Capturing the Billionaire's Heart

Episode 3

Ciara's POV

Four months later

My life fell into a dull rhythm ever since that night and I never saw the mystery man again. The city was large and to look for a person you didn't know his name and number was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

After that night Nadine made good on her words and she convinced George to move in with her. Now that I knew about the affair, neither she nor George tried to cover it anymore.

What hurt the most was my family. After I told my father and stepmother of Nadine's actions, neither of them had supported me but had instead chosen to support their beloved daughter. It was becoming quite glaring. My family never loved me as much as they loved my sister.

It was now that my marriage ended that I realized I wasn't loved as much as I thought I was. The people who I thought were my friends turned their backs on me. It was clear they only liked me because I was the wife to the heir to Davis's empire. The worst part of it all was that no one, not even one single person had found nothing wrong in the affair between Nadine and George.

During my engagement to George, the media had been in a frenzy calling me an opportunist who wasn't fit to be Davis's daughter-in-law. They had made so many claims about me but the hypocrisy they had shown towards Nadine was alarming. Instead of vilifying her, everyone had praised them and they said they looked good together. No single media house or even the morality police had made a move to malign Nadine for having an affair with her sister's husband.

It hadn't made sense at the time but now I felt my father had something to do with it. I had a feeling he had blocked any bad press that would point any bad finger towards Nadine. The thought had hurt especially since he didn't make any move to stop the bad press from making wrongful claims about me.

The shrilling sound of my phone ringing brought me out of my thoughts of self wallowing. I grumbled as I reached for it from where it was sitting on my bedside table. My father's name was splashed across the screen and I groaned in annoyance. What did he want now?.

"Hello Dad"

"Ciara, how are you? How are you doing?"

"Don't pretend that you suddenly care about me now. I don't need your sympathy. Why did you call?"

I heard him sigh on the other end and it grated on my nerves. He'd never even bothered to check up on me all this while. Did he really think he'd just call me and I would forget about everything that happened.

"We're having a family lunch to announce some good news and your sister and step mother want you there. Be on time"

He ended the call without bothering to ask whether I wanted to come or not. I slumped back in my bed in exhaustion. The last thing I wanted was to see my family happy about Nadine and George's relationship. It was going to be an exhausting affair.

Few hours later I reached the entrance to my childhood home. I hadn't been to the house ever since the divorce because of how angry I was with everyone. Taking a deep breath I walked into the house. I could hear the echoes of their voices as I approached. They had all gathered in the living area and were all talking animatedly with each other. None of them had noticed my presence as I stood there watching them.

After my mother's death, my father had suddenly married Nadine's mother after only a year. Nadine was born less than a year later and my step mom had given birth to Chloe and Tristan. Though we only shared the same father I had done my best to be a good sister to my siblings but it seems like my actions were never rewarded. They all looked happy and were fawning over Nadine and talking about her and George when I heard a bombshell drop.

"Oh my god, I can wait for your wedding with George. It's going to be so epic," Chloe, my younger sister squealed happily. I felt my blood freeze and I stood in shock as her words hit me. Nadine and George were getting married just less than four months after my divorce with him.

All the pain and hurt I'd experienced in the last four months came crashing down on me and I wanted to scream. The absurdity of the situation was getting on my nerves and I wanted to scream. How could they sit there and act like everything was okay with the marriage of Nadine and George when only just a few months ago I was married to him?

Their betrayal tore a hole in my heart and I wanted them to feel my wrath. Today I was going to confront them about it. I opened the living room door and stormed inside. They were all taken aback as they looked at me in surprise.

"Ciara, why did you come so early? We weren't expecting you for about another half hour," my father asked in surprise standing up from his seat.

"Why Dad? Did I hear something I wasn't supposed to?" I retorted bitterly. I had no intention of pretending I was okay when things were clearly not okay.

"That's not what I meant, of course you're always welcome here as long as you don't make a scene," he replied, his words edging towards annoyance.

"Oh really. So the only thing I do when I'm here is to make a scene cause that's what you're implying Father," I shot back fiercely at my father's lack of empathy towards my situation and it was fueling my anger and frustration even more.

"Please Ciara don't do this now. This is a happy occasion and we don't want you to ruin it with your bitterness. George has decided to choose your sister and it's time you accepted that already," my father implored, his words tearing a hole in my heart.

"You know what Dad you're not the one I have a bone to pick with," I seethed, staring at Nadine.

"Ciara you're right on time dear. Come join us to celebrate," my step mother's shrill voice called out and I scoffed at her apparent obliviousness to the situation in front of us.

She was dripping with happiness as she pulled out the wedding invitation she was holding and my anger boiled over. It was obvious they had probably been planning the wedding for a really long time and to think that neither of them cared to think of how it would affect me spoke volumes of my place in their heart.

"Really Nadine. Were you so desperate to snag George you had no choice but to jump into marriage with your sister's ex husband less than four months after our divorce? How shameless can you be to act like that?" I yelled at Nadine and her eyes blazed in anger as she charged at me.

"Oh for God's sake it's been four months. Can you stop obsessing over it already?" Nadine retorted, her words slicing through the air.

"You say just four months. Were you expecting me to easily get over the fact that my sister was having an affair with my husband in just four months and not only that but she's also getting married to him. How stupid of you to think that way," I lashed back but Nadine wasn't backing down.

She sneered and looked at me mockingly. "Oh please you act like your marriage to George was a perfect love story. George was never really in love with you and now he loves me so get over it already. I don't regret anything I have done"

Just get over it. I had heard so many people say those words to me ever since I'd found out about the affair. Everyone wanted me to just get over it like they were in my shoes.

My stepmom who had been watching our exchange silently went over to her daughter's side to defend her.

"I know you can't be happy for your sister right now but it's time to move on. George made a choice and he chose your sister and you have to accept that. Besides, you're stressing Nadine right now and it's bad for the baby."

The mention of Nadine's pregnancy left me in shock.

"You're pregnant with George's child?" I asked, whispering.

"Yes Ciara. George and I are expecting a child," Nadine replied, her voice harsh and mocking.

My legs wobbled under my weight and I stumbled slightly but held myself down. I wouldn't crumble in front of them.

"Though it wasn't intentional. George and I love each other. It's time you accept it and move on. I know it doesn't sound right but I would really like it if you come to our wedding," she uttered, a mocking smirk playing on her face as she extended the invitation card to me.

I angrily took the card and tore it into pieces. Nadine watched me in amusement, clearly enjoying my torment.

"Ciara what's wrong with you? If you know you can't be happy for your sister just leave this house right now," my father yelled.

I stared at the people I once called my family and decided in my heart I would never forgive them for the immense pain and betrayal they had caused me.

"I curse the day you entered my life and I regret the day I accepted you as my sister. Just watch and see you'll pay for every single pain you've ever caused me. You'll see," I whispered in determination as my eyes itched with unshed tears.

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Nadine smirked mischievously as she walked away with my family following suit after her.

I stood there alone standing in the empty room feeling lonely and empty inside. I will make Nadine and George regret ever betraying me, I promised myself.