Chapter 61: Let's Get Along

\[Gianna’s POV\]

I stand in place, debating which man I should approach, but before I can decide I feel a hand touch my shoulder and when I whirl around, I find myself facing the woman who is engaged to Grant.

“Sorry,” she says, her face screaming she isn’t. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You didn’t,” I say slowly, my perfect modeling smile falling into place. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Honestly, I was aware that there wasn’t.

I was certain this woman intentionally came to find me because she wanted to push my buttons, but I wasn’t going to let her get her way.

There was nothing to be upset about anyway.

Grant wasn’t mine and I had no intention of being with him anyway.

“I just wanted to properly introduce myself.” The beauty explains. “You said that you were Grant’s family, yes?”

“That’s correct.”

“It’s odd though,” she continues, her lips twitching into a frown. “I know almost all of his family and I’ve never met you.”

“That’s because we just became family.” I explain, refusing to let her try to get the upper hand. “You see, his brother just married my mom.”

As I speak, I nod in the direction we just left where I’m certain Anthony and my mother still stand.

“I’m sure you saw her with Anthony.”

Growing quiet, I wait while the beauty stares at me, her gaze screaming she didn’t even notice those around us.

“Anyway, I’m his step-niece now.” I smile. “It’s nice to meet you Miss Fiance.”

“Rachel,” the woman corrects me, clearly not liking how I addressed her. “My name is Rachel, Rachel Bellegroves.”

“Nice to meet you Rachel, I’m Gianna.”

I hold up my hand and wait while Rachel stares at it, her expression clearly saying she doesn’t want to shake it, but because I’ve been introduced as her fiance’s family, she finally does.

“A pleasure,” she says, giving a single shake and then releasing me. “And since it seems that we will probably be seeing each other more often, let’s get along.”

“Sure,” I nod, though I have no intention of being involved that long. “Let’s, then, you should probably get going. I’m certain that my uncle will be looking for you, I mean, you are his beloved fiance after all.”

I’m taking a hit. I know that I am, because if he actually gave two shits about this woman he wouldn’t have fucked me and he certainly wouldn’t be trying to win me over like he has, but wasn’t this great?

I now had a reason to completely reject Grant and keep him the hell away from me.

“I should,” Rachel agrees. “But, there is one more thing I’d like to say before we part.”

“Sure.”

I watch as she leans close to me, her hand clamping my shoulder, her nails digging into my skin ever-so-slightly.

“You should be more cautious of how you interact with Grant.” She says quietly, just loud enough for me to hear. “Before me, he had quite the reputation of being a womanizer, you see. And…” She continues, a small laugh escaping her. “Even if you are family, you aren’t related by blood and therefore you could cause that reputation to return. You wouldn’t want that, right? I mean, it is public knowledge that he is engaged to me, so you wouldn’t only ruin him, but also my family.”

At her words, I keep my expression neutral because I don’t miss what she is hinting at. She was making it clear that even though I said I was his family, I was still trying to get close to him when what was actually happening was the complete opposite.

“Don’t worry,” I say slowly, unable to ignore the anger I feel towards her words. “I’m not the one you need to be concerned with.”

Finished speaking, I move my shoulder, knocking her hand off of it and then I step back.

“It was nice talking to you, future auntie.” I smile and enjoy the way her expression shifts as I say it. “I’ll see you around.”

I don’t give her the chance to say anything else before I’m moving, zigzagging in the crowd until I’m certain that I’ve lost the bitch and when I reach the edge of the room, I let out a breath.

Fuck.

How in the hell did I get myself mixed up in such a situation?

Because you thought with your pussy instead of your head. The small voice in the back of my head answers. And now you’re pregnant by your new step-uncle who is engaged and is your new boss.

Ugh. I needed to get out of this and quick, but did I actually have enough money to do it?

I saved up almost everything that I could, but even then, I wasn’t sure if it was enough to start over somewhere else, especially since I wouldn’t be able to work until I had the baby and got my body back.

I could just admit everything. I tell myself, but then push that idea away because honestly, I didn’t want to get trapped in a messy situation. No I can’t.

Then, the only choice was to leave before I started showing.

Right.

I had to leave.

I had to move somewhere far away under the guise of doing work so that my mother didn’t worry and when I had my baby and figured out a way to explain it, I could come back.

But would she accept a father not being involved? And what about Grant?

I was certain that Anthony would eventually tell him about me having a kid and if he put two and two together, wouldn’t he figure out that the child was his.

“My head hurts.”

“Then would you like a drink?”

The voice comes from right beside me.

It’s a deep, gravelly voice, and when I turn I find a handsome man with a buzzed head, tan skin, and grey eyes standing beside me smiling.

“Sorry,” he chuckles as I eye him. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your inner conversation, but I saw you here alone and couldn’t stop myself from approaching.”