You can call me Nessa

Chloe

The young woman standing in front of me didn’t have to be introduced to me to know exactly who she was.

Her doe-like grey eyes were all too familiar. They were the same as the ones I saw each morning when I woke up, and I would recognize them in a million.

“Vanessa,” Gabriel grunted, displeasure in his voice setting on fire the alarms in my body, making me stiff as if facing a beast from my worst nightmare.

Breath hitched in my throat as her eyes strayed from mine.

“Brother.” Her chest rose as she sighed, the beautiful silver sequined dress glinted under the bright lights. “Introducing your girlfriend to the public before your own family? Really?” She scolded him poisonously. “I expected more from you after what you did last time.”

I didn’t know what to do or what to say. Being in the middle of a family feud was not something I wanted. To my surprise, Gabriel turned to me, ignoring his sister completely.

“Nessa is delightful, as always.” Sarcasm seeped through his every pore. I