<b><i>Grd’s </i></b><b><i>POV</i></b><b>: </b>
1%
After meeting my fiancé, an older gentleman walked into the room. If I had to guess<b>, </b>this was Teddy, Theo’s father and Kai’s grandfather. Theo immediately walked over.
<i>“</i><i>Dad</i><i>, </i><i>you’re </i><i>just </i><i>in </i><i>time</i>. <i>This </i><i>Grd</i><i>, </i><i>Kai’s </i><i>new </i><i>fiancé</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
I walked over to Teddy and bowed.
<i>“</i>It’s a <i>pleasure </i><i>to </i><i>meet </i><i>you </i><i>Lord Christiansen</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
When I raised my head, he had a serious look on his face. Suddenly, he held his arms out.
“<i>What’s </i><i>with </i><i>this </i><i>formal </i><i>crap</i><i>! </i><i>Call </i><i>me </i><i>grandpa</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
I smiled brightly as I hugged Teddy. This family was amazing.
After the formalities, we all sat in Kai’s suite getting to know each other. While I appreciated Ma and Theo for protecting the truth surrounding my upbringings, I didn’t want to hold anymore secrets than I had too. Eventually, my identity coulde out, I would rather my new family knew the full truth than find out the wrong way.
“<i>So</i>, <i>you </i><i>see</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>exactly </i><ie </i><i>from </i><i>the </i><i>savoriest </i><i>background</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>appreciate </i><i>Ma </i><i>and </i><i>Theo </i><i>for </i><i>trying </i><i>to </i><i>protect </i><i>my </i><i>full </i><i>truth</i><i>, </i><i>but </i><i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>want </i><i>something </i><i>like this </i><i>to </i><ie </i><i>out </i><iter </i><i>and </i><i>you </i><i>all </i><i>be </i><i>blindsided</i>. <i>I’ll </i><i>also </i><i>understand </i><i>if </i><i>this </i><i>may </i><i>be </i><i>too </i><i>much </i><i>and </i><i>you </i><i>would </i><i>like </i><i>to </i><i>rescind </i><i>the </i><i>proposal</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Everyone sat in silence for a moment. Theo was the first one to speak.
“<i>Your </i><i>adoptive </i><i>mother</i>, <i>she </i><i>never </i><i>told </i><i>you </i><i>the </i><i>truth</i>.
<i>“</i><i>No </i>sir<i>. </i><i>I </i><i>didn’t </i><i>learn </i><i>my </i><i>identity </i><i>until </i><i>the </i><i>ident</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>I </i><i>see</i>. <i>Well</i><i>, </i><i>I’m </i><i>not </i><i>sure </i><i>why </i><i>she </i><i>did </i><i>what </i><i>she </i><i>did</i>, <i>though </i><i>I </i><i>certainly </i><i>sympathize </i><i>with </i><i>her </i><i>losing </i><i>a </i><i>child</i><i>. </i><i>Still</i><i>, </i><i>what </i><i>I </i><i>find </i><i>most </i><i>disturbing </i><i>is </i><i>your </i><i>actual </i><i>biological </i><i>family</i>. <i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>like </i><i>the </i><i>Rochesters </i><i>one </i><i>bit </i>for <i>how </i><i>they’ve </i><i>treated </i><i>you</i>.<b><i>” </i></b>
I looked up in shock as the people around me showed concerned and even anger at what
<b>6 </b>
O
10:39 Sat, Sep 6 <b>R </b>
?
林 31%醬
my real family did over the past several years. Ka, who now had tears in her eyes hugged me tightly.
“I’m <i>sorry </i><i>for </i><i>giving </i><i>you </i><i>a </i><i>hard </i><i>time</i><i>. </i><i>Kai</i>…<i>he’s </i><i>my </i><i>big </i><i>brother </i><i>and </i><i>my </i><i>best </i><i>friend</i><i>…</i><i>and </i>I-”
I hugged Ka again stopping her mid–sentence. She didn’t have to exin. I know what
it’s like to want to protect someone you love and cherish.
Theo was the next to speak.
