178 Chapter 75 - Gabriella (1)

Minutes before Mariano arrived last Friday, I received a call back from Val. I was trying to call everyone since the night before because I couldn't be with them during the celebration. I only heard from Angela before the event but after that, she was silent. They all were. And I chalked it up to them having fun, which sucks because I was jealous. But come late at night, either no one was answering or their cells were out of reach. It wasn't until the morning when Val told me everything—in an angry and heartbroken voice.

In the midst of her cries, she mentioned that we shouldn't have trusted the Morellis—and by that, I knew she meant Mariano. And she had questions like if Mariano wasn't in on this, then where was he last night? I felt the need to defend him, but at the same time, I was plagued with anxiety and the crippling fear that what if I really have fallen into their trap? What if this was all a big plot so my family will lower their guards?