Chapter Four

The whole mansion has been tense, I've been here alone for more than a week and I badly needed out, none of the Garcia family has been seen since I woke up and I've healed quite alright, the pain is now just a slight ache.

Not that I want to see Rino or anything but he mentioned something about Grace the other day and I've been curious to ask what that was about. If there was someone I know Rino loved it would be Grace. Grace was also like a mother to me. She was both a housekeeper and a mother to us all and I quickly became close to her daughter Anna, who was also like a sister to Rino. But I haven't seen either of them since I arrived, I really wanted to see Anna.

Someone cleared their behind me and it's Anna. I scream out in joy as I run to hug her.

“Anna, I was just thinking about you.” I say happily with tears running down my face, I grab her hands tightly.

“Anna how have you been, I really missed you.” I hug again but she doesn't move or react, she stands so stiffly with red rimmed eyes.

“Anna, are you okay?” I searched her body.

“You look unhealthy and pale.” She really looks weird. “Anna, is everything okay? I know you must be upset with me but I felt like you of all people would really understand.” I say rubbing her hands softly while still crying. “I really did miss you so much.”

My face whips to the side in shock, my hand moves up to cradle my cheek.

“A-Anna?”

“Why?” She finally says “Why would you do that to my mother?” I press my forehead in confusion.

“Why do you guys keep saying that, I don't understand, what did I do to Grace?” I ask frustrated.

“You left her for dead and did not turn back not even once, the rest of the Garcia family may forgive you but I never will, you broke my trust.” She wails.

“What- what are you going on about, what happened to Grace?” 

“You still have the guts to act clueless about it and deny it now to my face, you wrote it in your letter.” She sneers at me. 

“Wait I'm so confused, what letter? I didn't write you any letter.” My head begins pounding at this point.

“Just say it to my face, you choose to be a coward now, you really have no shame do you?” She continues to scream.

“Anna look, whatever is going on, you have to believe me, I didn't do anything to Grace and I didn't write any letter to you on the day I left.” I grab her hands desperate for her to believe me.

“Stop fucking lying to me, how could you?” She snatches her hands from mine and my heart aches, I pull at my hair in frustration.

“Okay then, what did I do to Grace?”

“You pushed her down the fucking stairs like an animal you pretentious bitch, and then you left her there bleeding and you disappeared.” I take a few steps away from her in shock, my chest constricting.

“W-what- what are you saying?” 

“Take Anna upstairs Mrs.Willow.” I jump at the commanding voice of Rino. My shock filled eyes get locked with his calm, dark ones that spits fire this time. A dark skinned woman pulls a shaking and reluctant Anna who is still glaring at me but obeys Rino's command.

When we are alone, Rino moves closer to me, it's like he can never speak to me without invading my personal space. My breathing is still hard from the painful confrontation.

“Just so you know, you owe me two lives now, two lives Freya, and you are not allowed to die until you pay for them in full, do you understand me?”

“You don't believe that do you, that I would do something like that to Grace, you don't right?” I ask him shakily. He stares at me darkly trying to decipher something.

“I don't know you, why would I know if you are capable of it or not.” he replies with no emotions.

“I didn't push her down the stairs, why would I do that?” I cry out.

“I don't know, you tell me.”

“She was like a mother to me, why-”

“Don't!!!” Rino's loud shout makes me jump.

“Don't you ever call her that.” Anger radiates off him, he hasn't lost his cool since I got back and I do not want him to till I leave so I quietly try to assure.

“Rino I really did not do it.” I needed someone to at least believe me.

“Then why did you run away?” He's back to being calm.

“I told you, I was suffocating and I was hopeless.”

“Lies, you pushed an innocent old woman down the stairs out of spite and then you ran away with my child.” He grits out the end part.

“Those that even make any sense to you?” When he doesn't say anything else, I nod my head defeated as I run up the stairs. 

Something is going on here, and I need to badly find out what it is, I wouldn't care if anyone else accused me but it involves Anna and Grace, those two were my rock when I was lonely and solace, they made this house and marriage a bit more bearable for me and on some days when I couldn't breath, Grace's warm smile always lifted my spirits.

I am going to find out what happened to her no matter what.