"Hello Amanda." Victoria said, a light smile accentuating her lips as she closed the door behind her. Surprised, the 9-year-old's head shot up. Her eyes widened at the sight of her unexpected visitor. The expression on her face was not exactly one of relief. "I'm happy to see you again." Victoria walked towards the bed Amanda was sitting on.
"Where's my Dad?" The girl groaned eying Victoria suspiciously, who immediately stopped and couldn't find a quick answer to that question.
"What did you do to him?!" Amanda now screamed angrily getting up from the bed.
"Amanda, listen, I'm sorry." Victoria attempted to calm the child down and she already began to question her decision to take David's daughter home.
"Just tell me where he is! I want to see him!" Desperation was welling in her eyes. "I know you know where he is."
"Your father is in prison, Amanda." Victoria managed to say as calmly as possible.
"That is not true!" The girl stamped her foot. "That's what they also tell me here! But I know it's not true because Daddy is not a bad person. Only bad people go to prison, but he is not bad!"
The desperate pleas made a lump form in Victoria's throat. There was such confusion and sadness in her voice that she almost started to cry along with Amanda who couldn't hold back her tears anymore. What had she done to this girl already?
"Amanda, you're right, your father is not a bad man. He is very far from that." Victoria sat down on the bed. "But it is true that he is in prison."
"But why?" The 9-year-old sobbed, staring at the older woman with the eyes of a broken girl.
"There's just so much you can't understand."
"No! I can understand everything." Her sobs increased as she begged Victoria.
"There are other bad people out there who use your Dad to make the world believe that he is a bad man and belongs in prison."
"Why? Why would they do that? He is my Daddy and he loves me. He even told me he loves you." The girls blushed at her unplanned revelation and Victoria's heart began to fill with warmth.
"I know, Amanda. He loves you very much and he is the best person in the world." She opened her arms and without much hesitation Amanda hopped onto the bed and let herself fall into the embrace. The girl buried her face on Victoria's chest and let out all of her tears as Victoria pulled her closer and caressed her hair. Amanda hated to admit it, but she felt comforted by the older woman's affection, just like she had on their day outside at aunt Charlotte's farm. As Victoria slowly began to rock her in her arms, the 9-year-old was finally able to calm down. She had been all on her own for more than a month, being questioned by strangers and hearing that her Dad killed people. To say she was disturbed was the least. After all, Victoria was a familiar face and someone who still seemed to support her father.
"I'm so sorry for everything that has happened." The brunette said when she noticed Amanda stopped sobbing. "But there is something really important you have to promise me to make sure that your Dad can be saved. Can you listen to me, Amanda?" The girl raised her head and nodded expectantly.
"Well, as I've said, it is true that your Dad is not a bad man and that he is prison, which is not fair."
"You have to help him, Victoria! You sure can. I will help, too!" Amanda blurted out in a hopeful tone.
"Yes, I will help him, I promise. But you can't tell anyone about that. Do you understand? No one can know that I love your Dad and that I will help him. It is really important."
The girl gave her a puzzled look. "But Victoria, I thought…"
"Shhh." She hushed her as she began to raise her voice. She couldn't risk anyone listening to them. "I know it's confusing. But you have to trust me. It's the best thing we can do for your Dad. We have to pretend that we don't know anything. Like an actress actually. They also pretend to say or do things, but they know that those things are not real. Still they say them to make other people believe they are true. That's what we are going to do about your Dad, you get me?" Victoria gave her a smile.
"I think I'm a good actress, Victoria. My Dad I said I was the best one in our play at school last year." The mood obviously began to get better.
"You see, your Dad will be proud of you, if he learns what you did for him. You just have to promise me not to tell anyone about our plan, agreed?"
"Yes, Victoria. I just really want to be with Daddy again."
"You will be, if we work together. I'll make sure of it." Victoria hugged her again, not sure if she could stay true to her word. There was another question burning on Amanda's tongue. Shyly she dared to ask.
"Victoria, uhm, I've been wondering." Amanda faced the older woman. "Why is your belly so big? I think it's when there is a baby inside. Is that true?"
Victoria couldn't help herself but had to chuckle at the girl's clumsy words.
"Yes, you're right about that. But it's another secret that has to stay between you and me." She leaned closer to whisper into Amanda's ear. "It's your baby sister."
Amanda's eyes grew big staring at Victoria in shock. "My sister?"
"Yes, but you can't tell anyone about that either."
"So my Daddy is also her Daddy?" The 9-year-old seemed fascinated by the idea of having a sibling.
"Exactly." Victoria lovingly caressed Amanda's cheek with her thumb.
