Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I tried asking her husband to intervene, but he made it very clear that he was on her side and wouldn’t be talking her into doing anything until she was ready. I guess I should be grateful that she had such a strong, caring man by her side.
I thought when she blocked all of us that it was bad, but now that I’m the only one she refuses to talk to, I finally know what real hell feels like. She was making it clear that she could forgive all the others but not me. I guess her Mom is right, and she’s just hurt, but I’m not sure that that’s all it is.
None of them saw her when she came to my home after the age of twelve when her brothers were all away, and it was just her. That’s when Helen started showing her hate for her, and I did my best to shield her from the worst of it.
I’m obviously not seeking any rewards for that. But part of my pain stems from not knowing how deeply affected she was. In my mind, she was only there every other weekend. I refused to fight for more custody because I didn’t want her to suffer more than that.
But now, in her eyes, I didn’t fight for her because I preferred spending time with Mitzie. The things she’d said both in Cabo and in the letter she sent have cut me deep, but I can’t even be mad because none of it was a lie. The fact that I screwed up my life for a few minutes of passing pleasure that I don’t even remember makes me feel like a damn fool.
But for what I’ve done to my kids, I feel like a monster. Now, I don’t even know if I deserve a second chance with any of them. Not just Gigi, but the boys, their wives and my daughter and her new husband.
Now that I can finally have a family again, I no longer feel like I should be a part of it. It’s obvious from her attitude now that Alyssa will refuse to be anywhere I am, and it wouldn’t be fair to make her miss things in the future.
I said as much to Gigi, which only seemed to upset her which is the last thing I want to do. I’d already put her through hell. And even though for the last ten years or so, she and I had had an understanding, it was still hard for her to watch me go back to a house with another woman who called herself my wife.
I think if I had actually had a relationship with Helen I would be feeling even lower than I do now. So, even though I had kept my word and stayed true to my wife, in my daughter’s eyes, I’d already committed the ultimate sin by screwing Helen in the first place.
“No, we’ll get her back, you watch.”
“How?”
“I don’t know, but look, she sent you this information because she’s thinking of you; she wants to help you.”
If only I could believe that. Lately, I’ve been listening to the kids when they stay up late at night thinking everyone has gone to bed, and there’s a whole other side to my daughter that I knew nothing about. I just hope that half the things I heard them say were made up; otherwise, well, I don’t even want to think what this could mean for me.
ALYSSA
Ididn’t want Garrett’s family to be too involved in my beef with Natalie, but because they lived in the same area and I was halfway across the country, I needed his sister to do some of the leg work for me.
She was more than happy to fill me in on what she knew about Natalie, but I wasn’t interested in knowing the face the other woman showed to the public.
I wanted to get inside her house; I needed to get close to her intimate friends so I could get the real dirt; I just hadn’t figured out how yet, so for now, my sister-in-law Sabrina was my best bet.
I had a plan in mind, of course, but I would have to wait until I went there to put it in motion. In the meantime, a steady stream of gossip between Sabrina and her friends was enough to keep Natalie apprised of what Garrett and I were up to.
In the meantime, I still had some things to take care of here. Soon, I’d have exacted vengeance on everyone that needed taking care of and I can move on with my life. I’d given them too much of my time as it is.
Now, I’m a mean witch, and I know it. I knew that since Denny hadn’t been able to get in touch with me, there was only one of two places where he was sure to find me, and knowing him, he wouldn’t be able to help himself.