Vengeful Matrimony | ✔️

Chapter 76

GISELLE

Family isn't obligatory.

Those were the wise words of Sage. I guess her name was befitting in this situation. She'd told me that after I had opened up to her that I felt the need to provide for my family members emotionally and physically, even though they didn't deserve it.

It was family over everything, after all.

"Whoever made that saying was wrong," Sage had told me. "It's not family over everything. It's you over everything. It's your life over everything. It's your mental health over everything. Choose yourself. You're not obligated to bend over backward to please anyone - family included. That title isn't born, Elle. It is earned, and those who don't earn it don't deserve that same courtesy from you."

I'd foolishly opened my doors to Gianna because she was "family". She couldn't possibly hurt me, I thought when I made that decision. Boy, how wrong I was.

If I hadn't heard the words coming out of her mouth myself, I wouldn't have believed them. Why would I? This was the same girl who taught me how to use mascara when I kept sticking the wand into my eyes. She'd brought a pint of ice cream to my room when I experienced my first stupid heartbreak in middle school. She'd also sat down in my room to braid my hair every night while telling me about her dreams and aspirations for the future. This was the same girl who stood up for me when a boy was teasing me about my braces.

How could she be so... different?

This wasn't the girl I'd considered family. This wasn't the girl I told myself I'd give up my life for without a second thought. This wasn't the girl I hosted fake concerts with in the privacy of my bedroom.

"Your replacement, huh? I can never measure up?"

"Don't stand there and act all emotional with me. You stole Nicholas away from me!"

I didn't know what was more heartbreaking. Her not showing any remorse for her words, or the words themselves.

"I took nothing away from you! Here's a thought. Maybe if you hadn't faked your death, you'd have gotten married to him. Maybe that could have been a possibility if you'd stuck around after the accident. Don't you dare blame this on me!"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you leave this house so we can be one happy family again." She screamed, a manic look in her eyes. "Just me, Orion, and Nicholas. Nobody wants you, Giselle."

She took a step toward me, but Nicholas blocked her path, obstructing her view of me. "That's enough. The person who isn't wanted here is you. You're only here because of Giselle's kindness. Do you know how many sleepless nights she's had because of you? Of course, you do. You just don't care. You never cared. My marriage to Giselle might have been a mistake, but it's the greatest mistake to ever happen to me. Giselle is right. You've overstayed your welcome."

He wrapped his hand around her arm, dragging her out of the kitchen. I remained rooted to my spot, disbelief clinging to my skin.

How could she? I trusted her. I let her into my home, but she...

She was no different from Lucia-selfish and manipulative. She'd even said the same words Lucia had. In the end, they only cared about themselves.

Strong arms came around me before I crumpled to the floor in a sobbing heap.

"How could I be so stupid and naïve? I trusted her, Niko. I trusted her, and she-"

"Shh." He silenced me with a finger over my mouth. "Don't blame yourself, Giselle. As you said, you trusted her. This isn't on you. It's on her. She betrayed you."