Chapter 193

Chapter 193:

Gabriela was dressed in a plain, modest nightgown, not a hint of impropriety in sight. Yet her eyes gleamed brightly, and her lips curved with effortless perfection. In that moment, no man could have resisted her allure.

Wesley’s voice came low and husky. “Help me undo it p>

Her hand was still pinned against the cold belt buckle. Stunned, she couldn’t think, her mind fogged as her gaze fixed on the design engraved into the metal. Then came a faint click. They had undone the buckle.

Gabriela’s mind went completely blank. “W-what are you doing?” she stammered.

Wesley braced himself with his hands on either side of her, lowering his face toward hers. A strong wave of his scent enveloped her, making her hold her breath in alarm. The heat of his chest, the steady beat of his heart, the strength in his arms—her thoughts blurred, as if her memories had been tossed into a whirlpool.

Why did he feel so unnervingly familiar, like the man who had slept with her for just one night? But wasn’t he supposed to be uninterested in women?

Her fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt at his waist, gripping as if to anchor herself. She felt afraid.

𝗜𝗇𝘵𝗲ոѕ𝗲 r𝘰ma𝘯c𝗲 оn ѕ.𝘤о𝗆

Then, just as suddenly, Wesley slumped to the side, pressing the back of his hand to his eyes. A faint red hue rimmed them. He wanted her—but he couldn’t allow himself to act on it.

Gabriela seized the moment to scramble off the bed, putting as much space between them as she could.

His voice came rough and strained, heavy with restraint. “Get out p>

Gabriela was frustrated.

There was no chance anything would happen between them since he wasn’t interested in women. But now he seemed to misinterpret the situation, believing she had entered his room on purpose. And the thought of losing her job terrified her.

In a small voice, she explained, “The door was locked from the outside, so I couldn’t get out. Your grandmother was the one who let me in p>

Wesley exhaled inwardly, realization dawning. Even before those dishes had been broken, this room had been set up. The whole thing had been premeditated. He couldn’t bring himself to be angry with Loretta or Miriam, but their schemes had certainly unsettled Gabriela.

When Wesley said nothing, Gabriela hurriedly pulled up the video she had recorded earlier. “I only realized someone was here after I came in. Please, take a look p>

She held out her phone to him. As she leaned closer, that subtle fragrance of hers drifted between them again. Wesley felt the heat inside him spike. It had taken all his self-control to keep his passion in check and let her go. Now, here she was, closing the distance. Did she really not see him as a man at all?

Frustration twisted through him. His hand shot out, gripping hers with such force it nearly crushed her bones. The memory of their once-shared passion surged back. His restraint crumbled—he wanted only to claim her again.

Gabriela, entirely focused on explaining the situation, never expected his sudden shift in mood. She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was immovable.

“Mr. Moss, please don’t be upset. I’ll call your grandmother now to have her come unlock the door p>

Her voice was soft, almost pleading, and his heart yielded despite himself. He slowly loosened his grip. He knew there was little chance the call would connect.

And, sure enough, the moment the call to Loretta went through, it was cut off. The connection was dead when Gabriela tried again.

A hollow feeling settled in her chest. She was still furious at Wesley for impersonating Brenden just to tease her, yet Loretta’s schemes had muddled the entire situation. She didn’t know what Loretta had done this time, and now the door was closed and Wesley was acting strangely.