Chapter 65 The Doctor Said At Least Three Months Postpartum
If Gabriel and Emily really were innocent, then why had he shown zero interest in her for the past two years, only to suddenly become obsessed and addicted now?
This dramatic behavioral shift, happening right around the time of Emily's pregnancy, was hard not to overthink.
She couldn't bring herself to voice such blunt thoughts, but Gabriel, as a mature man, naturally understood her implication.
"You're wondering why I didn't sleep with you before, but now want to sleep with you every night?"
Her cheeks flushed crimson, rendered speechless.
Gabriel chuckled, turning to face her with a leisurely expression. "When we got married, we barely knew each other. We'd agreed to be husband and wife in name only, and you used to avoid me like the plague whenever you saw me..."
"Later, at Emily and Dominic's wedding, I was the best man and got completely wasted. You took care of me, and we... well, things happened between us in that haze."
Thinking back to that night, Gabriel honestly didn't have many clear memories—just a sense of incredible satisfaction and pleasure, unlike anything he'd experienced before.
He had indeed still been in love with Emily then. Watching the woman he loved marry his best friend—no one could understand the complexity of emotions he'd felt.
Heartbroken yet genuinely happy for them.
So he'd drunk himself into oblivion that day, completely blacked out. He still didn't understand how he'd managed to function in that state.
Regardless, they had slept together, and it had been incredibly intense.
"After that, you got pregnant—with twins, no less. Throughout those ten months, given your special circumstances, you think I would have been shameless enough to pressure you into sleeping with me? Then after the babies were born, the doctor said you needed at least three months of recovery time postpartum, so..."
So their first time after delivery was exactly after the babies' hundred-day milestone—he'd been counting the days.
It wasn't that he hadn't wanted intimacy during the past year and a half; circumstances simply hadn't allowed it.
Now that her body had recovered and they could be intimate again, naturally, he no longer had to suppress his desires.
Arabella exploded at that last comment, "What? You actually asked the doctor about that?"
He countered, "Isn't that perfectly normal?"
Her expression was indescribable.
Gabriel explained, "Even if I hadn't asked, the doctor would have specifically warned us. After childbirth, a woman's body needs time to heal. If you're too eager to resume sexual activity, any wounds that haven't properly healed could reopen, and there's a high risk of infection."
"Stop talking!" Arabella was mortified to discover this was the truth!
She'd always assumed Gabriel found her repulsive, especially after learning about the unexpected pregnancy and her refusal to terminate it—his attitude toward her had been absolutely vicious.
Her mind was reeling.
The reality was completely different from what she'd believed.
Arabella fell silent for several seconds before turning to look at Gabriel, "But you don't love me, yet you think about... those things all the time... Your feelings for Emily are so..."
Discussing this topic was too mortifying; she couldn't find the right words to express it.
Gabriel frowned, clearly stumped by the question, unsure how to respond.
Actually, after their accidental encounter, he had considered trying to make their marriage real.
He just hadn't expected her to get pregnant, especially since he'd reminded Arabella the morning after to take the morning-after pill.
So he'd assumed Arabella had deliberately skipped it, thinking an unexpected pregnancy would secure her position in the Sterling family through her children.
That misunderstanding and prejudice had made him increasingly resistant and hostile toward Arabella.
But as a healthy man with particular standards about cleanliness, he had no intention of remaining celibate forever. He had normal physical needs, yet wasn't willing to seek satisfaction with random women outside. Arabella was naturally the best option.
Gabriel had been able to control himself before having any experience, but after that one incredible night, his body seemed to have broken free from all restraints, constantly stirred by her presence.
Especially after the babies were born, when she was breastfeeding at home, the occasional glimpses were too impactful. If not for remembering the doctor's warnings and considering her physical condition, he would have lost control much earlier.
This foolish woman never considered that if he really had something going on with Emily, why would he come home to share a bed with her? The house had plenty of rooms; he could have completely kept his distance from her.
Gabriel sleeping beside her was preparation for his ultimate goal.
Of course, he would never tell her any of this.
Men had their pride, after all.
Arabella was still waiting for his answer, and Gabriel knew that to salvage their relationship, certain misunderstandings needed clearing up.
After a moment's consideration, he said quietly, "Perhaps I'm not immune to typical male flaws. I did love Emily once, but she's married now—we could never be together. And I don't plan to spend my whole life waiting for her."
Arabella frowned repeatedly, clearly disgusted by this textbook example of male duplicity.
"So you're saying you men can separate love from sex."
He countered, "Can't you women do the same?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Then do you love me?"
His sudden question left Arabella completely stunned, her heartbeat faltering as she snapped back, "Are you insane?"
"See? You don't love me, yet you clearly enjoy sleeping with me—or rather, being slept with by me. Isn't that also separating love from sex?" He smiled knowingly as he pointed this out.
Arabella stared at him, completely speechless.
Of course, she wasn't that kind of person! She had loved him once, but he'd broken her heart so thoroughly that she didn't dare love again.
"What, did I say something wrong?" Noticing her strange expression, as if she wanted to say something but held back, Gabriel caught on and smiled. "Or perhaps... you actually do love me?"
Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly protested, "Absolutely not! Someone like you—what's there to love?"
"Someone like me?" he murmured, and thinking of something, gave a self-deprecating smile. "So in your eyes, I'm that worthless. But all I did was focus on loving one person seriously—what's wrong with that?"
Arabella was stung by his words, staring at him steadily, momentarily unable to argue.
He had loved Emily wholeheartedly; it was just that all his devotion had gone unrewarded. What fault was that of his?
He simply didn't love her.
But there was no law saying anyone had to love anyone else.
Realizing this truth, Arabella suddenly felt she no longer had any reason to hate Gabriel.
Her emotions churning complexly, exhaustion weighing down even her fingertips, she said weakly, "It's late. Let's sleep."
Gabriel didn't respond, but lay there in the darkness with his eyes open until Arabella had drifted into slumber. Only then did he slowly reach out, gently wrapping his arm around her waist.
In her dreams, Arabella didn't resist, even unconsciously shifting slightly as if quite content with his closeness.