CHAPTER 6
1007 Words
MABEL’S POV
We watched as the speedboat carrying my stepsister, Layla, and her husband, Nike, moved closer to the lakehouse. My stepmother had insisted we stand at the dock to greet them. I wasn’t particularly in the mood to, but I also didn’t want to cause a scene by disagreeing with her.
Layla happily shrieked as the boat docked. Nike helped her out while my stepmother rushed forward to hug her.
“How are you doing, sweetie?” my stepmother asked, kissing both her cheeks.
“Really fine, Mother. Nike and I had so much fun,” Layla said, slowly moving her blonde hair to the side to reveal an obvious hickey. “Sorry we came late. Nike and I are just getting back from our honeymoon.”
“No problem at all. You came right on time,” my stepmother replied.
As if noticing me, Layla turned in my direction.
“So where’s the man you told everyone you’d be bringing?” she asked, scanning around for unfamiliar faces before raising an eyebrow.
I nearly bit my tongue.
I had blurted it out in the family group chat after everyone kept going on about how sad it was that I’d be the only one without a partner. In a moment of desperation, I’d lied, and now f*****g Zach Cole was nowhere to save my ass.
“He couldn’t make it,” I answered tightly.
“Aww.” She pouted in fake pity, pressing a hand dramatically against her chest. “We are your family. You don’t have to pretend to have a man so that you don’t look lonely.”
She smiled sweetly.
“One day, I’m sure you’ll get married too.”
As she spoke, she casually displayed her wedding ring beside the hickey. I knew she was trying to get a reaction out of me, but I refused to give her one.
“Thank you.”
Once she realized I wasn’t falling for the bait, she turned to Nike, interlocked her fingers with his, and walked away with the rest of the family. Nike glanced back at me with an apologetic look that only irritated me more.
I took a deep breath before following after them.
It was going to be a very long holiday.
************
In the Dickens family, we took family gatherings very seriously. The entire extended family gathered at least twice a year to celebrate and uphold the family tradition of togetherness at our lakeside estate.
To outsiders, we looked like a close-knit family. But I had never felt lonelier than when I was here. I always felt like a stranger, especially because I was born out of wedlock.
I stood by the appetizer table, stuffing food onto my plate, when Nike walked over with his own plate and reached for the same dessert as me.
My heart immediately started racing.
I quickly pulled my hand back and reached for another one instead.
“You can have it,” Nike said in the same voice I used to love.
Sadly, I still did.
Frankly, you couldn’t stop loving someone overnight just because they dumped you for your sister.
I shook my head, still avoiding eye contact.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his shoulders slump.
“I know it’s a little late, but…. I’m sorry about how things ended between us,” he muttered softly before taking a deep breath. “I still love you.”
I tensed.
“You are married to my sister,” I hissed, finally turning to face him.
“The wrong sister,” he answered quietly, holding my gaze. “I’m still in love with you, Mabel.”
“Excuse me?”
I dropped my plate and headed straight for the stairs. Anger and pain rushed through my body all at once.
Nike was such a f*****g douchebag.
How had I not seen it earlier?
It hadn’t even been two months since he married my sister, and he was already confessing his love to me. What exactly did he expect me to do? Jump into his arms and confess my undying love for him?
I was halfway up the stairs when I heard Layla call my name.
I sighed. “What is it?”
She crossed her arms. “I saw you with Nike. What were you two talking about?”
“Why don’t you ask him?” I replied, turning to walk away.
She angrily stormed up the stairs after me, grabbed my arm, and yanked me back around.
“Stay. Away. From. Him,” she glared.
“You should be telling him that, not me,” I snapped.
Something dark flickered in her eyes.
“If you think your slutty self is going to steal him back, you’re seriously mistaken. Nike is mine. You hear me?” She lifted her hand to show off her wedding ring. “He’s married to me, and I’m carrying his baby. So back off.”
“I don’t want him anyway. You two suit each other.”
She beamed, completely missing the insult.
Either she was too slow to catch the sarcasm, or she simply didn’t care.
“Of course we do. I’m the right woman for him. Unlike you, I actually know how to please a man instead of acting like some pathetic virgin.”
I clenched my fists.
I couldn’t believe Nike had told her something that private.
My vision blurred red with anger.
“Well, if your s*x skills are so amazing, then why are you so worried I could steal your husband?” I shot back. “Or are you scared he’s already bored of you and suddenly interested in the untouchable Mabel? I heard men prefer that over cheap women who throw themselves at anyone.”
Layla’s eyes burned with rage, and she slapped me.
I stared at her in shock for half a second before raising my hand to hit her back, but suddenly someone grabbed my hair and yanked me hard enough to crash me to the floor.
- Writer
