25. Amara
25
"Grayson?" I ask, swinging the door open with a sense of growing unease. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"
He steps inside, his movements stiff and mechanical. "We need to talk, Amara."
My stomach drops, a cold sense of dread washing over me at his tone. "Of course. Come in, sit down. You're scaring me… What's this all about?"
He takes a seat on the couch, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. He doesn’t look like himself. From the stubble on his face to the wrinkles in his suit. For a long moment, he says nothing, his gaze fixed on some invisible point in the distance.
"My mother came to see me today," he says finally, his voice flat and emotionless. "She had some...information. About you."
I blink at the sudden shift in topic. "Information? What kind of information?"
Grayson reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out a thick manila envelope. He tosses it onto the coffee table, the contents spilling out in a damning fan of papers and photographs.
"She's been investigating you, Amara. Digging into your past. And what she found...God, I don't even know where to begin."
I feel the blood drain from my face, my heart pounding in my ears as I reach for the nearest document with trembling fingers.
It's a police report, dated nearly a decade ago. My name, alongside a litany of charges. Petty theft. Vandalism. Disorderly conduct.
"Grayson," I whisper, my voice cracking with emotion. "I...I can explain."
He looks up at me, his eyes burning with a mixture of hurt and confusion. "Can you, Amara? Can you explain why you never told me about any of this? About the arrests, the...the juvenile detention? I thought we were supposed to be honest with each other. I thought we trusted each other."
I feel tears welling up in my eyes, hot and stinging. "I do trust you, Grayson. More than anyone in this world. But my past...it's not something I'm proud of. And those records were supposed to be sealed. It's a part of my life that I've worked so hard to put behind me."
He shakes his head, a look of anguish on his face. "But how can you say that, Amara? How can you claim to have put it behind you when you've been hiding it from me all this time? When you've been lying to me, every day, about who you really are?"
"I haven't been lying to you, Grayson!" I exclaim, my voice rising with desperation. "The person you know, the woman you fell in love with...that's who I am. That's who I've worked so hard to become."
I take a deep, shuddering breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze head-on. "Yes, I have a past. A troubled, painful past that I'm not proud of. It doesn't change the love I have for you, or the future I want to build with you."
He's quiet for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "Then tell me, Amara. Tell me the truth, the whole truth. Help me understand."
And so, with a heavy heart and a trembling voice, I do.
I tell him about my childhood, about the poverty and neglect that marked my earliest years. About the desperate, reckless choices I made as a teenager, trying to escape the pain and hopelessness that threatened to consume me.
I tell him about the night that changed everything, the night I hit rock bottom and realized that I had to change, or risk losing myself forever.
And I tell him about the years of hard work and self-discovery that followed, the long, difficult road to becoming the woman I am today.
Through it all, Grayson listens. Really listens, his eyes never leaving my face as I bare my soul, my deepest secrets and fears.
When I'm finished, I'm trembling, my cheeks wet with tears. "I'm sorry, Grayson," I whisper, my voice raw with emotion. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was just...I was so afraid of losing you. Of seeing the disappointment, the disgust in your eyes when you realized the truth about my past."
But to my surprise, Grayson doesn't recoil. He doesn't push me away, or look at me with revulsion.
Instead, he reaches out, taking my face in his hands with a tenderness that steals my breath.
"Amara," he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. "My love. My heart. You could never, ever disappoint me. Your past, your struggles...they don't define you. They don't change the incredible, strong, compassionate woman I know you to be."
I let out a sob, burying my face in his chest as he wraps his arms around me, holding me close.
"I love you, Amara Jeffries," he whispers fiercely, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "Every part of you, every flaw and imperfection. You're my everything, my reason for breathing. And nothing, not even the darkest parts of your past, could ever change that."
We stay like that for a long time, clinging to each other as the weight of the revelation settles over us. But even amidst the pain and the fear, I feel a flicker of hope, a sense of unshakable love and acceptance that brings fresh tears to my eyes.
Because I know, with a bone-deep certainty, that Grayson and I can weather any storm, overcome any obstacle.
As long as we have each other, we are unbreakable.
But even as I bask in the warmth of Grayson's embrace, a small, nagging thought tugs at the back of my mind.
Evelyn.
The woman who dug up my past, who tried to use it as a weapon to destroy my happiness, my future with the man I love.
I pull back, looking up at Grayson with a fierce determination in my eyes.
"I need to talk to your mother," I say, my voice steady and unwavering. "I need to confront her, to make it clear that I won't be intimidated or driven away."
Grayson nods, a look of pride and admiration on his face. "I understand, Amara. And I support you, one hundred percent. But let me come with you. Let me stand by your side, and show my mother that we are united, now and always."
I feel a rush of love and gratitude wash over me, so strong it takes my breath away. "Together," I whisper, lacing my fingers through his. "Always and forever."