"Cool." The girl grinned and Victoria was happy that she took the news so well and was not jealous or irritated. "Can I touch her?"
Taken aback by the sudden closeness the two females shared, Victoria stammered: "Sure, yes."
Her little hand slowly reached for the older woman's belly and carefully touched it. When she met Victoria's gaze, she immediately pulled her hand back. She had been in lost in the moment and didn't notice she maybe overstepped a boundary.
"It's okay, Amanda." Victoria calmed her when she noticed that the girl suddenly backed away. "It's nice of you to say hello to her."
Amanda tucked her curls behind her ears and blushed at Victoria's words.
"What would you say, if I invited you to come home with me, Amanda?" Nervously Victoria bit her lip for she still wasn't sure how David's daughter would react.
"To my home?" The 9-year-old was surprised by the offer.
"I'm afraid not. You would live with Daniel and me."
"In the castle next to my home?"
"If you like, yes."
"But your husband lives there. I once saw him when my Dad took me to a party at your home."
"Yes, but you will have your own room and your own bathroom and as long as you keep the promise you've made to me, everything will be fine." Victoria reassuringly smiled at her. "You won't have to stay here and I'll take good care of you."
"Hm." Amanda sighed. She certainly didn't want to stay at the scary hospital, but she wasn't sure if she could fully trust Victoria either. After all, she was the person who had started it all.
"You have to know that I promised your Dad to make sure that you are fine. He wouldn't want you in here. I'd be very proud if I could take you home and show your Dad that we stick together for him."
Amanda began to nod. "Okay." She announced. "I hate it in here anyways."
"That's wonderful." Victoria felt a wave of relief rush through her body. At the same time however she already pictured the difficulties they would have to face if Amanda stayed with the Grayson family. She tried to push those thoughts aside. "How about I help you pack your back and we'll leave right away?"
"Okay." Amanda stood up and began picking up her personal belongings which had been reduced to a minimum. From the corner of her eye she suspiciously watched the brunette woman. The girl didn't know what it was, but she had this air around her that kept people being drawn to her. Obviously, Amanda was no expectation from that. Maybe it was the absence of her mother for many years and the 9-year-old just saw a motherly figure in Victoria. Or maybe it was the connection to her Dad that she had, that made her trust her to keep her promise of helping him. Her first impression of Victoria being a witch and a bad influence on her Dad had been proven wrong, but still Amanda said to herself that she would stay on alert and watch out if Victoria was really the savior she claimed to be.
"Let's go." Victoria smiled warmly and grabbed Amanda's bag.
Amanda turned around and threw one last look at the small room where she had endured the most horrible weeks of her life. She thought to herself that maybe she would've gone mad in there and would've given in to the people telling lies about her Dad after all. The only hope Amanda had seen was that strange man who had visited her a few days ago. He had introduced himself as Leo and had wanted to know the truth from her which she had told him. He had also told her that he would speak to her father and come back to her after that to make sure that he would tell the true story about David Clarke. Although he had seemed so weird, Amanda had thought of him as an accomplice. He was the only person who took her words seriously and was interested in the truth. Maybe she should tell Victoria about him and they could ask him for help.
After saying Goodbye to Michelle Banks, a woman Amanda had hated the most during her stay, Victoria stopped in the foyer of the mental institution.
Frank had waited there for them and now nodded to Victoria. "Mrs Grayson." Conrad had ordered him to follow Victoria's every step to protect her. However, Victoria knew that her husband only did that to make sure she wouldn't do anything that would conflict with his plan of framing David. Therefore, Frank was in fact a threat to Victoria's own plan.
"This is Amanda." She introduced the girl who had been hiding behind her at the sight of the grim looking man.
"Hello, Amanda." A fake smiled crossed his lips.
Amanda felt intimidated and could only mumble a "Hello".
"I'm afraid, Mrs Grayson, the press must've caught wind of you being here. There are a dozen reporters waiting outside. Do you want me to find another exit?"
"No, it's okay. I can handle them." Victoria answered. In fact, she had been the one to give the hint to the press because she wanted the world to know that she had personally collected Amanda Clarke from the mental institution. More specifically of course, she wanted Nolan to see the photo of Amanda and herself and secretly she also hoped that David would get the information that she took responsibility for his daughter.
"Alright. I'll escort you safely to the car." He offered to carry Amanda's bag which Victoria gladly excepted since she found it hard to balance herself on her heels.
"Thank you, Frank." Victoria followed the security agent while she carefully took Amanda's hand. "Don't be afraid of all those people outside, Amanda. Just stay by my side and don't say anything." She squeezed the blonde's hand before they exited the front door.
