Chapter 80
"Sounds great!" Terry replied cheerfully, "I'll send you the textbooks and some materials for the lecture tomorrow so you can prepare."
"Alright, thanks. See you tomorrow!"
"Yep, see you tomorrow."
After hanging up, Terry promptly sent over the textbooks and materials to Teresa.
For Teresa, the content for the freshman German class was as simple as it could possibly be.
At the hospital, Teresa shared her thoughts with Patrick and Sophia, who had no objections. They were content as long as Teresa was happy.
Conveniently, Teresa had her own plans. Be it a diplomat or a university professor, both were respectable careers; they believed her in-laws would support her as well.
"Patrick, Sophia, Teresa," a tall, poised figure appeared at the door of the room, and a deep, pleasant voice filled the space.
"Gabriel, you're here! Come in," Sophia greeted him with a beaming smile.
"Gabriel, you're so busy with work, you don't need to keep running to the hospital. Just give Teresa a call if you need anything," Patrick, reclining on the bed, sounded overly affectionate toward Gabriel.
"Work's not that busy, my wife and son are my top priorities," Gabriel said with a smile, glancing over at Teresa.
Teresa was opening a cake box, and upon hearing his words, she merely glanced over at the man with a faint lift of her eyes, not saying a word, and continued with her task.
Patrick nodded with a beaming smile, "With that sentiment, we feel at ease entrusting Teresa to you."
"Here, Dad, have a piece of cake." Teresa offered the cake to Patrick.
"I'll pass. I've been lying in bed all day, just eating and drinking. I've practically turned into a ball. Give it to Gabriel," Patrick said with affection.
At that, Gabriel eagerly looked toward Teresa, waiting for her to hand him the piece.
Teresa complied as amicably as a rushing stream, handing the delicious cake to Gabriel, her eyes sparkling clearly. "Want a cake?" she asked.
Want a cake?
Gabriel couldn't shake the feeling that the phrase just sounded like “Want a kick?”.
The thought made Gabriel chuckle to himself. When he looked up at Teresa again, his eyes shone with mischief. He shook his head, "No, I’m good. You eat it."
Teresa gave him a sidelong glance and, without any pretense, retrieved the cake back and took a bite.
Sophia, watching them, chided, "Alright, Teresa, it's getting late. You and Gabriel should head back now."
"Mom, it's not even six yet," Teresa mumbled, talking with her mouth full of food.
"You need time to get home, so better get going," Sophia said, already pulling her up from the sofa.
"Mom, there's still time. It's okay to stay a bit longer," Gabriel said, standing easy with one hand in his pocket, his tall and handsome stance radiating tender care.
"Look at that, your Gabriel is so considerate," Sophia said, giving Teresa another playful look.
Teresa glared at him fiercely, finishing the cake with a few more bites. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, then said to Patrick and Sophia, "Dad, Mom, I'll get going now. I'll come back early tomorrow."
"Goodbye, Patrick, Sophia," Gabriel added with a smile.
"Sure, off you go," Patrick said with a gentle nod.
Teresa shot another glare at the man, then led the way out. Gabriel followed, catching up with her in a few long strides.
As soon as they stepped out of the room, his large hand reached out to envelop Teresa's small hand that was beside her.
His palms were broad and strong — exceptionally warm. Teresa didn't pull away. Instead, she lifted her head and gave him another glare. "Did you put a tracker on me or something? How do you always know where I am?"
Gabriel tightened his grip on her small hand slightly, looking at her with a smirk. "What’s wrong, honey? You don’t want me to know where you are?"
Teresa was at a loss for words. She didn't want to argue about this and quickly changed the subject. "I need to go home early today; I have things to do, so I won’t be coming back with you. Just bring Croissant by later."
Hearing this, a crease formed quickly across Gabriel's brows. "Honey, just come with me and have dinner. I promise it won’t take much time."
"Doesn't it take time to get there?" Teresa retorted with the same argument Sophia had made earlier.
Gabriel went silent.
His silence led Teresa to think he had agreed, so she didn't say anything more.
Unexpectedly, once they left the hospital building and got in the car, the vehicle started, and Gabriel raised the divider between the front and the rear seats. Before Teresa could react, his large hand cradled the back of her head, pulling her close without warning. His head dipped down to capture her lips, demanding and relentless...
