Chapter 184

Chapter 184:

Gabriela understood his words perfectly, yet a stubborn doubt lingered, making it impossible for her to truly believe him. Her stillness—the faint shadow of hurt in her eyes—made Brenden’s resolve waver for a heartbeat. But he was a man who stuck to his decisions once made.

“You need to leave now. And never come looking for me alone again. Oh, and don’t give me anything, either p>

Gabriela blinked, stunned all over again. She had no intention of giving him anything. She only wanted to retrieve what was hers.

When her lips parted to speak, Brenden cut her off with a pained look. “Why are you still standing there p>

From his tone and the weariness in his eyes, it didn’t seem like an act. He truly wanted no part in any connection with her. For now, she decided to believe him.

Turning away, she returned to her room and resumed knitting the scarf. Loretta had been urging her to finish it, though Gabriela still didn’t understand why.

From behind, Brenden watched her go. Her slender back stirred an unexpected pang in him, a flicker of sentimentality he didn’t care to examine. He snapped out of it, giving himself a sharp slap. Gabriela was a good woman, yes, but there was still a gulf between them—one that couldn’t be crossed.

Meanwhile, Gabriela kept to Loretta’s request, finishing the last stitches on the scarf.

Loretta’s face lit up the moment the scarf was in her hands. “Gabriela, your craftsmanship is incredible. Even the expensive scarves in boutique windows can’t compare p>

Gabriela flushed at the praise. “Actually, it’s my first time knitting. I’m really not that skilled yet p>

“It’s already wonderful,” Miriam chimed in, then added casually, “Gabriela, would you mind giving this one to Mrs. Larson p>

𝗥eа𝘥 𝗐i𝘁ho𝘂𝗍 𝘪𝗇𝗍еrr𝘂𝘱𝘁𝘪оոѕ o𝘯

Gabriela smiled. “Of course not p>

Aside from Farley, Loretta and Miriam were the people closest to her. Even if Loretta asked for ten scarves, she’d knit every last one.

No sooner had Loretta taken the scarf than she shooed Gabriela toward her room. “You’ve had a long day. Get some rest in your room p>

The swiftness of her dismissal made Gabriela pause. But what could Loretta possibly be scheming against an ordinary, unpaid cook like her? Choosing not to press, Gabriela returned to her room.

The moment she was out of sight, Loretta snatched up the scarf and hurried off to find Wesley.

All afternoon, Wesley’s mind had been elsewhere, his attention slipping despite the book in his hands. When the door opened to reveal Loretta, a faint flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes, so fleeting he didn’t notice it himself. What exactly had he been expecting?

Loretta stepped inside without preamble, holding the neatly folded scarf. Wesley’s fingers stilled mid-turn of a page. After a pause, he closed the book and asked with deliberate casualness, “What’s this p>

“It’s from Gabriela,” Loretta said, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. “She made it herself—knitted it stitch by stitch. Then she came to me and practically begged me to make sure it reached you p>

The corners of Wesley’s mouth lifted, almost imperceptibly. So, she’d gone to the trouble of knitting a scarf for him. He fought back the grin threatening to give him away, settling instead for a lazy sneer. “Then why didn’t she give it to me herself p>

“She’s probably too shy,” Loretta replied. “Not everyone shares your indifference to romance—while you’ve never had a girlfriend, your cousin’s exes outnumber p>

“Fingers on both hands.” Her glare could have cut glass. “Well? Are you taking it or not p>

Wesley had half a mind to roll his eyes straight into the back of his head. The scarf seemed just an excuse; Loretta’s real mission was clearly to lecture him. With a resigned sigh, Wesley reached out. “Alright, fine. I’ll take it p>

Loretta’s eyes narrowed, her tone sharp. “You should wear it today. And I’m warning you—don’t you dare pull that bored, disdainful face of yours p>

That caught him off guard. What on earth had Gabriela done to win Loretta over so completely? He gave a defeated nod. “Alright, alright. I’ll play along p>

Loretta pressed the scarf into his hand. It was wonderfully made—warm, soft, and somehow disarming. Wesley lowered his gaze to the white yarn, each stitch neat and deliberate, not a single hint of haste or carelessness. It happened to be a shade he liked very much.

And in that quiet moment, he knew he wasn’t just anyone in Gabriela’s heart—he was the one.