Leonardo shrugged and pointed at the table. “It’s an empty table. I can sit wherever I want.”
“But Dad, we have already had a family table set. The servers already had your favorite meals too.” The woman lifted her hand, but then she noticed Rosalind. She creased her forehead. “Miss Miller, what are you doing here?”
Rosalind didn’t know who the older woman was, but as she called Leonardo as father, she was probably his daughter or daughter-in-law. “Well, I saw a walking stick on the floor, so I grabbed it. Apparently, it’s Leo’s. So we sat and had dinner together.” Then she glanced at the woman. “I hope you don’t mind.”
The older woman didn’t reply, but Leonardo grinned. “Anna, stop being such a tight-ass. Come, sit with us! You must get to know Rosalind. She is a good girl.”
Anna knew his father-in-law was right, but she was still worried if approving Gabriel and Rosalind would be the best decision. So she scanned the room to find her daughter. Talking to Bianca might not be the wisest move, but if Gabriel and Rosalind would get married, she had to start the talk now to make a smooth way for his son.After spotting Bianca, Anna approached her. Bianca was talking with a guest. Waiting until they finished, Anna held Bianca’s hand. “I need to talk to you.”“Oh, what is it about, Mom?”“About Rosalind and Gabriel. Let’s talk elsewhere.”Bianca nodded, but she lifted her hand first to ask for a drink. After a server came, she asked for red wine while Anna requested for champagne. Both women took their glasses and walked to a more secl
That’s when Jeremy, Antonio, and Isabella walked to the table. Since Gabriel always set some tables as his family’s, their family mostly sat next to each other. Leonardo was the oldest in the family, but Gabriel was the one who had been prospering the family and the first who had immigrated to the country. So Leonardo and Gabriel had their unique positions and status in the Da Costa family.Just now, Gabriel sat on the head of the table while Leonardo sat on his right. Rosalind was on Gabriel’s left side. Gabriel numerously asked his grandfather to sit on the head of the table as Leonardo was still the head of family. However, the older man refused with a reason that he preferred the right side. Anna usually sat on Gabriel’s left side, but this time, she sat next to Rosalind. Bianca sat next to Anna.Jeremy, Antonio, and Isabella sat on their seats after
Jeremy left with a sour mood because he was mad at Bianca for slapping him. More than that, he was upset because Rosalind allowed Gabriel to have sex with her, but not him.They walked downstairs to the lobby hotel where their driver had already waited for them. Antonio entered the car first, then followed by Bianca and Jeremy.After the car moved and left the Hoffner Hotel, Bianca shook her head. “Jeremy, please don’t repeat what you did. It’s quite embarrassing. Rosalind is your future aunt-in-law. Remember that!”Jeremy didn’t reply because he didn’t want to say something that would hurt his mother. He kept staring to the side.“Mom, but I can understand now why Uncle Gabe chose Rosalind as his fiancee,” Antonio commented. “She is elegant and calm. Despite Jerem
At the party, Rosalind and Gabriel mingled with their guests. Since some men noticed how possessive Gabriel was, they didn’t dare to ask Rosalind to dance with them, but they took time to talk to her.Rosalind enjoyed the party because she met many interesting people. The politicians and celebrities were also friendly and nice to her. It was midnight when Gabriel shook hands with his guests, as it was the end of the party.“It’s a splendid party as usual. Please don’t forget to invite me again to your next party,” a businessman said.“For sure!” Gabriel smiled and nodded.Another businessman’s wife kissed Rosalind’s cheek. “Rosalind, my dear, I will have a party next month. Will you come?”Rosalind beamed as
Gabriel grinned and shook his head while pulling Rosalind into his embrace. “No, baby. Why?”Rosalind blushed as she caressed his chest. “I wonder if we can talk and then celebrate the party’s success.” She smiled a little as she recalled what had happened at the party. “I’m so happy to get to know Amy. She was friendly and kind.”“We are neighbors in WLS. I know Samuel better than Amy, as we meet occasionally at many business events. They have a son and a newborn daughter, if I remember correctly.”She let out a sigh. “I want to see their children.”“You love children?”Rosalind nodded. “Definitely!”He smiled while staring at her. “Baby, what do you think of having your own chil
