Chapter 50

Grace’s eyes welled with tears as she looked pleadingly at Lady Blackwood. “Grandmother…”

Lady Blackwood glanced between Asher and Grace before exhaling deeply. “Very well. Grace, since you claim it was merely a misunderstanding, please explain yourself fully in front of everyone. I’m certain Thalia isn’t unreasonable.”

With Lady Blackwood adopting this stance, Grace had no one left to defend her.

She sniffled, her expression a portrait of wounded innocence. “That day at the stables, I asked Thalia to teach me riding. Everything was fine until the horse suddenly bolted. I… I was thrown and injured.”

Everyone already knew this much, but Asher’s tone suggested a more complete story. They maintained a tactful silence, awaiting her continuation.

Grace darted a nervous glance at Asher. His piercing gaze made her shrink back. She stammered, “It was just a misunderstanding. I thought Thalia disliked me and deliberately spooked the horse. But later, they found a wound on the horse’s neck—it must have been injured beforehand. I must have accidentally pressed against it, causing the horse to bolt.”

She turned to Thalia with carefully manufactured contrition. “I’m sorry, Thalia. I misjudged you. I shouldn’t have assumed the worst. Can you forgive me?”

Thalia’s brow furrowed as she regarded Grace silently.

Lady Blackwood spoke reproachfully, “Grace, how could you think such things about Thalia? She would never hurt you.”

Lord Blackwood also appeared displeased. “If you wanted to learn riding, why not take proper lessons? Not only did you end up injured, but you’ve created this ghastly misunderstanding with your brother’s fiancée.”

At the mention of “fiancée,” a surge of jealous rage consumed Grace.

She managed to keep her voice steady. “I know I was wrong, Father, Mother.”

Asher’s gaze remained glacial. “That day, didn’t you explicitly claim that Thalia kicked the horse? Why have you conveniently omitted that detail now?”

Without waiting for Grace’s response, Asher turned to his parents. “Mother, Father, who exactly has been responsible for Grace’s upbringing? How has she become so full of lies and manipulations?”

Lord and Lady Blackwood exchanged meaningful glances.

Lady Blackwood frowned. “Did you actually lie, Grace?”

Tears instantly streamed down Grace’s face in a well-rehearsed display of anguish. “I… I was wrong, Mother…”

Lady Blackwood’s expression hardened. “Grace, you told me it was a misunderstanding, but you never mentioned that you lied. Is this what your education has taught you—to falsely accuse others?”

The Winters had discerned the truth.

Randolph’s voice carried a frosty edge. “Lady Blackwood, Lord Blackwood, my daughter would never deliberately harm anyone. Your ward has falsely accused Thalia—surely you owe us an explanation?”

Victoria added firmly, “Indeed. Thalia is our daughter. While our family may not wield the same influence as yours, she possesses integrity and kindness. She would never stoop to such behavior.”

Thalia felt unexpectedly moved by her father and stepmother’s staunch defense. Though their relationship had been strained for years, it was clear they genuinely cared for her. Victoria had consistently demonstrated her care, even if Thalia hadn’t been able to fully overcome her emotional barriers.

Grace’s sobbing intensified. She stood and bowed formally to Thalia. “I’m sorry, Thalia. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have lied about you. I’m truly sorry…”

Lady Blackwood sighed. “Thalia, what Grace did was certainly wrong, but she’s apologized now. Couldn’t you find it in your heart to forgive her?”

Thalia frowned slightly. There was something distinctly impatient in Lady Blackwood’s tone, as if withholding forgiveness would somehow reflect poorly on Thalia rather than Grace.

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Asher intervened. “Grandmother, I must say, that’s rather unfair. Whether to forgive or not is entirely Thalia’s decision. No one should pressure her.”

Lady Blackwood’s eyes flashed with displeasure. “Asher, are you reproaching me?”

“Not at all,” Asher replied, his expression carefully neutral. “I’m simply asking that Lia not be pressured.”

Seeing Asher stand up for her, Thalia quickly interjected, “It’s fine, really. I accept her apology.”

As she spoke, she subtly reached for Asher’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, signaling him to drop the conflict with his grandmother. Asher’s expression softened immediately.

Witnessing this intimate exchange, Grace was seized with such fury that she nearly cracked her teeth. Her nails dug crescents into her palms. “Thalia Winters, someday I’ll make you disappear from this world completely.”

In the middle of the night, Thalia was awakened by her phone ringing. She fumbled for her mobile, barely managing to open her eyes as she groggily answered. A cacophony of background noise blasted through the speaker.

Thalia clicked her tongue in annoyance, holding the phone away from her ear. “Who is this?” Her voice was thick with irritation.

The person on the other end didn’t speak. “Hello? Say something,” she demanded. Still no response, only the chaotic background noise. With effort, Thalia checked the caller ID: an unknown number. “Drake?” she guessed sharply.

Finally, Drake’s hoarse, intoxicated voice came through: “Thalia, I’m miserable. Why won’t you even look at me? I truly love you. Just look at me, please? I’m in so much pain.”

Thalia’s anger boiled over. Her sleep, already poor due to insomnia, had been interrupted by this drunken call. She had work tomorrow! Her first instinct was to hang up. But her fury demanded release.

“Drake, what the hell is wrong with you? If you’re miserable, just die! Don’t call me with your bloody meltdowns! If you’re mentally ill, get treatment. If you can’t be treated, go jump off a building. Stop making me sick with your pathetic behavior. Just sod off!”

Despite her verbal assault, Drake chuckled. “Thalia, I think there is something wrong with my brain—it can only think about you. I want to die too. Not having your love makes me want to die, but if I died, I’d never see you again.”

“You’re completely mental!” Thalia snapped before ending the call. She immediately silenced her phone and tried to resume her sleep.

At the bar, Drake was completely drunk, with two provocatively dressed women pressing against him.

“Darling, you’re drunk. Let me take you somewhere to rest,” one purred.

“Spend the night with me,” the other whispered seductively.

This was the scene Sienna walked in on. “Fuck off!” Sienna raged. “Both of you, get the hell away from him! Stop trying to seduce my man!”

Seeing her fury, the women quickly left. Sienna, after calming herself, helped Drake to his feet and led him out of the bar.