Chapter 49

Gabriela stepped into the living room to find Phyllis sunk into the couch, her cheeks blotchy and puffed,glaring at her with murderous intensity.

Those reddened eyes burned with the kind of rage that begged for an outlet, and Gabriela could almost feel the hostility vibrating in the air between them.

At the sight of Phyllis, Gabriela's lingering gloom evaporated, replaced by a sharp jolt of adrenaline.

"Vivian will be in detention for three days," Phyllis snapped. "When she's out, her brother will tear into her-and I bet you're just thrilled about that."

Vivian, furious over her own predicament, had already taken her anger out on Phyllis simply because she was related to Gabriela.

Gabriela gave a slow shake of her head.

Phyllis let out a short, sharp laugh. "Too late to start trembling now. Enjoy it while you can-Vivian's gonna makeyour life a living hell the second she's out."

"Thrilled? Not quite," Gabriela stated evenly."Vivian struts around like she's untouchable, hiding behind her precious connections. Three days in a cell? That's barely a slap on the wrist. Three months-that might feel like justice." Her gaze stayed locked on Phyllis, unflinching. "And you, the puppet master in the shadows,walk around free while she takes the fall. That's what pisses me off the most."

Phyllis had a knack for manipulation, always managing to get someone else to do her dirty work. Even if the scheme backfired,the fallout never touched her.

Phyllis's brows knitted into a sharp line as she retorted, "Don't get ahead of yourself. No way your precious boss can keep saving your ass forever."

Gabriela's eyes hardened, her voice like ice. "That's not something you need to worry about. But if you're itching for trouble, I'll gladly rip out every last strand of your hair." The vivid threat sent a phantom sting across Phyllis's scalp, rekindling every past grievance and fueling the fresh anger burning in her chest. She shot to her feet, poised to lunge at Gabriela.

At that moment, a sharp, commanding voice sliced through the tension. "Enough."

Marie swept down the stairs, her heels striking the wood with crisp authority, her gaze like a blade locking on Phylis. "You've already made a fool of yourself today. Go to your room."

Phyllis's hands flew to her cheeks, as if shielding them from another blow, the memory of Marie's earlier slap still burning on her skin. "Mom, Gabriela-" she began, her tone wobbling with grievance.

"You're on the verge of marriage," Marie cut Phyllis off, her voice frosted with warning. "Don't stir up trouble again-just wait for your wedding day." Her eyes narrowed, a glint of steel flashing beneath the cool surface."Dustin works hard. He's ambitious. You should be focusing on building your future with him, not creating petty scenes."

Truth be told, Marie had never approved of Dustin. In her view, a proper son-in-law needed to match their status without question-and Dustin simply didn't measure up.

Yet Phyllis had always had a knack for snatching up whatever belonged to Gabriela-and now she'd taken Gabriela's ex, Dustin, for herself. Without so much as a word to Marie, she had announced the engagement,and with gossip already swirling in their circle, Marie could hardly object without causing a scene.

Still, Dustin had his merits. He was sharp, ambitious, and, with the right guidance-and a tight enough leash -he could be molded into a useful ally.

Phyllis, however, simmered with frustration.

The fiasco at Grace Robuchon hadn't dragged Gabriela down; if anything, it had made her shine brighter.

And now, even Marie had turned against her, harshly ordering her to stay away from Gabriela for the moment.

Phyllis couldn't fathom why the hell she would fear an orphan-a girl she had crushed under her heel since childhood. Still, the sting in her swollen cheeks was a sharp reminder not to test Marie's temper again. She settled for shooting Gabriela avenomous look, her hatred simmering.

The wedding was locked in for the year's end, the day creeping ever closer. She needed to concentrate-but she also vowed that when the day came, she'd find a way to disgrace Gabriela and her sugar daddy.

Marie dismissed Phyllis back to her room, pausing only to flick Gabriela a cool, measuring glance before saying nothing at all.

News of the Grace Robuchon Incident had already swept through their circle, cementing Gabriela's standing in Wesley's eyes.

Yet anyone could see she and Phyllis were on opposite sides, and Gabriela had no intention of smoothing a path for her to get close to Wesley.

Since winning Gabriela over had proven impossible, Marie decided she'd crush her completely-wipe her out so thoroughly that she'd never recover.

For now, though, she was still plotting her move, keeping her claws sheathed in an uncharacteristic break.In the days that followed, Gabriela experienced the calmest period she'd known in years-no threats to her job, and not a single appearance from Phyllis to wreak havoc in her life.

And there was another small spark of anticipation on the horizon.

in less than a week, the company would shut down for the holiday break.

