Chapter 307
Chapter 307:
Sleep eluded Gabriela, keeping her restless until the first light of dawn finally pulled her under. When she woke, her body ached with exhaustion, and she discovered that Wesley had already left for work.
A flicker of disappointment stirred in her chest, but she smothered it with the thought that maybe this distance was for the best. She let out a slow sigh.
Loretta and Miriam approached Gabriela with downcast expressions. Loretta finally broke the silence. “Gabriela, Miriam and I talked last night. We’ve decided to return to the Moss Manor this afternoon. We’ve been imposing on you for far too long p>
They still didn’t know when or if Gabriela would bring home the man she held in her heart, and lingering here only risked deepening the quiet tension.
Gabriela shook her head quickly. “Mrs. Larson, you’re not imposing at all. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need p>
Loretta gave a faint smile. “We’ll still visit often p>
Gabriela managed a soft nod. “Come whenever you like p>
Loretta nodded in return, her agreement tinged with quiet sadness. Once Gabriela had a boyfriend, she would likely wish they would keep their distance. The thought left a pang in Loretta’s chest. What a shame it was that someone as kind and lovely as Gabriela would eventually marry another man instead of her grandson.
Then the three of them sat down to a quiet breakfast. Gabriela’s appetite hadn’t returned, and she barely managed a few spoonfuls of porridge before heading out for work.
𝗔с𝘁i𝗏e с𝘰𝗆𝗺𝗎𝗇𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘰𝘯 g𝖺𝗅𝘯𝗼𝘷е𝗅ѕ.c𝘰𝗆
The moment she arrived at the company, Gabriela froze. There, at the entrance, stood someone she hadn’t seen in a while.
“Gabriela, long time no see. Did you miss me?” Brenden greeted with an easy grin.
Gone was the carefree, reckless charmer she remembered. Today, Brenden looked almost unrecognizable in his sharp black suit, hands resting calmly at his sides instead of shoved into his pockets. The sudden seriousness in his demeanor sent an uncomfortable jolt through her.
Her hand instinctively brushed her stomach as she stepped back, guarded. “Mr. Saunders?” Her voice wavered slightly. “What are you doing here?” Hadn’t he been transferred to another branch?
Brenden explained, his grin widening, “I hounded Loretta until she finally spoke to Wesley. He gave in and agreed to have me return to headquarters.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Isn’t it great? Now we’ll be seeing each other all the time p>
No, it was not great. Not even close.
A soft, awkward chuckle escaped her lips as she searched for a safe response.
“Come on, let’s head in together,” Brenden said brightly, oblivious to her discomfort. “I heard you’re back in the sales department. Guess what? I’m your direct supervisor now. Looks like we’ll be working side by side from here on out p>
As the general manager of all four sales divisions, Brenden was practically glowing at the thought of Gabriela falling under his management.
With no graceful way to refuse, Gabriela simply nodded and followed him inside.
Unbeknownst to them, Wesley stood a short distance away, his expression as dark as a gathering storm, the kind that promised thunder. Billy, lingering just a step behind, could feel the crackle of tension rolling off his boss like static. He hadn’t sensed this level of quiet menace in years, and he dared not even exhale too loudly.
Wesley’s gaze locked on Brenden and Gabriela walking side by side, and his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles ached. Then, unbidden, Gabriela’s offhand confession from a while back about disliking men who were too tall came into his mind.
His jaw tightened. His teeth ground together. Wesley muttered sharply, eyes still fixed on Brenden’s frame, “Do you think my legs are too long, Billy p>
Billy blinked, stunned.
Of course Wesley’s legs were long, enviably so, the kind of legs that drew glances, but was this really the time to be noticing them? Wesley didn’t wait for an answer. With a clipped huff, he turned on his heel.
“Let’s go p>
Billy scrambled to follow.
Lately, with everyone collaborating on the same project, Wesley and Gabriela had seemed to find a rare, tentative harmony. How had everything soured so quickly after landing the big deal? What had truly happened between them? Was it a total fallout or just an argument that escalated too far? Billy didn’t dare ask. He kept his head down, careful not to make even the smallest mistake. The unease was palpable; the entire 12th floor of Apex Group felt like it had been sealed in a pressure cooker.