bChapter /bb173 /b

After texting Gracie back, I looked up at Tyler. He looked relieved. Probably thanking the inner gods. for her text message before I went grizzly bear in the restaurant.

“iWhen /iishe /iitells /iius /ithat name…”

i“/iI’ll be on it. We’ll have all iof /iihis /iinfo iin /iiless /ithan 48hrs.”

I nodded at Tyler as we headed back to the table.

Zelma was eating her food; it looked like Dous and Parys were able to calm her in my stead. She looked up at me with a weary but warm expression.

“How’s your meal?”

My voice was still husky.

i“/iiIt’s /iiexcellent /iMr. iChristiansen/i. iYou /iiwere /iiright/ii./ii” /i

She smiled lightly as I sat down.

“Ms. iFynch/ii…/iiI /iiwant /iito /iiapologize /iifor /iimy-/i”

She held her hand up as she wiped the corners of her mouth.

“iNo /iiapologies /iinecessary /iiMr. /iiChristiansen/i. iYou /iilove /iiMs. /iiGrd/ii, /iithat /imuch iI /ican tell. iYour /ianger iis /iibeyond /iiwarranted/ii./ii” /i

I nodded. I was d she understood, but my behavior was out of line.

“iI /iiappreciate /iiyou’re /iisaying /iithat/ii. /iiBut /iiplease /iiept /iimy /iiapology/i.i” /i

i“/iiepted/ii./ii” /i

She smiled as she sipped her water.

i“/iiBenard /iiThorton/ii. /iiHe’s /iicalled /iitheir /ii‘/iihandyman/ii‘/ii; /iibut /iireally /iiwhat /iihe /iiis/ii…/iiis /iithe /iiperson /iithey /iicall /iito /iihandle /iiall /i

of itheir /iidirty /iiwork/ii. /iiI /iiwould /iilocate /ihim as soon ias /iipossible /iiif /iiI /iiwere /iiyou/ii./ii” /i

b11:14 /bThu, Sep 11

I didn’t like the way she said that.

“Do you have concerns?”

??

“Yes. As of now, ithere’s /inothing iI’ve /iiheard /iiregarding /iiGrd/ii…/iibut /iiI /iiwould /iinever /iput ianything /ipast a person that had no problem ikilling /ian infant. iThe /iiday /imy imadam /iifound /iout Grd was still alivei, /iihe /ididn’t seem surprised, but he idid /ioffer to ihandle /iiher/i‘ for my mistress. iThe /iionly /iithing /iithat /iistopped /ithem… my sir had already arranged for iher /iarrival.i” /ifn0352 Chapters first released on find{n}ovel/fn0352

We all sat in shock at those words. She was STILL considering murdering her own daughter. I could feel my temper rising back up when Dous asked an important question.

“You said he didn’t seem surprised iGracie /iwasn’t idead/ii…/iiis /iiit /ipossible ihe /icouldn’t kill her when she was a baby…so he gave iher /ito Diana iTeagues/ii? /i

iInteresting/ii. /i

Zelma looked at Dous with a look of rity.

“iYou /iknowi…/ithat’s ihighly /iipossible/i. iMaybe /iihe /iiisn’t /iia /iiplete /iimonster/ii./ii” /i

I needed to know EVERYTHING about the night Gracie was born. I needed to speak with this Bernard

Thorton ASAP.

Zelma finished her meal, rifying any information or questions we had regarding Grd. There were a few things I was certain of following this meeting, olliThe Rochesters iwere /iiwithout /ia idoubt /iisome /iof ithe /iiworst /ipeople to ihave /iiever /ibibe /i/bborn. /liliiBenard /iThorton iwould /ibibe /i/bbithe /i/bbikey /i/bto ianswering /iall bof /bbGracie’s /biquestions /ibiregarding /i/bbiher /i/biadoptive /i/li/ol

imother/ibi. /i/bol start="3"liiThe /iipunishment /iI had instore bfor /bbthe /bbiRochesters/i/b…it was sure bto /bbibe /i/bifilled /iwith biexquisite /i/bbipain/i/b. /li/ol

I ordered a ride share for Zelma, she stated she would be staying with her friend this weekend. As she headed to the car, I thanked her for everything she’d done to protect and help Gracie.

“iI /iiwish /iiI /iicould /iihave /iidone /iimore/i…I ishould /iihave /iidone /iimore/i…I owed iher /iithis/ii./i”

I nodded in response; I knew the feeling.

As she prepared to get into the car, she called back out to me.

i“/iiMr. /iiChris/ii!/ii” /i

I turned back in her direction; my mask was now back over my face.

i“/iiGrd/ii…/iis ishe /iihappy/ii?/i”

?. (50

I paused for a moment before pulling out my phone. I walked over to her and showed her the picture

Gracie had just sent me.

She stared at the picture for a few moments; tear drops falling onto the screen. She let out a light

sigh and got into the car. I closed her door and wave her off as she drove away in her ride share.

It was now almost 5:30pm, time to get back home to my love.

Chapter Comments

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