ABSOLUTION

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

It felt like somebody had punched Gabriella in the stomach. Cole hated her. That was all there was to it, he downright hated her. She didn't blame him, but boy could he hold a grudge. The sad part of it all was she was still so madly in love with the idiot.

"Just thought it's a bit of information I'd best give to you myself. Don't worry about me coming back, trust me on this Cole, I won't be coming back." She was going to cry.

Funny how her father dying didn't make her cry, she didn't shed a single tear and her father was her everything, but Cole... Just one harsh word from Cole and she was more than ready to start sobbing.

Needing to keep whatever dignity she had left, Gabriella turned on her heels and left for the door. She was so tired of all this crap. Her life was one fucked up hot mess.

She went home and found Leo waiting for her. "Where were you?" He asked as he leaned up against the door.

"In hell." She snapped. She waited for him to move so she could unlock the door. He followed her inside.

"You haven't been home in over two weeks Gab. No phone call, no nothing... Is that how you think relationships work?"

"You were an asshole." She bit. "You had no right interfering with me and my uncle."

"If I am to be your husband it is my right to interfere."

"Yeah well you are not yet my husband." She was so over this.

"You stayed at Marc's then?" Fuck!

"Yeah I did. With his partner and his son."

"I don't like this Gab. Really I don't. I'm trying to be there for you."

"Leo... I need time okay. You have to let me work some shit out."

"You want a break from me?" He asked her. He seemed shocked.

"I think it's for the best. Just until I sort myself out."

"I won't keep coming back Gab." She knew this. She didn't get why he was still around anyway.

"I don't know what to say." She just wanted him gone, but the thought of being alone... It terrified her.

"I love you. I am here for you. Marc is no good. He is not the right person for you."

"Marc is a friend."

"He's controlling. He has no say in your life Gabby. At the end of the day his life is set up, yours is not. You are nowhere near getting your life in order. Let's get married, have a family. You will be better for it." Great... Nice. "I will give you everything you need. You won't need Marc or anybody else."

"He's just a friend Leo."

"I don't like it. You have to move on. He's keeping you from doing that. He says jump and you say how high. What is that about?"

"Nothing. Please... I just need to rest. I'm tired, had a shitty few weeks."

"I've got to go into work anyway. I'll see tomorrow." Leo kissed her on the cheek before he left. What the fuck was she doing.

Marc wasn't the one stopping her from marrying Leo, it was her feelings for Cole. She was stupidly so in love with Cole that she was finding everything so hard. Her life had been on a standstill for over four years now. Cole was no closer to forgiving her.

She slept with his brother... Huge mistake if ever.

Life was no closer to cutting her any slack. Her uncle showed up to her house a few days later. "What?" Gabriella hadn't seen him since the funeral.