Chapter 3 Disowned
1792 Words
Grace couldn’t believe it. For the first time since she had been born, her father slapped her across the face. Her back hit the door from the impact of the slap.
“Dad, you shouldn’t have hit her,” Josephine came to her rescue. Andrew was standing in the living room staring at her like he wanted to squeeze her throat. She understood that she humiliated him.
“This…” Henry Allen was so angry, he didn’t even know how to address her.
“Dad, you should listen to what she has to say first. We don’t know what really happened,” Josephine said.
“You’re right, Josie,” Henry said.
“Go on, Grace,” Josephine encouraged.
“I received a text message from Andrew last night saying that I should meet him in the penthouse suite,” Grace began. “I thought it was Andrew.”
“I didn’t send any message to you?” Andrew’s voice boomed, frightening Grace. She had never seen him like this before. He was so aggressive.
“Yes, you did. I have the text right here on my phone,” Grace said.
“Show it to me,” Henry said.
Grace opened her purse, took out her phone, and started searching for the message. When she took too long, Mr. Allen believed she was lying.
“I don’t understand,” Grace said in disbelief.
“What?” Mr. Allen asked.
“It was right here,” Grace mumbled.
Josephine grabbed her phone and decided to search for the message for herself.
“I don’t see any messages from Andrew,” Josephine said, with a confused expression.
“It was there. Josie, remember asking who sent the message last night?” Grace asked with hopefulness. If Josephine remembered, then that would clear her name.
“I don’t remember that, Sis,” Josephine said, looking confused.
“Not only are you a cheater, but you're a liar as well,” Henry said as he slapped Grace again. Two slaps in one day?
“Dad…” Grace spoke.
“Do not call me that. You are not my daughter because no child of mine would bring this kind of disgrace to my front door,” Henry shouted. Grace could see the veins bulging out on his forehead. He was extremely pissed.
“Please.” Grace dropped to her knees and started begging.
“Pack your things and get out. If you’re still here by the time I’m back, I’m going to have the police escort you out of my house,” Henry said, then left.
“Sis,” Grace said.
“I’m not your sister,” Josephine said, with malice. Her attitude change was so sudden.
Grace couldn’t believe this. In one night, her entire life had changed. In a few hours, she will not only be homeless, but penniless too. To top it off, the media had followed her and taken photos of her inside Colton’s room. What the hell was she going to do?
Grace reluctantly went into her room and started packing some of her things. She called a taxi service in the meantime.
There was no use staying and begging for their forgiveness when they already thought that she was guilty. Her pleading would fall on deaf ears. She’d give them time.
The more Grace thought about her predicament, the more something didn’t seem right. She woke up with a massive headache like she had a hangover, though she had only drunk one glass of champagne. Champagne that her sister had given her.
No! It couldn’t be. There was no reason to accuse Josephine and cause more problems for the family. Even if she told her not to call her sister.
“Grace,” Andrew called her name coldly. She had never seen this side of him before. Had he been hiding under his nice facade all along?
Josephine trailed behind him like a puppy.
“Andrew, I’m sorry…” she started but was cut off.
“Save it! I just want you to know that you embarrassed me. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for this. Our engagement is off.”
Grace knew that their relationship would head in that direction, but to hear him say it made her heart break even more.
“OK,” Grace whispered. What could she do but agree?
Grace struggled to lift her suitcase. Andrew stood beside her and didn’t even offer her a hand. She understood.
Grace took note of the satisfied look on Josie’s face when Andrew called off the engagement. She didn’t want to be, but she started becoming suspicious of her sister. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Things changed as soon as Josephine handed Grace that flute of champagne.
But, Grace wasn’t going to voice her opinions. At least not yet. She was going to keep them to herself until she could prove otherwise.
Grace dragged her suitcase and her purse down the stairs. She placed them at the front door, waiting for the taxi she had called. When she heard a vehicle outside, she thought it was the taxi, but it was not. Mr. Allen had come back from wherever he was.
“Why are you still here?” He asked Grace as soon as he laid eyes on her.
