2
When Gabriel turned and saw me, the warmth on his face vanished, replaced by
a cold mask of irritation.
He strode over, blocking my path. “Cora needs to rest. Don’t you dare start trouble with her. I’ll explain everything to you later.”
He actually thought I’d come to the hospital to confront Cora.
“Explain?” I shot back, my voice rising. “What is there to explain? My father is in here because of you! He had a-
“Don’t make a scene!” he shapped, his patience gone. “Your cousin is in a fragile state. The doctor said her pregnancy is high–risk right now. Did you really have to follow us here to cause more drama? Can’t you be reasonable for once?”
“Gabriel,” Cora’s weak voice drifted over. “Don’t be so harsh with Vivi. Please, just explain things to her patiently. She must be feeling so hurt after
we just left like that.”
Her words were like a magic spell, instantly smoothing the sharp edges of his anger.
“I’ll explain it all another time,” he said to me, his tone softening slightly. “It’s not what you think. And don’t worry, I’m still going to marry you. Just…
go home for now.”
So that’s all it took. A single sentence from Cora, and he was gentle with me again.
How pathetic.
I didn’t say another word. I just turned and walked away.
I spent the night by my father’s bedside. A message from Gabriel finally came through.
[Vivi, please don’t worry. The baby isn’t mine. Your cousin got involved with a real jerk, and I can’t let her face the fallout alone.]
(I’m sorry if I hurt you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.]
Chapter 1
[I’m sorry if I hurt you. I promise I’ll make it up to you.]
[Once this is all over, we’ll get our marriage license. We’ll go to Italy for our honeymoon, just like we planned. And when we get back to New York, I’ll sign over 1% of my company’s stock to you.]
I switched off my phone, a bitter laugh stuck in my throat.
In his world, a promise of marriage and a payout could smooth over any wound. He couldn’t bear to see Cora face the gossip, so he’d simply redir- ected it all onto me. And now my father was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a heart attack. What good were apologies and compensation
now?
“Vivi…”
My dad was awake, looking as though he’d aged a decade overnight. I knelt by his bed, gripping his hand tightly.
“You two should just… end it,” he rasped.
A sharp pain lanced through my chest. Even after everything, his first thought was for me, worried I was with the wrong man.
“Okay, Dad,” I whispered, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “I’ll listen to you. Don’t you worry about me.”
The next day, my mom arrived at the hospital, and almost immediately, her phone rang. It was Aunt Carol. Mom stepped out of the room to take the call, and I followed her into the main lobby.
“Gabriel is such a dear!” my aunt’s voice chirped through the phone. “He gave us such a wonderful surprise, showing up this morning with a case of that expensive Scotch!”
Then her tone shifted. “Say, sis, you know all those high–end wellness tonics you bought for Vivi? How about you send some over for Cora? She’s so drained right now. It’s not like Vivi needs them anymore, right?”
I saw the corners of my mom’s eyes turn red, tears welling up. Before she could break, I snatched the phone from her hand.
“Aunt Carol,” I said, my voice bright and cheerful. “You’re right, expectant mothers need the best. I have a friend in Switzerland who sources these amazing artisanal supplements. I’ll send you her contact info in a bit.”
“Hey! Why are you being so stingy-”
i hung up before she could finish.
“The nerve of that woman!” Mom fumed, her face pale with anger. “Her daughter steals your boyfriend, and she has the audacity to ask me for
gifts?”
I wrapped an arm around her trembling shoulders. “It’s okay, Mom. Don’t be angry. No one stole him. I’m the one who doesn’t want him anymore.”
As the words left my mouth, my eyes met a pair of cold, familiar ones.
It was Gabriel, standing at the hospital entrance, his arms laden with shopping bags.
