Chapter 156 Not Welcoming Me? Then Who Do You Welcome?
'She's not even divorced yet, and Arabella already dares to openly fool around with Manuel.'
'After all these days together, have they practically worn out the bedsheets?'
Gabriel couldn't control the wild, chaotic thoughts racing through his mind. Combined with his own desperate longing for her these past days, he felt an overwhelming urge to destroy everything!
But he didn't get out of the car to chase after them.
He wanted to see just how long they would be fooling around today.
After parking, he unbuckled his seatbelt and closed his eyes, trying to ease the fatigue from his long journey...
————
Arabella returned to the apartment with Manuel, where Ella was already waiting.
Having a spare key, Ella had let herself in. Seeing the two arrive together, her smile carried a hint of knowing mischief.
Seizing the opportunity, Ella whispered a reminder, "Don't forget you're not officially divorced yet. Be careful not to give anyone ammunition against you."
Arabella certainly knew this, responding in a low voice, "Actually, giving him ammunition might be good—it could make the divorce go through faster."
After all, she was walking away with nothing, asking for no property. She had nothing left to lose.
Ella suddenly understood. "That's actually smart! Besides, Gabriel was the one who cheated first."
As they spoke, the building's intercom buzzed. After Ella unlocked it, she announced, "The workers are here with the furniture. Let's get ready."
This small space would serve as the starting point for their business venture, naturally requiring basic office equipment.
Ella planned for the two of them to start here, and if business picked up later, they could move to a larger office building.
Soon, workers came upstairs carrying desks and chairs.
After some bustling around, the first-floor living room had been transformed into an office space with three workstations.
Manuel surveyed the setup, frowning slightly. "Arabella, won't it be inconvenient for you living here?"
"It's fine. Right now it's just Ella and me, so there's nothing inconvenient about it. Plus, living here means I can work anytime and save on commuting."
Arabella had already thought it through—she wanted to focus wholeheartedly on her career. Making money quickly was the priority.
Around noon, Sophia arrived.
Arabella had been wanting to introduce Sophia to Ella, and today was perfect. With the studio officially established, the four of them cooked hot pot right there, raising their glasses in celebration of their new journey!
————
Downstairs, Gabriel had been waiting in his car the entire time.
A week of business travel had accumulated plenty of work, so he intermittently took calls and used his phone to handle emails, managing various affairs.
He waited like this until 3 PM without seeing his rival leave the apartment.
His stomach ached with hunger, yet he had no appetite.
The constant surge of adrenaline even temporarily suppressed the fatigue and drowsiness from jet lag.
As time dragged on, he grew increasingly restless. Images kept flashing before his eyes of that woman getting intimate with another man, waves of impulse rising in his chest, making him want to burst through the door and catch them in the act!
But then the problem became clear...
Even if he caught them in bed together, what then? Maybe Arabella was deliberately giving him a reason to be humiliated, deliberately forcing him to agree to the divorce!
Gabriel suddenly realized he was trapped in a deadlock.
His life of commanding wind and rain, of being unstoppable—now showed cracks of losing control. He couldn't even handle one woman with no background or connections.
With this realization, a deep sense of defeat washed over him.
He sat in the car until his body nearly went stiff, finally seeing a familiar figure emerge from the apartment building.
Manuel was on his phone as he walked toward his car, not noticing someone had been watching him intently from the moment he appeared.
As his Porsche Panamera pulled away, Gabriel pushed open his car door, watching the taillights disappear.
The sun was already slanting westward—4 PM.
Ella had to pick up her child from kindergarten, and Sophia needed to collect her daughter from an early childhood education center.
After seeing them out, Arabella returned to look at the newly arranged studio. She took a slow, deep breath, her face glowing with a smile, as if seeing a promising future ahead.
The door suddenly knocked, and she paused, turning back. Thinking one of them had forgotten something, she naturally went to open it, "What's wrong, did you forget some—"
Her words cut off abruptly, her tone stopping mid-sentence.
Gabriel stood before her, cold and imposing, his thin lips pressed into a tight line, deep, chilly eyes soaked with silent, oppressive gloom—like death itself come calling.
Arabella's heartbeat stuttered, her ears roaring with shock. After two seconds of stunned silence, she immediately tried to close the door.
But the man reacted faster, jamming his foot in the doorway to block her movement while simultaneously pushing with his hand, effortlessly forcing his way inside.
Arabella stumbled back from his push, immediately furious. Staring at the uninvited intruder, she angrily snapped, "Gabriel, what do you think you're doing! You're not welcome here—leave!"
"Not welcome? Then who is welcome?" Gabriel continued walking inside while scanning left and right, as if searching for evidence.
Arabella instinctively bristled at his words, her brows furrowing deeper as she followed him, "Don't make baseless accusations!"
"Really? Who were you talking to when you opened the door?"
Before the door even opened, she'd been speaking with a smile in her voice, asking if someone had forgotten something.
The moment the door opened and she saw it was him, the smile instantly vanished from her face, her eyes devoid of any warmth.
Her expression changed faster than turning a page—her true feelings on full display.
Arabella had been about to explain, but suddenly changed her mind at the last second, deliberately lifting her chin in defiance, "It's none of your business who I talk to. We're about to be divorced—soon we'll have nothing to do with each other."
Gabriel smiled coldly. "You're that confident we'll definitely get divorced?"
"What, can Mr. Sterling actually influence the court's decision?"
Though her voice was still slightly hoarse from her recent illness, her words carried unwavering determination.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed as he stared at her intently, seemingly surprised that after just one week apart, she'd suddenly grown so bold.
He understood immediately—she had a new lover backing her up, giving her confidence.
The anger he'd suppressed for so long finally erupted.
He smiled without warmth, the chill in his eyes spilling out like cold air, instantly enveloping his entire being. His long legs moved unhurriedly but deliberately as he approached her.
Watching his tense jaw and the mounting aggression radiating from his entire body, Arabella felt her chest tighten, her nerves involuntarily coiling.
She forced herself to remain calm, asking as steadily as possible, "What do you think you're doing? This is my territory. If you try anything, I'll call the police!"
"Really? Go ahead and try..." he chuckled darkly, speaking slowly and deliberately as he backed her into a corner.
With nowhere left to retreat, Arabella could see his intentions clearly. She tried verbal attacks, "If you want a woman, go find Emily. She should be able to satisfy you now, so stop trying to—ah!"
Before she could finish, he suddenly reached out, grabbing the back of her head.
Arabella screamed in fright, and the next second, that cold, menacing face loomed inches from her own.
Without mercy, his mouth sealed hers in a kiss, the rough, brutal force even causing their lips to clash painfully. She trembled all over, her brow furrowing in anguish.
This bastard!