Chapter ten

Mia looked around the room, finding all eyes on her. She turned back to Christian and then just as quickly looked away, nervously fiddling with the bracelet on her arm. Looking back up at her father with a smile and giggling she said, "I just went out with Lilly and we went to Ben and Jerry's for some ice cream."

"We have ice cream here, why did you need to go out, especially with Ana being back and meeting Elsa for the first time," Grace said, confusion in her voice. She was looking at her daughter with a frown.

"Lilly . . . I—I know Christian doesn't like Lilly but she wanted to see me, so I offered to meet up with her." Mia shrugged nonchalantly, then threw her hair over her shoulder like she didn't have a care in the world. "Are you guys done questioning me now? I'm meeting Matteo tomorrow and I'd rather not looked raggedy and exhausted." She avoided looking at Christian, Ana or Elsa as she turned around and headed for the stairs but Christian's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Mia, I asked you a question." Christian stepped forward so when Mia turned around to face him he was only about a foot away. He stared down at her with a severe frown on his face and his arms folded across his chest. "I was told that Ana had sent me letters fifteen years ago, with rather important information. I never received them. Have you seen them?"

The color slowly faded from Mia's face, her eyes widening and her breathing shallowing. "I—no. I haven't seen them. Why would—How would I know I know where they went?" She looked up at him, her hazel eyes almost pleading with him to believe the lie she told. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

She tried to turn around again but Christian grabbed her arm before she could get very far. Mia slowly looked up at him, her face even paler now and tears slowly starting to brim in her eyes. "You may have gotten away with lying to Mom and Dad, but don't try to pull that shit with me, Mia. Where are the letters?"

Carrick stood up and tried to come to his daughter's defense, not appreciating the way Christian was interrogating her. "Christian, she already said she doesn't know where the letters are. Let her be." He came to stand next to Mia, pulling her into his side as if guarding her from Christian's anger.

Christian glared at his father. "You know, if you hadn't spoiled her rotten since the moment she was born she wouldn't act like such an entitled little brat!"

"Christian!" Grace chided, coming to her feet as well. She came around and went to Mia, pulling her into her arms as Mia began to cry.

Christian felt Ana come up behind him and grabbed his hand. "Maybe we should call it a night and give everyone a chance to calm down?" she suggested, looking at Christian and then over to his parents and Mia.

Christian snatched his hand out of Ana's and stepped forward to Mia once again, ignoring Carrick as he glared at Christian and pulled Mia closer to him. Watching his father guard his little sister from him infuriated Christian more. He knew that his father knew he would never lay a hand on her, and he knew that wasn't the reason he was guarding Mia. It aggravated Christian that in his parents' eyes, Mia never did anything wrong and the moment anyone tried to accuse her of a wrongdoing they immediately jumped to her defense.

"Tell me where they are now, Mia, or I swear I will never forgive you and I will never have anything to do with you again," Christian said, his voice controlled and filled with anger.

Mia gasped and let a sob escape, just as his mother said, "Christian Trevelyan Grey! How could you say such a thing to your sister!"

Christian ignored his mother's angry tone and Mia's crocodile tears as he waited for her to give him an answer. The room was deadly quiet as everyone looked between brother and sister, waiting to see what would happen next. Ana and Elsa stood near the side of the couch. Ana wondered if she should pull Christian away and tell him to just forget about the letters and move on, but she didn't think he would appreciate her interference again. Elsa wasn't sure what to do, and she wasn't exactly sure what was going on. She knew that somehow the sibling argument had something to do with her, and she felt guilty that she was the reason her father and aunt weren't getting along, but she didn't know what to say or do to make everything okay again.

Mia stared up at her brother, tears streaming down her face. Looking back down at her feet, she took a deep breath and quietly said, "They're in the shoebox in my closet. Behind my pink carry-on."

Dead silence followed Mia's admission. Mia slowly looked up at Christian, tears silently streaming down her face, guilt and regret clear in her eyes. "Christian . . ." Mia whimpered.

"How could you?" Christian asked, his voice deathly quiet as he glowered down at Mia. "You knew how much Ana meant to me, and to keep what you've done a secret for so long, to hide those letters from me . . ." He trailed off, his mouth settling into a thin hard line, and his eyes glaring holes into his little sister.

Mia sobbed as she tried to reach for Christian, but he pulled away from her before she touched him. "Christian, please, I'm so sorry! I promise I didn't—"

"You didn't what? You didn't mean to do it? Oh, cut the bullshit, Mia. You've had a problem with Ana since day one, and you kept all those letters from me. Did you read them? Did you know what was in them?" Christian ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. "You know what, it doesn't even matter. I'm getting those letters and then we're leaving." He glared down at Mia with an intense expression and lips pressed together so tightly they practically disappeared. "Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't email me. I want nothing to do with a manipulative backstabber." Christian turned and looked around at Elsa and Ana. "Let's go. Now."

"Christian, please! Let me explain," Mia begged, reaching for him again, but Christian swiftly moved his body out of her grasp and left the room.

Elsa followed quickly behind him, slightly scared she would be snapped at if she didn't. Ana slowly followed behind her daughter and Christian, but when she passed Mia she stood in front of her and stared at her for a moment. Once again the room was quiet as they wondered what Ana would do or say. Ana reached out and gently placed her hand on Mia's shoulder. Mia looked at her with apprehensive eyes, but Ana's gentle, sympathetic smile eased her worries.

"We all make mistakes. Just give him some time." She gave Mia's shoulder a quick squeeze then lowered her hand and followed Elsa to the car, waiting for Christian to come back with the letters.

They knew when Christian left the house by the sound of the front door slamming shut. The rest of the Grey family was once again met with resounding silence. Elliot was the first one to break the silence. "Well, you fucked up didn't you, little sister?"

Everyone turned and glared at him as Mia covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably and ran out of the sitting room and up the stairs.

"You just never know how to keep your mouth shut, do you?" Kate asked, rolling her eyes at him before following Mia's tracks out of the room.

Grace slowly sat in the chair staring at her clasped hands as Carrick stood still by the threshold of the living room, almost as if in shock. Everyone was quiet, musing over everything they just learned, realizing that Mia was the reason for not knowing about Elsa for so long.

Grace leaned back in the chair and rubbed her forehead. With a sigh she said to no one in general, "What a great way to end the evening."

I know this is short but I'm still working on the next chapters so be patient with me. Thank you all for the follows and favorites! And thank you to everyone who reviews. It keeps me motivated and I really appreciate the support and am glad you guys are enjoying my story!

Please excuse any mistakes you may come across.

Happy reading!