“<i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>want </i><i>you </i><i>staying </i><i>in </i><i>that </i><i>house </i><i>any </i><i>longer</i><i>. </i><i>We </i><i>won’t </i><i>prolong </i><i>the </i><i>engagement </i><i>announcement </i><i>between </i><i>the </i><i>two families</i><i>. </i><i>Gracie</i><i>, </i><i>when </i><i>is </i><i>your </i><i>20th </i><i>birthday</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>It’s </i><i>July </i><i>7th</i>, <i>my </i><i>father </i><i>will </i><i>be </i><i>speaking </i><i>with </i><i>my </i><i>sister </i><i>and </i>I <i>soon </i><i>about </i><i>choosing </i><i>a </i><i>suitor</i>. <i>If </i><i>you’re </i><i>okay </i><i>with </i><i>it</i><i>, </i><i>I’d </i><i>like </i><i>to </i><i>tell </i><i>them </i><i>this </i><i>weekend</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
The Christiansens all looked at me with concern. I knew what they were worried about,
whether I would be abused in any type of way before making it to their estate.<fnfca2> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel</fnfca2>
<i>“</i><i>Are </i><i>you </i><i>sure </i><i>you </i><i>wanna </i><i>wait </i><i>until </i><i>then</i><i>? </i>I’m <i>sure </i><i>they’ll </i><i>at </i><i>least </i><i>pretend </i><i>to </i><i>love </i><i>you </i><i>once </i><i>they </i><i>find </i><i>out </i><i>you’re </i><i>marrying </i><i>into-</i>”
I held up my hand to cut my new father inw off. That was precisely why I DIDN’T want
to tell them.
<i>“</i><i>Dad</i><i>, </i><i>that’s </i><i>exactly </i><i>why </i><i>I </i><i>want </i><i>to </i><i>wait</i>. <i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>want </i><i>anymore </i><i>fake </i><i>love </i><i>from </i><i>those </i><i>people</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>also </i><i>don’t want </i><i>them </i><i>benefitting </i><i>from </i><i>this family</i><i>, </i><i>though </i><i>I </i><i>don’t see </i><i>a </i><i>way </i><i>around </i><i>it</i>.<i>” </i>
Theo and Teddy both looked at each other, having studiedw and handled thousands of contracts over the years, they knew a thing or two about brokering deals.
<i>“</i><i>Actually</i><i>, </i><i>I’m </i><i>not </i><i>fond </i>of <i>that </i><i>idea </i><i>either</i>. <i>I </i><i>may </i><i>have </i><i>a </i><i>way </i><i>to </i><i>get </i><i>around </i><i>that</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Teddy looked at me with a mischievous grin. I think I’m gonna like my new grandfather
very much!
The time was now 5pm, I had been with my new family for over three hours, and the truth was, I didn’t want it to end. I had already informed my mother I would be hanging with Joe until about 9pm so she wasn’t expecting me home until about 10pm. As I stood up to leave, everyone came and hugged me tight.
O
<b>6 </b>
|||
O
<
Ma was thest. Before letting me go, she whispered something in my ear.
31%
<i>“</i><i>One </i><i>day</i>, my <i>son </i><i>is </i><i>going </i><i>to </i><i>wake </i>up and <i>we’ll </i><i>share </i>a <i>little </i><i>story </i><i>with </i><i>you</i>. <i>One </i><i>that </i><i>you’ve </i><i>forgotten</i>.”
???????
I looked at her with puzzled look, Ma smiled at me and asked that I notify her when I got home.
I arrived at home around 10:15pm. After saying goodnight to my driver, I sent Ma a goodnight text letting her know I made it home safe.
<i>[</i><i>Not </i><i>home</i>. <i>Get </i><i>into </i><i>the </i><i>habit </i><i>of calling </i><i>that </i><i>ce </i><i>the </i><i>Rochester </i><i>Estate</i>. <i>Home </i><i>will </i><i>be </i><i>where </i><i>your </i><i>heart </i><i>is </i><i>1 </i>
[<i>yes </i><i>ma’am</i><i>! </i><i>Good </i><i>night</i><i>!</i><i>] </i>
I smiled brightly as I made my way to the front door. Are the foyer lights still on? Weird.
As soon as I opened the door, I felt a huge sting to my face.