Despite Gabriel agreeing to wait for three months before proposing to Rosalind again, his mind already decided. Three months was too long for him. But then, he knew he had to propose to her properly. Asking her to marry her in bed wasn’t a good story they could tell to their children or family.A touch on his cheek stopped his wandering mind. He looked at her while she was licking her lips. “Rose?”“I … I want to ask you something.”“Sure.”“But promise me you won’t laugh at me.”“Go ahead. I won’t laugh at you.”“I ….” She looked shy to ask, but finally, she lowered her eyes so she didn’t look into his eyes. “I wonder why you don’t ask me to … to ….” Then her face blushed,
After that night, Gabriel made love with Rosalind more than they ever did. He was determined to impregnate her though he said nothing to her. He still remembered one of their conversations that she would marry him once she was pregnant with his baby. So he intended to make his plan to work since he didn’t want to wait for three months to marry her. Other than that, he didn’t want to accept another rejection.After having his first million, life was easier for him, and fewer people said no to him. It continued until now, when he already had trillions. Rosalind was the first person who kept saying no to him. It irritated him but intrigued him too at the same time.After the night, he realized he loved her. Despite that, he had never said it to her. With what happened in the past, he was afraid to tell his feelings to the woman he loved because happiness was
Kathy spotted Gabriel humming a song when she entered his office to ask for his signatures for some documents. So she commented about it, “Boss, any good news?”He stared at her and shook his head. “No, why?”“You hummed a song. Also, you smile more often lately. You often go home for lunch too. It’s something you didn’t do before.” Then Kathy grinned and patted her pointer finger on her chin. “I wonder if it has something to do with Miss Rosalind?”Gabriel chuckled and held a picture on his desk. After the party, he put a picture of Rosalind and him together at the party on his desk as he thought of her daily. In the photo, he hugged her waist from behind, and she leaned her head to his chest. His thumb stroked the picture. “You are quite an observer.”“You pay me
Gabriel nodded at his mother. But then he bent his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He wiped his eyes quickly, but Anna could see a drop of tear fall from her son’s eyes. Later, Gabriel straightened his back and smiled as if he didn’t shed his tears for the woman he loved. Doctor Gianni then walked out of the VVIP room. He smiled to see the Da Costa family. First, he shook hands with Leonardo, Anna, Bianca, then he smiled at the youngsters. “Gabriel, you can go inside to see Rosalind and the baby,” the doctor said. “Both are healthy. Congratulations to your new son!”Gabriel shook hands with Doctor Gianni. “Thank you so much, Doctor. I don’t know what I have to say.”The doctor patted Gabriel’s shoulder. “Go inside. Rosalind is waiting for you.”When Gabriel entered the room, the nurse was still wiping and cleaning their baby. So, he approached Rosalind first and kissed her sweaty forehead. “Thank you, baby. You have fought so hard. I can’t imagine what you had been th
Gabriel called his mother right away while waiting for Rosalind to deliver their baby. “Mom, please come to Good Health Hospital. Rosalind’s water has been broken!”Anna was excited but also worried because it was a week faster than the doctor’s prediction. When she delivered Gabriel and Bianca, those two times were even past the due dates. Bianca delivered Jeremy and Isabella passed the due dates too, but with Antonio, the delivery was faster by only two days.Gabriel’s mother frowned as she recalled her memory about hers and Bianca’s giving birth.“Okay, I’ll come to the hospital right away. I’ll call your grandpa and Bianca too.”“Yes, Mom. I’m nervous now. Rosalind asked me to wait outside while I wanted to accompany her.”
Rosalind kept smiling to see how happy their little family was. They had been through a lot, and now they were together in peaceful harmony and happiness. What a priceless gift! She wouldn’t trade her family for anything.“What are you thinking of, baby?” Gabriel said.“Nothing, just how happy I’m to see us together.”He squeezed her hand and nodded. “Let’s have breakfast first.”“Let’s eat!” She nodded and smiled.After eating, they went to the university with Luca as their driver. They walked to the entrance to see many students who would attend the graduation day had already gathered there.
