LOVE IN PARIS: Married To My Brother-in-law-Chapter 67: Puppet

"Mind what you say mother". Skye frowned and her gaze flitted to Zeke and Yvette who was feeding the latter .

"Well, I was just being honest". Rachel shrugged nonchalantly. "You hate me for always being straightforward and I don’t like you also beating around the bush". She chuckled.

"Well, it’s great now that you’re aware of the situation". Rachael smiled. "Working together will earn us what we both want, you get the man you want and I get the wealth, power and status I want. Hehehe".

Skye grinned as she got her mother’s approval.

"But I just don’t think you’ll be up to the task". Rachael frowned. "Even a smart lady like Nadia failed, I can’t risk your life and your future".

"But Mom, you never know the outcome until you give it a trial". Skye pouted. "I promise you victory".

"Skye . ."

"Mom. I can do this and I will do so victoriously, Nadia failing doesn’t mean I also would". Skye pleaded. "Besides there’s no other available option except looking for another aide and finding such a trustworthy person now, is hard as searching for a pin in the ocean".

"So just let me ". She concluded. "Besides, Zeke himself and I are on good terms and he would never suspect me , this is a guaranteed point".

"Shh, you’re getting loud". Rachel frowned and cautioned Skye.

"I was just trying to . ."

"Fine. Fine. I agree, okay". Rachael sighed frustratedly. "But you must inform me before taking any single step, okay. We can’t afford to loose anything or make a mistake at this crucial point or we both won’t live to tell the stories".

"Sure Mama".

"And that Yvette is also something". Rachael frowned. "You need to check on her and find out everything, don’t forget she’s his achilles heel, as long as we have her with us. It’s a guaranteed success".

"Okay". Skye frowned taking a sip of her coffee. She just hated the woman who came out of nowhere to snatch her brother away from her and she would do anything to gain back her brother’s attention, love and care.

Few days later.

The family cemetery stretched solemnly across the mist covered hillside, shaded by ancient trees that seems to whisper secrets in the soft breeze.

Rows of largely and beautifully decorated tombstones dotted the landscape, each one a monument to the generations past.

Each and every one of the Lorenzo’s was dressed in somber black from head to toes, from the youngest child to the oldest elder, gathering to pay respects to their ancestors and to Edward, the family late patriarch and Zeke’s late father.

Zeke held his wife’s hand tightly and encouragingly not wanting her to be pressurized or overwhelmed by the weight of the family’s tradition and expectations.

After the ceremony concluded in the evening, Yvette waited beside the car, her gaze drifting as she watched Zeke speaking quietly with some of his uncles.

She tugged her coat tighter around her, feeling a wave of chill that had nothing to do with the weather. Just then, she noticed Skye approaching, her posture stiff and her eyes flashing with a familiar mix of defiance and disdain.

Yvette straightened up sensing the inevitable confrontation. She had already sensed this from the first moment she met Skye, then she hoped a day like today won’t come but she knew it was inevitable at the same time.

This conversation had to be sorted out.

"Yvette". Skye said coolly, haughtily coming to a halt beside her. "You’re quite confident, aren’t you? Standing there like you’ve won some prize."

Yvette stood hands akimbo, her energy matching her’s as she narrowed her eyes, her voice as quiet as it was sharp. "What are you talking about, Skye?"

Skye scoffed, crossing her arms. "You act like you own him, just because he chose you. But you don’t know anything about Ezekiel. About what he really wants or needs."

Yvette’s heart hammered, but she held her ground. It seems she was mistaken after all . "Is that so? And do you know what he wants and needs, do you mind telling me ". She scoffed and faced Skye to look her square in the face. " Skye , you tell me...do you love him, do you love your cousin?"

Skye’s face froze and she went as pale as a sheet of paper, her earlier bravado faltering for just a second. Yvette seized the moment, her words a steely whisper.

"Don’t tell me in one corner of your mind, you hope for something more than familial relationship with him, do you know this is incest and moreover he’s married , married to me . I know in some countries, incest is totally allowed but not here in our country, do you dare to think of the consequences if someone found out about your feeling ".

"If you truly care about your cousin, you’d let go of this fantasy. Incest isn’t just wrong, it’s destructive. For him, for you, for everyone in this family. It would ruin your career, the family’s reputation, everything and most importantly , you yourself".

Skye’s expression hardened, her voice rising, almost tremulous with anger. "Do you think you’re in a rightful position to lecture me, lecture my ass. You’re not the boss of me, you’re not my mother, bit even my family. Don’t act like you’re so perfect just because you wear his ring." Skye said curtly and as her gaze flitted to Yvette’s finger she scoffed. " Oh, you’re not even wearing his ring yet. What a pity. Instead of blabbering here with you, I think you should spend your time ruminating on why you have no ring yet perhaps, just perhaps he likes me also".

With that, she spun on her heel and stalked off with a disainful flick of her hair leaving Yvette frowning as a bitter realization settled in her chest.

"Aren’t I so pitiful, now everyone’s coveting my husband".

---

On the other side of the cemetery, on a small rise overlooking the gravestones, Grandfather Lorenzo stood with his second eldest son, James, Zeke’s uncle.

His grey hair caught the faint morning light as he surveyed the tons of tombstones , his face an iron mask.

"Talk some sense into him". Grandfather Lorenzo said, his voice low and gruff. " Ezekiel needs guidance, not... whatever nonsense he’s following now and I think you’re the best person for that task."

James looked out over the somber crowd, catching sight of Zeke who was holding Yvette’s hand intimately, both bearing a sincere smile on their features.

He sighed, folding his arms. "He’s your grandson, Father. Why don’t you talk to him yourself?"

"Because he’s extremely stubborn, stupid and unwilling to listen to me !" . Grandfather Lorenzo barked, his tone as biting as the chill in the air. "If he continues trailing down this path then he won’t be ready to inherit the family name, to become the patriarch of the family when the time comes."

James turned, his gaze piercing as he looked his father in the eye. "Maybe he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t need the fake title that’ll strip him of everything he wants. You want and expect him to throw away his marriage, to abandon the woman he loves, just to please you and inherit the so-called title of the patriarch that’ll make him cold and emotionless, loose his smile and happiness? Do you even care about him at all?"

Grandfather Lorenzo’s face twisted with a mixture of anger and surprise at James word’s as he angrily hit his staff in the floor. "How dare you talk to me in such a manner, how . . ." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"You always talk about the family name, the legacy, reputation but never about the family’s happiness and welfare". James continued, unfazed st his outburst, his voice bitter. "But if you truly cared about him, you’d want him to be happy. A man should be free to choose his own path, not become a puppet for someone else’s ambitions."

"That’s exactly why you ended up the way you did, a heir like you finally settling to become a mere underpaid lawyer" . Grandfather Lorenzo snapped, his voice like thunder. "You sacrificed your own future to chase ’happiness’ and look where it got you."

James face softened, though his gaze held firm. "Yes, I paid a price. But at least I lived my life on my terms. I wasn’t your puppet. I got the happiness and life I wanted then let’s talk about Edward who obeyed your wishes and lived the way you wanted him to, where’s he now? Six feets under the ground, laying forgotten below ."

With an angry shake of his head, Grandfather Lorenzo turned on his heel and strode off, the echo of his cane on the stone path fading into the distance.

James watched him go, his expression unreadable, though a small, sad smile touched his lips.

He never had the chance to stand up for himself nor his late brother like this in the past but he would do anything, anything to protect his kin from falling into the destructive abyss.