Page 34 of One Night with Cinderella

Monica shook her head and held up a hand to deny her the right to come closer. She couldn’t find any more words. She released a long drawn-out breath between pursed lips as she grappled with yet another loss. “Could you go, please?” she begged, feeling weakened.

“I don’t want to go,” Phoebe said.

Monica released a bitter laugh. “Welcome to my world. A lot of things I didn’t want to happen did,” she said with a shrug and a downturn of her lips. “Do like I did and deal with it.”

“I know you’re angry and hurt. So am I. This man was my brother, and I would have never thought he was capable of turning his back on his own child,” Phoebe implored. “I don’t agree with him. I think you deserve to be recognized and embraced. That’s why I let the world know you were my brother’s child and I love you—”

“You don’t know me!” Monica yelled, releasing years of frustration and hurt.

“I know that you are my niece. You are my blood. And for me...that is enough to love you on sight, Monica Darby,” she said with emotion, her eyes wet from her own tears. “You have family. You have me.”

Monica swiped her cheek. “You’re not my mother, and even now with all the press, she didn’t step forward and say I’m your mother,” she said, drawing a shaky breath.

“But I’m your family,” Phoebe insisted, taking a step toward her.

Again, Monica denied her with a shake of her head.

“Okay,” Phoebe said, clasping her hands before stepping back and then turning to retrieve her clutch from the sofa where she’d first set it upon her arrival. “I’m going back to Santa Monica tomorrow. My home is your home. Always.”

Monica said nothing else as she watched the older woman reluctantly take her leave. The click of the door closing behind her seemed so final. For a moment, she considered running to her aunt and begging her not to go.

Instead, she dried her tears, tucked her pain away, like she’d learned to do as a forgotten foster child, and picked up her iPhone to dial Gabe’s number. He answered on the third ring.

“Gabe, I know we just saw each other earlier this week but I need a distraction tonight. Can you help me with that?” she asked.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Nothing you can’t make me forget for a little while,” Monica said, longing for his presence.

“I’m on the way,” he said before ending the call.

By the time she’d showered, brushed down her hair and slipped on a sheer robe, Gabe was at the door. She fell into his arms and captured his lips with her own as soon as he stepped into the foyer. With a deep moan he untied her robe and let it hang open to reveal her nudity before he scooped her body up into his arms with ease and carried her to the bedroom as she clung to him as if starved.

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