Chapter 68 A Point of No Return
Gabriel stood there, watching Liam's car disappear, then turned his gaze toward Teresa and took long strides to her.
"Mommy." The little one immediately hurled himself at Teresa.
As Teresa scooped up the child, she locked eyes with Gabriel. Not waiting for him to speak, she asked directly, "Gabriel, did you bring the papers?"
Did you bring the papers?
Confronted with the unusually calm and composed young woman before him, Gabriel felt a moment of confusion and hesitated. "Teresa, what..."
"You wanted me to marry you, didn't you? Don't tell me it was all talk and you're not planning to actually make it official?" Teresa cut in before Gabriel's bewildered voice could settle.
Not planning to make it official?!
As he absorbed what she was implying, Gabriel was overwhelmed by a euphoria like he had never experienced, sweeping over him in an instant.
The next second, he reached out excitedly and clutched Teresa's delicate shoulders, his words tumbling out almost incoherently, "Teresa, what... what did you just say?"
"Are you dense? Can't you understand plain English?" Teresa frowned disdainfully, "If you don't want to marry me, fine. Son, let's go home."
"Daddy, you are so slow!" Croissant pouted at Gabriel with a touch of sass, then turned to Teresa, "Mommy, let's go home."
Teresa nodded, "Yeah, let's go."
"Wait a second." Gabriel quickly grabbed her arm, positioning himself in front of them, his excitement barely contained, "Teresa, are you saying that you didn't get married to Liam and now you want to go get the certificate with me, to marry me?!"
Teresa looked at him, blinked, and replied, "Wasn't I clear enough before?"
Gabriel nodded enthusiastically, "No, it wasn't clear enough."
Teresa rolled her eyes at him, "Fine. I didn't get married to Liam. Now, I've changed my mind. I've decided to marry my son's father. Is that clear enough for you now?"
"I get it now, I get it so well," Gabriel said, his voice filled with excitement as he pulled his son and Teresa into a heartfelt embrace. Tears nearly filled his eyes as he chuckled, "Teresa, how can you be so adorable? I'm falling for you more every day. What am I gonna do?"
Teresa was speechless...
"Daddy, I can't breathe, let go!" Gabriel had hugged them a little too passionately, nearly turning his son into a squished "croissant" in the middle.
At his son's cry, Gabriel released them as if jolted by electricity and scooped the little guy out of Teresa's arms without further ado.
Teresa watched him in confusion, but he went ahead and put Croissant aside, then pulled Teresa back into his embrace. He bent down to kiss the top of her head and murmured in a rich, deep voice, "Teresa, you don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment. Every night you're in my dreams. In my mind, in my dreams, you've been my wife for so long."
As she listened, Teresa thought to herself, "This weirdo!"
Feeling left out, the little one, who had been set aside, craned his round head to watch Teresa being clutched tightly by Gabriel. He frowned and, raising his hand, smacked Gabriel's bottom saying with a pout, "Mommy is mine, let go of her."
"Kid, you've got it wrong. Your mommy is about to be mine because she's agreed to be my wife," Gabriel retorted with a smug look toward the little boy.
"No, Mommy’s mine! Daddy's mean. Mommy, let's leave Daddy behind and go," the little one insisted, reaching to grab Teresa's hand with determination in his eyes.
"No, kiddo. From now on, your mommy is mine, and so are you." Gabriel finally let go of Teresa and swept his son into his arms, planting excited kisses on his cheek. "From now on, we're going to be a family, together forever."
"Daddy's mean, Daddy's ugly, I want Mommy!" the unyielding little one pushed his father's head away and buried himself into Teresa's embrace.
Teresa couldn't help but smile down at her son and then looked up at the eager man in front of her, "Before we make it official, is there anything you need me to sign? Like a prenup or something?"
Gabriel immediately shook his head, "Nothing. After we're married, everything I have, including myself, will be yours."
Teresa, holding their son and giving Gabriel a side glance, said, "I have one condition."
Gabriel, smiling, reached out to draw them both in, "What is it?"
She waved off his hand, "Just one thing."
Watching her intently, Gabriel nodded with seriousness, "Not just one, if it means you'll marry me, I'd agree to a hundred, a thousand."
"Just one rule: don't ever make me unhappy," Teresa said, her expression dead serious as she fixed her gaze on him. "If you do, I can ask for a divorce anytime I want, and you can't argue. Plus, after the divorce, I get full custody of Croissant. No fighting me on this."
"Honey..." he began.
"Cut it out. We're not married yet," Teresa chided with a sideways glance. "So, do you agree or not? If you don't, we can forget about getting that marriage license."
Gabriel quickly consented, "Yes. Of course, I agree."
"Good," Teresa nodded. "Let's get the agreement in writing, sign it, and record it. Then we can go register for our marriage license."