<b><i>SLAP</i></b><b><i>! </i></b>
I went flying into the wall. My face felt like it was on fire. As I tried to regain my eyesight,
I looked up in confusion. Who had hit me and why? Suddenly, I could see Sharon staring
at me with fire in her eyes.
<i>“</i><i>Exin </i><i>this</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
What? I looked at my biological mother confused. Was that a ne in her hand?
<i>“</i><i>I</i>–<i>I </i><i>don’t </i><i>understand</i>. <i>What </i><i>did </i><i>I </i><i>do</i><b><i>?</i></b><b><i>“</i></b><b>. </b>
<i>“</i><i>ying </i><i>innocent</i><i>!! </i><i>Don’t </i><i>think </i><i>you </i><i>can </i><i>fool </i><i>me</i><i>! </i><i>I </i><i>found </i><i>this </i><i>in </i><i>your </i>room!<i>” </i>
WHAT????????
<i>“</i><i>It’s </i><i>not </i><i>enough </i><i>you </i><i>hold </i><i>no </i><i>value </i>to <i>this </i><i>family</i><i>! </i><i>But </i><i>to </i><i>also </i>be a <i>thief</i><i>! </i>To <i>bite </i><i>the hands </i><i>that </i><i>feed </i><i>you</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
<b>6 </b>
|||
O
<i>“</i><i>I </i><i>have </i>no <i>idea </i><i>what </i><i>you’re </i><i>talking </i><i>about</i>!<i>” </i>
<i>“</i><i>You </i><i>stole </i>my <i>ne </i><i>that </i><i>I </i><i>was </i><i>giving </i><i>to </i><i>your </i><i>sister from </i><i>my </i><i>room</i><i>!</i>”
“<i>What-</i>”
林家 31%日
<i>“</i><i>Don’t </i><i>try </i><i>to </i><i>deny </i><i>it</i><i>! </i><i>We </i><i>found </i><i>it </i><i>in </i><i>your </i><i>room </i>as <i>the </i><i>maids </i><i>were </i><i>switching </i><i>them </i><i>out</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
I had no clue what they were referring too. But after my vision fully came back, I realized what ne she was speaking about. It was a ne given to my mother by her
mother and she nned on giving it to Olivia for her 20th birthday.
Regaining my bnce, I stood up slowly as everyone watched me with disgust in their
eyes. What did she mean by switching them out? Was she moving my room? Why? First things first.
<i>“</i><i>Mother</i><i>, </i><i>I’m </i><i>not </i><i>sure </i><i>what </i><i>is </i><i>going </i><i>on </i><i>as </i><i>I </i><i>just </i><i>got </i><i>home</i><i>, </i><i>but </i><i>there is </i><i>no </i><i>way </i><i>I </i><i>took </i><i>that </i>
<i>ne</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Sharon red at me,plete contempt in her eyes.
<i>“</i><i>Are </i><i>you </i><i>calling </i><i>me </i><i>a </i><i>liar</i><i>.</i>”
“<i>Of </i><i>course </i><i>not</i>. <i>I </i><i>am</i><i>, </i><i>however</i>, <i>calling </i><i>you </i><i>mistaken</i>. <i>There </i><i>is </i><i>no </i><i>way </i><i>I </i><i>could </i><i>have </i><i>taken </i><i>that </i>
ne<i>.</i><i>” </i>
Suddenly, Brian chimed in.
<i>“Ugh</i>!! <i>You’re </i><i>such </i><i>a </i><i>damn liar</i><i>!! </i><i>Even </i><i>when </i><i>you’re </i><i>caught </i><i>red </i><i>handed</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>
Noah then spoke.
<i>“</i><i>Honestly </i><i>Grd</i><i>, </i><i>and </i>to <i>think </i>I <i>vouched </i><i>for </i><i>you getting </i><i>a </i><i>better </i>room <i>only </i><i>to </i><i>find </i><i>out </i><i>you’re a </i><i>thief</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>
Ah. So that’s what this is about. Olivia must’ve ced that ne in my room when she
found out they were moving me to better bedroom.
<i>“</i>As <i>I </i><i>said</i><i>. </i><i>There </i>is <i>no way </i><i>I </i><i>could have </i><i>taken </i><i>this </i><i>ne</i><b>.</b><b>” </b>