Chapter 456
Chapter 456:
Rebecca’s teeth dug into her lip until the color drained, and after a long silence she finally whispered, “All I’ve ever wanted is a peaceful life with you. I never set out to hurt anyone p>
“You’d better remember that.” He snatched up his coat, clearly ready to walk out.
Startled, she hurried to intercept him, her hand brushing his sleeve. “You’re not feeling well. Let me help you put it on,” she offered quickly, her voice trembling between anxiety and hope.
At that exact moment, Brenden strode through the doorway and froze — his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of Rebecca holding Wesley’s coat. The sight alone told him everything — no wonder Gabriela had been so sad.
“Hold on, Wesley.” Brenden frowned. “Gabriela was p>
Without missing a beat, Wesley cut him off, his gaze going cold. “Got time to loiter? No work to do p>
Under that sharp stare, Brenden swallowed the rest. He shot Rebecca a dark look, then turned on his heel and left.
Back at her place, Gabriela drifted through the door with a hollow ache settling in her chest.
On the sofa, Loretta and Miriam traded quiet conversation.
Shaking her head, Miriam murmured, “Hard to believe Wesley’s getting engaged this fast p>
With a small nod, Loretta said, “I almost didn’t believe it when his grandfather called p>
𝗜𝗻𝗌𝘵а𝗇t 𝖺𝘤сess o𝗇
News had followed quickly: Jasper came in person to negotiate, and Roger agreed that Wesley and Rebecca would hold their engagement before the year was out.
Miriam said with a gentle smile, “That truly is happy news. From what I’ve heard, Miss Howard is gentle, well educated, and beautiful p>
Relief loosened Loretta’s shoulders. “Knowing he has someone beside him lets me breathe easier p>
The thought of Gabriela cast a small shadow.
Both Loretta and Miriam still cherished Gabriela and had always hoped she would be the one to end up with Wesley.
Mid-conversation, they pivoted toward the doorway to find Gabriela standing there, staring blankly as if the light had been drained from her eyes.
A flicker of awkwardness crossed Loretta’s face. “Oh — you’re back, Gabriela p>
Back then, eager to push Wesley and Gabriela into the same bed, she and Miriam had tried various ways. Even so, their scheming never brought the two together.
With a small, steady smile, Gabriela said, “Today went smoothly. Once the court sentences Fulton, Tessa will finally be free of him for good p>
When the brief chatter ended, she hurried up the stairs to her room.
Behind her bedroom door, Gabriela collapsed onto the bed, hugged a pillow to her chest, and cried into the cotton until her breath hitched.
All along, she had known she and Wesley lived in different worlds, and their story was bound to end badly.
After she had discovered that Wesley was the man she had slept with, she’d thrown herself into fighting for a chance with everything in her.
Not until this moment did she understand she never even had a chance to fight.
From the crib, Truett stirred awake, ready to let loose a wail. The instant he spotted Gabriela beside him, the pent-up cry melted into gurgling giggles, his tiny hands and feet wriggling in a frenzy.
At the sight, Gabriela’s tears broke into soft laughter, warmth easing the tight ache in her chest.
With a steady breath, she lifted Truett into her arms, breathing in his scent.
“Hey, Truett — your dad’s about to get engaged to someone else, and honestly, I wasn’t sad about it at all. Because letting go of an adorable, handsome little boy like you — that’ll be the biggest loss he ever takes p>
On the ground floor, a soft hush had settled over the living room.
Catching the regret in Loretta’s eyes, Miriam squeezed her hand and murmured, “Don’t dwell on it. Gabriela’s gorgeous — plenty of good men will like her p>
Even so, the worry still clung to Loretta.
Turning to Miriam, she said, “From this point on, we need to start keeping an eye out for outstanding young men. If someone truly fits, we’ll introduce him to Gabriela p>