Chapter 135
Chapter 135:
“Good morning, Gabriela!” Miriam called warmly as she stepped out of the kitchen. “Come, have breakfast p>
One after another, the breakfast plates appeared, filling the table with inviting aromas. Wesley had already taken his seat, so Gabriela, unwilling to keep him waiting, quickly slid into the chair beside him. She reached for the serving ladle, pouring oatmeal into a bowl for Wesley, then filled one for herself and Miriam with practiced ease. Her movements were fluid and confident—little gestures she’d performed countless times, so natural they barely needed thought. Miriam’s opinion of her rose another notch.
Settling beside Gabriela, Miriam asked with genuine concern, “Is your ankle feeling any better? You should let Wesley put some more ointment on it later p>
Gabriela had just lifted a spoonful of oatmeal to her lips when Miriam’s comment made her pause. She set the spoon down, shaking her head with a small smile. “That’s not necessary. It barely hurts now. I can take care of it myself p>
She prided herself on not being fragile, and the thought of asking Wesley to tend to her injury again felt excessive. Miriam, however, wouldn’t budge. “Don’t brush it off. If I say you need it, you need it.” Her tone left little room for argument.
Gabriela was at a loss for words. Still, no matter how firm Miriam sounded, she wasn’t about to let Wesley near her ankle again. Wesley, noticing she could walk without difficulty, didn’t press her either.
𝘙о𝗆𝖺nce 𝗻𝘰𝘃𝖾ls 𝗼ո
Not long after breakfast, Billy appeared with the six-member think tank in tow. The Athea project might have been wrapped up, but other ventures still needed their final touches.
Billy strode in with brisk confidence, energy radiating from him, the neatly dressed team at his back exuding an air of polished authority.
Gabriela’s gaze lingered on Billy longer than she intended. No wonder Wesley held him in such high esteem—his presence carried an effortless authority even in the role of an assistant. Was that quiet satisfaction in his eyes because his proposal had gone off successfully last night? If that were the case, she was genuinely glad for him.
Offering a warm smile, she called out, “Good morning, Mr. Clarke. I didn’t expect to see you here p>
Billy froze for a beat, caught off guard by the sight of Gabriela—striking, poised, and far too dazzling for the early hour. Hadn’t Wesley’s love confession been a bust? Then why was she here now, at this time of morning, clearly not just arriving? Could it be Wesley had found another way to win her over?
Still, Wesley wasn’t a man whose affairs one dared to speculate about. Billy smoothed his expression at once and spoke in a courteous tone. “Good morning, Miss Haynes. I’m here to give Mr. Moss an update on the project p>
“I see.” Gabriela’s lips curved in a teasing wink paired with a warm smile before she moved down the line, greeting each team member in turn. “I’ll let you all get to your meeting,” she added lightly.
She pivoted away at an unhurried pace, the faint hitch in her step betraying a limp.
Billy’s brow furrowed, and beside him, Aaron’s curiosity got the better of him. “Why’s Miss Haynes walking like that? Did she hurt herself p>
Realization dawned on Billy, hitting him so suddenly it left him momentarily frozen in place. Wesley had never been the romantic sort, the kind of man who could go decades without so much as a flicker of affection for anyone. Yet when that rare spark finally took hold, it roared to life with an intensity no one could have foreseen.
It appeared Wesley had shared a passionate night with Gabriela.
Meanwhile, Gabriela sank into the sofa beside Miriam, the soft yarn pooled in her lap as she learned the delicate art of knitting socks. From the time she was small, life had been a constant balancing act—each day spent tiptoeing over thin ice, working herself ragged just to keep food on the table and stay in school. Every waking hour had been shadowed by the need to guard herself, to brace for the next cruel, calculated scheme Phyllis might unleash.
A simple, comforting pastime like this was something she had never even dared to imagine for herself.
Miriam guided her with patient precision, her voice low and steady, while Gabriela leaned in over her work, intent on perfecting every stitch. She was so focused that she missed the odd, lingering gleam in Billy’s eyes.