Chapter 72

"With me here, you'll be eating delicious, satisfying meals every single day, Mr. Moss," Gabriela promised.

She was thrilled to snag a part-time job that paid three thousand a day.

Loretta and Miriam, pleased to have found a reason to keep her close, secretly rejoiced at the thought that Wesley might finally find himself a girlfriend.Their satisfaction showed in their smniles.

Even Wesley's expression softened with quiet contentment.

That calm shifted the moment Brenden stepped foot in the manor.

By early evening, he arrived with two oversized boxes of gifts in hand, trailing after Loretta into the house. Spotting Wesley lounging on the sofa, Brenden greeted him with an easy grin. "Wesley, a friend of mine grows these strawberries-just picked today.I brought you two boxes."

"Strawberries aren't my thing." Wesley's tone turned glacial. "Take them back."

Brenden froze, caught off guard.

Earlier that year, his mother had begun dating a new man and, brimming with excitement, traveled overseas with him-leaving Brenden rattling around the house alone.

The loneliness had been unbearable. He'd planned to spend New Year's tucked away in the countryside with Loretta. However, once he found out that she was staying at Wesley's place, he had no choice but to follow.

"Fine, if you won't have any, Gabriela and I will take care of them!" Loretta cut in, her patience for Wesley's stubbornness wearing thin. Since discovering his maddening obstinance in matters ofthe heart, she'd found him especially exasperating these past few days. She shot him a sharp, warning look before softening her voice for Brenden.

"Why are you so skinny? Did life in Afluena treat you that badly?" she asked, her gaze warm with concern.

Brenden gave a confident grin. "No, I did fine in Afluena-I'm just sun-kissed. In fact, the tan makes me even more irresistible. There's even a pretty girl pining for me in secret lately."

Wesley didn't bother indulging in Brenden's boast.Without a word, he turned away, his face as cold as winter stone.

Gabriela had mentioned the orchids blooming in the back garden, and he decided a quiet stroll among them might ease his foul mood.

Oblivious to the fact that Wesley wanted no company, Brenden jogged after him. "Wesley, hold up!"he called.

By the time Wesley reached the garden path, Brenden had already cut him off. His brows pulled together in sharp impatience."What now?"

"The other night at the Deluxe Hotel," Brenden began, "I almost put Gabriela in an awkward spot.You stepped in just in time to save her. I never got the chance to thank you." His tone softened with a touch of admiration. "Honestly, I didn't thinkyou had it in you. You played the part so well, I nearly believed you really were her boyfriend."

Wesley leveled him with a glare sharp enough to cut glass.

What on earth made Brenden think he'd been putting on a show?

Feeling the frost roll off Wesley's dark eyes, Brenden managed an awkward laugh and said, "Seriously,Wesley, I mean it-thank you. I messed up and hurt Gabriela's feelings. If you hadn't stepped in, she would've been humiliated."

Meanwhile, Gabriela was out in the back garden with Miriam, crouching near a bed of orchids to snap photos.

The pot in bloom was worth fifteen million dollars-practically the price of a luxury home.

Miriam, a social media devotee, was already picturing the perfect post for her followers.

Loretta had no interest in such things, so Miriam had happily roped Gabriela into keeping her company.

They had just taken a handful of shots when Brenden's voice drifted over, carried by the late afternoon breeze.

Gabriela went rigid.

Deep down, she knew Wesley had only shown up because Brenden had summoned him, yet Brenden had never confirmed it over WhatsApp. That tiny omission had let her cling to the foolish hope that Wesley might have stepped in for her sake alone.

Now, reality pressed in-she had been imagining things. A man of his standing wouldn't pose as a subordinate's boyfriend without a very deliberate reason.

"What's caught your eye, Gabriela?" Miriam followed the direction of her gaze, then smiled knowingly. "Ah,that's Mr. Brenden Saunders-Mr. Moss's cousin.Mr.Saunders is part of Mr. Moss's company as well. Do you happen to know him?"

Gabriela gave a nod. "Yes,we've met."

Their exchange drew Brenden's attention, and he strode over with a surprised grin. "Gabriela? What brings you here?"

Before she could answer, Wesley's cold gaze sliced into the moment. "Is there a problem?"

"Not at all. In fact, I'm glad to see her." Brenden's smile faltered as he leaned in toward Wesley,lowering his voice until Gabriela couldn't catch the words. "Wesley, truth is... I like Gabriela too. If l'd known her feelings for me, I'd never have treated her that way at the hotel." Wesley's mouth curved into a frosty smirk, his eyes narrowing on Brenden with a hard, unblinking stare.

Since when had Gabriela ever shown any interest in Brenden?

His mind flicked back to the time she'd casually mentioned her dislike for overly tall men. Brenden might not match his height, but he still towered well above her petite frame.

This was the kind of man she'd choose? Seriously?

The more Wesley mulled it over, the tighter his jaw became. A cold weight settled in his chest, and he sent Gabriela a look sharp enough to cut.

Across the garden, Gabriela was crouched beside Miriam, adjusting the angle for a photo. The moment Wesley's icy glare landed on her, her fingers twitched, and she almost dropped her phone.

A nervous chilI rippled through her. Why on earth was Wesley suddenly looking at her like that?

Was Brenden talking about their one-night stand? Damn, if that was the case, would her brand-new part-time job-three thousand a day-go up in smoke?

The question flickered across Gabriela's mind,tightening her expression. Wesley, catching the shift,lost all interest in admiring the orchids and strode back toward the house.

Wanting to earn some points, Gabriela passed Miriam's phone back with a polite smile. "It's getting late-I should start on dinner."

Miriam didn't object, happily keeping Brenden by her side for the photo session.

Gabriela hurried after Wesley, softening her tone in an attempt to please him. "Mr. Moss, the orchids have bloomed. They're stunning-don't you want to take a look?"

The flowers, after all, were worth a fortune and proudly kept on the manor grounds.

Was he impressed by them? Perhaps he should invite some friends over to appreciate those flowers.

"What's there to see?" Wesley's voice cut through the air, cold and sharp. "A man shorter than me?"

Gabriela blinked, caught off guard.

Sure, Brenden was shorter than him, but did he have to bring it up like that?

For someone usually so composed, Wesley seemed ridiculously touchy; even height could get under his skin.

Trying to steer the conversation away from his prickly mood, she offered with a tentative smile. "I'm making barbecue ribs and chicken tonight, with a side of corn chowder.Would you be up for that, Mr. Moss?"

Wesley's gaze swept over her, cool and appraising.

She was perceptive, well-educated, and sharp-minded and could hold her own in the kitchen-yet her taste in men was terrible. The longer he looked, the more his irritation simmered, until he turned away without a word,lengthening his stride.

Gabriela had to half-jog to match his pace.

But he headed straight into the study and shut the door with a firm click, leaving her in the hallway.

With no chnoice, she made her way to the kitchen,determined to win him over with a dinner that might soften his mood.

Out in the back garden, Brenden couldn't hide his curiosity about why Gabriela was spending her vacation at Wesley's house instead of relaxing somewhere else.

Miriam gave a breezy explanation. "She's picking up a holiday side job-making sure Mr. Moss gets proper meals while he's on break."

The revelation caught Brenden off guard.

Gabriela cooked for Wesley during her time off? An unexpected thought crept in. Could it be... because of him?

His mind ran circles around the idea. Maybe she liked him so much she'd taken the job just to be near him.

A flush crept up Brenden's ears, his pulse kicking up.

Could she really be that into himn?