"Can't we just register first?" Gabriel asked timidly.
"Nope," Teresa said with resolve.
"Alright, there's pen and paper in the car. We'll write it up right here," he said as he scooped up the little one from Teresa's arms and led her to his car.
Once there, Gabriel asked the driver for writing supplies, which were promptly taken out. Teresa took them, leaning against the car window to meticulously write out the terms of the agreement she had just laid out. She then signed her name.
"Your turn!" she said, handing over the agreement to Gabriel with a raised eyebrow.
He took them from her, placed the paper on the car's hood, and signed his full name.
With the signing complete, Teresa took a moment to admire their work in the glaring sunlight, nodding in satisfaction. Next, she pulled out her phone and opened the voice recorder. "Now, read the agreement out loud, and make sure to include 'willingly and wholeheartedly,'" she instructed Gabriel.
Gabriel couldn't help but smile, a mix of affection, at the earnest yet charming woman before him. Taking the agreement and waiting for Teresa to start recording, he read aloud with gravity, "I, Gabriel, take Teresa as my wife, to love, to cherish, and to adore, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, until death do us part. And I willingly and wholeheartedly agree that I will never make her unhappy. If I ever do, she's free to ask for a divorce, and I shall not object. Furthermore, in the event of our separation, the custody of our son Michael shall be hers alone, with no contest from me."
Truth be told, everything before the promise not to make her unhappy was his own heartfelt addition.
Teresa's heart trembled ever so slightly as she watched him articulate each word with seriousness and devotion. A ripple of an emotion she had never felt before stirred within her, spreading uncontrollably like ripples across a calm lake.
It was a good feeling, a wonderful sensation!
Before her cheeks could betray her embarrassment, she swiftly hit the stop button on the recording. Snatching the contract from Gabriel's hands, she stuffed it into her purse as she ducked her head and muttered, "With your face all swollen and bruised, you look absolutely terrible. We should wait until those black and blues fade before we even think about registering."
"Come on, sweetheart, let's get out of here," Teresa said, reaching out to pick up their well-behaved little one.
"Hey, don't go, honey," Gabriel quickly interjected, pulling her into his embrace. "Let's just get the license now. I've brought all the necessary documents. It'll save us another trip."
"Get your hands off me!" Teresa snapped, shoving him away as she gave him a look of disdain. "Are you really sure you want to immortalize that wreck of a face in our marriage certificate?"
Gabriel couldn't help but laugh as he reached for her hand hanging by her side. "It's fine. We'll take the photo, and I'll just get it touched up a bit. I promise, the guy on the marriage certificate will be the most handsome man on earth."
Teresa's hand was soft and smooth; holding it was exceedingly comfortable.
"Shameless!" she accused, looking at him.
Indeed, the thick-skinned would do anything to win.
"Daddy's ugly, daddy's shameless!" their little one chimed in with a touch of sass, looking at them with pride.
Gabriel, who just moments ago was adoring his child, suddenly found his son's comment somewhat less than adorable.
"Let's go. We'll register now," he said, scooping up the little guy and taking Teresa's hand as they headed to the registration hall.
At the marriage registry office, where staff were just about to wrap up for their lunch break, they were startled to see Teresa coming in with another man, and the man was holding a little boy who bore a striking resemblance to her. The employees were confused once again.
"Sorry to trouble you all, but could you please help us with our marriage registration?" Gabriel said, still holding his son with one arm and leading Teresa with the other, a broad smile indicating he'd never felt better.
The staff took a moment to figure out who Gabriel was, and despite not recognizing him immediately due to his colorfully marred face, his unmistakable aura commanded respect. They quickly nodded their heads, gestured for him and Teresa to sit down, and presented the marriage registration form with reverence.
Gabriel sat next to Teresa, holding their child while she filled out the form. After she handed it to the staff, he began to fill out his part.
"Mommy, what's Daddy writing?" The little one curiously inquired, perched on Gabriel's lap, watching every firm and confident stroke of his handwriting.
Teresa glanced at Gabriel's handwriting and then at their inquisitive child before the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. "A contract of selling himself," she joked.
Staff members within earshot became attentive upon overhearing the innocent question.
"What that means, Daddy?" the little tyke asked with curiosity.
"The contract, little buddy, means that from now on, Daddy's person, Daddy's heart, everything about Daddy belongs to Mommy," Gabriel explained with a chuckle, his deep eyes shining brightly as he glanced at Teresa and then back to the inquisitive munchkin in his arms.
Teresa remained silent.
Another staff member watched the scene in silence, finding it odd to see a man at the marriage license office with a child in tow, talking about marriage with that description — and, despite the weird explanation, seeming absolutely thrilled about it.
"Okay, we're all set here." Gabriel handed the completed form to the staff member.
As the employee took the form, their eyes landed on the strong, bold letters that spelled "Gabriel". The employee paused, recognizing the name instantly.
