Chapter 2 It's Not Your First Time—Just Relax!
The words hung in the suffocating darkness, creating a deathly silence.
Gabriel turned to look at her, his voice even colder, "Are you out of your mind?"
"I'm serious," Arabella replied calmly, her mind filled with images of him spending the night with Emily, remembering Emily's taunting message.
What was the point of maintaining such a marriage?
"Don't worry, I'll explain everything to Grandfather. I'll tell him I decided to divorce, that it has nothing to do with you." She remained composed, then pushed back the thin comforter. "I'll sleep elsewhere tonight so I won't disturb you."
Before she could finish speaking and get up to leave, a strong force in the darkness roughly yanked her back, slamming her down onto the bed.
"Ah..."
Arabella was completely stunned. When she regained her focus, she saw a dark silhouette looming above her, radiating fury.
Her composure shattered instantly, her heart racing in panic, "Gabriel, what are you doing! The baby is right there!"
She was terrified this man might hurt the child in his drunken rage.
The man said coldly, "Divorce? You've already had children—isn't this exactly what you wanted? The perfect chance for upward mobility through motherhood. Divorce now would be such a waste."
"That's not true! The pregnancy was an accident! You're the one to blame, so how dare you accuse me?" she demanded in an angry whisper.
"An accident? If you hadn't wanted to get pregnant, there were ways to prevent it."
"I told you, I took the pills!"
Gabriel scoffed, clearly still unconvinced.
Back then, he'd underestimated this woman, which led to his moment of carelessness, allowing her to trap him with children.
Arabella knew he still didn't believe her and was convinced she'd deliberately schemed, intentionally skipping contraception to get pregnant and secure her position in this wealthy family.
She was too exhausted to argue anymore.
In the tense silence, Gabriel pinned her down, his eyes adjusting to the surrounding darkness until he could make out vague shapes.
The woman trapped beneath him had eyes flashing with indignation, her chest visibly rising and falling.
With their proximity, he caught the rich, intoxicating scent from her body, and his mind once again replayed the scene of her nursing.
An awkward, charged atmosphere began to build between them.
If he remembered correctly, today was their second wedding anniversary. As her husband, it was time he exercised his legal rights and obligations.
Arabella sensed something different about the man above her. Just as she turned to speak, he suddenly pressed down, his intense masculine presence instantly enveloping her.
She stared in shock, unable to believe that this man who'd been furious just seconds ago would suddenly kiss her!
Gabriel had intended to kiss her, but she showed absolutely no response.
Those lips that had been so sharp-tongued moments before now seemed frozen solid.
The man had no patience. After two seconds of kissing with no response, he moved downward on his own, pressing his lips to her neck, her collarbone.
The closer he got to her chest, the more that intoxicating fragrance seemed to bewitch him. The alcohol that the cold shower had dispersed seemed to instantly cloud his mind again—in this moment, Gabriel's rationality retreated, surrendering only to his body's demands and desires.
Arabella snapped back to reality, her skin against the air making her whole heart tremble, her words broken and stuttering, "Gabriel, look clearly, I'm Arabella... not Emily..."
Before she could finish, sharp pain struck.
She cried out in pain, instinctively resisting, but the man pressed her hands down firmly and kissed her again, "It's not your first time—just relax."
In the darkness, tears slid down her cheeks.
She wasn't pretending; it really hurt.
This indeed wasn't their first time making love, but it was the first time since she'd given birth.
Even if her body were split apart, it wouldn't hurt as much as this.
After his mocking comment, Gabriel's next kiss caught her tears, and his brow immediately furrowed.
His throat bobbed, his body tensed, and he stopped, waiting quietly.
After a long moment, when he began moving again, his actions were noticeably gentler.
————
The next morning, Arabella was awakened by the pressing discomfort in her chest.
Having been a new mother for over three months, she'd grown accustomed to this sudden onset of pain.
So the first thing she did upon opening her eyes was look for the baby.
She just needed to hold the baby for nursing, and the pain would stop.
But today her gaze found nothing.
She paused for a second, then her mind suddenly sparked with alarm. Oh no!
Henry had just learned to roll over a few days ago. Had he fallen off the bed?
She practically leaped up, crawling to the edge of the bed to look down. Fortunately, Henry wasn't on the floor!
The next second, obvious discomfort in her lower back made the panic on her face turn to pain. She instinctively supported her back with one hand while bracing herself with the other, and memories from last night suddenly flooded back.
Last night, stung by Emily's provocation, she'd felt disheartened and actively asked Gabriel for a divorce, which had enraged him.
That bastard had gone crazy, passionately claiming her body until nearly dawn.
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't resist this kind of intimacy.
After all, the guy was handsome, had a sexy physique, and amazing stamina. Having passionate sex with such a man wasn't exactly a loss.
But her inexperience, combined with it being her first time since childbirth, plus that bastard's rough and domineering approach, had completely ruined what should have been the most romantic thing between a man and woman.
The encounter had left her so exhausted that she'd slept like the dead, completely unaware when he got up and left in the morning, or when Mary came in to take the children.
Arabella sat there in a daze, reliving the scenes from last night.
After her anger and irritation, she couldn't help but blush and feel her heart race with embarrassment.
If she remembered correctly, after she'd cried out in pain last night, Gabriel's movements had noticeably slowed, as if he'd deliberately given her time to adjust.
But he was such a cold, emotionless person who'd never said a kind word to her in all their married life - how could he suddenly become tender and caring toward her?
It couldn't be.
It must have been her imagination.
But she had seen him tender and affectionate before—not toward her, his wife, but toward the woman he loved but couldn't have, Emily.
Even their first time had happened because Emily had gotten married, and in his heartbroken, drunken state, he'd mistaken her for Emily.
So when she'd kindly reminded him last night, it hadn't helped at all—it had only made him angrier.
Probably because she wasn't worthy of mentioning his beloved.
Arabella was lost in these chaotic thoughts when suddenly, the bedroom door made a sound.
She jumped, instinctively lying back down and pretending to sleep, thinking Gabriel had returned. After last night's events, she didn't know how to face him.
But she heard Mary's voice instead, "Mrs. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling? Are you awake?"
Arabella immediately opened her eyes, "Mary..."
She felt a bit embarrassed as she sat up and asked, "Are Henry and Isabella both awake?"
"Yes, I fed them around 5 AM, and now they're hungry again," Mary replied softly.
The woman nodded, "Alright, I'll get cleaned up right away."
Mary turned to get the children, and Arabella hurried to the bathroom.
But when her feet hit the floor, and she started walking, the obvious soreness and discomfort made her frown again, her cheeks flushing red once more.
Gabriel might seem cold on the surface, but when it came to intimate matters, he was incredibly passionate and intense.
She covered her burning face as she entered the bathroom, feeling like she shouldn't be reliving last night's events and needed to clear her head.
After feeding both babies, more than half an hour had passed, and Arabella's stomach was rumbling with hunger.
She went downstairs looking for food, but just as she stepped out of the elevator, she was shocked to see a man sitting in the dining room.
Her heart skipped a beat, and her mind exploded with confusion.
It was already 9 AM; why hadn't Gabriel left for work yet?