Chapter 50

Nestled inside the box was a modest, unremarkable bracelet, its only decoration a tiny Cupid charm dangling from the chain.

Gabriela stared at it in disbelief, turning the box this way and that, even tilting it as if a more impressive gift might be hidden beneath the velvet lining.

But no matter how many times she checked, the truth remained-this was all there was.

For God's sake! While her colleagues unwrapped company gifts worth over a thousand dollars, all she got was some flimsy fifty-dollar bracelet.

Was this Wesley's way of getting back at her for that humiliating incident a few days ago-falling asleep in his bed and embarrassing him in front of his elite think tank?

She knew the man too well. Wesley Moss never forgot a slight, and he certainly wasn't the type to forgive without extracting his own quiet revenge.

All that anticipation had fizzled into disappointment.

Her phone suddenly chimed, and a WhatsApp message from Aubrey popped up, asking if she'd unwrapped her gift yet. "Plenty of colleagues are posting theirs and singing Mr. Moss's praises. You'd better get yours up too-show some loyalty."

Gabriela stared at the screen, her mood too sour for such theatrics. She tapped back a curt, "Yeah."

It struck her then-Aubrey had joined the company only a few days after she had. Aubrey's gift was the standard year-end gift, and Gabriela had been truly happy for her. So why was she the only one singled out for something different?

The thought left her with a hollow, unsettled feeling.

The next morning, she walked into the office with a faint heaviness lingering in her chest. As she lingered by the elevator, Gabriela crossed paths with Aubrey, who was beaming. Aubrey chattered away about how she'd given Kevin the watch last night and how he'd been thrilled with it.

The mention made Gabriela think of her own plain, unimpressive bracelet, and a wave of bitterness curled in her chest.

Catching the faint shadow in Gabriela's expression, Aubrey tilted her head. "You look exhausted, Gabriela.Rough night?"

Gabriela hesitated, then asked, "Did everyone get the same year-end gift?"

Aubrey tilted her head, puzzled. "It was either cosmetics or a watch for everyone..." She suddenly blinked,eyes widening in surprise. "Hold on-don't tell me your gift wasn't the same as ours?"

Gabriela sighed, her expression shadowed with disappointment. "My gift is neither cosmetics nor a watch."

Aubrey leaned in, intrigued. "Come on, tell me-what did Mr. Moss end up giving you?"

"A simple bracelet, nothing fancy."

Brows lifting, Aubrey stared. "You're joking. Not even a pendant with it?"

It was puzzling-Wesley had been showering the staff with high-end cosmetics and stylish watches. Why would Gabriela be singled out for something so plain? The thought didn't sit right with her.

With her expression downcast, Gabriela muttered, "Just a plain bracelet, a tiny Cupid charm on it... came in a pretty little box,that's all."

Aubrey tilted her head, frowning for a moment before her eyes brightened. "You know what Cupid stands for..."

"Don't even start. No way." Gabriela's tone was firm, cutting Aubrey off mid-thought. "Let's not spin this into something it isn't."

To someone like Wesley, a gift so ordinary could only be a quiet nudge-straighten up at work or watch your perks shrink away. There was no chance it carried the meaning Aubrey-or her own wandering mind-was trying to pin on it.

Aubrey tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "So what's the deal? Why would Mr. Moss hand you a bracelet like that?" Her suspicion deepened. "Don't tell me there wasn't some other meaning behind it."

Gabriela gave a wry smile and recounted what had happened the other day. "I'd been drinking too much and somehow ended up crawling into Mr. Moss's lounge bed. When I woke up, I bolted out of there barefoot and ran into him during a meeting with his think tank... Mr. Moss must be upset with me about that."

Aubrey sensed holes in the story but couldn't quite pin them down. In the end, she only gave Gabriela a half-grinning thumbs-up. "You've got guts, Gabriela."

Leaning back, Gabriela murmured with a hint of gloom, "Truth is, I only drank that day to keep things smooth with Mr. Garner. But instead of remembering what I did right, Mr. Moss just clings to my one mistake and won't drop it. Honestly, he's so petty."

The elevator chimed, and she and Aubrey stepped inside, Aubrey murmuring a few more words of comfort.

By the time Gabriela reached the CEO's office,Wesley had already been there.