"Mrs Grayson!" Various reporters screamed and a chaos broke, because they were competing for her attention.
"Mrs Grayson, how does your husband feel about your decision to take Amanda Clarke into your home?"
"Did you bond during your time being held hostage together?"
"How does it feel to take care of a murderer's daughter knowing what her father did?"
"Does she remind you of him?"
"How do you feel about your pregnancy during such a hard time?"
All kinds of question were being thrown at Victoria as the reporters surrounded her, and Frank had a hard time keeping them at a distance all on his own. Cameras flashed and Amanda held onto Victoria's hand tightly trying to hide her face.
"Step away!" Frank commanded and pushed a man wearing huge glasses who approached Victoria directly sliding a business card into her hand.
"Call me, if you want the true story being told. I know everything." He mysteriously whispered to her and disappeared again. Irritated by his words, Victoria stuffed the card into her purse telling herself that she would look at it later.
She then stopped on her way, straightened her back and sweetly smiled at the crowd. The chaos seemed to freeze for a minute because of the royal aura Victoria still held.
"I am sorry, but I won't be able to answer all of your questions today. It is very important to me and my husband" She put special emphasis on that word. "To secure a safe environment to Amanda Clarke. My husband treats his employers and their relatives at Grayson Global as family and David Clarke's daughter is no exception from that. We will take care of her as long as she needs to be stable enough to find a new family she can live with. Thank you." Victoria continued her way to the car earning a shocked gaze from Amanda. She threw her a knowing look to show the girl that she had not really meant her words like she had explained to her reporters kept bombarding her with questions until Victoria could finally let herself sink onto he back seat of the black limousine. An exhausted sigh escaped her lips and she turned to face a terrified looking Amanda sitting next to her in the car. She kicked of her uncomfortable shoes and leaned over to the girl.
"Like I've told you, we are actresses now. Don't be frightened." She whispered into her ear reassuringly. Amanda could only nod, still bewildered by the recent events.
"Take us home, please." Victoria said to the driver and noticed Frank eying her from the passenger seat in the rear view mirror, which made Victoria give him the sweetest smile. She could not risk letting him get onto her true intentions and sheknew she had to be as careful as possible with him watching her every action. Therefore she was patient and would look at the strange man's business card only until she was alone in her bedroom.
"Ah, my dear. I see you have returned." Conrad greeted them at the door. He had been pacing the hall of Grayson Manor ever since he had heard of the publicity stunt his wife had pulled in front of the mental institution.
He was boiling with anger. Not only had she forced him to agree to taking in that David Clarke girl, she had also managed to wrap the press around her little finger with that Mother Theresa act of hers. Victoria had her own set of rules for the game they were playing and Conrad was afraid he would soon lose control over the public story he was spinning. When he had confided in his father and asked him for advice he had only laughed at him. Edward had played down the issue by stating that it was only Victoria's maternal instinct kicking in and that he should rather do everything to make her feel comfortable with her pregnancy, so that she would be happy she dumped that loser David Clarke. It was not that easy for Conrad. When he had seen how his wife had looked at David Clarke, it had dawned on him. She had never looked at him even once in all the years they had spent together. It was a look full of love and respect, which Conrad as her husband had never received. Her words from the day he had found her in California still rang in his ears. "I don't love you, Conrad… in fact, I have never really loved you. Believe me, I wanted to love you, I tried…" Behind his façade of an ambitious business man, who fought for his family, Conrad was a hurt soul. He had believed in the mutual love they held for each other from the first day they had met and to realize years later that Victoria had never really returned his love was difficult for him to cope with. David Clarke was proof of that. And to know that his wife was carrying his child and to see the girl with the same honest face as her father in his house, was driving Conrad mad. He could never admit how much Victoria's betrayal actually hurt him, but it would never cease to influence his actions.
"And, of course, you've brought a visitor." Conrad approached them to give his wife a kiss on the mouth provoking a shocked look from her. He then turned to glare at Amanda. If he had to tolerate David Clarke's daughter in his home, at least he wouldn't miss out on showing who ruled in the Grayson family.
"Don't you want to say Hello, Amanda?" Conrad stretched out a hand. "Where are your manners little girl?"
Taken aback by Conrad's intimidating behavior the words stuck in Amanda's throat. She couldn't even open her mouth to defend herself.
