Chapter 6

“Have you noticed the change in our daughter?” Mrs. Yvonne asked her, husband, the worry was written all over her face.

“I have, but I just want to be sure it isn’t a pretense.” Mr. Eric replied, holding his wife tighter in a cuddle and she snuggled even closer to him, breathing in his aftershave.

“Why not say yes to the Owens now? It has been three weeks already.” She suggested, her voice coming out muffled.

“No, I want to see our daughter change to a certain level first. Her change isn’t enough.” Mr. Eric spoke above her head, his hand stroking her hair.

"Hmmm...I have a feeling this might get harder later.” Mrs. Yvonne had shifted a little to make her voice clearer.

Mr. Eric turned rigid for a second, he had always dreaded his wife’s dreams and premonitions. They had a way of forcing themselves to come true even when they were unfit for the situation.

"Sleep Darling.” He waved her words off and kissed her forehead before closing his eyes to avoid any further conversation.

It was better to pretend he didn’t hear what she said a few minutes ago than to nurse it in his heart. Maybe that had been his mistake all along, nursing her bad premonition and worrying about them before ending up finding himself in the situation.

While in Grace’s room, a group video call was made.

“Hi, girlie! You abandoned us for weeks now, what’s up?” Jane asked while the rest looked on, expecting an answer from their friend who only stared back at them.

They had to force Grace into joining their normal group call and she had only accepted to join them on the condition that she wouldn’t stay till the end of the call.

“She doesn’t even sit close to us in school, she keeps avoiding us,” Joan added.

“Have you forgotten she said she was promised marriage to one of the most influential families in the country on the condition that she change from her wayward ways? Well, from the look on her face, I suppose it was fake.” Edith mocked, earning a glare from Grace, but she didn’t care.

“Oh, that! How did it go?” Irene asked and everybody’s undivided attention was on Grace from their different laptops and phones.

"It’s fine; I just need to convince my Dad that my changed behavior isn’t a pretense,” Grace replied, her eyes looking away from the screen, and the twins laughed.

“All hail the queen of pretense who is trying hard to convince her dad that she isn’t pretending.” They said in sync. Joan and Jane were identical twins, and their bond as a set of twins was powerful and a little creepy. Saying the exact things and carrying out exact actions without having to try so hard.

“Would you guys stop it!” Grace huffed, her hand pushing her hair backward.

“Sure, Ma’am.” They replied smugly, their brows wriggling at Grace.

“A leopard can never change its spots no matter how many times its skin is being washed.” Edith yawned after her comment as if everything was boring to her, she didn’t bother putting a hand over her mouth.

Grace ignored her; they had never been at peace for too long, and the last thing she needed was tainting her good record by getting unnecessarily angry.

“Thankfully, you decided to join us today. I don’t know why you changed your mind but I have a juicy secret for you.” Edith added, her tone was flat, her eyes were continually closing and she kept stifling a yawn.

Grace looked at Edith in disapproval, she wanted to tell her to leave the group call if she felt so bored being among them, but she couldn’t bear to lose whatever juicy secret Edit had for her.

“A juicy secret?” Grace’s left eyebrow shot up in the air.

"Yes – a – juicy –secret. Since you don’t have ears anymore or do you want me to spell them out for you too?.” Edith retorted.

Not wanting to start what she couldn’t finish, Grace ignored Edith’s snide remark.

“Okay, let me hear it.”

“I will tell you about it when we see tomorrow,” Edith replied and the twins’ jeering laughter followed immediately. Grace felt like her head was going to explode What was wrong with these friends of hers?

“Edith!” She called in annoyance; her green eyes were spitting fire this time.

“What?” Edith answered, pulling an innocent face like she didn’t do anything just now.

“Are you that bored to the extent of using me to…”

“It’s okay Gracie.” Irene, the quiet one, and the peacemaker interrupted, knowing that if nothing was done to stop either of them before things worsened, the group call would end just like that.

“J.J., can you guys stop?” Irene pleaded with the giggling twins and respectfully, they stifled their giggles but still had that annoying smug smile on their faces.

“Now, Edith, if only you would be serious and stop joking, we would appreciate it,” Irene told Edith, hoping she would obey, and thankfully, she did; it seemed like everybody wanted peace today.

“All right. You know my Dad works in the headquarters of the Owens company?” She asked Grace who took a minute to think of why Edith would bring that up as a question.

“Yes, I know.” Grace finally replied, her head bobbing in response.

“And there has been this rumor going on about you.” She continued.

“About me?” Grace asked, already feeling haughty that she was on the lips of several people in such a big enterprise.

“Yes, and please keep that annoying smile to yourself; the rumor might be good to others but not to you,” Edith said.

The smile on Grace’s lips and the twinkles in her eyes died off immediately after she heard what Edith said.

“What do you mean?” Grace’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she drew nearer to her screen. The rest of their three friends had their ears wide open to hear what Edith had to say.

“I wouldn’t want you destroying the house, if you want to know what I have to say, meet me tomorrow.” Edith took to inspecting her manicured fingers.

"Give me a clue please.” Grace’s eyes were pleading, her lips pursed, and her pores oozed sweat.

“Mr. Owen has two sons.” Edith casually said.

“I know that already,” Grace replied almost immediately.

“One is an illegitimate son while one is…”

“NO WAY!” Grace shouted in horror, she didn’t like the feeling she was having.