Gabrielle realized she had been worried for nothing. The overall atmosphere during dinner was good and pleasant, which was more than what she honestly expected. She was initially nervous about calling her friends over because they weren't familiar with each other, and it would be inevitable that things would get awkward.
However, they were all mature adults and could handle themselves pretty well. They were already used to meeting new people, so everyone got along and chatted like they were old friends.
After dinner, the women went straight to the garden house to chat over tea and biscuits while the men headed to the living room to talk. Westley carried Star upstairs and told Star to stay with Doctor Maniac and learn English. As his new friend, Tammy went with him.
The six women sat in the garden house, sipped their teas, and munched on the biscuits.
"Gabrielle, your garden house is so beautiful." Macy stood up and looked around her, admiring the blooming flowers and their different hues.
Since the moment she entered Half Moon Bay, Macy was struck by the beauty of the place. She was mesmerized, and she couldn't help but gush about it. Her eyes lit up whenever she saw something that amazed her.
Macy's family also lived in a villa, but the interior design and landscaping were all based on her parents' preferences—that was why it was rather dated. When she saw where Gabrielle lived, Macy felt envious of her, especially because every decoration struck her fancy. Macy loved even the smallest details.
Macy really hoped to own such a place of her own someday. She could already picture herself growing flowers and plants in the garden and smelling them all year long. Her daily routine would consist of tending to her garden.
"Really? If you like it here, you can come often. You know you're always welcome." Gabrielle had never treated this many people before. She found that she liked it, and she was absolutely delighted to be around so many friends. So she did everything she could to make them feel at home.
"That's great. But if I come here frequently, I'm afraid I will only disturb you and Mr. Morris. I don't think he'll like that." Macy could easily tell how much Westley loved Gabrielle. He also seemed very possessive of her. Macy was certain he wouldn't appreciate having a frequent guest that might steal his wife's attention.
Gabrielle suddenly burst into laughter. "Westley is a nice person. I know everyone thinks he's tough to get along with, but honestly, he's not. Once you get to know him, you'll realize he has a pleasant personality."
"Yes, I've heard rumors about Mr. Morris. The stories are scary. Someone even said..."
"That he was the Satan of Antawood and whoever messed with him would end up miserable and even dead, right?" Mia interrupted Macy before she could finish her words. Macy nodded, her eyes darting to Gabrielle.
"That's right. That's what they said. Anyway, people are either praising him or dishing out warnings about him. They say that he's a seriously bad guy who can make someone's life a living hell. But Gabrielle, after meeting him, I realize he's so different from what the rumors make him out to be," Macy said seriously. She bit her lower lip before sipping her tea.
Although almost everyone in Antawood had heard of Westley and knew who he was, few of them actually met him. Gabrielle thought she could count with her fingers the number of people who knew the real Westley—what kind of person he was and whether the rumors about him were true.
Still, to say that he was Satan was out of line. If only they knew...
Gabrielle believed that perhaps these people had nothing better to do with their lives and they were bored—so much so that they put all their energy into focusing on others' lives. They made up stories without a grain of truth.
"Of course I know those rumors are nonsense. They are not true. Westley is my husband. I see him even on his bad days, and I know what kind of person he is. If you live with someone, you see who they really are. And those rumors are so far from the truth." Gabrielle didn't care about the rumors at all. The reason why people spread vicious rumors about him was because they didn't know the real Westley. They knew what he did for a liv
ing and how rich and powerful he was. But they didn't know who he was as a person. When you didn't know someone, it was easy to imagine and make up things about him.
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