Chapter 189 She Actually Took the Initiative to Invite?
Ella sighed again and advised, "Even if you insist on the divorce, at least try to have a real conversation with your ex about co‑parenting.”
Arabella tucked the blankets around the children and got up to go downstairs, saying pessimistically, "I don't dare make any demands of him now. He already despises me, I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t completely forbidden me from seeing the kids.”
She couldn't afford to push her luck.
Despite her words, Ella's suggestion still stirred something in her heart.
The divorce papers stipulated she could visit the children two to three times per month.
But now it was clear that frequency wasn't nearly enough—at this rate, both babies might forget who their mother was.
She had to fight for more opportunities.
Having made up her mind, Arabella ate while carefully considering how to approach Gabriel.
She didn't have the courage to call him.
Thinking of how furious he'd been during yesterday's hearing made her shudder involuntarily.
A text message would have to do.
After hesitating and revising her words repeatedly, she finally sent the simplest message possible,
[When would be convenient for you? I'd like to talk.]
Downstairs, Gabriel—who had been sitting motionless in his car like a statue—received the message. His previously drooping, stern features suddenly lifted, his face instantly brightening with alertness.
Mary and the nanny had returned home, and the driver had left as well. He'd thought he'd have to wait until evening when the children were brought down to see her again—who would have thought she'd reach out first?
While Gabriel felt a surge of excitement and energy, he was also deeply puzzled.
What did she want to discuss?
Could it be that seeing the children made her unable to bear leaving them, and now she wanted to fight for custody?
Actually, he didn't particularly care who raised the children, they were Sterling family children regardless, and that couldn't be changed.
If the children stayed with her, it would give him a reason to see her every day, he could hardly ask for more.
But the problem was, she was all alone, cramped in that tiny space, and still had to work to support herself—how could she possibly have the energy to care for two children?
After frowning in thought for a long while and still unable to figure out what she wanted to discuss, the CEO—who wasn’t used to texting—simply decided to call her.
Arabella had been anxious ever since sending the message, and when her phone suddenly rang, it startled her. She quickly set down her chopsticks and grabbed her phone.
He was calling...
Her heart leapt into her throat. After hesitating for two seconds, she mustered the courage to answer, "Hello..."
"What do you want to discuss?" Gabriel got straight to the point, no beating around the bush.
Arabella could hear what sounded like footsteps on his end and asked politely, "Am I interrupting your work? If you're busy, we could talk later."
"Open the door," Gabriel cut her off curtly.
"What?" Arabella was startled, instinctively turning toward the door, her tongue stumbling, "You... you're here?"
Just as she finished speaking, the doorbell rang.
Arabella shot to her feet, glanced toward the door, then looked back at Ella.
Ella had just finished her lunch and was about to take a nap on the sofa. Seeing Arabella's expression, she asked curiously, "What's wrong? Who's here?"
Arabella couldn't answer because his impatient voice came through the phone, "Hurry up and open the door."
Ella saw her expression and immediately understood, sitting up from the sofa again. "Go open the door! He's already here—there's no point hiding now."
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Arabella had no choice but to go open the door, regretting it all the while—she should never have contacted him.
When she opened the door, there Gabriel stood—tall and imposing—lowering his phone to end the call.
Arabella was dumbstruck.
It had only been five or six minutes since she'd sent the message—did he have some kind of teleportation powers?
Or... had he been downstairs this whole time?
But he was such a busy executive, with millions or even hundreds of millions in transactions flowing through his hands every minute—yet here he was, apparently wasting time waiting outside her building.
Gabriel saw her staring at him with that somewhat dazed expression, which was rather endearing, and couldn't help but smile slightly. "What's the matter? We just saw each other in court yesterday—don't recognize me today?"
Without waiting for a response, he invited himself in, brushing past her into the apartment.
As soon as he passed the entryway, he spotted Ella standing in the living room.
The two had met before, though they'd barely spoken.
Gabriel had done his research and knew exactly who Ella was—Arabella's boss and business partner. After their eyes met briefly, he said with polite elegance, "Ms. Martinez, would you mind giving us some privacy?"
Ella was startled, surprised that he knew who she was.
But she quickly realized Gabriel must have investigated her background.
Ella came from money herself, but she was nowhere near the Sterling family's league.
Men like Gabriel from old-money families possessed an innate sense of superiority that came through even in polite conversation, compelling others to defer to them.
"Oh, sure... I actually have some errands to run anyway, so I won't disturb you." Ella was smart enough to know her place, and despite knowing Arabella would be overwhelmed facing this man alone, she didn't hesitate to abandon her.
After all, you didn't cross the wealthy and powerful—otherwise her fledgling business could be destroyed in an instant.
Arabella stood frozen several steps away from Gabriel. As Ella left, she futilely tried to stop her, but Ella gently pushed her away and whispered, "Talk it out properly. Try to get what you can."
Ella quickly departed, leaving just the two adults facing each other in the small space.
Plus two sleeping babies upstairs in the loft.
Gabriel walked over to sit on the sofa, glancing at the takeout on the table. He raised an eyebrow. "This is what you're eating?"
"Mm..." At his words, Arabella spun around as if electrocuted, nodding slightly.
She expected him to criticize her for eating junk food with no nutritional value, but this time he said nothing. Instead, after getting her confirmation, he simply picked up the utensils she'd just used—and started eating!
Arabella was stunned! Her eyes went wide and her jaw nearly dropped!
"Hey! I already ate from that!" After the initial shock, she instinctively reached out as if to stop him.
Gabriel didn't look up. "I know." And continued eating.
This...
Arabella stood rooted to the spot, watching this intimate, even somewhat undignified and unsanitary behavior, her mind completely scrambled.
What did this mean?
Hadn't he eaten lunch?
Had he come up here just to share her food?
Where had he been all this time?
Had he really just been sitting downstairs waiting?
If she hadn't contacted him, was he planning not to eat at all?
A string of questions swirled in her head, and she suddenly understood how this pampered man had developed stomach problems—he'd brought it on himself.
"Why are you standing there? Are you done eating? If not, come sit down and eat with me." Gabriel continued eating her food with her chopsticks from her bowl, maintaining his elegant composure.
Coming to her senses, Arabella was completely speechless!
She was also completely at a loss seeing this side of the man.
Usually when they traded barbs and sarcastic remarks, she could handle herself just fine. But now that he was suddenly acting completely out of character, doing things that didn't match his aristocratic status at all—her brain had short-circuited.
She slowly walked over, watching the lunch that the man had nearly finished, thinking there was hardly anything left for her.
She needed to eat more today since she'd be nursing the children. With this in mind, she simply turned toward the small kitchen. "Um... you go ahead and finish that. I'll make something else."