"Leave her alone, Conrad." Victoria hissed interfering with the awkward situation. She had suspected her husband to refuse a warm welcome for Amanda, but she wouldn't let him scare her and make her regret her decision to come home with her.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." He smiled cruelly at his wife. "I forgot that her father is a savage and probably never taught her anything." He leaned down to Amanda while Victoria gasped holding back her curses for Amanda's sake. "I'm sure you want to forget about all that, poor girl."
"No!" Amanda protested although Conrad's arctic pools sent shivers through her whole body and she almost felt paralyzed. "I'll never forget about my Dad. I will see him again, because he is innocent."
"Ah, I see. You're still deceived by the illusion. I'll make sure you accept the truth about your father very soon."
"That's enough." Victoria pulled Amanda away from her husband and made her way towards the stairs. "Come on, Amanda. I'll show you your room. Don't you have something more important to do, Conrad?" She turned back to him sending daggers in his direction.
"Actually, I'll have a little chat with Frank. Just to keep me updated, you know." Conrad said non-chalantly. Victoria would have loved to slap him for using Frank to spy on her, but she decided to continue ascending the stairs.
"By the way." Conrad caught her attention one last time. "They set a date for the David Clarke trial today. It's November 28. Miss Davis is very eager to give her testimony on this day."
Victoria's heart stopped beating for a second. She knew this day would come and she also knew that Conrad had paid offenough people already to testify against David. But she hadn't expected for the date to arrive so soon. She had only one month, which put even more pressure on her gathering evidence and working with Nolan to have a good defense for David.
The shocked expression on her face satisfied Conrad and much to his surprise she didn't even fire back at him. "Enjoy your stay with us, Amanda. For I guess it won't be too long."
Not reacting to his cruel words, Victoria took Amanda's hand again and dragged the girl upstairs, away from Conrad's toxic behavior.
Nolan felt uncomfortable following the prison guard through the seemingly endless block of cells. When he had imagined meeting David again after he had so generously invested in his company, he certainly hadn't come up with the idea of that meeting taking place in a prison. He also felt a bit ashamed of himself, because he hadn't mustered the courage to visit him earlier although he was sure David needed nothing more than a friend who was on his side.
"Mr Clarke, Mr Ross here to see you." The guard swung open the door and showed Nolan in. The young man awkwardly slid into the room and buried his hands in the pockets of his trousers as he dared to look at the man who sat at the table in handcuffs. When he realized what the guard had just said, David raised his head in disbelief.
"Nolan?" He breathed and his lips turned into a smile after the first seconds of confusion.
"Yup. That would be me." Nolan returned the smile and was relieved that David was happy to see him. "Hi, David." He took the seat opposite to his friend.
"You can't imagine how happy I am to see a familiar face in here." After a moment of joy, David's eyes began to darken again.
"Well, I'm sorry that it took me so long." Nolan apologized noticing David's gaze drifting off.
"You're here now. That's all that counts." David shook his head. "I can't say that of anyone else." The pain caused by the betrayal by people whom he had trusted ran deep. David's world had been shattered and he had already grown bitter over the course of the last few weeks. "Have you heard from Amanda?" When he didn't go mad thinking about how he had ended up in his current position, David thought about his daughter. They shared such a close bond and now she was being ripped away from him. It was unbearable to think about his girl being all alone and learning horrible lies about her father.
"I don't know, I mean I haven't spoken to her or anything… I just." Nolan stammered nervously. He didn't know how to handle the social interaction, because in the past David had always been the one to answer his questions and give him confidence. Nolan wasn't prepared to do that himself. However, as he saw the disappointed expression on David's face, he uttered: "Victoria Grayson took her home yesterday. There were pictures of them in the press. She said she would take care of her." After that there was silence between the two men.
"Have you spoken to Victoria?" David then asked soberly, too hurt if he only thought about her one second. "Grayson, I mean?" He added for he didn't know how much Nolan even knew.
"Yes." Nolan answered truthfully playing with a streak of his blonde hair. "She called me and told me you gave her the number. She wanted me to help." A spark of hope grew in David only to be shattered by the following words. "But she never contacted me again."
