already filled me in," William said with casual indifference.Teresa had spilled the beans.Gabriel was taken aback and pressed, "What did Teresa tell you, exactly? Did she say I'm the child's father?"William shook his head. "Teresa wasn't sure it was you that night because she was too scared and focused on getting away."So, it wasn't Teresa who had mistakenly invited Unity into his room? Just a twist of fate?"The man that night was me," Gabriel affirmed with unwavering certainty, looking straight at William. "You can put your sister's doubts to rest.""When did you figure this out, Gabriel?" William asked, a slight furrow appearing between his brows.Had Gabriel been the one to tamper with the hotel's surveillance that night?"Two years ago, when I divorced Unity," Gabriel offered openly, laying out the facts. "I was at a dinner in the hotel that night and got drugged. I booked a room, and, as it happened, Unity was staying across the hall. When Teresa ran out, Unity slipped into my room, took her place, and messed with the hotel's security footage.""So, Gabriel, you mistook Unity for Teresa, and that's why you ended up marrying Unity?" William sought confirmation.
Gabriel's divorce from Unity was never publicly disclosed, but secrets have a way of coming to light, especially after so much time had passed. William had long been aware of the fact that Gabriel split with Unity when it turned out that the child she bore was not a Garcia by blood."Exactly," Gabriel nodded, "When I married Unity, part of me mistook her for Teresa, and besides, Mason was gravely ill at the time, and I wanted to bring him some happiness.""In that case," William inquired sharply after a moment's reflection, "have you considered what you'll do if Teresa rejects you, refuses to acknowledge you as Michael's father, and even takes you to court?"Gabriel's dark eyes turned somber, his voice grave. "As long as Teresa and the Bennetts are willing, I'll do whatever it takes to make amends to her and the child.""Just wait here, Gabriel." William smiled, spun on his heel, got back into his car, and soon drove into the Bennett Family's Villa.Gabriel stood at the car door, brows furrowed as he fished out a cigarette and lighter, lit up with a metallic flick, and took a deep drag.William was all about efficiency. His driver approached Gabriel even before he finished his cigarette."Gabriel, this is the napkin Michael used to wipe his mouth. William asked me to give it to you," the driver said respectfully, handing Gabriel a used napkin."Thanks," Gabriel muttered, tossing away the cigarette butt, snuffing it out under his shoe, and then he got into his car and headed straight for the paternity testing center.Back at the Bennett mansion, Croissant might not have been fond of getting close to Liam. Still, when he saw William return, he immediately pounced on him, babble-calling "Uncle William!" incessantly.William held him, feeding him pieces of fruit while discussing business matters with Liam, while Teresa and the housekeeper went to tidy up the little guy's belongings.By the time Teresa came back downstairs with the little one's stuff all packed away, the tyke was still nestled in William's arms, contently munching on an apple. Then, the little one reached out to share an apple with William.Without the slightest hesitation, William opened his mouth and ate it. Watching William take a bite, the little tyke was over the moon and quickly snatched up another piece to pass to Liam, smacking his lips and saying, "Uncle, eat.""Michael, it's Daddy," Liam corrected with a smile, gesturing with open arms, "Come on, let Daddy give you a hug."The little guy pouted and shook his head, then crammed another piece of apple into his mouth, happily munching away.Liam watched, a helpless chuckle escaping his lips.William glanced at the child in his arms, a smile playing on his lips as well.This kid was sly. They'd been sitting there for over half an hour of Liam coaxing him to say "Daddy," but he stubbornly stuck with "Uncle."It seemed the little fellow knew all too well that Liam wasn't his biological dad."Come to Mommy!""Mommy!" The moment Teresa descended the stairs, the little one wriggled out of William's arms and ran toward her with a giggling embrace."Are you hungry, baby? Do you want some milk?" Teresa scooped him up, kissed his forehead, and asked.Grinning ear to ear, he cupped Teresa's face and gave a big sloppy kiss, "Hehe... no milk for baby.""As if he could be hungry!" William chimed in with a laugh, "Just look at this. He practically devoured a whole plate of fruit by himself."Teresa noticed the nearly empty plate and lovingly bumped foreheads with her son, "You little foodie!""I’m a little foodie, Mommy the big foodie!" he retorted with a brilliant smile, like a little sun.Teresa wrinkled her nose, feigning annoyance, while he covered her face with another sloppy kiss.Liam watched their sweet mother-son interaction with a longing heart.If only Michael were his own son, how wonderful that would be."Having such a bright and adorable son like Michael must be really nice," Liam said as he stood up, moving toward Teresa and her son, and tenderly ruffled the little one's hair, "Michael, Mommy's going to marry me soon, she'll be my wife. Then, the three of us will live together — Daddy, Mommy, and you. How does that sound?"Michael looked up at Liam with his bright, shiny eyes, then turned to Teresa and asked, "Mommy, what's a wife? Can I eat it?"Teresa burst into laughter at his question."It looks like our Michael is indeed a little foodie. Whatever you want to eat, Daddy will buy for you, okay?" Liam said, trying to sweet-talk him. Who would have thought? The little rascal shook his head with no regard for Liam’s dignity, "No good, mom should buy baby a wife.""A wife isn't something you buy. You need to woo her with your own skills and charm," chimed William as he walked over and gently pinched the little guy's chubby cheeks with a smile. "You two chat. I need to head upstairs and review some documents.""Sure, William, go take care of business," Teresa nodded."I have something to attend to as well. I should get going." Liam said, then he tenderly brushed a lock of Teresa's hair behind her ear, locking