“Dad, I’m going. I’m just waiting for the taxi,” Grace replied in a whisper.
“You can wait outside,” he told her harshly. “I told you I would call the police if I came back and saw you here.”
“Dad…” Grace trailed off. She thought that her dad had been angry when he said that, so he didn’t really mean it. But, apparently, he did.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I already called them,” Josephine said all of a sudden, Andrew appearing behind her.
“What?”
“What?”
Grace and Mr. Allen asked simultaneously. Grace, because she couldn’t believe that her own sister had called the police on her, and, Mr. Allen, because he didn’t want any more disgrace than what Grace had already brought their family’s name.
“Why would you do that, you stupid child?” Mr. Allen asked angrily. “Do you want to bring more shame upon me?”
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Josephine mumbled, acting sad, and at that moment, Grace knew that her sister was up to something.
“Just… It’s fine. Next time you think of doing something that drastic, let me know.” Mr. Allen opened his arms and embraced Josephine.
Grace stood, watching the exchange between her father and sister. She had always been the one to get most of his affection, which was sad, but, now it was clear that he was really cutting her off.
Grace shook her head when she saw the evil smile that Josephine gave her. This had been Josephine’s plan, but without any proof, Grace had to keep her mouth shut for the time being. Grace believed karma would be on her side eventually.
“Dad, you don’t understand.” Josephine pulled away from him.
“What don’t I understand?” Henry asked with brows knitted together.
“I think Grace is taking drugs,” Josephine said.
“I’m not taking any drugs. Never have, never will,” Grace said, defending herself. This was getting ridiculous.
“She’s lying, Dad,” Josephine said. “Haven’t you noticed that your sleeping pills are going missing?”
“I realized they were finishing too quickly,” he shook his head in disbelief.
“That’s because Grace has been stealing them,” Josephine told him.
“I can’t believe this,” Henry said as he held the side of his head like a headache was beginning to form.
“It’s not true!” Grace shouted. Why was Josephine doing this to her?
“Then you will have no problem going with the police when they arrive and submitting yourself to a drug test?” Josephine said slyly.
Did Josephine drug her? Grace realized that she did. The test would be positive, which was why she was pushing it this hard.
But, if Grace agreed too do the test, she might be arrested for drug use, and if she didn’t agree, she would look guilty. She didn’t know what to do.
Mr. Allen opened the door and greeted the police officers who had knocked. He was now determined more than ever to find out if his daughter had a drug problem.
“Take her, and make sure you test her for drugs,” he told them.
Grace felt her heart break at that moment. How could they throw her under the bus so easily? That was not what families should do for each other.
Grace didn’t even bother resisting them. She didn’t want any more reasons to lengthen her stay in the jailhouse.
Inside the police station…
Grace was placed her inside an interrogation room. With her consent, her blood was drawn, and she was told to sit and wait for the results.
Grace nervously sat, not having anything to do or anyone to talk to. But what did she expect when they thought she might be a criminal?
After waiting for about half an hour, with no news or anything, the door of the interrogation room opened. The police that arrested her stepped in.
“Good day, I’m Officer Thompson. Do you know why you’re here?”
“I know that my sister is manipulative and this is all her doing,” Grace replied bitterly.
The officer sighed.
“We were told you were trespassing. However, you tested positive for sedatives. You are entitled to have an attorney present. Do you have one you could call?”
The question threw off Grace because, normally, if she needed anything, her father would have been the one to call. But, how could she call him when he was the one doing this to her? There was no hope.
“No. Are you going to charge me?” Grace asked.
“You can get out on bail, but if not, since your record is clean, you can get out within two weeks.” He told her, somewhat sympathetically.
Two weeks? Grace couldn’t be locked up for two weeks. What would she do now?
“I’ll leave you to think, for now, but I’ll be back soon. Is there anything I can get for you?” Officer Thompson asked.
“No, thank you.”
Officer Thompson looked at her one last time before disappearing through the door once more.
Grace was so exhausted that she fell asleep sitting on the hard chair, with her head resting on the table. She jolted upright when she heard a voice.
“Sis.”
- Writer
