Chapter 163: BURNING PAIN
Fay stood with her back turned against the matriarch, and her view facing the window.
The size of the Atticus mansion was still sothing that overwheld her. But the structures were simply breathtaking.
She had stood there and watched Ace drive away. He had ignored everyone that tried to get his attention.
That was the exact sa spot she stood an hour later.
"You don’t plan on sitting today?" The matriarch who had been working on so docunts, paused her duties to ask.
She pushed the docunts to the side, and straightened her back so she could see Fay clearer.
Fay, without turning to face her, sighed. "He was so mad," she said in a sober voice.
The matriarch let out a long, vicious hiss. "Don’t tell
it’s Ace that makes you this worried. I’ll let you know for his behaviour today, he’s not worth the concern. Why don’t you focus on yourself for now?"
"How can I do that? I tried to do it last night. That’s all I tried to do. But I just can’t. My brain won’t stop visualising him. I can’t stop thinking about him," she soliloquized.
"I understand you Fay," the chair scraped against the floor, as the matriarch rose to her feet. "I really do."
She picked up her cane, and went to stand beside Fay.
"Ace is a very interesting child. He has always been that way. He does the most annoying things, but it all cos from a place of his impulsive nature. Most tis, it’s neither intentional or malicious. The other tis that they are, it’s usually pretty justified. But the way he talked about you, I can’t justify that."
"Isn’t he just working with the information he has?" she pulled her face off the window long enough to ask.
Staring at the tired lines that graced the beautiful features of the elderly woman’s face, she took a step back, feeling ungrateful.
The man that had stord into her heart, like a knight riding a gallant horse, made her blind to his faults.
It was the sa old ga her heart played since she t Ace. One day, or minute, she was mad at him. The next, she was at the rcy of his attention.
And here was his own grandmother telling her she deserved better than she had gotten in this ordeal, yet all she wanted was to argue, because she couldn’t get rid of him, no matter how much she tried.
"I’ve tried my hardest to forget him," she swallowed the tears stuck at the base of her throat, and returned her gaze to the window. "One minute I’m mad, the next I want him. What is this haunting feeling called? Why can’t I just forget him? Even temporarily?"
The matriarch shook her head pitifully. The age old power of the heart. Humans greatest weakness. She was experiencing it in its full potency, and she couldn’t even recognize it.
It made her want to shed a tear or two for her barren childhood. The things she should have been taught, she wasn’t. The reason she had taken it upon herself to impact those knowledge on her.
"You’re in love with him, my dear," she said, to pull her out of her misery.
If only she knew the inferno she had set in the girl’s heart with that simple statent. Perhaps, she wouldn’t have been so blatant with it.
"No, I can’t be," she shook her head in denial. "I’m fond of him, maybe even attracted to him, but it just can’t be love."
The matriarch chortled dryly. There was no humour to the situation. Just pity that was enough to go round twice.
"We can’t help who our heart chooses. To control it ans to live in deceit. I don’t have knowledge of your previous relationships to judge what your idea of love is. But take it from soone who has been around a very long ti, you’re in love with Ace."
Fay held back her tongue because she knew if she opened her mouth, the only thing that would co out were thick tears.
The one thing she had tried her hardest to fight, finally caught up with her.
Greedy heart, craving what it couldn’t have.
It was her fault, but also the fault of the matriarch for making her feel like if she put in the effort, there would co a ti she would get Ace to fall in love with her.
She could have lived in her attraction bubble forever. Being attracted to him was sothing she could keep together to an extent.
Having a boring life ensured that.
But this? This discovery made things even more complicated.
"I don’t want to be in love with him." Her voice, silent and troubled, echoed round the room.
"Oh darling."
The matriarch leaned against the wall for balance, then pulled her in for a hug.
"It’s okay," she said as Fay sobbed on her body.
It was a really difficult situation to be in. She wasn’t sure where they stood, only to discover these feelings.
She wished there was a way to alleviate her worries. She wished she could promise her that soon, she would be able to soften Ace’s mind. But that was the thing with being unpredictable.
Ace could either have a long thoughtful night, and co to his senses, or he could drag this situation out to thy kingdom co.
"You’re going to be fine, I promise. My grandson is going to co to his senses. When he does, you’ll have the upper hand. You’ll bend him to your wills. I promise."
She knew it was a big thing to promise, especially after admitting how unpredictable he was. But she owed Fay that promise.
She owed it to her, to make Ace learn, and co around. That at least, she could try her hardest to do.
Minutes passed, and Fay’s tears finally subsided.
The matriarch placed her on one of the seats in the office, and gave her a box of face wipe.
"Thank you," Fay said, and used the wipe to clean her face.
"Do you want sothing to drink? Maybe a shot of Scotch?"
She whipped her head up, and found a mischievous smile on the older woman’s face. It was so infectious, she smiled along.
"I can’t hold alcohol. I can try, but it’s never ideal."
"That’s nothing you can’t learn," the matriarch waved a dismissive hand as she turned towards the mini bar in her office. "My children took sweets away from . Of course I still sneak to take so from ti to ti. But what I simply refused them to take from , is my spirit."
Fay’s face contorted with confusion, until she saw the bottle the matriarch returned with.
She felt crazy for thinking she ant that literally, when she was just talking about alcohol.
"Isn’t that a little too harsh for you?"
"Nope," she laughed, popping the bottle open. "All you need to do is close your eyes, and down it. Like this."
She poured herself a shot, and drank it in one gulp.
Breaking into a feat of laughter after, she turned to see Fay’s reaction. Her laughter rose to the heavens when she saw the shock on her face.
There was so much more about the world she needed to learn. How to drink was one of those basic knowledge she planned to pass down.
Her laughter slowed down enough to pour a shot for Fay.
"Here. Trust , it’ll help."
With unsteady hands, Fay accepted the shot. She tried her best to abstain from alcohol, but maybe it was what she needed right now, after the umpteenth ti of breaking her vow of no more tears.
Closing her eyes before she brought the shot to her lips, she threw her head back l, and downed it just like the matriarch had done.
It burned a hole through her chest, and she began to cough.
The matriarch laughed, but hastily passed her a bottle of water.
She chugged down half of it, before she started to feel her lips again.
"Never again!"
"Never say never, my love," the matriarch chuckled.
"Oh, I’m saying never." She insisted.
"Alright. Let’s leave the drink. I have sothing for you." She picked her cane, and went back to her desk.
"What’s that?"
"Take this." She stretched her hand.
"A key?" Fay rose to accept it. "What for?* She asked as she returned to her seat.
"It’s for the house you’ll be staying in for now. I heard Reign has moved into Ace’s house. That would be a difficult, but not an undoable situation to handle. For now, I want you to find a little bit of peace."
Fay was still caught up on the part where Reign was living with Ace.
"She really got what she wanted," she said in her mind.
Too tired to show so weakness which would trigger more pity, she smiled. "Thank you."
"That’s more like it. Also, I want you to prepare. In exactly two weeks’ ti, I’ll be having a ball. You my dear, you’re going to be the star of the show."
"What?" Fay’s eyes widened.
"You heard . We have a lot of work to do, starting from tomorrow. Do you think you’re up for it?"
It wasn’t a question to weigh. Her life depended on this offer. Being busy was the only thing that could stop her from thinking about Ace. It wouldn’t completely work, but she didn’t mind trying.
"I am," she replied.
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