Vengeful Matrimony | ✔️

Chapter 75

GISELLE

The buzz of a cell phone on the nightstand woke me from a tired slumber the next morning. Nicholas was still sound asleep next to me, and I contemplated waking him up to pick up his phone, but the bag underneath his eyes stopped me in my tracks. He was usually up by now to prepare for work.

I peeked at the alarm clock next to the buzzing phone. 7: 30 AM. Nicholas was supposed to be awake over thirty minutes ago. He must really be exhausted then.

I reached for the phone, checking the contact ID to see if I'd pick up the call. Ambrose. I tapped on the accept button, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Do you not sleep?" I asked, my voice still groggy from sleep.

"Different time zones exist. I thought you knew that, Elle," he said, his tone colored with amusement. "Why are you picking Niko's calls for him?" He asked.

"He's asleep. Your call woke me up."

"My bad. I'm sorry."

He didn't sound sorry at all.

I rolled my eyes. "It's cool. What's so important that you couldn't wait until it was an appropriate time to call? I'll pass the message on to Niko when he wakes up."

"As I said, different time zones exist. Anyway, I have completed my research on your sister."

The sleep fog vanished from my brain. I climbed out of bed. "Really? What did you find out?"

"For starters, she was living with her son's father before she ran away."

"Who is her son's father, and why did she run away?"

"Some Irish mafia dude. Nicholas should know how they work better. Cheating allegations and domestic violence, I believe. They were married."

Married? She was freaking married?

"How long have they been married? Why didn't she come home? How did she survive the accident? None of this makes sense."

I was so frustrated I wanted to tug my hair out. I needed answers.

"Oh, she's been in contact with your parents all along. In fact, she and Lucia had a little tea yesterday. I emailed Niko the pictures and more details. Do you believe Gianna is a spy for your father now?"

I hung up, so I didn't have to answer his question.

***

Gianna had been in contact with our parents all along.

She knew about everyone blaming me for her death, and she still didn't return. For years.

Everything I'd learned from Ambrose in the last hour played in a constant loop in my head. I was so consumed with my thoughts that I didn't hear Gianna walk up to me until her shadow fell over me.

"There's a state-of-the-art gym in there, and you choose to work out in the backyard. Figures," she said with a smile, shaking her head at me.

I sat up on my yoga mat, leaning back on my arms as I squinted up at her. "I just prefer to work out in the open."

She lowered herself to the ground opposite me, mirroring my position. "Remember the time when you got glasses because the guy who had a crush on you said he found them too dorky and unattractive?"

"He was a jerk," I supplied immediately. "Plus, glasses aren't meant to be sexualized."

She looked like she was on the verge of bursting into laughter. "I know, but I can't believe you wore them the entire year, so he wouldn't ask you out. You looked like a total dork with your braces and glasses."