Chapter 51 

Violet 

“I’m fine.” I pull my blanket around me tighter as I try to protect myself from this monster. “Go back to New York, Gabriel.” He stays silent as he looks out over the lake. 

“I don’t want you here.” 

He nods and leans his elbows on his knees, and we sit in silence for a while, the wind Whistles through the trees and the breeze whips my hair around. I want to be anywhere but 

here alone with him. 

“How much did she offer you?” he asks. 

I glance over at him, surprised. 

“That’s what she did…didn’t she? Offered to buy you out of my life.” 

As I stare at him, a new realization washes over me, I know why he’s like he is, why he’s always in attack mode and on the defensive. His mother is pure evil, I can’t imagine being brought up in that environment. 

“Twenty million,” I whisper. 

Hurt flashes across his face before he hides it. “Did you accept it?” 

“If you have to ask me that then you don’t know me at all.” I roll my eyes in disgust. “Honestly, I don’t need this crap, Gabriel. Please…just…go away,” I whisper. 

I’m trying to stay calm and keep my over dramatization to a bare minimum, but I have to ask the question. “Why would she come here?” I ask. 

“I broke off my engagement to Ariana.” 

“What does that have to do with me?” 

. 

apter 51 

Everything.” 

frown, confused. “I don’t understand.” 

“Violet…” He pauses as if trying to get the wording right in his head. 

“Did you ever wonder why I came looking for you?” he asks softly. 

“I…” I shrug, unsure what to say. “No.” 

“I came looking for you because I never…” His eyes search mine. “I would think of you at strange times and random places. For no reason at all you would pop into my head.” 

“Gabriel…” I cut him off. 

“Let me finish,” he snaps. He clasps his hands together as if steeling himself. “I came to find you to put to bed this strange…” He frowns as he tries to articulate himself, “…unfinished feeling I have between us. 

“It doesn’t…” 

“I thought you would be married and happy and I could get the closure I needed and start my new life.” I stare at him, horrified. 

“But it backfired because as soon as I saw you…” he pauses, “…I knew.” 

“Knew what?” 

“That I was marrying the wrong woman.” What the fuck is happening right now? 

“And then I found out about the children… And I was angry. But…” 

“Stop.” 

“We can make this…” 

“Stop it,” I snap as I jump out of my chair. “What are you saying?” 

bro 

I broke up with Ariana because I want to be a father to my children and because…I can’t 

apter t 

see them without…” He pauses. 

Without what?” 

“Without seeing you. How can I be married to someone else while knowing that I still have 

feelings for you?” 

This man is the living end. 

“What?” I spit angrily. “You don’t have feelings for me. You never did then, why the hell 

would you now?” 

You’re 

You’re angry.” 

“I’m not angry,” I fire back. “I’m disgusted. Poor Ariana. You’re a fucking douche bag. That 

poor girl is three weeks out from her wedding and you are breaking up with her for a cheap 

fuck you had on your desk seven years ago.” 

“It was never a cheap fuck,” he growls as he begins to lose his temper. 

“You know damn well it wasn’t.” 

“You’re pathetic.” I storm inside. 

“How am I pathetic?” He’s hot on my heels. 

“You have cold feet and are looking for an excuse to get out of the wedding.” A gust of wind 

whips around the house. “Close the door,” I snap. “Do not bring me into this, you’re as bad 

as your mother.” 

“Cold feet have nothing to do with this.” He shuts the door. “You asked me why my mother is blaming you and I’m telling you why. I never said that I’m in any position to pursue something with you right now, just stating the facts as to what’s gone on in my life this 

week.” 

“Don’t bother ever pursuing something with me, Gabriel.” I fume as I poke him hard in the chest. “Go back to New York. Man up and marry 

apter 

Ariana.” 

don’t want Ariana. I want you.” 

“Tough shit,” I whisper angrily. “I want nothing to do with you. Apart from my babies, that night was a big mistake.” 

“We had something, and you’ve been rearing our children all alone…” 

“I wasn’t alone.” 

What does that mean?” He puts his hands on his hips, indignant. 

“Is that what you think?” I throw my hands up in disgust, of course it is. “That I’ve been sitting here alone and brokenhearted, crying over the infamous Gabriel Ferrara all this time.” 

“What have you been doing?” 

“I’ve been in a three–year relationship to a man that I loved deeply.” 

His face falls. “You’re with someone?” 

I really want to lie right now, but I know I can’t. 

“Not anymore…but.” 

“So…” He goes to take me in his arms. 

What the fuck? 

I pull out of his grip. “Gabriel…I’m telling you this with all sincerity, so please listen. Go back and marry Ariana. Don’t let go of something wonderful for an average night seven years ago that meant nothing.” 

“You’re lying.” 

Mom,” a little voice sounds from the stairs. 

apte 

We both look up to see Lucia standing midway up. 

Shit, 

“Oh, hi, baby.” I fake a smile. “I’m sorry, did we wake you?” 

She nods as she rubs her eyes all sleepy like and wanders down the stairs. 

“Hello Lucia,” Gabriel says softly. 

“Hi.” She smiles up at him and holds her little arms up for a hug. 

“Ugh…not now. 

Gabriel drops to his knee and hugs her. “I’m sorry for waking you, princess.” 

Why does she have to be so damn cute all the time? 

“Are you staying in Mom’s bed?” she asks. 

“No.” “Yes.” We answer at the same time. 

“I would love to stay, that way I can see you and your brother in the morning.” His eyes find mine. “Would that be okay, Violet?” I glare at him. “No,” I mouth behind Lucia’s back. 

“Thank you,” he replies as he totally ignores me. “Why don’t you go up to bed, Lucia, and I’ll come up and say good night in a moment.” 

Damn it, why are they so familiar with each other, this is not okay. 

Lucia’s smile beams through the room. “Okay.” She skips up the stairs and disappears. 

“You need to go home.” 

“What I need is to finish our conversation.” 

“The conversation is over. I think you’re disgusting being here and saying these things while 

our poor fiancée is crying at home right now.” 

apter st 

She is not my fiancée anymore, and I cannot be responsible for other people’s feelings.” 

And that statement right there is exactly why you repulse me,” I whisper angrily. “You will always be the selfish prick that I remember you as.” 

1 

“You can’t deny it, Violet. The spark is still there between us.” He steps forward, causing me to step back. His close proximity steals my.every brain cell and I find myself speechless as I stare up at him. “Gabriel…” 

“Yes, Vee.” He raises an eyebrow, all playful. 

“This is never happening so get it out of your thick head right now.” I turn and march up the stairs, great, now I have to clean my room so the entitled prick can stay over. I look down at 

him from the top of the stairs. 

“Tonight is your last night under my roof.” “We’ll see.” 

“Fuck off,” I mouth. 

“No,” he mouths back. 

Ugh…this man is infuriating, I stomp into my room and close the door. I look around at the 

chaos. 

I’m not even joking; this is the last time. 

♡ 

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