Chapter 8: The Brooke's

Maybe if they were anyone else I would have thought they were right, but they weren't. The women in my family were cursed. Me and all my family members believe that.

My first aunt Giselle has never been married longer than three months because of her bad luck in men who always cheats on her with her own house maids.

I used to think she just had bad taste in men and always went for the cheaters whenever she used to rant about our family being cursed, that was until it happened to me.

Anyway back to my aunt she was married four times before she finally called it quits, now she only tends to her shopping addiction and one night stands.

My second aunt Layla is the definition of beauty, brains and sexy. At the age of forty she still looks a decade younger.

Her first husband turned out to be gay in their second year of marriage, things could have been a little different if he had come out of the closet himself instead she found out the hard way when she caught him balls deep in his supposed friend's ass.

Hours after she left them to go on their fishing trip, turns out they weren't really fishing, well I guess they kinda were.

A decade later after her divorce, her then second husband divorced her and got married to a much younger woman who my aunt later found out was his mistress of two years.

She never got married after that and has turned into a workaholic,I think I take after her, though she denies it always. Well my third aunt has never gotten to the married stage, her fiance left her on the altar on the day of their marriage. Her boyfriend of ten years met with an unfortunate accident and died leaving her with four children to care for alone.

That was a betrayal aunt Morgan would never forget. When I told her that he didn't really have a choice, it was death after all, we all had to go at some point, she told me that he could have tried harder to live if he'd loved her hard enough. Yeah, I know what you all think, my family is crazy! Cursed. Maybe, maybe not!

My mother got it worse. She found out my father was living a double life. He had another family, who she was unwittingly supporting for more than two decades, when she found out. She gave him an ultimatum, well the thing with ultimatums is they mostly backfired, obviously he chose his other family.

His betrayal had gutted her, she'd given him her youth, her love, her money everything and in the end he'd betrayed her. What he did to her changed her,it broke her. She became nothing but a shell of her former self, always drinking and crying. Waiting for someone who would never come back.

My aunts Kristen and Gabby were the only exception, they lead a happy life with their spouses and children, their husbands were honorable men, people I actually like and respected. As a young girl I loved going to their house and spending the night there on vacations.

I love how loving and caring they were with each other,how they pay attention to their kids, my cousins. That was something I never had, though my grandmother loved me and had done everything she could to take care of me.

It wasn't actually the same, Bridget Brooks was a busy woman and as the CEO of her own chain of hotels she spent more time traveling than at home.

So most of the time I'm either at Brooke's mansion or at one of my auntie's. I honestly couldn't blame her for whatever attention I couldn't get from her. She makes up for it with gifts and luxury. I never lack for anything, only what I need most. Affection.

Maybe that was the reason I fell in love with Colton, because of his fake care and love I believed he would be like my uncles. That I would be lucky enough to have someone loyal and devoted to me entirely, someone who loved me for me not because I am hotel mogul Bridget Brooks granddaughter.

As young as I was back then I knew that crying over a father who didn't care enough to come check on me after their divorce is futile. I didn't want to wait forever for someone who isn't coming. My mom on the other hand had been so dependent on my father all her life she'd given him everything in the end it wasn't enough to keep him, ten months after their divorce she overdosed and ended her life.

I remember the sadness I felt when my grandma told me my mom was never coming back, and even as young as I was back then.

I remembered thinking that she didn't love me enough because if she had she wouldn't have abandoned me as my father did.

They'd both hadn't bothered to think about me. Maybe this was what made me into the person I am, cold.

Despite all this my family still think I should give love a chance especially my grandma.

At least my grandma had accepted my decision of not wanting to either date or marry ever, which was shocking to say the least.

My grandma is a force to be reckoned with, always meddling into her children and grandchildren's life.

Though she's very liberal and thinks everyone should choose their path in life. Sometimes she gets involved when she thinks they need a little nudge in the right direction.

And her nudging could be catastrophic in the sense that she could set you up with the most unlikely person you'll ever want to fall in love with.

My aunt Kristen on the other hand has been constantly in my business, among all my aunts she acted more like my mom than any of them.

I know she loves me and wants what's best for me but I also hate how she keeps meddling in my life. Setting me up with guys who only wanted me for either my looks or money.

“You haven't given me an answer Gianna.”

“Auntie I'm not going on a blind date,I've got more important things to do than listen to a self absorbed man or a man who speaks about himself in third person.”

There's a guy like that.

The last guy I'd gone on a blind date with out of respect for her.

“That's simply not true. All the guys I'd set you up with are perfect and your type.” I frown, I have a type? I didn't even know that.

Obviously because I'd only had one boyfriend and he was the only man I'd ever had sex with, so how does she know my type?

“Mother, you need to talk some sense into Gia,before she really decides to have a sologamy.”

“Kristen really. You're being overly dramatic. A sologamy is just a symbiotic ceremony, you don't have anything to worry about. I'm sure our Gia will find the man of her dreams,get married and pop out half a dozen grand nieces and nephews for us, right Gia?” My aunt Gabby asked, staring at me hopefully.

Wrong, I'm never getting married, I do love kids though. Fortunately there's artificial insemination. I could choose a donor and become a single mom when I'm ready.

“I think I'm meant to be alone forever auntie, and I'm honestly okay with that,” I said, nonchalantly.

“Hear that? This is what I was afraid of. This is why I told you all to talk to her. You forget how stubborn she can be. Gia listen to me, this is totally absurd, nobody is born to be alone, we all need companionship at some point. You just turned twenty 29, you've been single for seven years now, not dating, or anything.

Hell I'll be glad if you are exploring your sexuality every night but no. Honey I'm starting to get worried, are you sure you're straight?” I glance up at my aunt Giselle.

“I mean I'd be okay if I knew you were interested in women, but you're not. Gianna you're so young to be this jaded. My God!” Her frustration is something I'm familiar with.

“Maybe she needs to go on vacay—yeah, why didn't I think of that, people fall in love sometimes when they go on vacation— Meet some dashing stranger who will sweep her off her feet— and elope with her to Vegas so they get married—and send us pictures of their honeymoon,” they were all completing each other's sentences now.

I glanced at all my aunties and didn't like the calculating glint in their eyes. I shiver, suspiciously,not wanting to know what that looks means.

“Okay kids, let's not get ahead of ourselves huh, I'm sure Gianna can make her own decisions. Colton is a bastard who didn't deserve her, Gia knows not to let a bad apple like him color her opinion,” my grandma argued.

A bad apple? They were all bad apples, with the exceptions of my grandfather, uncles and cousins who are still teenagers and don't know what they are going to grow into. Hopefully they will turn out to be like my uncles and grandfather.

They were arguing, still discussing how to marry me off. When I got fed up and stood up, I didn't even finish my breakfast. I needed to get out of this house asap.

“I love you all aunties!” I said carrying my blazer, purse and phone from the couch.

“But I don't need a man or vacation. I'm about to sign a new deal with our new investors. And just in case you've all forgotten it's the holidays, it's Christmas next week. And please please, get a life and stop meddling in mine,” I ended and quickly stride towards the front door.

I have to meet Tessa in an hour. They all started arguing, talking about how I don't listen to them and how I'm going to end up an old lonely woman if I don't start listening to them.