Chapter 23 #2
The word unlocked some sort of memory that Simon had forgotten even existed. And suddenly, he found himself transported back to years ago.
Simon had come back to the house after spending a long evening playing outdoors. He was tired from the sport.
“Father? Mother?” he called out as he walked in, but his steps slowed as he reached his father’s study. There seemed to be an argument that had erupted inside of it.
Curiosity gripped him immediately. His parents were not usually argumentative, but then he realized that the voice did not sound like his mother at all.
“I told you never to come here again.”
“Oh, Your Grace,” a woman’s voice answered, one that he could not place, “I think we both know you don’t get to decide that.”
Simon had pressed himself against the wall, his heart pounding. He had never heard his father sound so desperate.
“I told you not to come here at this hour,” his father was pleading. “Leave now. This ends here.”
“Ends?” the woman laughed. “Don’t be foolish. I could ruin you if I wanted to.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, but I would.” Her tone had changed, taking on a shade of amusement. “Unless, of course, you’d rather I speak to your dear wife instead?”
“You would not do that to me.”
“It is not up to you to decide what I should do.”
“Gracie,” his father’s voice shifted then. “You will not.”
“I do hate when men beg. It’s so very… undignified.” Simon could hear the smirk in the woman’s voice.
Simon pressed his ear to the wall harder, and he heard the sound of a drawer opening and then something hard dropping against a hard surface. A pouch full of coins.
“Take it and leave.”
Simon had heard enough. He had turned and run, promising himself never to think of it again.
“He gave you money,” Simon said to her, finally coming back to his senses. He had not seen the woman’s face that day, and he had blocked out the memory from his mind.
“Finally,” she smiled. “You remember now. I saw you running away when I stepped out of the room, and I knew that one day you would have to come to grips with the reality of your father’s actions.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Simon barked out. “He could have paid you for anything.”
“Denial is not a good look, Your Grace,” she taunted. “Your father had a fine time with me, I assure you. If only for the night. I am sure that he must have remembered it fondly if he was not worried about your mother finding out.”
Simon felt as though he was going to be sick.
“It must have been something you trapped him into doing,” he defended. His father had always had a problem with alcohol. She must have taken advantage of him in that state.
“You think I am a villain in this story,” she smirked. “But I am only telling you the truth that was denied to you. If anything, you should be thanking me.”
Simon felt the muscles in his fist twitch. He would not hit a woman, even though she deserved it.
“Your father was never faithful to your poor, clueless mother. I am sure that there were many others like me. You were just a boy then. You saw the man he wanted you to see, but I knew him differently.”
“Enough,” Simon raised his hand. It was all too much for him to hear.
“The only thing your father was scared of was getting caught. It’s why he tried to make me disappear,” she continued. “He must have thought that he took his secrets to the grave with him.”
The room grew more suffocating. Every instinct told Simon this was a game, but a small voice inside him whispered that it wasn’t.
Grace took another slow step forward.
“You came here looking for answers, and now, you have them.”
His pulse roared in his ears.
Simon’s patience snapped. Anger burned inside of him as he lifted his pistol, aiming it directly at her heart.
“You’ve toyed with lives for far too long,” he warned, his hand perfectly steady. “This ends now.”
Grace did not even flinch, although Rowan rushed to his side to stop him. He shrugged him off with a jolt and went back to pointing the pistol directly at her.
Why was she so calm?
“Go on, then,” she taunted. “End it. Finish what your father never dared to do.”
Simon’s fingers hovered near the trigger.
“Or…” she murmured, “you can put that gun down and try to save your wife.”
Everything inside Simon froze.
“What did you just say?” he asked without moving the pistol.
“I do not think I need to repeat myself.” Grace’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “While you’ve been wasting time chasing me through abandoned estates, I’ve made sure dear Rachel gets the ending she deserves.”
Panic began to flare up inside him.
Rachel.
Rachel was home alone.
“You’re bluffing,” Rowan interjected. “Simon, I would not take a mad woman’s word.”
“You think I wouldn’t prepare for this?” Grace continued. “Then you are even more of a foolish man than I had thought.”
“Where is she?” Simon’s pulse was deafening in his ears.
“Right where you left her. And unless you’d rather waste precious minutes shooting me, well…” She clicked her tongue. “You won’t make it in time.”
Simon’s vision blurred with rage. His entire life, he had been waiting for this moment. To end her and avenge his parents, but now, he was faced with a choice.
Rachel could be in great trouble.
“Tick-tock, Your Grace,” the woman taunted.
Simon cursed violently and lowered the gun. His instinct screamed at him to put a bullet in Grace and be done with it, but he could not put Rachel at risk.
Without saying another word, he turned and ran towards the exit.
“Simon!” Rowan called out after him.
But Simon didn’t care. He burst through the estate doors; his focus had narrowed.
His horse was waiting, and he mounted it quickly. It had come down to a choice for him, and in this moment, getting revenge was less important than making sure that Rachel was not in any danger.
He would never be able to forgive himself if she were.