Despite Gabriel's absence from public media over the past three years, Gabriel's identity as the young elite of both Capital Construction and the Nebula Consumer Products in River North was no secret in this part of town. In fact, his name was almost legendary.
Realization dawned, and the staff member's demeanor shifted to one of even greater respect, smiling and gesturing them over, "If you'd follow me, please. Let's get a photo taken to commemorate today."
Nodding, Gabriel carried the little one and took Teresa by the hand, heading toward the photography room.
Teresa tried to pull her hand free from his with force, looking up at him resentfully. Despite her efforts, his grip was firm and skilled, and she found herself unable to break free.
With a sigh of resignation, Teresa abandoned the struggle.
Arriving at the room, Gabriel let the little one down and a staff member playfully engaged the child. Gabriel then led Teresa to the spot. Without any instruction, he confidently wrapped his arm around Teresa's waist, pulling her close.
Teresa glanced at him with an unspoken word.
The photographer, pleased with their natural pose, encouraged them, "Great, now please look at the camera."
"Honey, look this way," Gabriel coaxed with a tenderness that the staff around found endearing.
Teresa, fighting the urge to roll her eyes, reluctantly turned her gaze toward the camera.
Click after click, the photographer captured their moment, soon expressing satisfaction, "Perfect, that's a wrap!"
"Daddy, Mommy, I want to take pictures with you!" piped up the little one, cheerily running over, eager to join his parents.
The family huddled together, with the tiny addition making the picture complete.
"Alright, come on, let's get a picture with our little one," Gabriel said, lifting the kiddo with one arm while keeping the other wrapped firmly around Teresa. He flashed a smile at the photographer and said, "Would you mind taking a few more shots of the three of us? Thanks so much!"
"Of course, no problem," responded the photographer with a smile, capturing the perfect moments.
"After we're done here, could you send me the pictures? I'll have someone touch them up," Gabriel requested once the session concluded.
The photographer had no issues with the request and promptly sent the photos to him.
Gabriel forwarded the photos to Finley Sackler and then gave him a call.
"Boss."
"I just sent you a few pictures. I need you to edit my face to look normal, and send them back to me within ten minutes," Gabriel instructed, keeping it brief and to the point.
On the other end, Finley Sackler, although confused by the situation at work, immediately nodded and replied with a "Yes, sir."
After hanging up, he quickly checked the pictures on Messenger.
"Whoa, what's going on here?" Finley murmured in confusion.
But remembering Gabriel's ten-minute deadline, he didn't waste any time. He sent the pictures straight over to the company's design department, instructing the photo editing wizard to restore Gabriel's face to its infuriatingly handsome state within five minutes.
Back at the marriage registration office, the staff invited Gabriel and Teresa to take a seat and warmly served them some coffee.
Gabriel, holding his son and never letting go of Teresa's hand, looked at her and said in a blissfully content tone, "Once we're done here and have the certificate in hand, I'll go with you to the hospital to break the good news to mom and dad."
"That's my mom and dad," Teresa corrected, casting a sideways glance at him.
Gabriel laughed. "Now your parents are my parents too, and I will honor them with you for the rest of our lives."
Teresa remained silent.
"We should head over to the Garcia family's place tonight, so I can introduce you to all the elders," Gabriel continued thoughtfully when Teresa didn't respond.
"No," Teresa rejected without a second thought.
"Then in a couple of days."
"Not in a couple of days either," Teresa insisted, not ready for that step.
Seeing her hesitation, Gabriel chuckled, "Okay, we'll do it whenever you're ready."
Teresa stayed silent again.
The staff member watching and listening couldn't help but be amazed.
Good lord! Where on earth did she find such a doting husband? Could this guy be putting on a show just for us?
Buzzing... Just when the silence hung heavily in the room, Gabriel's phone vibrated a few times. He grabbed it and saw that the retouched photos had come through.
The pictures were impeccably edited. Gabriel's lips curved into a satisfied smile. He showed the photo to Teresa, and with a grin of pure joy, he teased, "Look at that, isn't your husband the most handsome guy around?"
Teresa was speechless at the nerve of this man.
Gabriel's eyes shone with a mischievous gleam, almost spilling fire as he sent the photo to the photographer they had used earlier.
Soon after, the photographer set off to print the pictures.
The photos were quickly printed and handed over to them. Gabriel gave a couple to Teresa and slid the rest into his wallet.
As he opened his wallet, Teresa couldn't help but notice a photo of herself tucked inside. It was from her Northern River University days, with her long hair flowing. She had no clue how he got it. However, when Gabriel glanced up at her, she quickly looked away, pretending she hadn't seen anything.
The marriage certificate was fabricated. As the clerk firmly stamped it, signifying that from now on she would be inextricably tied to Gabriel, possibly for life, Teresa found herself without the slightest urge to stop it.
