LOVE IN PARIS: Married To My Brother-in-law-Chapter 65: Phoenix And Peacock

The guests were still murmuring in surprise when suddenly, a loud commotion erupted at the entrance.

The heavy double doors burst open, and a disheveled looking woman stumbled in, her face flushed and eyes wild.

Her hair was loose and her dress slightly wrinkled. Yvette’s eyes went wide with shock as she recognized the woman instantly.

"Stop!" . The intruder cried out, her voice cutting through the elegant chatter. Heads turned in disbelief as all eyes fixed upon the uninvited guest.

"Nadia?" . Yvette whispered ,half-rising from her seat as she exchanged curious glances with Zeke, barely able to believe her eyes.

Nadia steadied herself adjusting her messy and distressed hair and dress. Her appearance now was a far cry from the girl few months ago. She now looks gaunt and pale.

Her gaze scanned the room desperately, then landed on Manuel who was standing behind Grandfather Lorenzo with a glass wine in his grasp.

With a furious, pained expression, she marched up to him, her voice trembling with emotion. "Manuel, how could you?"

A shocked hush fell over the crowd and Manuel’s face went pale as Nadia’s voice carried through the room, loud and angry.

"Manuel". She called out her voice trembling with emotions. "We need to speak else don’t blame me for not being courteous".

Yvette’s brow knitted in confusion as Manuel ignored her presence, his eyes narrowed with a mix of astonishment and apprehension.

As Nadia approached, there was a collective murmur among the guests, the atmosphere shifting from celebratory to apprehensive.

She stood few feets before Manuel, her expression fraught with anguish yet filled with menace.

"Who is this intruder?" One of the family members whispered among the guests as they watched the unfolding drama. The disgusting secret behind the closed door but Nadia didn’t seem to mind, she no longer had anything to loose after all.

"You left me alone when I needed you the most". Nadia cried, her voice breaking as she glared at him. "How could you, do you really care about your ambitions so much that you’ll discard me so easily like a piece of unwanted trash, like I meant nothing to you".

"Excuse me but what are you talking about?". Manuel’s answered coldly. "It was a clean cut between us what did you mean left you alone".

It was Nadia’s turn to be shocked this time. "Clean cut, you say Manuel".

"We broke up few months ago yet you’re here acting all innocent like the victim. For goodness sake you jeopardize my career, reputation, everything . . ."

"Wow". Nadia clapped. "So you’re pinning all the blames on me now, do you think washing yourself clean with another’s tears will make you distinguished. You’re forever a jerk in the eyes of everyone present here, first it was Yvette and now you’re lying and pinning all blame on me ".

"Don’t interfere". Zeke shielded Yvette’s view so she wouldn’t be implicated.

"I’ve said all I needed to, Nadia". Manuel replied nonchalantly.

"Then tell me when and how did we break up, you talk to me Manuel?". She asked but he no longer answered her, paying a deaf ears to her words.

Standing few feets before Manuel’s irresponsive figure she scoffed and take a step further as she steadied herself, her gaze unwavering as she addressed the group of family members and guests.

"Hello, everyone as you can all recognize that I am Nadia, I have few words to say to everyone today". Nadia walked to the center if the room and said in a loud shrill voice that caught everyone’s attention instantly and Manuel’s face went pale as sheets immediately.

"I’m sorry to disrupt this joyous occasion, but I have news that cannot wait and is especially befitting for an occasion like this"

"What is the meaning of all this?" . Another person from the guests asked, her voice composed and impatient.

"What do you think you’re doing, do you think this is a runaway show where you can do as you wish". Rose asked dismissively.

"No aunt but I think you’ll be interested in what I’m about to say". Nadia smiled and Rose snickered mockingly. " I’m well aware what the situation here is and that’s exactly why I’m here today".

Taking a deep breath she continued. "I’m carrying Manuel’s child, your flesh and blood. How’s it ?". She laughed maniacally.

Gasps and whispers rippled through the room, the once jovial atmosphere now tainted with tension and disbelief.

