Chapter 9
Chapter 9:
Gabriela glanced up and found herself staring straight into Wesley’s sharply defined, irritable features. One look, and she knew she’d wandered straight into a hornet’s nest.
Brenden had already managed to provoke Wesley and been transferred on the spot. Determined to keep Wesley from suspecting her connection to Brenden, Gabriela rushed to distance herself.
“You’re mistaken, Mr. Moss. There’s nobody here I care about more than you,” she blurted, pouring as much sincerity as she could muster into her voice.
The second the words left her mouth, she realized how misleading they sounded, and she fumbled for a way to explain. But then she caught a subtle shift in Wesley’s expression—the faintest trace of satisfaction breaking through his annoyance.
Gabriela’s eyes went wide with disbelief.
T𝘩𝘦 𝗺o𝗌𝘵 р𝗼𝗉𝗎𝗅𝗮𝗿 no𝘃el𝘴 𝗈𝗻
So even someone as cold and untouchable as Wesley enjoyed a little flattery? That was a revelation—a secret window into a side of him she’d never seen before.
Determined to make the most of it, she pressed on. “Honestly, you look extra sharp and energized today p>
Wesley straightened, giving a soft cough as if feeling shy. “Oh? Is that so? What makes you say that p>
Gabriela froze for half a second, realizing Wesley wasn’t the type to accept half-baked compliments. She cranked up the flattery, her voice sugary-sweet. “Truly, Mr. Moss, you’re the whole package. You walk into a room and everyone else just fades into the background. No wonder people fall for you p>
Quick thinking saved her yet again. Even though her compliments were blatantly over the top, Wesley actually looked pleased. “At least you know quality when you see it,” he replied, his tone lighter than usual.
With that, he strode off, leaving Gabriela with a sense of relief.
Billy Clarke, Wesley’s ever-serious assistant, stared at Gabriela in shock like she’d just performed some kind of magic trick. He stole a few more incredulous glances her way, struggling to process what he’d just seen. How had she managed to serve up such cringe-worthy praise—and not only get away with it, but somehow put Wesley in a good mood?
As far as Billy could remember, Wesley had always been cold toward his employees. Yet somehow, Gabriela managed to earn his favor. Billy quietly filed Gabriela away in his mind as someone to watch.
Once Wesley was gone, Gabriela hurried to unlock her phone and returned to editing her message to Brenden. Only then did she notice his new username: “NotASaunders.” The update made her do a double take. What was that supposed to mean? She was confused, but she quickly pushed the matter to the back of her mind.
Hesitantly, she typed, “Mr. Saunders, are you busy right now p>
Almost instantly, a reply came back. “Of course p>
Gabriela couldn’t risk approaching Brenden directly, fearful that her involvement with him would be exposed. She sent another message. “When do you have a moment? I need to swing by and pick up what I left behind.” This time, the chat stayed silent. No answer came, no matter how long she stared at her phone.
In the meantime, Brenden hadn’t even finished emptying his desk before Billy swept in, practically marching him out of the office and shoving him straight into a waiting car—no chance to say goodbye, not even a backward glance at his old team.