Thud! Thud! Two decisive stamps sealed the deal at the corner of their marriage certificate, officially declaring their union to be legally bound.
Receiving the certificate, Gabriel felt like he was holding not just a document, but Teresa's heart and entire being.
At this moment, gazing at his rightfully wedded wife sitting beside him, no one knew his happiness, excitement, and the overwhelming desire for Teresa.
"Teresa," he called her name with a depth and warmth he had never expressed before.
Teresa nonchalantly stuffed the red book into her purse, glanced at him sideways, and asked, "What now?"
Gazing back at her with eyes full of profound affection and brightness, Gabriel's lips lifted into a smile, his eyes unexpectedly misty, as he said solemnly, "Mrs. Garcia, from this moment on, I'm all yours. You need to always treat me well."
Teresa looked at him, thinking to herself... This guy is unbelievable!
"Daddy, what's this?" Croissant scrambled onto Gabriel's lap, pointing at the certificate in his hand, his small face full of curiosity.
Gabriel hugged his little bundle of joy tightly and planted a big kiss on him. "Baby, this is that 'contract' Mommy was talking about!"
Teresa, utterly speechless, didn't even bother to respond, snatching Croissant from his arms. "Sweetheart, let's head back to the hospital to be with Grandma and Grandpa, okay?"
"What about Daddy?" Croissant asked, his big, shiny eyes turning to the man.
"He can do whatever he wants; we're leaving." With that, Teresa, carrying her little one, strode off without looking back.
Gabriel watched the two of them, a smile playing on his lips. After thanking the staff, he paced briskly to catch up with them.
The staff watched the family of three leave, still in a daze, as if it were all a dream.
Just under ten minutes ago, it was supposed to be Liam getting married here, but now, out of nowhere, they had another man, none other than Gabriel, the top dog from the River North's young elite, pulling a marriage certificate surprise. And not just any man — another titan of wealth, a portrait of domestic bliss that left everyone marveling.
It was outrageously melodramatic and utterly astonishing!
"Honey." Gabriel easily caught up to Teresa and naturally wrapped his arm around her.
Teresa just looked at him sideways, not saying a word or resisting, letting him hold her as they reached his black Rolls-Royce.
The driver, upon seeing them, promptly and respectfully opened the car door for them.
After Teresa got in, Gabriel walked around to the other side and joined her.
"Gabriel, about our marriage, besides the Garcia family, you can't tell anyone else," Teresa said firmly the moment Gabriel got into the car.
Gabriel looked at her, taken aback for a moment. "Honey, we —"
"What? Is that a problem?" Teresa raised an eyebrow, cutting off any protest before he could voice it.
Gabriel watched her for a moment and then his lips curled into a smile. "No problem at all. Your wish is my command."
First off, I don't plan on moving in with you anytime soon. I'll keep staying at my own place. If you guys miss the baby and want to see him, you can bring him over to the Garcia house anytime," Teresa said, her gaze firm and unwavering.
He couldn't recall her ever being so serious.
"Sweetheart, I'm just like the baby now — I belong to you. Are you planning on ignoring me?" Gabriel immediately protested with a pitiful look on his face.
"Hmph! Mommy belongs to the baby, and you are not allowed to fight with me over her." A little voice chimed in as the child wrapped their arms around Teresa's neck, claiming her with a possessive pout.
Gabriel fell silent.
"You managed just fine without me for the first thirty years of your life, didn't you? Healthy as an ox!" Teresa hugged the little one close, planting a tender kiss on his chubby cheek before swiftly turning a cold stare to the man beside her.
Heaving a sigh, Gabriel rubbed his forehead and gave a wry smile. "Babe, times have changed. Now that you're my wife, I can't live without you."
Teresa raised an eyebrow. "Well, let's see what happens. If we don't live together, will you cease to be Gabriel?"
Gabriel was speechless again.
"And thirdly, I won't interfere with your daily doings, but I—"
"Stop right there!" Gabriel interrupted before she could finish, already guessing what was coming. He pleaded with puppy-dog eyes, "Honey, the first two conditions are tough enough. Is the third one —"
"Okay then, if you can't meet them, I'll be unhappy. And if I'm unhappy..."
"My love, what's the third condition?" Gabriel's voice quivered at her words, hastening to cut her off with an ingratiating smile.
"Thirdly, I won't meddle in your affairs, and you will not — shall not — must not — intervene in mine!" Teresa bit down especially hard on those last few words.
"Anything else?" Gabriel ventured, almost resigned.
After the first three impossible demands, he had no fear about a fourth, fifth, or sixth.
Teresa furrowed her brows, chewed on her lip thoughtfully for a moment, and then shook her head. "For now, just... those three." Before she could say another word, her chin was lifted, and the man's bruised face was descending toward her, capturing her lips...
