Chapter 34
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Serena’s face flushed from the fever, and she hesitated before speaking, her voice small. “But… I still want to work. Can you…please stop them from causing me trouble?”
Gabriel felt her forehead, checking her temperature. “I wouldn’t hoop to something so childish.”
She wasn’t totally sold on him. Whether it was the golf course where she’d been iced out or Stella Learning where she’d been pushed around, she always found connections to him. It felt like Gabriel was pulling strings behind the scenes.
“But…the person who complained about me at the golf course… wasn’t that a senior manager from Quasar? The one who went with you?”
He raised an eyebrow, his voice indifferent. Just because they’re from Quasar doesn’t mean they’re mine. Those two are the ones most in favor of partnering with Barrow Technology.”
He said nothing more, but Serena understood. In other words, if she was dismissed from the golf course, it could very well be Andrew’s doing
…But there’s no evidence.” She still didn’t believe Andrew would do something like that, though she couldn’t ignore her doubts.
Gabriel’s tone became sharper. “When the evidence points to me, you believe it without hesitation. But when it points to him, you defend him?” His gaze was deep, like he could see right through her. “Serena, whose side are you really on?”
Serena couldn’t deny it. She knew her thoughts were too one–sided.
“So you trust him that much? You must like him, huh?” His words got more absurd the more he said.
She grabbed his hand, trying to soften the mood. “I was wrong. You used threats to get me back to school, and the parents at Stella Learning were saying it was you too–I thought you did all that just to get me back to my studies.”
I promise I’ll trust you fully,” she added, her voice sincere. Gabriel was the only one she had left to count on, and after all he had done for her, she knew she couldn’t afford to mess this up.
Her hand still held his, the warmth from her fever seeping through, and with her heartfelt apology, the heat seemed to transfer from his hand to his heart. Unexpectedly, her apology trade him feel oddly pleased.
“The doctors from Pashew will come tomorrow to bring Jonathan back. He’ll have a full medical team to oversee h transfer. There won’t be any issues along the way.”
his
Serena could hardly believe it. What had seemed like an impossible task was now being effortlessly handled by Gabriel. Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke, “Really? Then tomorrow?”
“Once I’m done with my business, you’ll come back with me.”
She didn’t argue. She nodded, her eyes full of gratitude. “Okay. Thank you for helping Jonathan
By the time Darren and the doctor arrived, Gabriel had already left. The doctor prescribed some medicine and set up an IV, urging her to rest
With Jonathan’s situation settled, Serena finally felt a little more at ease, though her thoughts kept drifting back to Xander. I wonder how he’s doing now. As the thought crossed her mind, she drifted into a feverish sleep.
When Serena woke up, her fever had finally broken. She went to the bathroom, and that’s when she started. There weren’t any tampons in the hotel room, so she thought about going out to buy some.
alized her period had
14:32 Tue, Dec 24 TGG ·
Chapter 34
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Just as she walked out of the bathroom, she saw Gabriel in her room. Last night, he had stayed in a different room.
“Change your clothes. I’m taking you out to eat,” he said, nodding toward the clothes on the bed.
Serena stood still, looking uneasy. “I… I need to go buy something first.”
She wasn’t wearing slippers, and her feet lightly touched the carpet. The flowy nightgown clung to her body, her long hair hanging in soft waves over her shoulders. Her eyes, wide and watery like a startled doe, darted nervously at him as she bit her lip, looking helpless and vulnerable.
The sight of her sent a flare of desire through Gabriel’s chest. He walked over slowly. “Fever’s come. !
“I’m better now.” Serena’s voice was soft and sweet, like honey.
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers to check her temperature, but as he got closer, the faint, sweet scent of her skin triggered an instinctual hunger within him. What was supposed to be a quick check turned into him cupping her face and kissing her.
His kisses were slow, trailing down her neck. Somewhere along the way, the kiss turned into something more urgent as he nipped at her neck, not stopping until he heard her soft moan.
He then shifted back to gentle kisses, but the mark was already there–a clear bite mark on her neck. Gabriel gazed at it,
satisfied.
Serena thought he was just kissing her, that he wouldn’t take things further since it was still morning.
But as he lingered over the bite mark, his hands moved to pull her into his arms, and in a few strides, she was pinned to the bed.
The nightgown was quickly lifted, and she instinctively grabbed his hand, her body screaming resistance.
Feeling the tension, Gabriel paused and leaned over her, his arms braced on either side of her head. He stared down at her, coldly awaiting an explanation.
‘She promised she’d go along with this–why is she rejecting me now? His frustration simmered beneath the surface.
Serena turned her head away, her face flushed. “I’m on my period.”
The words seemed to kill the mood instantly. Without saying a word, Gabriel got up to take a cold shower.
Serena stood by the bathroom door, calling out, “Gabriel, can I go downstairs to buy something?
“…My phone’s on the table. Tell Darren what you need.” His voice still carried traces of desire, and it made her ears burn. She shook her head, trying not to think about it, and called Darren
When Gabriel came out of the bathroom, Serena was already dressed and waiting for him on the sofa. Seeing him in nothing but a towel around his waist, she quickly averted her gaze. “Darren said Andrew’s here, in the hotel restaurant.”
“Excited to see him?” he asked, still getting dressed
“Don’t overthink it,” she replied, though in her mind, she was rolling her eyes. “What’s there to be excited about? It’s not like it’s a date. I’m just meeting him to let him know I’m safe.
I mean, if the roles were reversed, and someone I traveled abroad with suddenly went missing, especially in a place like Faliden, I’d be freaking out too.
3/3
14:32 Tue, Dec 24 TGG.
Chapter 31
In the elevator, Serena stood just slightly in front of Gabriel. She wore a white knitted dress with a brown coat, her long hair casually tied up at the back, with a few stray strands framing her face.
Every time he looked down, he could see the curve of her neck. The desire he’d just subdued with the cold shower was rekindled. “Serena,” he said softly, her name leaving his lips like a low murmur,
She turned to look at him, but before she could say anything, his hand gripped the back of her head, pulling her into a kiss.
She couldn’t hold her ground, stumbling backward until her back hit the elevator wall–though the kiss only lasted for a few seconds
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his voice whispering right next to her ear with a magnetic hum, “Have you ever kissed Andrew?”