And as we step out into the night, hand in hand and heart to heart...
I know that we can face anything, as long as we have each other.
Evelyn Winthrop may have tried to tear us apart...
But she underestimated the power of our love, the unbreakable bond we share.
And she's about to learn, the hard way...
The drive to the Winthrop family estate is tense, the air thick with unspoken emotions. Grayson's hand rests on my knee, a silent show of support and solidarity as we wind our way up the long, tree-lined driveway. I can feel the tension coming from him as he grips my knee with every turn of the car, until at last, the gravel driveway crunches underneath us.
As we pull up to the sprawling mansion, I feel a flicker of nervousness, a momentary doubt in my resolve. But then I catch sight of Evelyn, standing on the front steps with a look of icy disdain on her face, and my determination hardens into steel.
"Darling," she calls out as we exit the car, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "What an unexpected surprise. And I see you've brought your little...friend."
I feel Grayson tense beside me, his jaw clenching with barely-contained anger. But I squeeze his hand, a silent reminder to let me handle this.
"Evelyn," I say coolly, meeting her gaze head-on. "We need to talk."
She raises a perfectly-arched eyebrow, a look of bored indifference on her face. "Do we, now? And what could we possibly have to discuss, my dear?"
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the confrontation ahead. "I think you know exactly what we need to discuss, Evelyn. The file you compiled on me. The secrets from my past that you dug up and tried to use against me."
For a moment, she looks taken aback, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. But then her expression hardens, a cruel smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Ah, yes. Your sordid little history. I must say, I was quite shocked to learn of your...shall we say, colorful past? It's a wonder Grayson would even consider tying himself to someone with such a questionable background."
I feel a flash of anger, hot and fierce, rising up in my chest. But I force myself to remain calm, to keep my voice level and controlled. "My past is just that, Evelyn. The past. It doesn't define me, and it certainly doesn't give you the right to pass judgment on my character or my relationship with Grayson."
She scoffs, a sound of derision. "Doesn't it, though? A woman with a history like yours...well, let's just say it raises some serious concerns about your suitability as a Winthrop bride."
I feel Grayson's hand tighten around mine, a low growl of warning rumbling in his chest. But I give him a subtle shake of my head, a silent plea to let me handle this.
"Evelyn," I say, my voice ringing out clear and strong. "I understand that you have reservations about me, about my background and my past. But let me make one thing perfectly clear. I love your son, and I would love him regardless of his standings or company or anything else. And I will fight for him, for our relationship, with every ounce of strength and determination I possess. Now you best straighten up, the way I understand it, your dear boy is in fact the majority shareholder of the company, the family’s wealth, and it looks like this fine estate, too. Now, that technically makes him your boss, and me yours, by extension."
I take a step forward, my eyes blazing with a fierce, unwavering resolve. "I am not going anywhere, Evelyn. Not now, not ever. Grayson and I are a team, a partnership. And nothing you say or do will ever change that. So you best mind your manners. Nothing good will come from further meddling, I’ll tell you that much."
For a long moment, she stares at me, her eyes narrowed and calculating. But then, to my surprise, she throws back her head and laughs, a sound of genuine amusement that catches me completely off guard.
"Well, well, well," she chuckles, more shocked than anything. "It seems I may have no choice. I can’t lose my baby boy over something he dragged out of one of his little gentlemens clubs, I’m assuming."
Grayson grins, a look of fierce pride and adoration in his eyes as he pulls me close. "That will be enough nasty talk, Mother. You know I won’t have it. I told you, Amara is the love of my life, my soulmate. And nothing, not even your meddling and manipulation, will ever change that."
Evelyn nods with a guilty look on her face. "I can see that now, darling. And while I may not always agree with your choices...I suppose I have no choice but to accept them. For the sake of our family, and for the happiness of my only son."
She turns to me, her expression serious and solemn. "Amara, I...I apologize for my actions. It was wrong of me, and I hope that, in time...you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
I feel a rush of emotion wash over me, a mixture of relief and gratitude and cautious hope. "Thank you, Evelyn," I say softly, my voice thick with feeling. "That means more to me than you know. And while it may take time for us to build a relationship, to find a way to coexist...I promise to try. For Grayson's sake, and for the sake of our future together."
She nods, a look of understanding and acceptance on her face. "That's all I can ask for, my dear. And who knows? Perhaps, in time...we may even find a way to be friends."
As we say our goodbyes and make our way back to the car, I feel a sense of lightness, a weight lifted from my shoulders that I didn't even realize I'd been carrying.
Because I know, with a bone-deep certainty, that Grayson and I can weather any storm, overcome any obstacle.
As long as we have each other, we are unbreakable.
And as we drive off into the night, hand in hand and heart to heart...
I know that our love story is far from over.
In fact, it's only just beginning.