Chapter 469
Chapter 469:
Her cold resistance pierced Wesley like a knife.
“Stewart isn’t the man you think he is,” Wesley said, his voice tight with urgency. “He won’t marry you, Gabriela p>
That struck a nerve. Gabriela’s temper flared. “I’m only dating him—it’s not like I’m racing to the altar! Who do you think you are to me? Since when do you get to dictate my love life p>
Wesley’s lips lost their color, irritation etched deep across his face. “So you like him? You really mean to date him p>
The edge in his questioning only stoked her defiance. “That’s none of your business,” she snapped, her voice cold as steel.
𝘋o𝘸n𝗹оa𝖽 𝖯𝖣𝖥𝘀 𝗳𝘳𝘦𝗲 o𝗇
Wesley’s eyes locked onto hers, burning with disbelief. “You’ve grown bold, haven’t you? Now you don’t even listen to me p>
“Why should I?” Gabriela shot back, chin lifting stubbornly. “You’re certainly not my husband, so why on earth should you control me p>
At the word husband, Wesley’s gaze sharpened, dark and intense, locking fully onto her.
Gabriela froze, realizing what she had said, and quickly covered her mouth.
Stewart, who had been standing to the side watching the storm brew, seized the chance to play peacemaker. He stepped forward and handed the golden hair tie back to Gabriela. “Sorry, Gabriela. I only wanted to make Loretta happy. Don’t fight over me. Maybe I should explain everything to her myself p>
Gabriela stiffened, pride prickling. “No need,” she said stubbornly. “We’ve done nothing wrong p>
Wesley’s face darkened, fury simmering just beneath the surface.
Stewart hid a smug smile but wisely kept quiet.
The air between the three of them hung heavy with tension—until a piercing scream tore through the night, shattering the standoff.
A man’s voice followed the woman’s, high-pitched and panicked. The three exchanged startled glances and rushed toward the commotion.
The source was Fiona and Brenden.
After dinner, she had pulled Brenden into the small grove in the backyard, scheming about how to drive a wedge between Wesley and Rebecca. But their plotting was abruptly interrupted when a cockroach crawled across her shoulder.
“Ahhh! A cockroach!” Fiona screamed, ripping off her jacket and whipping it around like a flag.
Unfortunately, the cockroach leapt onto Brenden.
He froze, his face draining of color. For a man who feared cockroaches, the fact that he hadn’t bolted outright was already an act of courage.
But when he spotted the creature clinging to his pant leg, panic took over. In desperation, he yanked off his belt and began tugging his trousers down.
It was at that precise moment that Loretta’s shocked voice rang out. “What are you two doing p>
Their shrieking had been so loud it had summoned not only Gabriela, Wesley, and Stewart, but nearly the entire household.
Then everyone saw Fiona with her jacket off, clothes in disarray, and Brenden with his pants halfway down.
Even though Loretta knew the two were a couple, such behavior in the open was far beyond what she could tolerate.
Clapping a hand over her eyes, she scolded sharply, “For heaven’s sake, put your clothes back on p>
Fiona was mortified. The moment her gaze landed on Wesley’s stone-cold expression, she panicked, yanked her jacket over her head, and bolted in tears.
Rebecca, struggling to maintain her demure facade, pressed her lips together—because if not for appearances, she would have doubled over laughing.
Brenden, meanwhile, fumbled to yank his trousers back into place, his ears bright red with embarrassment. He stammered, “Loretta, Gabriela, don’t get the wrong idea! A huge cockroach crawled onto Fiona, and then it leapt onto my pants p>
But that raised an obvious question: in the dead of winter, where would a cockroach even come from?
Loretta decided that was just an excuse to save face. Her voice rang out, stern and uncompromising. “Enough. Tomorrow, you need to go to the Dewitt family to discuss your marriage p>
Brenden froze, thunderstruck.
Just moments ago, he and Fiona had been whispering about how to split Wesley and Rebecca apart. How had things spiraled into this?
Come on, his heart wasn’t ready.
His heart still belonged to Gabriela. The last thing he wanted was to be shackled for life to fiery, sharp-tongued Fiona.