Chapter 43 

Gabriel 

I get into the waiting car and slam the door. 

Mark turns back to look at me. “Drive,” I snap. 

“Are you…” 

Yes.” I cut him off. “Drive the fucking car.” 

My elbow is resting on the window and my face leans on my hand and as we pull out of the 

parking lot, I close my eyes so I don’t have to watch them as they disappear. 

A deep, dark lead ball sits in the pit of my stomach and I know it will never go away. 

That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. 

I brush my teeth and walk into the bedroom. Ariana is already in bed and reading. 

I watch her for a moment, her long dark hair is plaited and her cream silk nightgown 

stands out against her olive skin. There is no doubt about it, Ariana is one of the most 

beautiful women on earth. She glances up over the top of her book and gives me a smile. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Looking at you.” 

She taps the bed beside her. “Come and look at me like that from here.” 

I climb into bed and take her in my arms. I’m riddled with guilt for a million reasons. I lied 

to her about where I was last night, I have two children that I haven’t told her about, I’m 

not excited about the wedding in the slightest, but the worst thing of all is…I can’t stop 

thinking about Violet. 

I hold her tight in my arms. She deserves so much better. 

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Jer hand slides down my boxer shorts, her engagement ring catches on the fabric and I Peach in and pull it out. “I’m tired.” 

“Since when are you ever too tired for sex?” “Since tonight.” Since I saw her. 

I roll her onto her side facing away from me and I cuddle her back. 

“Three weeks until we get married,” she whispers into the darkness. “I’m so excited to start our life together.” She picks my hand up and kisses it, and I close my eyes in horror. 

Fuck… 

“Let’s circle back to this report next week.” I reply to the staff around my board table. “Good 

work this month, our figures are on fire.” They all leave the meeting room with a buzz of 

chatter. I collect my things and begin to walk back to my office. I pass through reception. 

“Mr. Ferrara, your mother and Ariana are in your office, sir,” one of the girls tells me. 

“Thank you.” 

I keep walking and roll my eyes, great. What are they doing here, I am way too busy for 

their wedding crap today. 

I walk into the office to find them both with their stilettos kicked off and shopping bags 

everywhere. They both have a glass of champagne from my bar. 

“Ladies,” I say as I look around at the disaster zone. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” 

Ariana jumps up and wraps her arms around my neck. “We came to show you what’s 

arrived.” She kisses me quickly and I pull out of her arms and peck my mother on the 

cheek. “Mom.” 

“Hello, darling.” She smiles. “Take a seat.” She gestures to the couch. 

“I don’t have time for this today.” 

“We’ll be quick.” Mom smiles. “Show him, Ariana.” 

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Ariana digs through the bags and pulls out a box and very slowly opens it. 

Hurry up, this isn’t a marathon.” I sigh. “I don’t have all day, you know.” 

Mom chuckles as she flops onto the couch beside me for the show. 

The box opens and Ariana pulls out two crystal champagne flutes. “These are for all of the tables for the speeches.” She passes one to me. “Look at the engraving.” 

My eyes scan the glass. 

Gabriel and Ariana 

T 

Eternally bound by love 

I curl my lip in disgust. “Bit over the top, don’t you think?” “Nooo,” they gasp together. 

“Ugh.” 

“Oh, and there’s more.” Ariana widens her eyes. 

“I can hardly contain my excitement,” I mutter under my breath. 

“These are the chocolates for the table.” She pulls out a silver sample box and unwraps it and presents little chocolate statues of a bride and groom wrapped in foil. 

“Look closer,” Mom tells me as she passes me a groom. 

I look closer. “Why the hell does this chocolate look like me?” 

“They digitally remastered our faces onto them.” 

I cringe. “The last thing I want to see at my wedding is everyone I know sucking me off.” 

Mom laughs out loud as if this is the best thing that has ever happened. 

“Those chocolates have made my life complete.” 

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apter 43 

pass the box back to her. “Your life must be extremely boring. I have to get back to work.” 

Show him the surprise.” Mom grabs my arm so I can’t get up. 

“Please don’t.” I sigh. 

Ariana pulls out crystal candlesticks. “Look how perfect these are, and all the guests get to take one home as a souvenir.” She points down to the base that’s engraved. 

Gabriel and Ariana 

Eternally bound by love 

“If I got this at a wedding and was expected to take it home, I would beat the groom to death with it.” I stand and walk over to my desk. “Take your tea party home, girls, I have to work.” 

“And now for the real showstopper.” 

I drag my hand down my face. “I wish this show would stop.” 

Ariana lifts off a cover and there are two white doves in a silver gilded cage. 

What the fuck? 

“Are they real?” I frown. 

“Of course they’re real. I’ve got to take them back this afternoon, but I wanted to bring them to show you. When we’re pronounced man and wife, three hundred doves are going to be released into the air as a symbol of our eternal love.” 

I stare at her horrified, and utterly speechless. 

Ariana bats her eyelashes all proud of herself. “Do you love them?” 

“No. I do not.” 

“Why not?” 

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“When I said you could organize the wedding, I didn’t realize you were putting on a circus performance complete with a fucking zoo,” I snap. “No doves.” 

“But…” 

“No fucking doves,” I snap. 

Ariana’s face falls in disappointment. 

“I’m overruling you, Gabriel. If Ariana wants doves, Ariana is getting doves. Only the best for my new daughter.” Mother smiles. “You have all the doves you want, sweetheart, get four hundred just to assert your dominance.” Mom winks at me and I clench my jaw. 

Don’t push it, Mom. 

I always wanted a wife that my mother approved of, but these two together is over the top. 

“Leave,” I snap. “My next appointment is here.” 

They laugh and chatter as they pack up their bullshit surprises and then slip into the sky–high heels. 

I watch them for a moment, beautiful, immaculately groomed, both in designer clothing, perfectly styled dark hair with not a thing out of place, and I have an out–of–body realization that I am marrying my mother’s younger twin. 

The thought is disturbing, how haven’t I seen this before? 

Ariana kisses my cheek and my mother kisses the other and then they breeze out of my office just as they entered. 

A whirlwind of glamor. 

The door closes behind them and my office falls silent. I try to concentrate, but instead I walk to the window and stare out over the view of New York. I slide my hands into pockets and my mind drifts to Greenville…with her. 

my 

suit