Chapter 99
"Oh," Teresa nodded with a hint of significance, "then take it back and let him sign it himself."
Finley's face fell, mentally slapping himself, "Madam, please, do sign it. It's primarily a gift for you. Otherwise, I'm in for a scolding when I return."
"Big plane, Mommy sign!" Croissant chimed in, bouncing around as if he'd figured it all out.
"Well, if my baby wants Mommy to sign, then Mommy shall sign. And one day, I'll take you around the world." Teresa kissed the little tyke on the forehead and then took the pen from Finley, signing her name on the aircraft purchase agreement.
After lunch, when the little one was asleep, Teresa left for her lectures at school.
"Teresa." What a perfect timing. As soon as she entered the classroom, a student who adored her let out an enthusiastic shout.
"Teresa, how come you look even prettier today?"
"Teresa, what fun little story have you prepared for us?"
"Teresa, that thing you told us yesterday..."
"Ah!"
Amid greetings and eager smiles, Teresa made her way to the lectern. But as she smiled back, a female student in the second row, right in front of her, hurled an egg directly at her forehead.
"You disgusting woman, you lowlife, who gives a damn about your class? Get out, don't dirty..."
"Are you out of your mind?" The words had barely left the female student's mouth as she pointed and yelled at Teresa, when a young man dashed forward and gave her a hard shove. "Where do you get off?" he exclaimed, looking out for Teresa. "Teresa hasn't done anything to you. What's your deal?"
The girl stumbled from the push, landing on the ground with a thud.
"Teresa, are you okay?" Instantly, the other students swarmed the podium to check on Teresa, pulling out tissues to wipe the remnants of the egg from her face.
"I'm fine!" Teresa reassured them, shaking her head and taking the tissues to clean herself up. "Really, don't worry about me!"
Seeing that Teresa was alright, the crowd turned their attention to the egg-throwing culprit. Shortly after, the Dean of students affairs arrived, with Terry among them, and they escorted the girl away.
"Teresa, are you sure you're okay?" Terry asked with concern after the girl had been led away.
Teresa shook her head and advised calmly, "It's just an egg; I'm fine. Make sure you get the whole story before you decide what to do."
"I'll make sure we do."
"Thanks."
When Terry and his team left, the classroom atmosphere returned to normal, and Teresa proceeded with the lecture.
This minor disruption barely affected the mood of Teresa and her students. The afternoon classes were taught with such ease and cheer that the rapport between her and the students seemed to grow warmer and more congenial by the minute.
As the last class ended, a few male students even invited Teresa out for dinner.
Of course, Teresa wouldn’t accept. She shared farewells with a smile before making her exit from the school.
That afternoon she had come to school in her family’s car because it allowed her to take a nap before her final lecture. She had already notified the chauffeur to wait outside the school; there was no need to drive in.
Teresa preferred keeping her identity as the Bennett family's eldest daughter under wraps to avoid excessive enthusiasm from the students.
Stepping out of the building, the clock struck past six, and the setting sun cast a golden hue over the campus, beautifully enchanting.
Teresa was strolling leisurely towards the school gate when the vibration of her phone interrupted her. Pulling it out, she saw it was Gabriel calling.
After a brief thought, she figured Gabriel had no real business calling, so she sent the call to voicemail.
But, as fate would have it, the phone vibrated insistently in her hand immediately afterward.
Would he keep calling if she didn’t answer?
With that in mind, Teresa reluctantly picked up.
“Just got out of class?” came the deep, rich voice of the man on the line, noticeably pleased,
"Well, time to head home, back to the Bennett residence," Teresa said, emphasizing the last three words with deliberate weight.
"Heh..." Gabriel chuckled softly on the other end of the phone, "Alright, it’s fine, but..."
"Ah!"
Before Gabriel could finish his sentence, a motorbike rode past Teresa, startling her into a scream as she fell to the ground...
