Chapter 173
Chapter 173:
Gabriela swallowed the last bite of fatty meat with difficulty, her mind still wrestling with Wesley’s sudden shift in demeanor. A wave of melancholy washed over her, souring what should have been a pleasant meal.
Wesley disappeared into his study immediately after dinner, burying himself in his reading. Loretta and Miriam shooed Gabriela away from the cleanup duty, insisting she unwind or lose herself in her phone instead. These two wonderful women genuinely treasured her presence, and their kindness stirred something deep within Gabriela’s chest. In that moment, she realized that returning here annually to cook without payment wouldn’t feel like such a burden after all.
Wesley might be a heartless businessman, but she could set aside her frustrations with him for the warmth Loretta and Miriam offered. The bitter cold kept Gabriela indoors that evening; she retreated to her room and settled in to scroll through her phone.
Her name continued trending across social media platforms, with countless netizens offering apologies while unleashing criticism on Phyllis. After scanning through the flood of comments, Gabriela switched to lifestyle content.
As she watched, Brenden’s unusual eating preferences surfaced in her memory. Curiosity overwhelmed her restraint, and she opened WhatsApp. Her conversation with “NotASaunders” remained frozen at their last exchange from several days prior—when she had confronted Brenden about his wedding behavior, only to receive his terse response: “Idiot p>
𝗨𝗽𝖽𝖺𝗍e𝘀 e𝘷e𝗋𝘆 𝘄𝖾e𝗄 oո 𝗀𝗮𝗹𝗇𝗈vе𝗹ѕ.𝗰𝗈𝗺
Gabriela’s mind drifted back to those first two months of her company internship. She had worked in the sales department while Brenden commanded all four sales divisions as general manager, creating frequent opportunities for interaction. Her memories painted him as an incurable charmer—every beautiful woman became his target.
His generosity toward his girlfriends flowed freely, and his words dripped like honey from his lips. Never once had Brenden called any woman an “idiot”—this much remained crystal clear in her recollection. Yet their WhatsApp history revealed multiple instances of him hurling that exact insult her way. The person who actually favored that word around her was…
Gabriela’s pulse hammered against her ribcage. Her memory confirmed it—Wesley had indeed branded her an “idiot” on several occasions during face-to-face encounters. She reread their entire chat thread, mentally superimposing Wesley’s personality onto each message, her astonishment growing with every line. “NotASaunders” possessed a communication style that mirrored Wesley’s with startling accuracy.
Another vital clue lurked in his username: “NotASaunders.” Perhaps the person behind these messages wasn’t Brenden at all. Could it possibly be p>
The instant this thought crystallized, Gabriela shook her head in violent denial. How could Wesley possibly masquerade as Brenden? What purpose would such deception serve? Here was a man who generated millions in mere minutes—why would Wesley squander his precious time on WhatsApp messages with her? She must be mistaken.
But if “NotASaunders” wasn’t Brenden, then who could it be? Despite her carefree exterior, Gabriela possessed a proactive core. Once suspicion took root, she demanded immediate confirmation. She headed downstairs in search of Brenden.
He was sprawled across the couch, fingers dancing across his phone screen. His casual posture created a jarring contrast with the somewhat distant “NotASaunders” persona from WhatsApp. Though the sight caught her off guard, the timing was perfect—no one else was nearby. Gabriela steeled her resolve and called out, “Mr. Saunders p>
Her voice triggered an immediate transformation. Brenden bolted upright, straightening his spine, smoothing his clothes, and running his fingers through his disheveled hair, embarrassment coloring his features.
Relaxation came naturally to him, and his cousin’s couch possessed an almost supernatural comfort. The familiarity had made him completely forget that Gabriela was staying in the house and could descend the stairs at any moment.
He wondered if his slovenly appearance had diminished her opinion of him. After clearing his throat, Brenden asked, his tone earnest, “Gabriela, is there something you need from me p>