Chapter 6: Moved In

Grace tightened her fist, wishing she could release it on his face; she suppressed the weight of disrespect Lucas was giving to her father. She blamed her father deep down.

“he did, sir; he made everything clear”, she said, clenching her teeth together.

“then quit acting around like a moron and find out my schedule before the meeting”, he said looking at this computer.

Grace rolled her eyes and turned to go, as she touched the doorknob, he started again.

“And when you get home today ready for your properties, I will have a chauffeur pick you up, now leave,” he said.

Grace opened the entryway and closed it behind her.

As she walked down the hallway, she wished she was as powerful as Lucas, but she knew one thing: she was strong-willed; as the elevator door opened, she saw the lady she met earlier.

“hi, am Emily”, she said with a gracious voice and pretty smile.

“Am Grace”

She replied and started walking away, but Emily was still watching her; she could feel her eyes on her, so she turned and bent her head.

“Is there something you want to say, Emily?”

She smiled and walked up to her.

“Nothing Grace, you just don't seem to know where you are going-

“Well am on my way to check Mr. Lucas's schedule before the meeting-

“you started work already?-

“Yes,” Emily chuckled.

“sweetheart you are going the wrong way, here let me help, follow this way and turn right you will see a reception hall, meet the girl on the desk”

Emily patted her good luck on the shoulders and entered the elevator. Grace shook her head.

“God help me to be strong because-

She stopped. Inhaled deeply and followed the direction Emily showed her.

Grace got home and slumped on the couch, she shut her eyes and allowed Lucas's words to run through her mind, she thought of how to approach Jason with this whole situation, she would reject this offer and just get a job at a shopping mall but each time she thought of backing off, her father's face just keeps replaying in her head.

She sat up, picked up her phone and dialled Jason's line.

“Babe,” he answered.

“Hey, Jay”.

“You sound tired, was today unsuccessful again?”.

“No Jay, I called to tell you that I got a job”.

“Oh my God, babe, I am so happy, am just, we should celebrate this”.

“I know, right?”.

“Yes babe, which company accepted you?”.

“Lucas Consulting Firm”.

“oh”

Grace noticed a change in his tone.

“I will be fine, Jay, remember I can handle pressure”.

“I know, so are we celebrating this or what”.

“Hell yeah we're”

She giggled and hung up; immediately, she dropped her phone, and Mr. Ethan stepped in, grinning from chin to chin.

“My princess, how was work?”

He sat next to her while Grace told him everything that happened at work.

“Grace, let's take this step by step okay, move in first-

“Father no! I need to process this whole thing, he's making everything fast” She rubbed her forehead in frustration.

“Princess please, just move in, and it's the best option since you want to get to know him, it will help in the gradual process”

Grace stared at her father's talk without interrupting him or saying anything, she just stood up and grabbed her bag.

“I'm meeting with Jason; we are celebrating the beginning of my torture and torment, which he doesn't know about, God!”

She excused herself. Mr. Ethan stood up and walked inside his room.

After meeting with Jason, Grace felt light from the heavy load on her head; as she walked to open the entryway to the house, she saw people in black shirts and pants and dark shades; her luggage was at the side.

“What's going on?” she asked her father.

“I saved you the stress and helped you pack-

“What?!, why?!-

“Grace stop, just go in and check for any valuable thing you need, c'mon Princess we talked about this”

Grace, shaking her head in disappointment, moved slowly into her room. He had packed every single thing in the room; the only thing left was her bed, table and chair. She moved closer to the wall and hit her head on it. Tears dropped immediately, and she quickly wiped it off. Then she stepped out and her father tried to hug her.

“Don't, don't do that-

“Grace-

“Is this how much he had made your business bloom that you want me out of the house in a hurry?”.

“Grace please unde-

“Understand you? Yes, Father, I do now; I understand you now, bye”.

She said as headed for the door with the men carrying her remaining loads as they already loaded the rest in the car.

“I will call you princess”

Mr Ethan said, but she had already left, and the men closed the door; he slumped on the chair, grieved, and doubted if Grace, his princess, would ever forgive him.

As they conveyed Grace and her properties to her new home, she couldn't stop the tears from rushing down her cheeks; Lucas's face was all that was stuck in her head; how would she cope with a devil incarnate, a man who was submerged in evil?

She turned to one of the men sitting in the passenger seat with her.

“How long till we get there?”

“We will be there in an hour ma'am”.

She turned and looked out of the window, they had left her neighbourhood and were on a highway now. She had a lot of things going on in her head, and the thought of being a spouse to a prideful and pompous man was not just feeling right in her head.

She thought of her relationship with Jason; they've worked so hard to get their relationship on the right track, and now this. She kept on telling herself that this was a phase and it would pass eventually.

They drove into the compound, it was amazingly lovely, with beautiful flowers forming the runway. The car stopped at the parking lot and she stepped out and looked around, admiring the surroundings and then the mansion that stood in the middle.

“This way ma'am,” one of the men in black said.

“Mr Lucas is waiting,” he added.

Just the mention of his name made her stomach jump; she swallowed hard and followed the man inside; they passed a big lobby before getting to the sitting room. Just before the dining was a bar with every expensive wine and liquor you can think of; a girl sat there in a white sleeveless top and bumper shorts; she smiled and waved at her.

“Welcome Grace”

It was Emily, Grace gave a wave and wondered if Emily was also in the same situation as her. The man in black opened a door, she entered, and the man closed it behind her; she turned and saw Lucas sitting on the cushion and grinning with a bottle of beer in his hand.

“I hope you enjoyed the journey-