Time went by so swiftly. It was the time for Rosalind’s graduation. To her surprise, she would have a graduation day along with all students who attended the study in the university. So, she was excited to attend the graduation event.Gabriel hired the makeup artist and hairdresser to help Rosalind on her big day. At dawn, they were already busy putting makeup on her. When the makeup artist had finished with her job, it was time for the hairdresser to arrange Rosalind’s hair in an elegant bun.“Mom, you are so pretty!” Jane said. She jumped around as she was excited to see her mother in makeup.“Oh, thank you, sweety.” Then Rosalind glanced at the makeup artist. “Can you help to put on some powder and lip gloss for my daughter?”
Gabriel kissed Rosalind’s forehead and turned her body so he could spoon her. “Baby, you won’t need to worry about,” he stopped for a while, “Richard anymore.” He decided not to tell Rosalind the truth.“What happened?”“Well, I sent him to a rehabilitation center. Then he would go to jail.”Rosalind was quiet. She blew her breath and shook her head. “Richard only brought us troubles …. I’m sorry ….”“It’s not your fault.”“But he’s my brother.” She let out a long sigh.Gabriel had no choice because without telling Rosalind the truth, his wife would keep
After some reassurances from the doctor, Gabriel brought Rosalind back to the car. He nodded and smiled at the couple whose he cut the queue. “Thank you so much for letting us go first. I truly appreciate it!”“Don’t mention it. Is your wife okay? The baby?” The pregnant woman asked.“Yes, My wife and our baby are okay. She only needs a complete rest.”The woman smiled and nodded. “Thank God! We are happy for you.”Gabriel nodded and smiled at the kind woman. “Thank you so much!”Since the doctor’s assistant then called the woman’s name, she waved her hand at Gabriel and entered the examination room with her husband.
Gabriel shook his head again. “No, you just try to get away from the consequences of what you have done, not because you are truly repentant. It’s the punishment that scares you, not the hideous effect of what you have done to Rosalind and Jane. You are a hopeless case! The jail will help you to realize what you have done.”“You will send me to jail?!” Gregory’s voice pitched higher.“Yes.”“Then, go ahead!” Gregory spat to the ground. “I’m not scared!”Gabriel smirked and looked into Gregory’s eyes. “We’ll see. Once you are inside, you’ll shout to ask them to let you die.” Then, he straightened his back. “I’m the man of my word. Since I alr
Warning: this chapter contained violence and heavy cursing. Reader discretion is advised.Again, Pietro followed what Gabriel commanded and poured the water into Richard’s head and body. The man was conscious after a while.“If you don’t want to die, there’s no better time than now to confess,” Gabriel said. “Your name!” he shouted.“I-I’m … Ric—”A punch struck Richard’s cheek. “Again, one lie will get a punch. Keep lying to me and don’t blame me if you will die with no teeth and blood left.”“I’m truly Richard—”Gabriel hit Richard again. “Go on! I
Warning: this chapter contained violence and heavy cursing. Reader discretion is advised.Pietro stared at Gabriel who stood and stared at Richard with a menacing look. As he had been working with Gabriel for twenty years, he knew his boss would do harsh things to Richard. Yet, what Richard did was too much. So he could understand Gabriel’s mood. So Pietro cleared his throat. “Boss, what will you do?”Gabriel only grinned to hear that and removed his tie and opened his button shirt one by one. He even took his time to fold the shirt and tie neatly, then put them on a table. Later, he took his phone from his trouser pocket, pressed some buttons, and put the phone on the table next to his shirt and tie. Pietro gulped again. It reminded him when Gabriel was in his late twenties or early thirties. It was the time when he dealt with someone who betrayed him. “Boss, remember Mrs. Rosalind and little Jane? You don’t want to—”But Gabriel stopped Pietro’s words. “Remove his shirt.”It was a