Chapter 88 Are You Fine With It

Chapter 88 Are You Fine With It
\[Gianna’s POV\]

I stare on, listening to what is going on in front of me, and as I do, I feel the pleasant emotions from the past week slowly drift away until I feel almost hollow.

You’re a fool, Gianna. I tell myself now. You let yourself believe that he actually cared about you. You need to remember that isn’t the case.

I needed to keep my heart guarded from here on out, but would it be so easy?

As I consider this, I shift my gaze to my mother’s and when our eyes meet, I can see the disapproval in hers and that just makes me feel even more like shit, but what was done was done and there was no going back. I could only hope that one day she would forgive me.

“You’re a fool,” Anthony says now and I snap my gaze to him as though he is speaking to me, but then realize his words were meant for Grant. “You’re a fucking idiot and you’ve now gotten Gianna involved in your mess.”

“I haven’t done anything of the sort.” Grant counters. 

“How can you say that when you know what is waiting for you when father figures out what you’ve done?”

At Anthony’s words, I feel a chill rush through me as I remember that intimidating man from the event that I attended with Grant. Along with that man, I remember the woman who was introduced as Grant’s fiance and the words that she said to me.

Did I really make the right choice?

I wasn’t sure, but there was no going back now.

“Gianna,” my mother says, drawing my attention to her. “Can we speak for a minute?”

“Sure.”

There was no point in denying her what she wanted since I was already aware of how she would feel about everything, but even now as she motions for me to follow her back into the house, I shoot Grant a look and his nods in reassurance.

Swallowing, I start to move and once my mother and I are in the house and alone she whirls on me.

“Have you lost your mind?” She demands, not even hesitating to hold back. “How could you do something so stupid?”

“Stupid,” I repeat, though she’s right. “You’re acting like I did this intentionally.”

I didn’t. Well, I did intentionally sleep with Grant, but I didn’t intentionally get pregnant, that was just a dumb mistake.

“He’s Anthony’s brother!” My mother snaps. “And your step-uncle!”

“He wasn’t my step uncle when we slept together.” I point out and immediately regret it as my mother gives me a look that screams disappointment.

“You weren’t dating,” she continues when I don’t speak. “You weren’t dating and you weren’t serious about each other. How could you let yourself get pregnant?”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I sigh. “I didn’t let myself get pregnant. Do you think that I would do something that stupid? My career is just taking off and now I’m going to have to take leave and lose everything I worked towards.”

“Why would you do something like this?” My mother asks quietly. “Do you have any idea about the world Grant lives in? It isn’t a world that we belong.”

“Then what about Anthony?”

My mother was being a total hypocrite.

She also married a man from that world. Even if he wasn’t the one following in his father’s footsteps, he was also from the world that my mother was saying I don’t belong in.

“What about you?” I push even though I know I need to shut up. “Why would it be okay, but not for you?”

The words are leaving my lips as I scream at myself to stop them, but once they are out, there isn’t any chance of me taking them back.

“Am I beneath you?”

You would think that I slapped my mother with the look on her face at my question, but I guess I did.

“You’re acting like I’m not worthy of anything.”

God, shut up, Gianna! Stop pushing! Stop it! But I can’t stop because my mother has triggered my defense mechanism.

“If you only brought me in here to insult me and make me feel like I’m not worth anything, you’ve done your job.”

“Gianna,” my mother gasps, but I shoot her a look.

“I didn’t even want to tell you.” I tell her. “But Grant insisted because he wanted to do things the right way.”

Ugh. Why was I defending that bastard when he didn’t deserve it?

“He didn’t want to hide our relationship or the fact we were expecting.” I continue when my mother doesn’t speak. “So, at least don’t make him feel like he’s wrong like you’re doing to me.”

Finished speaking, I turn and start to head toward the houses exit, but before I can reach, my mother’s hand wraps around mine.

“Gia,” my mother pushes as I turn and stare at her. “Are you really alright with this?”

For a moment, I don’t speak as I consider my mother’s question and when I realize the answer to it, I swallow it because my true answer won’t bring my mother any peace.

“I’m fine with it.” I say instead. “Why would I go along with it if I wasn’t?”

I can only hope that nothing about my expression or my voice gives way to how I actually feel, although, would it really matter?

My mother didn’t hesitate to insult me, so why am I trying to bring her peace of mind? Because I should be the only one suffering for my decisions.

“I’m really okay with it.” I repeat, gently pulling my wrist free. “And I’m going to be okay because Grant is beside me.”

Smiling, I turn around and give my mother a hug and kiss on the cheek and before the tears that suddenly want to fall from my eyes escape me, I turn and head out of the house where Anthony and Grant wait.

“Are you guys done talking?” I ask as their gazes come to rest on me. “If so, we should get going.”