Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Chapter 392: Chapter 176 Unwanted Wedding Guest

Gemma’s POV

The afternoon sun streamed through the bulletproof windows of the Thorne family’s safe house, where I sat with my mother and grandmother in the heavily secured living room, dissecting the emotional chaos of recent days. They listened with the patience that came from years of life experience, offering wisdom about my recent behavior.

”If you had simply confronted Dominic directly instead of letting paranoia consume you, you could have spared yourself all that anguish,” my mother said, her tone gentle but sharp. She understood the weight of suspicion in our world, where trust was a luxury few could afford.

Grandmother reached for my hand, her fingers bearing the scars of a life lived in the shadows. ”Darling, marriage in our world requires absolute trust above all else. If you enter this union without truly believing in him, the foundation will crumble under the first sign of betrayal. Take it from someone who’s been there.”

”I swear I won’t let my imagination run wild again,” I admitted, feeling heat creep up my neck as I acknowledged my tendency toward rash conclusions in this paranoid underworld.

”Ladies!” Dominic’s voice echoed through the reinforced hallway as he approached, flanked by two armed bodyguards who melted away at his gesture. His smile could have melted steel as he extended his hand toward me. ”May I steal this beautiful woman for a while?”

My mother’s face lit up with approval. ”She’s your responsibility now, thank God. I’m relieved you’re the one dealing with her dramatic episodes these days instead of me.”

”Mom! I am not dramatic!” I protested, which only made her laugh harder.

Grandmother’s eyes sparkled with mischief behind her designer glasses. ”Sometimes you absolutely are, dear child.”

Dominic and my mother exchanged knowing looks, both clearly entertained by my indignation.

”Come on, my gorgeous drama queen,” Dominic murmured, pressing his lips to my temple and gently pulling my hand. ”The private beach is waiting for us.”

We walked along the shoreline of the family’s secured coastal property, wrapped in each other’s arms while discussing our future plans. The conversation flowed easily between us as we mapped out our life after the wedding ceremony, always mindful of the armed guards maintaining a respectful distance around the perimeter.

A while later, we returned to the compound laughing, but my smile died instantly when I saw who waited in the main parlor. My blood turned to ice. There he sat, surrounded by his parasitic entourage—the two women I despised most in this world—wearing that entitled expression that suggested he owned everything within sight.

Dominic felt the change in me immediately, confusion darkening his features as he registered my hardening expression. What was my biological father doing here? And those leeches he called family? How had he even discovered the wedding location? My eyes darted to my mother, who subtly shook her head, confirming she hadn’t revealed anything.

”Ah, there’s my precious daughter!” my father announced, rising from the leather chair and approaching me with open arms. I instinctively stepped backward.

”I’m not your daughter,” I replied, ice coating every word.

His wife—the gold-digging replacement who’d happily played mother while he abandoned his real family—fixed me with a contemptuous stare. ”Gemma, what kind of disrespect is this? Show your father proper courtesy.”

”Why are you here?” I demanded, staring directly at the stranger who shared my DNA but nothing else of substance.

He might be my biological father, but he’d forfeited any claim to paternal rights long ago through consistent abandonment and neglect. This man was nothing to me because he’d chosen to be nothing in my life. His sudden appearance made absolutely no sense.

”Gemma, you’re getting married,” he said, as if explaining something painfully obvious. ”I’m your father—I’m here to walk you down the aisle. Even though I never received an invitation, which I’m certain was your mother’s vindictive doing.”

”Leave my mother out of this conversation,” I snapped. ”The invitation wasn’t sent because I didn’t want you here. You’re not my father in any meaningful way. Wait for your wife’s daughter to marry and walk her down the aisle instead.”

The familiar pattern was emerging—he only remembered his paternal obligations when it served his purposes, usually when he could simultaneously wound my mother or gain something valuable for himself.

”Gemma, there’s no reason to be jealous of your sister. My heart has enough room for both of you,” he said with practiced gentleness, performing for the audience.

”Don’t be absurd. She’s not my sister, and she’s not even your biological daughter. And even if she were, you stopped being my father long ago,” I stated firmly. ”Now leave. Go back wherever you crawled from and stay out of my life, as I’ve repeatedly told you.”

”Gemma, sweetheart, release this bitterness,” he persisted, unnaturally determined. ”I was absolutely thrilled hearing about your wedding!”

”Really?” My skepticism couldn’t have been more obvious. ”And exactly how did you learn about my wedding?”

”Well, imagine my surprise when I encountered Callie recently. She congratulated me because my daughter was marrying such an influential man.” His fabricated story reeked of desperation. ”You know how Callie gets—so excited that she accidentally mentioned the wedding was today. After that, I simply checked your social media and discovered the details. So here I am, ready to fulfill my paternal duty. It’s not every day my daughter marries someone of your fiancé’s standing in the community.”

”Oh yes, I know Callie well—the neighborhood busybody always inserting herself into everyone’s business in grandmother’s town,” I replied sharply. ”What I didn’t realize is that you’ve become someone who stalks social media to spy on lives you chose to abandon. Who I marry is absolutely none of your business.”

”Gemma, enough!” his wife interjected, stepping forward with righteous indignation. ”Stop being so childish and ungrateful! We’re family—accept it! I’m sure your fiancé doesn’t approve of such behavior.”

”If it were up to me, I’d have had security escort them out already,” Dominic stated, his protective presence beside me sending warmth through my veins. ”I’ve only refrained out of respect for Gemma, but say the word and they’re gone.”

”Dominic, I don’t know what lies Willow has fed you to turn you against us, but I’m confident we can clear up any misunderstandings,” my father continued, his arrogance suffocating. ”In fact, I believe we could become excellent friends and business partners. I have a company—”

”Ha! Right on schedule—here comes the con!” Zoe interrupted loudly. I noticed for the first time she was casually eating popcorn while observing the drama unfold from her position near the window. ”Only idiots fall for this routine! Want me to handle this situation, Dominic?”

”Oh, crazy girl, I’d love to see your approach,” Dominic replied with a dangerous smile directed at my father.

My patience shattered completely. ”It’s painfully obvious you’re here to exploit my marriage to Dominic, but that’s never happening. Get out! Now!” I was ready to physically remove them myself if necessary.