A/N: I was originally going to include part of this request in the last installment of Indecent Proposal, but it seemed to me that this needed its own chapter. I can't begin to tell you how vindicating this was for me to write. After all, if someone I loved was willing to make a deal to pass me off to another… I would be so pissed. Then again, if it's someone like Robert Carlyle, I might have to forgive them just a little bit.

Indecent Proposal

Grace5231973 prompted: Belle confronts Grayson. (Rated T)

It was almost a week since the almost disastrous business dinner with potential partner David Nolan that Grayson could have ruined. Belle had to thank Providence and whatever other Powers That Be for allowing David to want to align himself with Gold despite Grayson almost revealing that Belle and Gold were together under false pretenses.

She still could not believe how Grayson showed up and wanted to end the deal with Gold. For so long she had wanted that outcome to come to life. But the days became weeks and then months and Belle pretty much gave up on the idea that Grayson would ever break the contract. Then out of the blue—during the critical part of the contract—Grayson interrupted the business dinner, drunk and looking absolutely terrible, demanding Gold to end the deal and let Belle come home with him.

In the heat of the moment, Belle did not find Grayson's behavior "heroic" rather it was irksome. She couldn't stand his gall that after months of nothing from him, and then this! Furthermore, she knew they were getting super close in closing the deal with David.

No, she told herself. Gold was getting close. This was HIS deal, not mine.

And yet, Belle felt she was part of the business now. After all, she was Gold's "wife" and after spending all this time with Thomas, Belle was committed to making this deal with David Nolan a reality. She surprised herself over how easy it was to slip into the role as a supportive and doting spouse and she truly wanted this to work out for him. When Grayson stormed into the restaurant, she feared Thomas would lose his chances, especially since his comments about how he "wanted out" and he thought Gold "locked her up" and "screw the money." It all sounded perverse and wrong and if David got the wrong impression about Thomas…

Well, it wasn't far from the truth. Apart from the locking up part, that is.

But right then and there Belle took offense at Grayson. She didn't want him there; she wanted him gone.

Fortunately, it all worked out well in the end.

However, it served as a reminder how close things could have went if David hadn't dismissed Grayson's words as a raving drunk and spurned ex-lover. Indeed the damage control Belle did was to elaborate that part of her drifting away from Grayson was his drinking habits. For her, it wasn't a total lie. Grayson did enjoy his beers a little too much, but he was never abrasive or anything. He loved hanging out at The Rabbit Hole since they moved here, and while it wasn't her favorite spot for a date, she tolerated it on his behalf.

Now she was seeing her fiancé in a new light.

Even later that night when she and Thomas spoke about what happened with Grayson…Belle knew something was wrong. It took her longer to admit the facts, but since her relationship with Thomas was changing, she was starting to see the obvious when it came to Grayson.

No one—no one—in their right minds who loves someone so much that they want to spend the rest of their lives together would sell that someone regardless how sweet the deal sounded.

Even though The Book Escape was in danger, Belle was starting to open her eyes and realize that nothing was worth it when saving a store required going along with a contract that involved her as a condition. Of course, she never wanted to go along with it in the first place, but she was beginning to see that Grayson's insistence was a red flag.

And…

She was falling out of love with him.

The truth was a bolt of lightning and she was surprisingly not heartbroken over the revelation.

If anything, she was impassive.

Maybe it was a good thing that the bookshop was losing business. If she married Grayson…

Belle shuddered to think how that would have turned out. Then again, would she have known? Would she realize that Grayson wasn't the man she wanted to spend her life with?

Was it Thomas Gold?

One thing for certain, Belle knew she didn't love Grayson anymore. At least this indecent proposal had something positive that came to light. Now, it was time for Belle to do something she should have done when Grayson said they should take Gold's deal.

xxXXxx

Finding Grayson wasn't difficult.

He was sitting inside of Granny's nursing a cup of coffee with a half-eaten plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. There was some color back in his complexion, and he didn't look as exhausted or stressed like he did the previous week.

Belle stood at the door, her hand holding the strap of her purse over her shoulder. She bit her lip and took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy, but was anything ever easy?

She knew everyone in the diner had their eyes on her as she walked to Grayson's table. But they didn't matter and she didn't care what they were thinking or what they were whispering.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi." Grayson was surprised to see her but there was also some happiness and relief on his face. "You're here Belle. You left him."

