Chapter 143 Personally Delivering the Luggage
The sounds of their struggle—grabbing, wrestling, shouting, cursing—created such a chaotic mix that was both alarming and... oddly intimate, leaving Ella and her daughter completely stunned!
The little girl, just over five years old and only half-understanding what she was seeing, stood there holding a donut, staring wide-eyed at the scene for quite a while before innocently asking, "Mommy... are the uncle and auntie kissing?"
Ella sat frozen on the couch, equally shocked. Her daughter's voice snapped her back to reality, and she quickly pulled the child close, trying to cover her eyes—but it was too late.
The man behind the door, who had been passionately claiming what he wanted, suddenly froze like he'd been hit by a spell upon hearing the child's voice.
He went rigid, his disheveled, intense face still showing traces of complex, unreadable emotions. His deep eyes filled with surprise and confusion as he stared down at the breathless, flushed woman in his arms.
Arabella closed her eyes briefly, no longer caring how humiliating this was, and simply accused him with dissatisfaction, "I told you... there were people inside..."
But he'd been kissing her like a man possessed, devouring her mouth so frantically that she couldn't even speak.
The small apartment fell into deathly silence.
Ella stood up and moved to her daughter's side, placing her hands on the child's shoulders. She looked toward the man who had turned around and smiled awkwardly, "Hello, Mr. Sterling. Sorry... we didn't mean to interrupt."
Gabriel looked at the unfamiliar mother and daughter, showing no intention of exchanging pleasantries.
In fact, he resented their presence.
Arabella seized the opportunity to push him away, frantically smoothing down her hair and clothes, trying not to leave a bad impression on the child she was meeting for the first time.
"You... you should go now. I have guests," she said, not understanding why Gabriel had suddenly launched this attack, but knowing that getting rid of him was absolutely the top priority.
She had finally escaped and wasn't going back.
Gabriel turned to look at her, his thin lips parting as if to say something, but for whatever reason, he remained silent.
Arabella didn't dare look at him directly, keeping her head down as she silently pulled open the door and moved the two large shopping bags on the floor aside, clearing a path for him.
The intention to show him out was obvious.
With outsiders present, Gabriel was too proud to make a scene or cling desperately.
He stared coldly at the woman for a moment, said nothing, and stepped toward the door.
"Wait!" Arabella suddenly called out.
Gabriel's gloomy mood instantly brightened, thinking she'd finally come to her senses and was ready to reconcile.
But when he turned around, he saw Arabella hurry back into the apartment, grab a reusable bag, and pull several bags of breast milk from the refrigerator.
Gabriel's face immediately turned cold again.
"Take these back with you," Arabella said. She had planned to meet Mary again tomorrow, but since he'd appeared tonight, this worked out perfectly.
Seeing no response from him, she added quietly and earnestly, "I've been very careful about hygiene. Nothing like last time will happen again."
Gabriel was angry, but not enough to let the children suffer. His expression remained cold as he reached out to take the bag.
His gaze deliberately swept across her chest as he finally spoke his first words since arriving, delivered with cold mockery, "Living in such poverty, and you still have milk? Wonder if there's any nutrition left in it."
Arabella hadn't expected such a comment and instinctively looked up to retort, "No matter what, breast milk is always the most nutritious!"
Besides, to prevent her milk from drying up, she hadn't been neglecting her own nutrition these past days. Sometimes she even ate four meals a day, drinking plenty of broths and liquids.
Though her meals certainly couldn't compare to when she lived at Parkside Estate, this was how ordinary families ate, and their babies grew up just fine.
Gabriel snorted dismissively, too lazy to engage further. He softened his expression slightly before saying, "Come downstairs with me. Get your things."
Arabella frowned, looking puzzled.
Was he trying to trick her into going downstairs so he could force her into the car?
Gabriel knew she was on guard. As he walked toward the elevator, he tossed back, "If I wanted to drag you away, you wouldn't still be here."
Arabella thought about it—he had a point.
He'd already found her location. Taking her back would be child's play. Even if she avoided him tonight, she couldn't escape tomorrow morning.
She swallowed nervously and followed the man downstairs out of curiosity.
In the elevator, neither spoke. Gabriel kept his expression neutral, raising one hand to casually brush his thumb across the corner of his mouth, as if still savoring something.
Arabella didn't dare look at him, standing quietly like a wooden post, her mind replaying the scene of his surprise attack and forced kiss, her heart still racing.
When they reached the parking area, Samuel in the car saw them approaching and immediately got out to open the rear door, thinking his boss had convinced Arabella and they could finally go home together.
Following behind, Arabella remained somewhat wary. Seeing the car door open, she immediately stopped, refusing to take another step forward.
Deep down, she was even planning which direction to run if they tried to grab her.
Gabriel walked to the car, looked back to find no one beside him, then raised his gaze further to see Arabella standing in the cold night with furrowed brows, her eyes pitiful and watery, looking both pathetic and endearing.
His heart burned with frustration as he walked to the trunk and pulled out a suitcase.
Arabella was shocked to see the luggage.
On such a cold night, he'd personally made this trip just to bring her luggage?
What did this mean?
Was he accepting the fact that she'd left home?
Did he agree to the divorce?
But if so, what was that forceful kiss about?
"What, do I need to carry it upstairs for you too?" Gabriel called out teasingly, seeing her standing there dumbfounded.
Arabella snapped back to reality and took a few steps forward, approaching him.
Gripping the suitcase handle, she pressed her lips together and said quietly, "Thank you."
Gabriel curved his lips in a lazy smile, "On such a cold night, I come running errands, and all I get is a thank you?"
Arabella looked confused. What else did he want?
They stood in silence as the cold wind bit at their faces.
Gabriel used the cold air to calm his emotions, his mind finally becoming somewhat rational again, "I know the grievances in your heart can't be soothed by a few apologies and promises from me. If you want to make a scene, I'll indulge you. I'll give you enough time to heal. But my patience has limits too. Dragging this out too long won't be good for either of us, and especially not for the children."
Arabella found everything about his words uncomfortable.
What he meant was that she was still throwing a tantrum, still being dramatic, while he was willing to be tolerant and wait until all her pain and grievances were vented, then she could pack up and obediently come home.
But if she acted out too long and his patience ran out, she wouldn't even have the chance to return.
Just from these words, Arabella knew he hadn't recognized his mistakes at all, or if he had, he wouldn't sincerely admit them.
Simply put, he still maintained the attitude of a lofty ruler, thinking that because of her humble status, she should be more tolerant and not so petty.