Chapter 191 The Third Requirement Is...
Warmth filled Arabella's heart as she watched Gabriel speak, his face calm and eyes gentle. A wave of unexpected emotions swept through her.
She'd expected him to make things difficult for her, but instead, he was using these so-called "conditions" to force her to accept his gifts.
At this moment, she realized that he had indeed changed. Not for the worse, but for the better.
What a pity they'd already missed their chance.
Seeing her lack of response, Gabriel raised an eyebrow slightly, indicating she should give him an answer.
Arabella sat up a bit, hurrying to explain, "It's not that I'm being hypocritical, it's just... that inheritance is so vast, I..."
Taking those assets would keep her awake at night, too unsettled to sleep.
Gabriel understood her nature and calmly persuaded, "I can understand not wanting my money. But what Grandfather left you was his own way of showing care and affection. If you refuse it, aren't you afraid he'll be heartbroken in heaven?"
Put that way, refusing the inheritance made Arabella seem like the guilty party. After a moment's consideration, she compromised. "If there's real estate in what Grandfather left me, I'll take one property."
This way she'd honor William's intentions while saving herself the trouble of house hunting.
Gabriel nodded. "That works."
She breathed a sigh of relief and proactively asked, "So what's the third condition?"
Since the first two conditions had been so reasonable, she assumed the third would surely be just as accommodating, so she eagerly prompted him; but Gabriel's expression suddenly shifted, becoming mysteriously wicked, his eyes growing several shades deeper as they fixed on her.
Arabella felt suddenly uncomfortable under his gaze, her back prickling with unease.
"The third one..." he deliberately drew out his words, his lips curving into a slanted smile as he spoke slowly, "All this time, you've been the one making demands—you want divorce, you want to move out, you want visitation rights, and now you want shared custody."
His inscrutable smile made it impossible to tell if he was pleased or angry, his gaze dropped before lifting again, the smile at his lips anything but innocent. "You've made me compromise again and again. I deserve some compensation."
Hearing this, Arabella began to feel uneasy.
Sure enough, the man's gaze swept over her body, finally settling with suggestive intimacy, "The third condition is that you come home once a month, overnight."
Her eyes trembled, her heartbeat skipping. In just one second, she was so angry her chest rose and fell rapidly, her face flushing red.
This bastard!
And here she'd been touched just moments ago, thinking he'd truly reformed.
Who knew he'd reveal his true nature so quickly!
Gabriel watched her furious reaction without the slightest fear, emphasizing again, "As long as you agree to all three conditions, you can see the children anytime, anywhere."
Arabella glared at him indignantly, holding back her anger for a long moment before bursting out, "You're sick!"
Really sick.
If he wanted women, couldn't he find them anywhere?
Making her sell her body to spend time with her children—this was pure humiliation!
Gabriel ignored her cursing, his heavy gaze still fixed on her face. "If you don't want to come to the house, we could go to a hotel, or your place. Either works."
He figured she must be worried about the servants' looks at home—somewhere else would be more comfortable.
As long as she kept him company, anywhere was fine.
Arabella was too angry to speak.
Just as the two faced off, quiet crying suddenly filled the space.
The children had woken from their nap.
Arabella immediately got up and went upstairs. Sure enough, Isabella was waving her little arms, her face scrunched into a pitiful pout as she whimpered. She quickly picked up her daughter, gently soothing her.
Within seconds, Henry beside her also woke up crying.
Unable to comfort both babies, Arabella was struggling to lift Henry from his blankets with one arm when Gabriel came upstairs.
His large frame made him seem like a giant in the loft space.
"Give me our daughter." Gabriel bent down to take Isabella, then turned to go back downstairs.
With Isabella suddenly gone from her arms, Arabella snapped back to attention, temporarily setting aside her anger and embarrassment to pick up Henry and follow downstairs.
The babies naturally needed feeding after waking. Arabella sat with her back to Gabriel and began nursing Henry first.
Gabriel swayed gently with their daughter in his arms, looking at the woman's back. "How are you leaning on this? If it's too difficult, we can just stick to the original custody agreement."
The original agreement meant two to three visits per month.
With such long gaps... the children would definitely forget her.
Arabella looked down at the son in her arms, deep reluctance sweeping through her heart. After a moment of silence, she spoke, "Fine. I agree to your terms."
It was only once a month, wasn't it?
One night of sleeping together monthly in exchange for unlimited time with her children—it wasn't a bad deal. After all, sleeping together once versus countless times made no essential difference. She consoled herself mentally.
Gabriel's eyebrows lifted, joy flickering across his otherwise composed features before he affectionately nuzzled his forehead against his daughter's.
Isabella didn't understand what her daddy meant, only that it was fun, revealing a toothless grin as she giggled innocently at her father.
Arabella's chest tightened until she could barely breathe. She didn't turn to look at his smug expression, but her mind could already picture it.
By making such conditions, he was subconsciously agreeing to the divorce, wasn't he?
So when evening came and he was leaving with the children, Arabella mustered her courage to ask, "I've agreed to all your conditions. Can you sign the divorce papers now? Or do I have to wait six months to file again?"
Gabriel gestured for Mary and the nanny to take the children and leave first, then turned to study the woman carefully.
Arabella didn't understand his meaning, instinctively raising her guard.
After spending half a day together, God knew how much self-control Gabriel had used to keep from touching her. He'd been thinking for a long time, not understanding why lately just seeing this woman triggered uncontrollable physical desire.
Even when he'd been infatuated with Emily for all those years, he was so helplessly aroused.
Comparing the two now, he couldn't help wondering if his feelings for Emily had really been love at all—or if they'd been true love.
Real love required strong physical attraction—the irresistible urge to kiss, embrace, even bite and sleep with someone upon seeing them. Just like his reaction every time he saw Arabella.
Running through those thoughts again, he gazed at her beautiful face, feeling as though his soul was being seduced, and unconsciously raised his hand toward her cheek.
Arabella was startled, she instinctively jerked her neck back to avoid his touch. But the next second, the man extended his arm, grabbed the back of her neck, and pulled her forward!
"Ah—" she cried out, angrily scolding, "You're pulling my hair!"
Gabriel frowned, and loosened his grip slightly. Once her hair settled, he quickly gripped her neck again, using his other hand to lift her chin and force her to look up at him.
Arabella glared at him furiously, cursing him silently as a bastard.
Satisfied to see the woman who couldn't escape his grasp, his handsome face broke into a smile, "Why are you running? If I wanted to do something to you, would I have waited until now?"