Chapter 92

Chapter92 Gabriela, Do You Like Me

Gabriela was dressed in a plain, modest nightgown,not a hint of impropriety in sight.

Yet her eyes gleamed brightly, and her lips curved with an effortless perfection.

In that moment, no man could have resisted her allure.

Wesley's voice came low and husky. "Help me undo it

Her hand was still pinned against the cold belt buckle.Stunned,she could barely think, her mind fogged as her gaze fixed on the design engraved into the metal.

Then came a faint click.

They had undone the buckle.

Gabriela's mind went completely blank."W-What are you doing?" she stammered.

Wesley braced himself with his hands on either side of her,lowering his face toward hers.

A strong wave of his scent enveloped her, making her hold her breath in alarm.

The heat of his chest, the steady beat of his heart, the strength in his arms-her thoughts blurred, as if her memories had been tossed into a whirlpool.

Why did he feel so unnervingly familiar-like the man who had slept with her for just one night?

But...wasn't he supposed to be uninterested in women?

Her fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt tightly at his waist, gripping as if to anchor herself.

She felt afraid.

Then, just as suddenly, Wesley slumped to the side,pressing the back of his hand to his eyes. A faint red hue rimmed them.

He wanted her-but he couldn't allow himself to act on it.

Gabriela seized the moment to scramble off the bed,putting as much space between them as she could.

His voice came rough and strained, heavy with restraint. "Get out!" Gabriela was frustrated.

There was no chance anything would happen between them since he wasn't interested in women. But now,he seemed to misinterpret the situation,believing she had entered his room on purpose.

And the thought of losing her job terrified her.

In a small voice, she explained, "The door was locked from the outside, so I couldn't get out now. Your grandmother was the one who let me in."

Wesley exhaled inwNardly,realization dawning.

Even before thnose dishes had been broken, this room had been setup.

The whole thing had been premeditated.

He couldn't bring himself to be angry with Loretta or Miriam, but their schemes had certainly unsettled Gabriela.

When Wesley said nothing, Gabriela hurriedly pulled up the video she had recorded earlier.

"I only realized someone was here after I came in.Please,take a look..."

She held out her phone to him.

As she leaned closer, that subtle fragrance of hers drifted between them again. Wesley felt the heat inside him spike.

It had taken all of his self-control to keep his passion in check and let her go.

Now,here she was, closing the distance.

Did she really not see him as a man at all?

Frustration twisted through him. His hand shot out,gripping hers with such force it nearly crushed her bones.

The memory of their once-shared passion surged back. His restraint crumbled-all he wanted was to claim her again.

Gabriela was entirely focused on explaining the situation to him and never expected his sudden shift in mood. She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was immovable.

"Mr. Moss, please don't be upset. I'll call your grandmother now to have her come unlock the door."

Her voice was soft, almost pleading, and his heart yielded despite himself.

He slowly loosened his grip.

He knew that there was little chance the call would connect. And, sure enough, the moment the call to Loretta went through, it was cut off. The connection was dead when Gabriela tried again.

A hollow feeling settled in her chest.

She was still furious at Wesley for impersonating Brenden just to tease her, yet Loretta's schemes had muddled the entire situation.

She didn't know what Loretta had done this time, and now the door was closed and Wesley was actíng strangely.

But then-something felt off.

Gabriela became acutely aware that she,too,didn't feel quite right.

A slow warmth was spreading through her body.

Wesley's sharp gaze caught her change immediately,and his thoughts darted to the soup Miriam had insisted she drink earlier.

He asked in a soft tone, "Gabriela, do you like me?"

If they both harbored feelings for each other, there would be no reason to keep holding back.

Gabriela, who had been struggling to suppress the growing discomfort in her body, felt a sudden chill creep over her at Wesley's question

Was he testing her again?

She shook her head quickly, almost instinctively. "No,I don't!"

The truth was, although her heart now raced every time she saw Wesley, she never allowed herself to indulge in unrealistic fantasies.

Her firm denial brought a wave of frustration to Wesley's chest. His handsome features hardened.

She claimed she didn't like him, yet she had slipped into the hospital to see him.

She had fretted over his health every single day, and cooked for him without fail.

What exactly did she take him for?

Wesley extended his hand with cool indifference."Give me your phone."

The atmosphere in the room seemed to grow heavier in an instant. Gabriela stayed silent and obediently placed the phone in his palm.

Wesley called his private doctor, Melvin Reed,instructing him to come over immediately. "I truly apologize for the late-hour request, but I really need your help."

Though Wesley's tone was polite, Melvin knew better than to delay. He arrived at the estate in less than half an hour.

When Loretta saw him step inside, a flicker of alarm crossed her face, and she hurried to unlock the door for Wesley and Gabriela.

Wesley's expression was as cold as winter frost, and Gabriela looked uncomfortable.

Everyone shifted into the living room.

After a brief examination, Melvin said, "The tonic soup,along with the wine he consumed, caused him some discomfort. But it's not serious. I'll prescribe something for Mr. Moss and Miss Haynes. Once they take it and get a good night's sleep, they should be fine by morning."

No one spoke, except Gabriela, who, true to her polite nature, thanked him softly.

From Melvin's perspective, Gabriela seemed to have been dragged into this unwillingly. Wesley's expression was downright frightening. Who could say whether he might send her away from the estate tomorrow?

Inside, Melvin was filled with numerous thoughts, yet he maintained his composure on the surface.

He handed over the prescription, advising them both to drink plenty of water, then left quickly.

Wesley instructed Gabriela to take the medicine first,then said, "You may return to the bedroom."

Just as she turned to leave, his voice cut through the air. "Your own room."

The icy tone made Gabriela shiver. She gave a quick reply and hurried upstairs.

In the living room, Loretta and Miriam sat watching Wesley take his medication, both realizing they were in trouble.

Despite their age, they now looked like children caught in mischief, heads bowed, hardly daring to breathe.

Wesley's anger eased slightly.

He spoke in a firm, measured voice."Miriam,Grandma,I asked you not to interfere in my private affairs, but you didn't listen. You really frightened Gabriela tonight."

He remembered especially the moment earlier when his belt buckle had been undone-her face had turned pale in an instant, as if she saw him as nothing more than a monster.

Rubbing his temples, Wesley fought to keep his composure.

It was partly his fault-his self-control hadn't been strong enough.

Loretta quickly lifted her head, worry in her voice."What should we do then?"

"Nothing," Wesley said evenly, straightening his collar."She might go home tomorrow."

She had been so shaken that it would hardly be surprising if she chose to leave.