BROKEN REFLECTIONS

Giselle's POV

As we pulled away from the mansion, the place where my heart had been shattered beyond recognition, I pressed my face against the chilled glass window, misting the glass with my breath. My hand clench into a fist on my lap, the sting of the pain in my hand filled my whole body. The city lights streamed past, yellow and white ribbons on black night, but I saw nothing but him. Patrick. The man I thought would be my forever. The man I had made into what he is today. The man who shattered me.

My mind returned to the beginning, to the time when Patrick was a struggling businessman with dreams bigger than his pocket He'd been poor and into many debt barely scraping by. But I, foolish, naive, in love had thrown myself at him, believing he was worth every penny. "You're the only one I trust with my heart, Giselle," Patrick had once whispered. "With you by my side, I can achieve anything." And I had believed.I used my influence as the daughter of the Von Howard family—the wealthiest and most powerful family in the city—to secretly raise him up. I made him Hilton Group CEO. My father's company, but I convinced him to make Patrick CEO , that he deserves a chance. I was his wife, his backbone, his everything. And in return, he torn me limb by limb, one betrayal at a time. Becky.The woman he told me was "like a sister to him." A bitter laugh bubbled in my throat but it came out as a choke. Becky, the woman carrying his child. "I don't want to have children with you, Giselle. I want to have children with Becky."

The memory of Patrick's text at the hospital made my stomach twist. I read it over and over, and yet still could not understand why the man I loved would be so brutally, cruel to me. We had dreamt of a future of little feet in the hallway, of bedtime and Sunday breakfasts. All t behind closed doors he planted that future somewhere else with another woman. Another woman in my bed. In my house. Wearing my husband's affection like a stolen crown. "Gigi, are you all right?"

Nicholas's voice sliced through my trance. I stood there, my big brother, the one and only man so flawless as he stood. His green eyes, the same as mine, filled with worry."I—" My throat tightened. The words lingered on my lips. "You're trembling," he observed, his voice tight. He reaches out and grabbed my hand. "That bastard wasn't worth it, Gigi. He never was."I forced a weak smile, but my vision blurred. 

 The pain and the betrayal, the weight of everything was pressing down on me. My chest constricted and suddenly, the world tilted."Gigi?" Nicholas's voice was distant drowned out by the pounding in my head.

Burning pain felt in my head and darkness tightened around me.

"GISELLE!" Fury seared through him as he wrapped me in his arms."Shit—Gigi!" He pounded me against his chest, shaking me with all my might, but I just lay there. My face was pale, too pale, and my breathing was shallow, too shallow. "Faster!" He yelled at the chauffeur, shaking with fear. "Sir, we—" 

"I SAID FASTER, FOR PETE'S SAKE!" He yelled.

The car jolted forward. "Hold on, little sister," he gasped , his voice breaking. "I won't let anything happen to you." The first thing I noticed was warmth. Soft , comforting Warmth, wrapped around me like a blanket. And the smell of home. Mahogany wood. Smell of tendrils of lavender. Smell of old whiskey—my dad's favorite drink. I was in my childhood bedroom. My eyelids fluttered open and the blurry silhouette of two figures sharpened into focus. Nicholas. And...

Dad.

Lord Benjamin Von Howard sat beside my bed, green eyes filled with storm of unreadable emotions. His silver-gray hair was slicked back, but the small furrow between his eyebrow betrayed him. He sat, as always—a king himself. I swallowed hard. I hadn't seen him since he'd threatened me to disown me if I don't stay away from Patrick. "A man without honor is not worthy of my daughter." I'd ignored him but now here I was—caught. Nicholas leaned forward and whispered to me "You scared the hell out of me, Gigi."I smiled weakly. "Didn't mean to." "Don't mess around." His jaw was tight. "You fainted. Probably from stress, starvation, and sheer amount of bullshit you've been dealing with."

"Language," my dad said. I looked at him. "Dad…"He loosened up a bit. "I'm here, sweetie. I had a lump in my throat.I'd tried so hard to be part of Patrick's world, to embrace the fact that I'd lost the life I'd known. My father came forth, brushing hair from my cheek. "You're home now. And this time, you're not getting your foot near that bastard again."Tears seared in my eyes. "He never loved me." Nicholas let out a bitter snort. "Of course, he didn't."Dad nodded. "That marriage was to the credit of your sacrifices. That boy owes his life to you. You raised him, and he paid you back with lies." I shuddered out a sigh. "I was such an idiot."

"You were in love," Nicholas wheezed. "That's not stupid. But to believe that some snake like Patrick would ever come through? Hell no." I dabbed at my tear-stained face. "So then what?"

Dad's expression darkened. "Now? Now we take him down, but first we have a birthday to celebrate." I blinked. "What? I almost forgot my birthday is in three days" Nicholas smiled. "While, little sis, you're back now. It's time the world sees you for the princess you really are."

A piece of the puzzle clicked into place. The Von Howard daughter hasn't been seen in years. I'm pretty sure nobody knows me in person. we were influential. And Patrick doesn't know who's tail he just stepped on.

I stood, "I'm in." Dad smiled, a pleased, satisfied smile. "That's my girl."