~Amanda~My jaw twitched and I fisted my hands on the fur coat that Gabriel had placed over my shoulder.“It's best if we don't talk about it.”I heaved a slow sigh,”I'm sorry if my question hurt you in any way.I shouldn't have meddled.”Gabriel said in a remorseful voice but I didn't say anything.“I will go back inside,”I turned to look at Gabriel and he nodded with a smile,”Thank you for the jacket.”I removed it carefully then handed him the jacket.I turned around and walked to the mansion without looking back at him.However,I could feel his eyes on my back.*****I leaned on the door and heaved a deep sigh,the door was cold against my skin and I couldn't help but shiver slightly.With a heavy heart and wandering mind,I changed into pajamas and crawled under the blankets.I felt so exhausted from the day's activity but my mind was still awake.I couldn't help it but think of my poor Ariana.Her sad voice rang in
~Amanda~Our car pulled through the gates of BLUE BELL school after a few minutes' drive.There were many cars in the parking lot and I could see kids with both parents laughing, joking and talking like the happy family that I wished to have someday.My heart ached at the thought of it but I took a deep breath to calm down.I turned to Aria and she flashed me a smile.“I will do it,”Gabriel said when I was about to open the door.He unbuckled the seatbelts then got out of the car and walked to the other side.“Thank you,”I said with a smile when we got out of the car.“Come here,I will carry you.”Ariana giggled when Gabriel picked her from the ground and carried her in his arms.“I thought you're a big girl.''I joked and we both laughed.I could tell that my daughter was enjoying being in Gabriel's arms and my lips curved into a smile.Gabriel and I asked around where we were supposed to go and the security guard was kind enough to give us directions to the school event hall.I couldn't he
~Amanda~Gabriel looked around as though he wasn't sure if he was the one that I was talking to and my lips curved into a smile.I know he wasn't expecting it and I couldn't blame him for reacting that way.He slowly walked to us and wrapped his strong hands around us, patting our backs.I felt Aria giggled and I could tell that she enjoyed it so much.For some unknown reason,we felt protected from everything.I closed my eyes and got lost in the moment just this once.“I'm doing this for Aria,”That's what I told myself.After staying in the embrace for a couple minutes,we pulled away .“Mommy,why are you crying?”Aria asked with creased eyebrows and I blinked, that's when I felt the wetness on my long eyelashes.“I'm happy because you're making mommy proud.”I joked and she smiled,the worry on her face vanished and it was now replaced by happiness.I wiped tears from my eyes.“
~Amanda~Without a second thought,I rushed to the sides of my daughter.“Mommy,I can't breathe.”She said and I could see that she was trying her best to remain conscious.“Please don't say that Aria,try to breathe.Mommy is right here with you,I won't allow anything to happen to you.”I pleaded.“What's wrong with her?”Gabriel inquired,”She's having an asthma attack.I need an inhaler, it's in the car in my purse.”I told Gabriel.He took Aria in his arms and rushed to the parking lot.Other kids stopped playing as they were worried about Aria.I could see fear and worry written all over their faces.I didn't have time to explain to them what was going on.I followed behind Gabriel.His strides were long and rushed,I had to run to catch up with him.Gabriel opened the door of his Jeep and placed Aria on the chair.“Aria,open your eyes.”I heard Gabriel tell my daughter and his voice was shaky.I poured all the c
~Amanda~“My Dad was asthmatic too,”I could feel my heart thumping wildly against my ribcage and for a split second,I was afraid that it would escape from my chest. “It makes sense,”Gabriel nodded,”It's genetic.”He glanced at me then looked back at the road.May Dad's soul rest in peace,I used him as an escape.It was quiet for a while inside the car.”Aria is so lucky to have you as a mother.”Gabriel and I locked eyes through the rearview mirror and he smiled at me.“Why are you saying that?”The questions slipped out of my lips without expecting it.“It’s because she has a very caring mother.”I was quiet for a while because I didn't know how to respond to his compliment.The truth is that I cared about my daughter more than anything else in this world.It's like my world around her…“I always knew that you'll make a good mother,Amanda.I remember how much you
~Amanda~I looked at the lady's hand tightly wrapped around Gab's arm and for some inexplicable reason,my heart ached inside my chest.The sight of it reminded me of some years back.The lady's hand was exactly where mine used to be and the smile on her lips was broad.There is no doubt that she was enjoying Gabriel's company and obviously happy to be around him.Damn it!I didn't know what the hell was happening to me and I hated the fact that my heart was behaving in such a stupid manner.I didn't have any idea if it was pain or relief because it was hard for me to wrap my head around the strange feeling.I shifted my eyes from the lady's hand to Gabriel's face.He seemed so nervous and he wasn't…that happy.Why was he behaving that way?I thought that he was supposed to be happy because he was going to marry the love of his life soon.He must be happy that he was finally going to fulfil his dreams even if…it wasn
~Gabriel~We pulled off from the kiss when someone coughed and we both turned to check who it was and that's when we found out that it was Amanda.Damn it!I didn't know how it happened.It's Alicia who kissed me and before I could react to her kiss,Amanda caught us.I was speechless,I didn't know what to tell Amanda or how to explain to her that Alicia was the one who kissed.I’m sure that…she won't understand even if I explained a thousand and one times.Deep down,I felt the need to explain to her but I didn't know how to…“Goodnight,”She flashed us a smile then turned around and walked to her room.I stared at the door blankly.“Gabriel,are you okay?”My mind jolted back to the present when Alicia pulled my hand and I turned to look at her, forcing a smile on my lips so that she wouldn't read in between the lines.I wanted to tell her the damn truth! That I was not okay! However,I chose t
Chapter 024~Amanda~I took a sharp breath when Gabriel held onto my hand.I looked at his hand tightly wrapped around my wrist then raised my head to look at him.Even though I didn't want to accept the damn truth,I felt some type of way as his hand held my bare skin and I hated every single feeling of it.I'm not supposed to feel that way because he is someone else's and my sibling too.Siblings are not supposed to have any kind of feelings for each other, right?And what the hell was he doing here late in the night?He should be with the love of his life,having some fun.I pulled my hand from his tight grip when I recalled bumping into them kissing passionately.For some unknown reason,my heart ached.I couldn't imagine Gabriel doing what he used to do to me to someone else.He just to be so gentle on me whenever we made love and he would ask if I was comfortable.Sometimes,he was rough an