Betrayed by Her Billionaire Husband: Twisting Love's Fate

Chapter 2-Past Memories

(Giada)

I stood in the bathroom frozen in place, my hands trembling with fear as the memories of the past few months flooded through me.

Maybe I lost oxygen to my brain or something and am confused..how are those things still here though? Is this some type of joke from Nico? Could he have put that picture back up and replaced the table? But the ring..why would he put it back on me?

I raised my trembling hands, running my fingers through my thick dark brown hair as I bit my lip anxiously. Without thinking, I stepped forward, my foot coming down on a sharp piece of glass as I felt it pierce my skin, making me cry out.

I quickly placed my hand against the wall as I tried to steady myself and lifted my foot to get a better look. A large shard of glass was sticking out, the sight of blood making me feel queasy as I reached down and gripped the piece between my fingers.

I closed my eyes tight, building up the courage to do this as I yanked my hand back, taking the shard with it and dropping it to the floor.

"Ow!" I whimpered, watching as the blood flowed out, and quickly reached for the towel rack, gripping a white washcloth and wrapping it around my foot.

I need to bandage this or it could be bad..I thought to myself and then couldn't help but laugh..well, I guess I'm not dreaming or dead with how much that hurt.

I made sure to look at the floor carefully before trying to step out of the bathroom without any more injuries. I limped my way to the bedroom, wincing with each step as my foot began to throb with pain.

"How am I going to get downstairs." I muttered to myself..knowing our housekeeper, Rose, wouldn't be in until 6:30 a.m. She would be the only one to help me if I asked.

I did most of the cooking for Nico and Isabella..it was something I was expected to do once she moved in.

Nico said if I was going to cook for him, I had to cook for her as well. Of course, being the spineless people pleaser that I was..I did it.

Things didn't become serious between Nico and Isabella until three months ago when he came to me and said she would be moving in. That was a few weeks after the pictures came out of me supposedly cheating on Nico. I was tripped somehow and one of his security guards caught me..someone apparently took the photos and the man even alleged it was true.

It was all a lie..a complete setup that Isabella viciously confessed to a week later to my ears only. Before that Nico and I hadn't even been intimate yet, considering we had only been married for two months and he already iced me out. I had never been with anyone..I was saving myself for him..what a wasted effort.

Then Isabella moved in soon after, she said there was a fire in her condo which I suspected she started herself. That is how crazy this b***h is, I swear..

You see, Isabella Marcello was an orphan. She moved to Atherton with her aunt when she was eight years old. Isabella was the same age as me while Nico was 2 years older.

The first time I met her was in third grade. She seemed so shy and quiet. She cried most of the time and a lot of the kids were making fun of her.

I remember at lunchtime she was sitting all alone as she ate her lunch out of a brown paper sack. Atherton was a very wealthy city, most of the kids here were beyond rich and I knew they were talking about Isabella and her sack lunch.

I walked over to the table, a soft smile on my face as I sat across from her.

"Hi, I'm Giada, but you can call me Gia if you like. Do you want to be friends?" I guess I was pretty bold back then. But Isabella looked at me like I had grown two heads or something.

"Whatcha got for lunch?" I asked, glancing down at her sandwich as she hung her head. Her straight blonde locks falling in front of her brown eyes as she continued to be quiet.

That's when Sam Thomas came over..he was a huge jerk. Sam was in the same grade as Nico and was known as the school bully but he mostly stayed away from me, considering I was close with Nico.

"What do we have here?" Sam asked, swiping her bag of lunch as I stood up, glaring at him.

"Sam, give it back." I exclaimed, my eyes snapping to Isabella as I saw her shrink even further down.

"What? I just want to see what it's like living off of food stamps." He said rudely, making me step away from the table and march over towards him. I wasn't afraid of Sam, I knew he was all bark and no bite.

"Give it back or I'm going to tell the teacher." I threatened, placing my hands on my hips as he dropped the lunch bag on the floor and proceeded to step on it.

"Whoops, it was an accident." He said, his eyes burning into mine as I clenched my jaw.

"You are such a jerk Sam Thomas!" I yelled, making the whole cafeteria grow quiet as everyone was now staring at us.

"Sorry Gia..looks like your little bodyguard isn't here to protect you." He said before shoving his arm out and pushing me to the ground.

"Don't you dare touch her again." A loud voice echoed through the room, making me gasp.

Then I saw Nico, his black hair and bright hazel eyes were looking straight at us, he had two dimples that appeared on each cheek whenever he smiled..which he definitely wasn't right now. I watched as a group of guys followed behind him, heading straight for us.

I immediately looked away, my cheeks growing pink as I felt my heart hammering in my chest.

Nico Romano, the boy I was destined to marry.

"If I ever see you bothering Gia or her friend again. You are going to meet a side of me you'll wish you hadn't. Now apologize to Gia.." He gritted through his teeth before turning and offering me his hand.

I took it gently, feeling Nico pull me up as I brushed off my skirt and smirked at Sam who swallowed hard before opening his mouth.

"S..sorry Gia." he stammered then proceeded to turn on his heel and run away.

What a big bully..

"Are you okay Gia? He didn't hurt you did he?" Nico asked, examining me carefully as I shook my head no. To be honest, my butt was throbbing with pain, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

I didn't really know about love or romance back then..I was freaking eight..so yeah..all I can say is Nico made me shy and quiet. He made my tummy flutter and my palms sweaty. I always felt that way around Nico, for as long as I can remember.

Suddenly Isabella lifted her head up, her eyes meeting Nico's as she smiled sweetly at him.

