Chapter 69 Seeing You Just Annoys Me
"Mmm..." Teresa murmured softly, attempting a feeble struggle.
However, as she did, the man grew more dominant, probing deeper, his desire escalating.
Cradling her child in her arms, Teresa couldn't muster the strength to battle any harder. So, she simply closed her eyes and gave in.
"Smack!"
But to everyone's surprise, just seconds after Teresa shut her eyes, the dull sound of a slap reverberated within the car, followed by the man’s lips withdrawing and the oppressive, strong scent of his hormones fading. Instead, a groan came out.
Teresa opened her eyes to see two men standing off to each side, engaged in a silent battle of glares, neither willing to back down an inch.
"Daddy's bad, Daddy's bullying Mommy!" Croissant pouted, glaring at the man with a face full of righteousness and indignation.
"That's not bullying, that’s love. Daddy hugging Mommy, kissing Mommy, sleeping with Mommy, are all love, understand?" Gabriel said sternly, schooling his son.
"Hmph!" The little one scoffed. He tightened his embrace around Teresa's neck and declared, "Mommy only hugs me, kisses me, sleeps with me. No hugs for Daddy, no kisses for Daddy, and no sleeping with Daddy."
Gabriel looked at his son, every bit as stubborn and feisty as Teresa, and was at a loss for words.
Teresa couldn't help but laugh upon seeing the man, usually so talkative, silenced by their child. Her spirits lifted much.
"Don't you feel sorry seeing your husband being picked on?" Gabriel asked, his voice a low tone as he reached out to lift Teresa’s chin with his well-defined fingers.
With a sidelong glance, Teresa flicked his hand away and tossed three words his way, "You deserve it!"
Gabriel looked at the pair, mother and son, and laughed, feeling a joy that was beyond words. He even reached out his arms to the little guy. "Come here, Michael. Come to Daddy."
"No." The little one clung to Teresa even tighter, turning his little bottom towards Gabriel with a distinct air of haughtiness.
"Baby, why don't you go to Daddy? Mommy's tired and needs a rest, okay?" Teresa spoke kindly to the seemingly forlorn man.
"Okay, I will listen to Mommy." Obediently, Croissant nodded, finally throwing himself into Gabriel’s arms, all previous grudges seeming to go.
Gabriel scooped up his son, settled him on his lap, and began to impart fatherly wisdom. "Mommy is a beautiful, adorable, and delicate girl. She doesn't have as much strength, so from now on, Daddy will hold you. Let’s not make Mommy so tired, okay?"
Croissant tilted his head back, his big eyes looking up, and after some thought, his small lips pursed with curiosity. "If Mommy doesn't hold me, then who will Mommy hold?"
"Mommy hugs Daddy, just like Daddy hugs Mommy," Gabriel said as he reached out, pulling Teresa into his arms and swiftly lowering his head to plant a kiss on top of her head.
Teresa glanced at him and turned her head to look out the car window. Despite the brief look, her heartbeat unexpectedly started to flutter chaotically, which she couldn't seem to quell.
Looking at their interactions, one voice deep and rich, tender and gentle, the other young and clear, brimming with innocence, Teresa felt an unprecedented sense of peace and joy.
From then on, Croissant officially became the eldest grandson of the Garcia family, with all the rights and privileges that entailed.
How wonderful that was!
As she stole a moment of happiness looking out the window, a warm, dry hand enveloped her right hand. Then, something cool with a metallic touch slid onto her ring finger.
Startled, Teresa turned her gaze from the window and looked down to find a dark sapphire ring on her finger.
"Do you like it?" After putting the ring onto her finger, Gabriel held her hand and looked deep into her eyes, his gaze intense and shining, his voice soft with emotion.
This was the Garcia family heirloom, reserved only for the true lady of the house.
Teresa glanced at the valuable sapphire ring and then back at him. "What if I don't like it?"
"Even if you don't, it can only be yours," Gabriel said, bringing her hand to his lips for a gentle kiss, smiling warmly. "From now on, honey, whatever you want, I'll make it happen."
Teresa looked at him, slightly amused by his ease in calling her "honey."
"Mommy is pretty!" Croissant, nestled sleepily in Gabriel's arms, murmured with a sleepy pout.
Teresa couldn't help but smile as she looked at the little one.
"Honey, I was wrong before; I'm sorry," Gabriel said earnestly and sincerely, one hand holding their son, the other gripping Teresa's hand. "All those hurtful things I said to you, I take them back. Never again."
"And what exact words are you taking back?" Teresa asked with mock indignation.
Gabriel frowned, "Those words that made you unhappy."
Teresa raised an eyebrow, "But every single thing you used to say made me unhappy."
"......" Gabriel let out a helpless chuckle, eyes brimming with indulgence as he gazed into her pupils, "Fine, my bad. I take them back."
"So, when you said you loved me, that you'd cherish and protect me all my life, that was also a lie? Something to take back?" Teresa teased, intentionally nitpicking.
"No, everything about me loving you, wanting to marry you, and promising to cherish and protect you for life, to be devoted only to you, that's all true. I don't take any of that back. Everything else, I take back." Gabriel replied seriously as he looked at her.
It was hard to imagine that such a man, usually sparing with words and scarcely seen smiling in front of others, could be so playfully cheerful and chatty in Teresa’s presence, almost like a rogue.
Teresa’s lips curled into an involuntary smile as she gazed at him, but she didn’t respond. Instead, she turned her head away, looking outside again.
Gabriel moved closer to her, wrapping his arm around her gently. Noticing that she didn’t resist, he gently pulled her into his embrace, resting his chin on top of her head before leaning down to kiss her hair.
The scent of Teresa was intoxicating, a fragrance he'd been longing for over the past three years. Now holding her felt indescribably wonderful.
Looking out the window while wrapped in his arms, Teresa's heartbeat began to race uncontrollably, and a flattering flush of color slowly spread across her cheeks.
The sensation was extraordinary, even stronger than when she first got together with Liam.
Without any resistance, Teresa gradually relaxed into Gabriel's arms.
With one hand, Gabriel cradled their sleeping child, and with the other, he held Teresa.
At this moment, with his wife and son both in his arms, he couldn't feel more blessed and content.
