Chapter 127
Chapter 127:
Billy’s hands shook with unease. Could he have gotten it all wrong?
Was it possible that Wesley didn’t harbor any romantic feelings for Gabriela? If that were true, then what explained his relentless push in Athea these last few days?
For a long beat, Billy hovered in doubt, uncertain whether to pass the bouquet over to Wesley.
By this point, any trace of tension had long drained from Wesley’s face. As the CEO of Apex Group, he wasn’t the kind of man to crack under embarrassment over something as insignificant as a failed love confession. Composure was second nature to him, and now was the moment to steer things toward a calmer, more sustainable footing between them.
Burying every flicker of emotion behind a cool gaze, he addressed Gabriela evenly. “I think you’ve got the wrong idea. Women like you don’t interest me in the least. The only reason I brought you here p>
Gabriela held her breath, mortified by her blunder, as Wesley continued in a flat and mechanical tone, “was to ask if you wanted to hang around and watch Billy propose to his girlfriend p>
𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘯
Billy, who had been single for years, went rigid, caught completely off guard. Most of his adult life had been swallowed by the relentless grind of working for Wesley—through crises, tight deadlines, and endless business trips—leaving little time to even think about dating. And now, how on earth was he supposed to conjure up a girlfriend out of nowhere?
Gabriela’s shoulders loosened as a faint sigh of relief slipped out, but her surprise quickly shifted to incredulous amusement. Seriously? Wesley cared about something like this?
Apparently, even the most imposing man had a taste for juicy gossip. The moment she turned, her gaze caught Billy with an enormous bouquet of red roses. Honestly, watching a live proposal was far more entertaining than scrolling through some over-the-top drama series.
Billy, looking like a man headed for the gallows, darted a glance at Wesley—only to be met with an icy stare that all but said, “Want me to assign you to a nightmare project with Brenden p>
The implied threat made his knees wobble, but Billy swallowed hard and forced himself to address Gabriela. “Well, what a pleasant surprise to see you here, Miss Haynes. So… do you think I have any shot at pulling this proposal off p>
Gabriela knew him as a relentless workaholic, a man who married deadlines instead of romance. Yet today, he was suddenly playing the part of a lovestruck man. She flashed him a quick, encouraging fist bump. “You’ve got this. Go knock her off her feet p>
“Appreciate it p>
Squaring his shoulders, Billy turned toward the distance with exaggerated drama, as if his girlfriend might appear at any moment, stepping right into a carefully staged scene.
Half an hour later, drizzle clung to his hair and soaked through his jacket, leaving him shivering. Gabriela’s playful curiosity faded, replaced by quiet sympathy. Poor guy—after all that careful preparation, his girlfriend hadn’t even shown. Had she actually stood him up?
Billy risked a sideways glance toward them, no doubt checking if Wesley’s anger had simmered down. Catching his disheartened expression, Gabriela felt a twinge of sympathy and offered gently, “Don’t let it get to you, Mr. Clarke. Maybe the rain’s what kept her away. You’re good-looking and have a solid paycheck. A lot of the women at work think you’re a catch p>
Wesley’s expression, however, only grew a shade darker. Billy stiffened under Wesley’s cold, cutting stare. Her attempt at cheer only deepened the slump in his shoulders.
Picking up on it, Gabriela pressed on, her voice light but teasing. “Sure, fireworks and roses are sweet, but they’re also a total cliché. You’d make a bigger impression by sliding her an unlimited credit card and telling her to use it however she wants p>
The absurdity hit her a beat later, and she waved her hands in quick retreat. “Alright, maybe that would just blow the whole thing up and make her angrier. Honestly, the real problem is you don’t even have a ring. Show up with one next time, and she won’t be able to turn you down p>
Her words instantly soured Wesley’s mood, as those things she mentioned should have been prepared, yet he hadn’t arranged any of them at all.
His expression tightened, and with a sharp tug at his tie, he pivoted and strode away.
Gabriela leaned toward Billy, murmuring a quick word of encouragement, then quickened her pace to catch up with Wesley.
He threw her a sidelong glance as he pressed, “What’s this—planning to come home with me p>