CHAPTER 98: A PROMISE, A LIE

Outside the Grand Frost Manor, the sound of a car parking echoed in the silent night, and George stepped out of his car, his face solemn from what he had discovered today.

He hadn’t expected they would be hearing about the problem so soon. Maybe in a couple of months, or even one month from the release, but definitely not so soon.

It was like an unexpected rain during the harvest season that brought destruction of hopes.

The man was about to walk up the small set of stairs to the entrance of the manor when the doors opened from inside, and the maid, who was probably already leaving, looked up at him.

"Sir, it’s good that you are here. I had been trying to call you but couldn’t reach you," The maid said, her eyes gleaming with relief.

George narrowed his eyes. The maids and butler of the house never tried to reach him until something important came up.

He pulled out his phone and noticed there were indeed several missed calls from his father, mother, the butler, and even several maids.

"Why? What exactly happened? Is everything alright? How are Mom and Dad?" George asked, and without waiting for an answer, he rushed inside the house, with the maid following behind him.

"It’s Mrs. Frost, sir. Apparently, she had been missing our young Miss and went to her room after so many years. We don’t know what happened, but we heard a scream from the second floor and rushed to check on her. However, she hasn’t been talking to anyone and has just been crying hysterically." The maid filled him in on the information.

George halted in his steps.

Did his mom go to the second floor? Elara’s room?

The fact that he knew Elara was back, had left Andrew’s place, and couldn’t tell his parents because Elara had taken a promise from him, filled him with guilt.

Though everyone had agreed with Elara going away, to say staying away from her and pretending she was dead while knowing she was alive would be an understatement.

"Where is Dad?" George asked.

"Mr. Frost is with her, sir," the maid said.

George nodded and dismissed the maid before rushing to the first floor, where his parents’ room was. When he found the room empty, he was about to call the intercom to ask which room she was in when the loud sound of something being thrown and shattering came from upstairs.

He didn’t waste a second and rushed to Elara’s music room, the room he had visited recently.

He had initially arrived at the house to inform his father about a new issue that was arising, without telling him the entire truth, but who would’ve thought he would witness something like this instead?

"Mom," George said, his gaze wavering a little when he saw his mom crying with Elara’s photo in her hand.

"George," Mrs. Frost stood from the edge of the sofa and rushed to where her son stood at the entrance of the room.

"Look what happened. Your father doesn’t know anything. But how can this even be possible? How can someone steal from our home with such tight security? How the hell did it happen?" She held George’s hand and pulled him all the way to one corner of the room.

George looked at the empty corner and immediately knew what she was talking about. Guilt consumed him even more, and he looked at his father, who had a helpless expression, since even he didn’t know exactly what had happened.

"I have asked everyone, and no one knows where it went," Logan said.

George pressed his lips into a thin line. He closed his eyes, prepping himself for what was about to happen before taking a deep breath.

"I took it away," George said.

"He doesn’t know anything. But you can—" Mrs. Frost, who had started to speak, paused and looked at George with wide eyes.

A few seconds passed, and she didn’t react.

George was about to open his mouth to explain when his mother raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.

"How could you!! How could you take it away without my permission?! Who allowed you to touch anything in this room? Who gave you the right? That belonged to my daughter! Wasn’t it enough that you guys were incapable of protecting her and had to send her away, and that you had to take her things away too?" Mrs. Frost lost it.

"Gabriella!" Logan raised his voice when he noticed what she did.

But George shook his head at his father.

"No, Dad. Let her speak. She is right. I deserve it. I deserve it for not being strong enough to protect my sister. It’s all my fault," George said.

Logan noticed that his son, who had always been well-composed and calm, had lost his composure like this and immediately knew something had happened.

But now wasn’t the time to ask him what it was. Right now, it was essential to calm Gabriella, who would definitely get sick because of her unstable emotions.

"I..." Gabriella looked at her hand that slapped George before she shook her head and slapped herself pitifully.

"Mom!" George stepped forward in horror and quickly grabbed her hands.

"I am so sorry. It’s not your fault. I am an incompetent mother. I already lost one child because of my incompetence; I can’t lose you, too. Forgive me, son. I am so sorry, but... It’s unbearable. I can’t live without my daughter, George. Please let me meet her. Let me see her just once. No one will know. I promise," Gabriella pleaded.

George’s eyes brimmed with tears before he nodded.

"I know, Mom. I can’t stay away from her either. Don’t worry. I promise. I’ll take you to meet her tomorrow night. It’s a promise," George said.

Logan looked at his son with raised brows.

"George, don’t make a promise —"

"I’ll see to the end of it, Dad. Enough is enough. She has hidden enough. We can’t keep her away from us just because we want to save our lives. It’s her who is in the most danger. Rather than forcing her away and having her suffer in the world, let’s protect us together," George said.

Logan could feel that George already knew something. And what did he mean by letting her suffer in the world? Did something happen to her? The more Logan thought, the more he worried about his daughter.

"You promise?" Gabriella asked, wiping her tears and looking at her son with renewed hope.

George nodded.

"You have an appointment in the morning, don’t you? Dad has a meeting too. I’ll take you both to her tomorrow night," George said, heaving a sigh of relief when Gabriella’s body started to relax in his hold.

"Good. You are my good son. Let me meet my daughter," Gabriella whispered as tiredness started to take over her and she fell asleep.

George was about to pick her up when Logan shook his head at his son.

He stood and picked his wife up in his arms and took her straight to their bedroom before putting her on the bed and covering her with a comforter.

Once he ensured she was asleep, he walked out and closed the door.

"What triggered it?" George asked when he saw his father walking in the corridor.

Logan scowled.

"It was Sheila. She called her and talked about her daughter and how proud she was of her. You know your mother misses Elara seldomly, but it just made her think of her more, and even though she didn’t find the piano, she lost it," Logan said before he looked at his son.

"And what did you want to talk about?" He asked.

George looked at his dad. He just promised his mother that he would take her to Elara. If his dad found out about the threat, he would prevent that from happening, and thus, George shook his head.

"I just missed home. It’s been tough recently," he lied.

Logan sighed and comforted his son.

"I am sorry, son. I’ll hire new managers to help you out soon," Logan said.

George smiled and nodded, burying the truth deep in his heart.