Page 137 of The Bonus

“The invitations have already gone out, what do you expect me to do. Everything has been paid for.”

“Keep everything in credit for when you do marry, you can still have the wedding you want one day. Take your girlfriends on the honeymoon, go and enjoy yourself.”

“What?” she explodes. She picks up the television remote and throws it at me. “I don’t want a honeymoon with my girlfriends.” She’s in full-blown hysterics, crying and screaming. “I love you, Gabriel. How could you do this to me?”

“I hate myself for it. But what do you want me to do?” I cry. “I will not lie to you, you know that.”

“We work it out,” she yells. “Of course you are rattled, you just found out you have children. It’s bound to confuse you, but what we have is real.” She takes my hand in hers. “Don’t do this.”

“How do we get around it?” I shrug.

“We get married and we work this out like adults. All relationships have exes, Gabriel. Children from a previous relationship shouldn’t matter, I will accept them as my own. I promise you. We can be a blended family, your kids, and our kids.”

I stare at her heartbroken face and take it in my hands. “Sweetheart.” I kiss her forehead. “This isn’t just about the children. My affection for Grace is real. I wish that it wasn’t there, but I cannot deny it any longer. It has been with me all along, and now…I don’t want there to be three people in our marriage, you deserve better.”

She cries on my chest and I hold her tight. I can feel how hard her heart is breaking and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it.

I hate myself for doing this to her.

Grace

I make myself a cup of coffee in the lunch room and walk through the office to head back to my desk. “You want to go to the Indian restaurant for lunch?” Marci calls.

“I wish,” I call back. “I’m on a budget.”

“Ugh, you’re so boring.”

“Not as boring as the lunch I packed,” I call back.

“Ha! Truth.”

I walk back into my office and sit down at my desk when I hear my phone ding as a text comes in. I ignore it, I’ll check it at lunch.

Another ding, then another.

Who is frigging texting me so much? I take out my phone to see it’s Deb.

Omfg Call Me!!!!

I roll my eyes and dial her number; she answers first ring. “Oh my fucking god,” she gasps as if the world is collapsing.

“Why are you being so dramatic?”

“He’s called off the wedding.”

“Who has?”

“Gabriel Ferrara has called off his wedding.”

My eyes widen. “What? How do you know?”

“It’s all over the news.”

“Hang on.” I instantly open Google and put in the search bar,

Gabriel Ferrara engagement

It seems the fairy tale is over for Gabriel Ferrara and his fiancée, Ariana Rossi.

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