"Mmm... Gabriel!"
Teresa struggled, calling out, her fists weakly pounding him.
But Gabriel was relentless, deepening his kiss with fervor.
"Mmm... You jerk, you dog... Let me go!" Teresa gasped for air amidst her trapped state.
No matter how much she yelled or hit him, Gabriel did not show any intention of letting her go.
Realizing that struggling and shouting made no difference — and perhaps even seemed to encourage him — Teresa gave up. She opened her eyes wide and just watched the intense, yet eager face close to hers, giving no reaction.
At this moment, the bruising on Gabriel's face had almost vanished, the marks from being hit barely visible.
Honestly, the restored face of Gabriel was... stunning.
His features were sharp, his eyes were deep, his brows well-defined, his nose straight, and his lips soft. He was easy on the eyes.
Feeling Teresa become quiet, Gabriel aimed for something more. But just as his burning lips began to wander downward, Teresa startled awake and forcefully pushed him away.
"Gabriel, don't be so rough!" Teresa quickly lifted her leg, planting it in front of him with a warning look splashed across her face.
Caught off guard, Gabriel found himself pushed back into his seat.
There he sat, gazing at Teresa with her knees pulled protectively to her chest, and the discomfort was palpable. He chuckled softly, looking down as he reached out, gently parting her legs and closing the space between them once more, trapping her in his embrace.
"Gabriel, you..." she started.
"Sweetheart, can't you feel it?" he asked, leaning in to cut her off with a gentle peck on her trembling lips.
Teresa was no fool; she could feel the heat of his breath, assertive and undeniable. But her overwhelming feelings were of fear and apprehension.
The memory of that night three years ago was downright terrifying; something she vowed never to relive.
So, nearly beyond her control, her whole body began to quake, and amidst her trembling, she choked out in a whimpering accusation, "Gabriel, you damn man, I married you just for Croissant, okay? Don't touch me now; I can't handle it."
Gabriel looked down at the quivering woman beneath him and remembered the night of three years past: how Teresa had cowered in a stairwell corner, her face streaked with tears, shaking with fear.
"Teresa, look at me," he said, releasing her and cradling her face with his large hands, caressing her with a tenderness that belied his earlier actions. "I'm sorry for that night, three years ago. It was my fault. I promise, there will never be another night like that."
"Then promise me, if I'm unwilling, you won't force me," Teresa demanded, her eyes glistening with tears as she stared back at him.
Seeing the woman close up, Gabriel, resigned yet restrained, asked with a smirk, "Then tell me, when will you be ready?"
"I don't know. It depends on how you behave," she retorted.
"How about a week?" he tried again, playfully nuzzling her nose to coax her.
"No."
"Two weeks?"
"Gabriel, enough is enough!" Teresa resisted, her voice rising in protest.
"A month, then?" he persisted, peering into her beautifully luminous eyes, holding her face gently in his hands.
"I told you, depends on how you behave," she said, pushing at him again.
With a soft, indulgent chuckle, Gabriel conceded, "Alright, I'll work hard to prove myself."
With those words, he suddenly let go of Teresa, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes for a deep, measured breath.
Teresa curled up in her seat, casting a glance at him. Her gaze quickly retreated after landing on his dramatically transformed physique, as she turned to look out the window...
Finally, it was Gabriel who dropped Teresa off at the Bennett household first before heading back to the Garcia residence.
When William got home from work and found Teresa there all by herself, he wasn't surprised. During dinner, he casually remarked, "By the way, day after tomorrow is Cynthia Harriman's 80th birthday. Are you coming with me, or will you go with Gabriel?"
"Cynthia?!" Teresa swallowed her food. "Which Cynthia?"
"Professor Logan's mother. Considering he saved Dad’s life, it’s a given we attend her milestone birthday since Dad can't make it," William said nonchalantly.
The Bennetts had worked their way into River North's elite circles, and navigating the complex web of social connections was an inevitable part of their new status.
"Oh, then I'll go with you," Teresa replied without a second thought.
William looked at her, amused. "Won't you discuss it with Gabriel?"
"No need. I'm not ready for people to know about us," she declared.
William nodded, "As you wish."
