When Samantha insulted her, Emma felt nothing. Not even the slightest ripple of emotion stirred within her.
But when Gabriel suddenly appeared and openly defended her in front of everyone, a faint blush crept up her face. Even her ears slowly turned red.
Gabriel’s sharp gaze swept over the crowd, his voice laced with cold authority. “Who said she isn’t good enough for me?”
Samantha stiffened, a shiver running down her spine. She looked at Gabriel, her eyes flashing with resentment and unwillingness. “Gabriel, don’t let her fool you. She’s only after your money, or worse, your body. I can see right through women like her.”
For a moment, silence hung in the air. But instead of hesitation, an overwhelming pressure settled over the crowd, thick and suffocating
Even Samantha instinctively clenched the fabric of her clothes, her heart pounding as tension coiled tight in her chest.
Seeing Gabriel’s unwavering stance, a pang of hurt flashed through Samantha’s heart.
She had chased after him for so long, yet he had never once looked her way. Now…
Gabriel’s lips parted, his eyes dark with anger. “I don’t need anyone to tell me what kind of person Emma is. I’ll always believe her.”
His cold, steady voice sent a shockwave through the project team. No one had expected Gabriel to defend Emma so openly and fiercely.
But to Samantha, his words were like a dagger straight to the heart. A sharp, twisting pain spread through her chest, making it hard to breathe.
She bit her lip, about to argue, but Gabriel shattered every last one of her illusions.
Before Emma could react, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a marriage certificate. She instinctively reached out to stop him, but it was already too late.
Emma’s heart skipped a beat. The exact thing she had dreaded was unfolding right before her eyes.
“Gabriel…” she called his name softly.
But Gabriel’s expression remained firm, his chiseled features tense. His voice was deep and unwavering as he spoke.
“Emma and I are legally married. No one has the right to judge us. We’re the perfect match. From now on, anyone who dares to target my wife is declaring themselves my enemy.”
Samantha’s face went deathly pale the moment she saw the marriage certificate.
At the same time, the project team erupted into hushed whispers.
“No way… The untouchable Gabriel is married? What does Emma have that’s so special?”
“He literally just came here to defend her. That’s beyond cool.”
Ignoring Samantha’s stunned expression, Gabriel wrapped an arm around Emma and walked away without hesitation.
Even after they stepped out of the project office, Emma’s nerves remained on edge. She wasn’t relieved. If anything, she felt even more unsettled.
She glanced at Gabriel. “Why… Why are you even carrying our marriage certificate around?”
Gabriel narrowed his eyes slightly, concealing the emotions swirling beneath them. “I was going to show it to my parents. Then I happened to stop by the university and saw you being bullied, and I just…”
He trailed off, his words unfinished. Emma frowned slightly, confusion flickering across her face.
Gabriel exhaled slowly before speaking again. This time, his voice was lower and steadier. “I couldn’t hold back.”
He wanted the whole world to know
He had spent years wanting something he couldn’t have, only to watch another man throw it away. There was no way he would make the same mistake. There was no way he would let Emma get hurt again.
“Emma, the situation at the university has already caused quite a stil. I also visited your parents today. They’ve agreed,” he continued.
Emma’s eyes widened in surprise.
She had been stressing over how to break the news to her parents, even planning to lie about staying on campus for a while. But Gabriel had already taken care of everything. For the first time, her heart wavered. She lowered her gaze, her eyelashes fluttering slightly before she finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll move in.”
