Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
If they wanted their precious little darlings not to be blacklisted from every prestigious school in the state or even worldwide, they’d give me what I wanted; all I wanted was any pictures they had of her mom. I could’ve waited and asked her grandmother for the same, but this was way more fun. How dare they leave the young Gianna alone after her mom died? Not only that, but let their spawns ostracize her as well.
That’s like Sheila turning against the family if Ma was suddenly no longer here. Now they know, and like roaches will scatter to tell their friends, that Gianna Fontane was no longer alone. She now had the backing of the most powerful family in the area behind her. Yes, I’d used Pop’s name to get my way. I can’t have these people know what I truly am; it’s none of their business.
Ma had come through with the jumpsuit, having her shopping assistant find one and making sure it got here in time. It wasn’t exactly like the one her mom had worn, but you’d have to look damn close to find that out. I’d robbed nana of the earrings. She’s the only one who had anything like the ones Gianna’s mom wore in one of the pictures I’d received. Altogether, with the hair and perfume, I’d turned her into a miniature of her mom. Scary as it sounds, there’s a reason.
And that reason was the first hit of the evening when we rang her father’s doorbell, and he rushed to answer as if he’d been waiting by the door. He took one look at her and fell back, clutching his chest. “Dad!” She knelt over him while I kept my eyes on the other two, especially Becky, who looked like she was about to join her husband. If she had balls, they’d have shriveled at the smile I gave her.
“Aren’t you going to help your husband?” I took Gianna’s arm and all but stepped over the passed-out man on the floor in the doorway. One down, two to go. He should be so lucky if that’s all I had planned for him, but no, we’re just getting started.
“Hello Victoria, aren’t you going to say hello to your…. what is she to you again, Gianna?”
“Um, I’m not sure?” Poor thing, she looked like an actress who’d forgotten her lines in the middle of a play. That’s okay, though; I have her covered.
“That’s right, your parents only had one kid, didn’t they? Well, now you have two sisters in mine who more than make up for it, don’t you think?”
Felix started to stir, and I turned and looked at him with my most innocent expression. Something tells me he wasn’t buying it, though, as he kept looking from his daughter to me as if he’d seen a ghost. Becky, on the other hand, was trying her best to stay as far away from Gianna as she could and avoided even looking at her. I saved my best smirk for her when she deigned to look in my direction.
“Felix, you, okay? Do you need a doctor?”
“No-no, I’m fine; it was just a shock, that’s all.”
“What was?” I looked at him with a concerned frown. He turned to look at Gianna with what looked like tears in his eyes.
“For a moment there, I thought you were your mother. You look just like her.”
“Oh? I’ve never met your wife; she must’ve been gorgeous.”
“She was the most beautiful woman in the world.” I chuckled insincerely. “Watch it, Felix, your… Becky will get jealous if you keep talking like that.” Take that you witch, I’ve got a lot more where that came from.
“Becky, you don’t look so good. Are you okay?”
“Ye…yes I’m fine. Why don’t we go on inside? I have refreshments ready.” I’ll bet you do.
“That won’t be necessary; my family is holding dinner for us, so we can’t be long. Gianna just wanted to come see her dad, make sure he’s doing okay here without her.”
“Is that true?” Yes, you mope. The jackass sounded hopeful. Hah, it won’t be that easy. We followed them into the parlor where Becky had indeed set up a tray of store-bought cupcakes and a tea tray. “Becky, can you get Gianna a bottle of water, please? Her dad’s fainting seems to have upset her.” She looked flustered as she left the room.
Victoria had moved to the only love seat in the room, which would mean either Gianna or I having to sit next to her or take individual chairs across from each other. “Move!” I wasn’t here to play with her today and had no time for teenage girl bullshit. She didn’t look like she wanted to budge, but unbeknownst to her, I’d have no problem helping her out of that chair. Felix came to her rescue just in time to save her from being dragged and dropped on her ass.