Manuel’s face paled, his eyes widening in shock as he stepped back, shaking his head in denial with his fist tightly clenched.

"This damned girl just had to appear at this moment".

"Excuse me, what are you talking about ?". He questioned plainly.

"Oh, playing the ignorant card ". Nadia snickered arms akimbo. "Everyone here is a living witness to my relationship with Manuel here and all the things I’ve done for him, even including harming a fellow woman. Previously he left me alone to face the brunt of all this alone and today because of a mere position of the vice president he’s planning on abandoning I and my child. How vicious".

Manuel’s expression darkened as he searched her eyes, seeking truth amidst the turmoil. "Nadia, I’m telling you. This isn’t the time to play jokes". He scoffed, wondering if she was really pregnant or just desperate, if it was the latter he knew she would go to any extents.

The air grew heavy with an unspoken challenge, each person present feeling the weight of the revelation.

Mummurs of dissatisfaction soon filled the room and the once jovial atmosphere was ruined.

"Good gracious, this is why I avoid coming home. All these family dramas never seems to end". Grandmother Lorenzo shook her head in disappointment.

Before Manuel could respond, Grandfather Lorenzo stepped forward, his gaze switching between the disheveled Nadia and indifferent manuel as he asked. "Is this true, Manuel?" . He asked, his voice steady but laced with concern and command.

A hush descended upon the room, all eyes fixed upon Manuel and awaiting his reply.

"It’s preposterous,". Manuel suddenly retorted, his tone edged with desperation. "I have no idea what evil scheme she’s concoting . Claiming to be pregnant after breaking up with me few months ago and absconding with another man".

This is an attempt to sabotage our family and tarnish a momentous occasion."

"Abscond with another man, are you crazy. All my life , I’ve devoted myself to you". Nadia screamed.

"Then explain this godamnned images". Manuel growled, reaching in his pocket and revealing few pictures in which was Nadia and several other unrecognizable mens in intimate position.

"This is definitely photoshopped". Nadia screamed but it did seemed everyone believed Manuel. "How come I never realized you’re so vicious. I was blind, totally blind".

Nadia’s eyes brimmed with tears, her distress palpable as she looked silently at Manuel and the guests beseeching them to believe her.

"You really are heartless and I regret ever believing you. I did so many things for you, I sacrificed many important moments for you but what do I have in return now ".

Yvette stood there worriedly observing the unfolding drama with a mix of concern and intrigue ,her eyes reflecting a blend of curiosity and dismay and she felt her heart reach out to her but before she could step forward, Zeke did as though he was reading her mind.

"She’s has always known he’s like this ruthless and ambitious yet she dared to believe in him deeply to think he’ll love her with his all . This is her fault not yours and it’s her burden to carry and also you don’t share the same experience. She’s done too many evil and this is karma, Manuel will get his too one day but today, it’s Nadia’s turn as no one here is going to believe her and we don’t even know if she’s indeed pregnant or just being desperate".

But . ."

" Don’t get involved, come let’s go ". Zeke replied and pulled her away from the crowd and towards a quiet corner of the room upstairs.

"Human being are really complicated even so for love". Yvette sighed .

"And power, wealth and status". Zeke added.

The room downstairs was a total mess but no one actually believed Nadia’s words or perhaps they care less about her and she was ushered out of the room by the guards nearby.

"Manuel believe me I’ll hunt you down one day . Believe me I will, i really will". Nadia yelled as she was roughly dragged out of the room, her voice echoing in the buzzing room.

BANG

She was thrown outside mercilessly onto the cold floor, rolling to a stop on the cold marble floor.

As she stared at the door which had been slammed shut she could only clench her fist tightly, gritting her teeth as the profound sense of regret pervades her soul.

"You brought all this upon yourself Nadia. I warned you, previously, I’ve told you but this is your decision. I told you to grab the phoenix and then strip him of his power to earn yours but you foolishly picked the peacock".

"This is your fate Nadia, you just have to face the consequences of your actions".