The office hummed with energy-despite the mounting workload, chatter about travel plans filled every corner.

Gabriela wasn't especially excited about the holiday itself, yet the long-standing tradition of receiving a generous gift from the company had its own quiet allure.

This would be her first since joining the company, and she couldn't help anticipating what might be inside the one waiting for her.

The sales department received theirs first-each woman unwrapping a high-end cosmetics set, while the men were presented with sleek, pricey watches.

Wesley had a business dinner that day and didn't take Gabriela along, leaving her free to grab lunch in the cafeteria with Aubrey.

Aubrey was beaming as she slipped off her wristwatch to show it off-a sleek mechanical piece from an accessible luxury brand, priced at eighteen hundred.

"This would easily sell for three thousand outside. Our boss must've gotten a great deal!" she exclaimed,admiring the polished steel face with a lovestruck expression.

The company's year-end gifts were technically divided by gender, but employees were free to choose what suited them best.

Tilting her head, Gabriela inquired, genuinely curious, "So why go for a men's watch?"

"What am I going to do with a box of cosmetics?" Aubrey chuckled, her eyes dancing. "I'm naturally gorgeous-I don't need makeup yet. But this? This is perfect as a New Year's gift for Kevin. He's going to love it."

Gabriela simply pressed her lips together, saying nothing.

Kevin Hewitt was Aubrey's boyfriend. They had weathered five years of long-distance, yet their bond only seemed to deepen, steady and warm as family ties.

Gabriela pictured Kevin's quiet stubbornness, that faint shadow of brooding in his eyes, but she kept the thought locked away.

Later that afternoon, once Wesley strode back into the office, Gabriela drifted after him with an energy she could hardly hide.

It wasn't the luxury cosmetics themselves that stirred her excitement-more the festive buzz in the air, the idea of unboxing her gift and snapping a flawless photo to post online.

One glance at her bright, expectant face, and Wesley seemed to read her thoughts instantly. He summoned Billy with a crisp word, instructing him to distribute the executive office's year-end presents. Gabriela practically bounced as she followed Billy out, joining Tessa and the others in the corridor.

Even Tessa, usually so composed, allowed herself a relaxed smile as she swapped stories with Gabriela about the lavish gifts from years past.

Tessa's smile brimmed with pride as she remarked, "Our company just keeps getting better, and so do the year-end gifts. Mr. Moss really knows how to spoil us."

Last year, employees had gone home with crates of premium fruit and a generous shopping card. This year,the presents had taken another leap in value.

Gabriela's eyes lit up in delight.

She'd never worked under a boss as lavish as Wesley, doling out gifts worth well over a thousand.

On top of that, no one was overlooked-senior staff and fresh recruits alike received the same treatment.

Tessa, as head of the executive office, moved from desk to desk, personally handing out the neatly packaged presents.

Gabriela lingered nearby, anticipation building with every passing moment. But when the last gift left Tessa's hands, nothing had come her way.

Blinking in surprise, she leaned in and lowered her voice. "Ms. Ortiz... am I not getting one?"

A cold thought crept in-was she being left out because she'd only just transferred into the executive office,her name too new to make the list?

Tessa's lips curved into a kgowing smile. "Billy mentioned yours is already on Mr. Moss's desk."

Gabriela wasted no time heading back, her heart beating faster with anticipation. Stopping beside Wesley's desk,she leaned forward slightly. "Mr. Moss, Ms. Ortiz said my gift's here with you?"

Glancing up from the neat stack of documents before him, Wesley caught the spark in her eyes and let a faintly amused smile tug at his lips. He reached for a small bag and held it out to her. "This is yours."

Gabriela accepted it, blinking in surprise. The gift bag was wrapped beautifully, yet noticeably different from what she'd seen earlier-and at least two-thirds smaller than the ones her colleagues had received.

Just as her fingers found the ribbon, Wesley's low voice cut in. "Open it at home."

"Alright, Mr. Moss."

Though a flicker of curiosity tugged at her, Gabriela let it go,content simply to have the gift in her hands.

She slid the bag to the corner of her desk and carried on with her tasks until the evening bell. Once home,the moment the door clicked shut behind her, she tossed her keys aside and eagerly retrieved a small box from inside the bag.

Its dark golden velvet shimmered under the light, the texture alone whispering of luxury.

This wasn't the glossy cosmetic set the women received, nor the sleek timepiece given to the men. It was something else entirely.

Recalling how Wesley had been shielding her these past few days, her cheeks grew warm, her pulse quickening in spite of herself.

What could he possibly have chosen for her?

She drew in a breath, steadying her hands, and slowly lifted the lid.