"So, you're the new girl huh?" He asked her, his hand resting on my back as he ushered me over to the chair so I could sit down.

Nico took the seat next to me before shoving into my arm playfully as I looked over at him and frowned. I saw the hint of a smile playing on his lips as he knocked his knee against my leg, causing me to kick his foot and make him stifle a laugh.

"Yes, I'm Isabella." She said softly, her sweet small voice drifting towards us as I felt a pang of hurt..why didn't she talk to me? I even stood up for her..what the heck.

"Well, stick with Gia here, she will show you around okay?" Nico offered, making me peek over at him.

"I have to head to class, but you be good and stay out of trouble." He added while narrowing his eyes at me before reaching over and ruffling my shaggy brown hair. That warm smile filled his face once more as I tried not to hide under the table from being so overwhelmed.

"Hey, that wasn't my fault." I pouted.

"I know, I'm just teasing you jellybean." He said, and gave me a wink before turning and leaving. I hated that nickname at first..I thought it made me feel even more childish...but later on down the road, I wished he would call me that just one more time..but he never did, not after the accident.

Once Nico's mom and sister died, he was never the same. He became cold and distant..he hated when I would follow him around or try to talk to him.

I just wanted to be there for him but he didn't want me. So I didn't push it.

Then as the years passed, I found out he and Isabella grew closer. It crushed me..ever since I was little it was known that Nico and I would marry..that we would be the ones to combine the family names and bring us together. The Rossi's and The Romano's ran this city, and together they would be unstoppable.

Too bad it all went to shit..and I was stupid enough to believe one day the old Nico would be back..the Nico who cared for me and was my friend at the very least.

I was the girl who waited for him, but he didn't even want me..

Suddenly a part of that nightmare flashed back into my mind, when Nico blamed my family for his mother and sister's death..but they died in a car accident.

I remembered that night so clearly, Nico was hanging out at my house because he and my older brother were close. Luca was six years older than us, just like Nico's sister. She was out shopping with her mom when we got a call. My dad answered it, and that was the first time I ever saw my dad cry.

He ended up driving us to the hospital and I held Nico's hand the whole time. His sister died on impact but his mom had a little time left.

"Do you want me to go with you?" I asked, and instead of answering he just pulled me along. Nico's dad Victor was already inside. His body slumped over the bed as sounds of beeping and sobbing filled the room.

Nico's mom looked like an angel..even with the cuts and bruises, she was still the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I loved her like my own mom, considering mine died when I was young. Dad remarried three times since, but they never lasted long.

We stepped forward and I couldn't help but stare at Nico's face, the sadness and pain he felt barely hidden behind those full lashes as he sunk to his knees and laid his head on his mom's lap. His hand still holding mine as he sobbed with his father. I tried not to cry..I tried so hard to be strong for Nico, but I too broke down not long after.

Then he started growing distant, anger replacing that happiness..he treated me like he never knew me.

But then I noticed Isabella hanging around him more..he didn't seem to mind her... I couldn't help but feel jealous and robbed..but now..now I feel wronged.

I hobbled through the room, slowly cracking my door as I slipped through it, trying not to wake Nico or Isabella. For some reason, they made their room the one directly next to mine.

I'm guessing it was Isabella's choice because whenever they slept together, I could hear the whole damn thing..

The first month was the hardest few weeks of my life..having to hear your husband, the man you love, making love with another woman, it broke me. But I guess it didn't matter to Nico, considering he didn't love me. He never loved me..

I crept down the hall, trying hard not to be too loud as I lifted my hurt foot and placed it back down as quietly as possible. I just wanted to get down the stairs without tumbling down them as I reached for the banister for support. And that's when I heard the door creek down the hall, confusing me and causing me to almost lose my balance straight down the stairs.

"What the hell Giada!" Nico suddenly boomed,.his arms reaching out as he gripped my waist and pulled me back.

The action caused me to press down on my hurt foot as I came tumbling back, knocking Nico down in the process as I fell on his bare chest.

The shock in his eyes caused me to panic as I quickly scurried off of him, making him look at me in confusion.

"I..I'm sorry..I didn't mean to touch you." I blurted out, knowing Nico hated when I touched him as I glanced towards the door behind us, expecting Isabella to come out any second with some type of fake over-dramatic concern like usual.

"What are you looking for?" Nico asked, drawing my attention back to him as I sat up straighter.

"I was just hoping I didn't wake Isabella up." I said coldly, knowing Nico would get mad at whatever I said about Isabella.

"Isabella..why would she be here?" He questioned in a cold tone, making me even more confused as I looked over at him once more, noticing his eyes dart down to the bloody washcloth wrapped around my foot.

"What the hell did you do?" He asked firmly, and that's when I had enough..I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'm not doing this today.

I turned my body, trying to stand while pushing off the floor with my good foot as I gripped the wall for balance.

"Giada, what happened to your foot?" He asked once more, going to reach for me and making me scoff as I turned my head away from him. I swear just for the slightest moment I mistook his anger as concern.

"It's none of your business." I responded sharply, before turning and limping back towards the stairs.

"W..what did you just say to me?" He asked, acting shocked as I guess he would be, considering how passive I had been up to this past week...but I have finally had enough.

"Just go back to bed, I can take care of myself..I have up to this point." I grumbled before reaching for the railing as I gripped it tight and started hopping down, feeling Nico's eyes burning into the back of my head. It wouldn't really surprise me if he pushed me down these stairs at this point, to be honest..that's how much he has come to despise me.

That's when I heard footsteps following behind, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up straight as I tried to keep my gaze ahead of me.

Why the heck was he following me?