-- Grizelda --My fingers curled around the handle of my suitcase. The walls around us, the room, the air, everything strangely tense, like the air had thickened."Morning." I responded, although still very much trying to figure out what was going on.There was a silence.Margaret took a single step forward. "I heard you were leaving today."I nodded. "Yes. I'm ready."Another silence. Her eyes fell to the floor and then finally met my gaze again. "I came to talk to you. Not as Leo's grandmother… not as Alexander's mother. Just… as a woman. A woman who owes you a very long overdue apology."I blinked. That was the last statement I expected to hear. Coming from... this woman, who had made me visit hell so many times like it was my initial home."I know I have been… cruel to you." She continued, her voice trembling. "From the very first day my son decided to introduce you to me as his wife, I passed judgment upon you. I thought you were beneath us. Beneath him—"Hold on a second. I was
-- Grizelda --The day I was leaving finally came. It felt like I had waited years for it. Now that Jax and Vicky were no longer on my neck, my mind had one thing apart from Alexander to be worried about. Margaret Kingston. The custody case wasn't over. This made seeing Alexander's face last night worse for me.Outside was bright enough as the morning light reached every inch of the guest room. Outside, the dew-drenched garden sparkled, which was the only view and place in the house I was going to miss. The garden. I stood at the window with my arms crossed, looking out at the hedges that lined the cobbled path that I would soon be walking on, running away for good.My suitcase sat next to the bed, zipped up already and the room remained quiet, the silent witness to the choice I had made. I had healed. Fully recovered, at least, physically. Headaches, body aches, were all gone. I didn't feel weak anymore, and I no longer needed to take any medication after breakfast, lunch and dinner.
-- Alexander --Grizelda avoided me like I was carrying a disease. Every morning she would enter the dining room just long enough to eat her breakfast, say hi to Leo, and leave before I could say hello. If I walked into the living room, she would make an excuse to leave. And if by some chance we were in the same room together, her eyes would hardly look in my direction for more than a second.I let her do this to me. For now.At least Leo did not know. He filled every silent moment with happy talks. Telling me about school, the books he was reading, his favorite of all the stories he had read so far. An adventure about a prince who tamed dragons, giving me drawing after drawing of his own version of it. But I could not entirely concentrate on any of the drawing he was showing me. Grizelda was always standing off to the side, always away from us. Me. And usually a fair distance away from the fair distance.That distance would have to be dealt with.Tonight, I found her outside. She had
-- Grizelda --Vicky's name appeared on my phone's screen like something that was capable of making my eyes bleed just by staring at it. I had hoped she wouldn't bother reaching out to me again.For a moment, I thought about letting the call ring out without picking it to delete her from my life the same way that she should have been deleted after being so stupid as wanting to sell me off just to steal my place in my father's company. But curiosity, that annoying flaw still dug a little deeper into my soul, wanted to know exactly why she was calling. If she had the nerve to reach out, it had to be for a particular reason and I was curious to know what this exact reason was.I answered."Grizelda." She gasped my name like making me hear it would be enough salvation for her. "Please. Meet me. I need to explain."Explain?I clenched my hand into a fist, my nails digging into my palm. This girl made her choice a long time ago. Had stood next to Jax while his mind was being covered in filt
--Alexander --I clicked 'SEND'. Now I had to wait.Jax Grey fell for the trap a lot easier than I expected. He responded almost immediately. I figured desperation could be the only reason for his quick response and it sure did nasty things to a man like him who was meant to be holding a high profile. The moment he confirmed the meeting was happening, I knew he thought it was his last chance to get out of the grave he had dug for himself. Little did he know I was the one holding the shovel.The private lounge at Trippleheaded Club was empty with the exception of the bartender and maybe a few staff. I had specifically arranged it to be that way. But there was no way he would know. After all, he would be bothered by other things.When Jax arrived, he still had a bit of his usual arrogant swag, looking all dressed in luxury and expensive clothing and jewelry, as if the world wasn't already crushing on his shoulders. He had come here expecting something big. He had a positive expression o
-- Grizelda --I took my mother's birthday celebration to my advantage. My father was making it a big one of course and all friends and loved ones were invited, that means including Jax and Vicky.My plan was a big win because Vicky would have no choice but to attend it if she still had her desires to overthrow me.On the other hand, I felt guilty. I couldn't think of any other day. And it had to be my mother's birthday. I was going to ruin it. The jubilation, the excitement, the happy faces, all of it. But I had no choice. After all, I didn't like the incident that had happened yesterday.Jax was onto Alexander already. Because of me. I wasn't on good terms with Alexander, but he was helping me and I couldn't fuck things up.Eventually, my chance came and I took the stage, apologizing for interrupting the fun while I called the attention of all guests present at the party to hear me out, explaining to everyone that we had scoundrels present at the party which I would like us to disca