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11
Chapter202
We had a party at a bar owned by my family.
Michelle’s family was struggling. Her dad’s drug addiction had left them deep in debt.
Antonio, convinced I was somehow responsible for Michelle’s taking a job there, glared at me accusingly.
He, and Tyler, seemed to have forgotton that Michelle was now the object of their affections, showered with gifts and money.
She was practically rolling in it.
Why would she need to work?
I didn’t bother explaining.
Even if the bar manager corroborated my story, Antonio wouldn’t believe me.
In his eyes, I was the villain, persecuting Michelle.
“Grace, answer me,” Antonio demanded, pulling Michelle protectively into his arms, his gaze sharp.
“This engagement is over!” His words echoed through the suddenly
silent room.
Michelle paled, trembling in his embrace.
My friends watched me warily, as if I was the instigator.
The absurdity of the situation almost made me laugh.
The truth was, ever since Michelle and her mom arrived, things had been strained between Antonio and me.
The attention that had once been solely mine was now divided.
Everyone was captivated by Michelle and her mom.
I, who had always had Tyler and Antonio’s undivided attention, was now invisible. It stung.
But their concern for Michelle went beyond simple infatuation.
Why? I was Tyler’s sister and Antonio’s girlfriend. Shouldn’t I
matter more?
I was done.
“I’ll leave,” I said to Antonio, my voice flat, my face mirroring the emptiness in my heart.
I took a step forward.
Instinctively, Antonio shielded Michelle behind him. “Grace, what are you doing?”
I released the pressure on my bleeding arm and reached for my jacket on the couch. “Getting my things.”
Drops of blood stained the couch, a stark contrast against the muted colors of the room.
Antonio’s jaw tightened. Seeing my wound, he seemed about to speak.