David clenched his fists and lowered his head in defeat. He wouldn't lose faith in Victoria. He loved her and he knew for sure that she felt the same way about him. She was finally taking care of Amanda, like she had promised. David was reassured of her loyalty now that he knew Amanda was with someone she knew and he hoped that his daughter's and Victoria's time together had made them bond. Every day,questions about her loyalty to him tortured his mind. He knew she was with Conrad again and now he also knew she had only contacted Nolan once. I seemed like she was letting him down and if that was the case, her betrayal definitely hurt David the most. However there was a voice inside of him telling him that Victoria still was the woman he loved, who would risk anything only so that they could be together. He had this feeling that somehow she would make it right, that she would save him, that she had a plan, like she always had. He knew it was just a naïve fantasy of his, but he just couldn't let go of it, because after all, hadn't his life been a naïve fantasy ever since he had met Victoria? If he allowed his body to feel the pain, he missed her incredibly much. He longed for her closeness, the way they just lay next to each other and how soft her skin always felt. He missed their talks and how they trusted each other unconditionally. It was hard for him to block out those feelings while he suffered the loneliness of his cell. If only he could talk to her and ask her all of the questions that were burning in his mind. Until he hadn't spoken to her personally, David swore to himself he would not give up on her.
There was also the pain caused by Charlotte's death. She had been like a mother for him, raising him and teaching him everything that made him the person he was today. To know that he could never confide in her again was almost unbearable.
"But she made me promise something, David." Nolan continued as he noticed that David's thoughts were drifting off. "I should tell you that she thinks about you every second."
"That's nice of her to say." David noticed the spark of hope in him growing stronger but he tried not to make too much of it. "How much do you actually know about the whole thing?"
"Everything there is to acknowledge that you're the victim of an unprecedented frame-up initiated by Conrad Grayson."
"And about us? Victoria and me?"
"Fortunately, she didn't go into physical detail, but Victoria Grayson let me know that you two are lovebirds and that there'll be another baby Clarke soon enough." He winked at his friend trying to lighten up the mood a bit. A sad smile crept onto David's lips when he thought about his unborn child.
"I'm sorry, David. I didn't mean to…" Nolan began when he noticed the sadness in David's eyes.
"No, don't worry. At least, I know now that my children are safe with her. That is all that counts."
Nolan so desperately wanted to tell his friend the truth. He saw how much pain it caused him to be separated from his daughter and his lover in addition to the betrayal by colleagues he already had to cope with. Nolan wanted nothing more than to explain that he could still count on the persons dearest to his heart, but he knew that it was too risky to reveal Victoria's involvement.
"David, I'm here to help you. To support you and prove your innocence." Nolan tried to lead the conversation into a more positive direction.
"You are a true friend, Nolan. I really appreciate that." David answered. "But I could not possibly request that from you. You are so young. You still have your life and your company. I don't want you to neglect that."
"I would not be able to live with myself knowing that I didn't do everything to show the world what that crook Conrad Grayson did to you."
"Thank you, really." David was touched by his friend'sdetermined words. If he was honest, it gave him strength to know that Nolan would stand by his side.
"You were the only person who believed in me when no one else did. This is the least I can do to repay you."
"I don't know what to say." David sat up straight again and sent Nolan a grateful look. If it hadn't been for the handcuffs, he would've pulled him into a hug. Sometimes Nolan felt like a son to him, although he had noticeably grown up since he had last seen him as an insecure MIT drop-out.
"Mr Ross, your time's up!" A guard announced with an annoyed voice coming from outside.
"You don't need to say anything. Just let us find a good lawyer and tell the true story. I'll talk to you as soon as I can." After flashing him a last smile, Nolan got up and left the room. It had really been hard for him to see David like that and not burst into tears immediately. He had remembered his honest blue eyes always filled with positivity, which now were clouded by what had been done to him, by the betrayal and the loss of his daughter.
When he followed the guard who led him to the exit, Nolan suddenly heard voices approaching.
"This way, please, Mrs Grayson." A man explained. Nolan didn't believe what he was hearing. Had Victoria changed her mind?
"It's Miss Grayson actually." A female voice corrected the man and when Nolan turned the corner he saw who that voice belonged to. It was certainly not Victoria. The woman who passed him on the prison floor had blonde hair and wore a beige blazer and pencil skirt. Only the sound of her clicking high heels bore a resemblance to the reigning Queen of the Hamptons. Caused by the surprise, Nolan almost stopped and stared at her in disbelief. She couldn't just be in the cell block David Clarke was held in by coincidence, could she? In that moment it became clear to him that he didn't know much about the Graysons. The blonde woman didn't even seem to notice him and kept on walking, a brown briefcase swaying by her side. Nolan definitely had to confront Victoria with that unexpected meeting, but not before he did some research himself. He needed to know with what kind of crazy family business he would be meddling with.
I hope you liked the chapter and the fact that it was longer than the recent ones. I plan to post a new chapter every Sunday or Monday from now on and I've already written the next one and I am busy working on the following ones. I'm really excited to share the next chapter with you because I really enjoyed writing it.
As always please let me know what you think. I appreciate all of your support, it feels great to know that you're all out there reading my story! :)