His face was set in a grim line, a faint shadow of displeasure in his eyes. She offered a polite greeting,but he breezed past as if he hadn't heard a thing, peeling off his coat and diving straight into work.

Suppressing a sigh, Gabriela slipped into the kitchen and set about brewing his coffee.

A few minutes later, she placed the steaming cup on his desk. "Your coffee, Mr. Moss."

Even if the year-end gift let her down, she still had to guard her generous.paycheck like her life depended on it.

Gabriela brushed off her sour mood and slipped seamlessly into her usual, razor-sharp work rhythm.

Across the desk, Wesley shut the file with deliberate finality, his fingers drumming against the polished surface. His eyes were cool as winter steel. "Not happy with the present you got yesterday?"

The mention of the present made heat rush to her chest. She'd swallowed her feelings all night,but now that he'd brought it up, the words tumbled out before she could stop them."So why was I the only one who His gaze hardened instantly, shadows cutting across his face.

"In this entire executive office, aside from Tessa and Billy, you're the highest-paid employee here," he said,each word clipped.

And yet she'd still had the nerve to call him petty behind his back.

Gabriela's voice tightened with quiet indignation. "I'm not just your secretary-I'm also your cook and housekeeper. I often work overtime deep into the night with you. And now, everyone else gets the same gift while mine's different. How do you think that makes me look in front of my colleagues? They'll start doubting whether I can even do my job."

Wesley let out a low, mocking chuckle. "And remind me-how exactly did you land a spot in the executive office?"

The insinuation hit like a slap, as if he'd just declared she'd gotten here through anything but skill.

Her mind flashed to those damning WhatsApp screenshots, souring her mood even further. She muttered,"I apologize for speaking poorly about you behind your back."

His gaze sharpened, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Oh? So you're not scared of me anymore? Already bold enough to talk back?"

Gabriela kept her lips pressed shut, unwilling to risk another word.

Wesley-craving both praise and submission from those around him-was as conceited as he was domineering.

Aubrey had even hinted that he might be a little interested in her.

If this was his idea of showing interest, she didn't dare imagine how ruthless he'd be if he wasn't.

Wesley's gaze lingered on her bowed head, her downcast eyes, and that flicker of defiance she was swallowing back. The combination made him smirk. He said, voice firm and unyielding. "Wear the bracelet on your right wrist tomorrow."

The way he issued the order left no room for discussion, and Gabriela knew without a doubt-he was doing this purely to toy with her.

Wearing that bracelet would be like announcing to the entire company that she hadn't received a proper gift.

With her shoulders sinking, she managed a quiet, "Yes, sir."

Later that day, Aubrey clocked out alongside Gabriela and coaxed her into a shopping trip, suggesting they get their hair done.

"Once the holiday starts, I'll be spending eight full days with Kevin in Dialand! No way I'm showing up looking anything less than perfect," Aubrey said wwith a wink.

For many office workers, getting a fresh hairstyle before the New Year was almost a sacred tradition.

But Gabriela's paycheck still hadn't come through, and the knot of worry in her stomach kept her from spending freely. She passed on the salon and settled for picking out two new outfits instead.

Later, she and Aubrey tucked into a steaming pot of stew, the rich aroma and easy chatter finally sweeping away the last of her gloom.

That night, stretched out in bed, Gabriela absently scrolled through her WhatsApp messages.

Brenden's name still sat there,stubbornly silent.

The promise he'd made to be her plus-one at the wedding now felt like nothing more than a careless remark tossed into the air-words he'd never intended to keep.

It seemed as if misfortune had been dogging her heels for weeks. Once the holiday break came,she vowed,she'd book a long meditation session and scrub the bad energy from her life like dust from a mirror.

At the same time, Brenden, feeling just as cursed by fate, grudgingly shoveled up yet another mound of dirt.

For nearly half a month, he'd been toiling under the watchful eye of the team leader, clawing his way barely two meters down-still without a trace of water.

More and more, he wondered if the leader and Wesley had conspired to keep him trapped in this grueling task.

With a grunt, he flung another load of dirt aside, his clothes and hair caked in dust, and glanced up at the well walls towering above his head.

The thought struck him with grim humor-this didn't feel like digging for water anymore. It felt like he was carving out his own grave.