Before I could even process what was happening, a hand gripped my arm, pulling me up from my seat and into a hard embrace.
“Stay away from my girlfriend.”
I stared up in disbelief. “Gabriel? What are you doing here?”
His eyes were blazing with fury. He tightened his grip on my wrist and started dragging me toward the exit.
Leo stood up, blocking his path. “You’re not taking her anywhere without her consent.”
“So you’re the one,” Gabriel sneered, releasing me. “The one who’s been keeping her here, filling her head with nonsense.”
He let out a cruel, humorless laugh. “Don’t get your hopes up. Vivi and i have been together for five years. She doesn’t just fall for anyone.”
His voice dropped, becoming venomous. “We’ve slept together for five years. No one knows how to make her happy like I do.”
My hand flew up, the crack of it connecting with his cheek echoing through the silent room
The slap seemed to jolt him back to reality. “I’m sorry,” he stammered, his eyes wide. “Vivi, I’m so sorry, I was wrong. You loved me for so long… you can’t leave me, you can’t…“.
“Gabriel,” I said, my voice shaking with suppressed rage. “You’re right, we were together for five years. Five years while you had someone else in your heart. Why should I be the one to stand by you? And in case you’ve forgotten, we broke up. I’m done with you.”
“Because of him?” he roared, pointing a trembling finger at Leo.
“Because of YOU!” The anger and grief I’d been bottling up finally burst forth. “You need to figure out who Stop running around telling people we’re together. I can’t take the humiliation.”
“The baby in Cora’s belly isn’t mine! Vivi, don’t you believe me?”
I just shook my head, wanting nothing more than to escape.
you are. You’re my little nephew’s father.
But then he did something I never thought I’d see. Gabriel, proud Gabriel, fell to his knees in front of me. “Vivi, I swear to you, the baby isn’t mine. Nothing ever happened between me and Cora. Please, you have to believe me.”
Tears streamed down his face. “Yes, I used to have feelings for her. But that was a long time ago. She was in trouble, and I just wanted to help her. I never, ever wanted to break up with you. I love you, Vivi. It’s you I love.”