eyes with her, "I'll come by tomorrow morning, and then, I'll arrange for you to have a personal talk with my mother.""All right," Teresa nodded and then carried the little one to say goodbye to Liam.Watching Liam drive away, the little guy immediately wrapped his arms around Teresa's neck and dove into her embrace, exclaiming with joy, "Mommy, Uncle's gone.""Croissant, why don’t you call him 'Daddy'?" Teresa asked earnestly, looking at the child nestled in her arms.It seemed that the little one had been resistant to calling Liam 'Daddy' since the airport, although Liam had been coaxing him to do so."Uncle isn't Daddy. Daddy, Mommy, and baby live together," the little one replied seriously, his bright, dark eyes shimmering with sincerity."So, you mean when we all live together, you'll be willing to call him 'Daddy'?" Teresa asked seriously as well. She doted on her child but was earnest and strict when necessary."Teresa." Before the little one could answer, William's voice came from behind.Turning around, Teresa replied, "William.""I saw Gabriel outside when I came back," William said, cutting straight to the point upon approaching."That scumbag!" Teresa couldn't help but mutter under her breath at the mention of Gabriel."Heh..." William chuckled upon hearing this. "Actually, he's not at all bad. Perhaps there are just too many misunderstandings between the two of you."Frowning, Teresa asked in disbelief, "Are you feeling all right? Why are you speaking up for Gabriel?""Come here, Michael, sweetheart. Do you want to go play with Beatrice?" Ignoring Teresa's question, William took the child from her arms and handed him to Beatrice.Beatrice was already familiar with the little guy, so she went along without any fuss."Do you know why Gabriel married Unity three years ago?" William only posed the question to Teresa after Beatrice had taken the little one away to play with her.Teresa grimaced, "I really have no interest in knowing.""It's because he mistook Unity for you."Teresa paused, startled, as these words sunk in, momentarily at a loss.Indeed, she later realized it was her own panicked mistake of bashing down the wrong door that led to her accidental trespass into the lion's den, becoming prey for Gabriel.William sighed deeply as he looked upon Teresa's puzzled face and continued gently, "That night, someone drugged Gabriel at the dinner party. Afterwards, you ran off, and Unity went into his room. So, when he woke up, the person he saw wasn't you, but Unity. He mistook her for you."Teresa reflected as she watched William.That night, as she fled, she vaguely remembered someone calling out to her. But she was so focused on escaping that she didn't look back.Could it have been Unity?And the reason she rushed to pound on Unity's door was because Unity was obliviously broadcasting her wild play live!Oh God!Teresa felt like she'd been struck by lightning.After piecing everything together, she suddenly flared up, questioning William in almost a growl, "Is he an idiot? Even if he couldn't tell it wasn't the right person, wouldn't he check the surveillance? Wouldn't he investigate?""Teresa, Gabriel isn't stupid. Of course, he checked. But the hotel's surveillance had been tampered with by The Lewis family, leaving Gabriel with nothing," William explained in a serious tone. "Furthermore, think about it. If Unity was impersonating you, how could she let Gabriel find out that it was you and not her that night?"Teresa turned her head away abruptly, not responding. In that split second, her eyes brimmed with tears, becoming misty."Later, after you told me about the incident, I also had it investigated. The surveillance was indeed sabotaged, and I came up empty as well," William added, watching Teresa's growing frustration.
"When Unity later gave birth, and Gabriel found out the child wasn't his, he divorced her straight away and reopened the investigation of that night's events, finally confirming you were the person there.""William, stop it. You're just confirming that Gabriel was the rapist that night by telling me this," Teresa interrogated, her anger mounting.
"Are you planning on having me put him behind bars or what?" Watching her, William took a deep breath before speaking again, "Teresa, Gabriel has found out that Michael is his son."Just now, William couldn't help but notice how much Gabriel and Michael resembled each other there was no question they were father and son. "So what?" Teresa's voice was laced with anger and disdain. "Just because he raped me and I ended up giving birth to Michael by some cruel twist of fate, does that mean I'm supposed to marry the assaulter and act like we're a happy family with Michael blissfully calling him 'Daddy'?" The pain and fear of that night, the anxiety and terror that followed, it all made Teresa seethe with rage.And Gabriel, the scum, dared to insult her and Michael more than once, calling her child a bastard."Bastard, huh? Well, Gabriel, now it's my turn to make you pay for this.""Teresa, calm down, that's not what I meant." Seeing her so livid, William stepped forward and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm just laying out the facts for you. As for what you decide to do, that's up to you. We won’t force you into anything."William knew all too well that Teresa wasn't just smart — she was insightful and, at the same time, extremely stubborn. Whatever happened needed to make sense to her pressure from others wouldn't change her mind."William!" Teresa, looking at her brother, suddenly couldn't hold back her tears. They spilled over, unrestrained. "I've already agreed to marry Liam, and he's willing to accept Michael as his own son. I don't want to let Liam down again and again. He's good to me, really good, and I can't bear to fail him.""Teresa," William's heart ached for his sister as he drew her into an embrace, his hand soothingly rubbing her back. "I know, and we're not going to force you. You take control, okay?"Teresa nodded vehemently, her reply coming as a subdued affirmation.She kept insisting that she didn't want to disappoint Liam, but why did she feel such a profound ache at this moment? A kind of distress she had never experienced before. It hurt so much. It really did....