"Can I sit?" she asked without skipping a beat. Grayson nodded and she slid into the booth across him. Before she could open her mouth, Grayson was already reaching and catching her hand as he kissed her knuckles.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to see you," he said. "These past months… I was so sick and worried about you and how he was treating you and I can't begin to tell you how many times I almost broke our contract. When I saw him with you…. His hand on your back, holding your hand… It made me sick to my stomach, Belle. That lecherous, twisted, old pervert. I know he had to be getting a hard-on for having someone like you at his side. And it's my fault. It's all my fault and I hope you forgive me, Belle, I really hope you do. I will make it better, I promise. Seeing you here gives me the hope that we can make it work. If we have to close the store… so be it. We will start anew. We'll move if we have to. Anything! As long as we're together—what?"

Belle's instinct was to draw her hand back, but as soon as she saw the joyous look in his eyes… She couldn't and when Grayson started his impassioned speech—it was difficult for Belle to look at him as she dropped her gaze to the table. She had every reason to believe that he meant everything he said. It was everything he said that was right, and what she wanted to hear so long ago. But things had changed. She changed.

As soon as she remembered her purpose, Belle lifted her head resolutely and looked at him determination.

"Grayson," she began. "You have no idea how long I waited for you to say you regretted this. I know you meant well but the truth is… This was all wrong."

"I know that now," he interrupted. "Believe me, I regretted it the moment you walked out the door. I wanted to stop it immediately but I didn't want to disappoint you and lose the chance of losing our store…"

"Disappoint me?" Belle repeated. "Grayson, I hated this idea. I was against it from the start or have you forgotten that?"

"No!"

"Well, you're acting like I wanted to do this. I told you that if we had to close the store, then I was fine with it. We were losing money. There was no point in keeping the store open if we're not making sales. We agreed to close it! It wasn't until Thomas showed up with that deal—"

"Whoa, Thomas?"

"Grayson, you have to realize that this whole thing was ridiculous from the start," she went on without acknowledging her use of Gold's Christian name. "The point is this whole situation showed me a side to you that I never knew before. I want to forgive you, I do, but I can't see how we can move forward after this. I'm sorry Grayson."

"Wait… Belle, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying Grayson that you and I… We can't do this anymore."

"You—Are you telling me you didn't leave him?"

"No. I know part of the stipulation was that you and I cannot be seen with each other, but I couldn't wait until the end. It would be leading you on and I can't do that. Unlike you… I don't like pretenses and parting ways now for us is better than later."

Grayson's nostrils flared as he panted in disbelief. "You don't want to break Gold's deal?"

"I'm already in the middle of it," she explained. "I like to keep my promises and I'm not going to start breaking it now."

"But your promise to me means nothing?"

"That's not what I mean," Belle argued. "I did promise you to be your wife. But that was because I didn't know you were willing to throw it away so easily."

"Easily?" he scoffed.

"Grayson, I don't love you anymore." There. She said it.

Hurt flashed in his eyes. "You don't love me?"

"I'm sorry," she offered again as if it could soothe the sting. Belle wasn't naïve to think it would, but she had nothing else to give him that would make it better. "I wish things could have turned out different. I do."

"Do you love… him?" he sneered.

Belle inhaled sharply. "No. I don't know. I do know that Thomas wouldn't have done what you did."

"Why would he when he came up with it himself?"

"I don't excuse what he did too either," she defended. "The truth is that he is not as bad as you think. Or what others may think. That's why I am okay with seeing this business deal until to the end."

"For him?"

"Yes."

Grayson looked to the side, his fist clenching and unclenching. "Belle…"

"This wasn't easy for me to do," she told him. "Grayson, I do care about you. We were friends first and I hope that one day we can be friends again. But it's not fair for us to pretend otherwise. Let us go our separate ways. In time you will see I am right."

"Will I?" He asked this more to himself than to her, but Grayson looked at her. "He's not…?"

Knowing what he meant, Belle shook her head. "He is good to me. Considerate, kind."

"I wouldn't have associated that with him."

"No. No one would." She smiled.

"You really want to do this?"

"Yes."

Grayson took a deep breath. "I was an ass that night, right?"

"'Fraid so. But it turned out all right. Thomas' business partner agreed to a deal."

"Ah." Grayson played with his napkin. "I suppose that is good. He got what he wanted."

Belle wasn't sure how to reply, but she conceded. "Grayson?"

"Yeah?"

She rested her hand on his and gave him a half-smile. "Do what you think it's best for the shop. You have my full support."

"Oh. Right."

"I don't regret our time together, but promise me you will find someone else."

He didn't say a word but he held her hand, promising her he will try.

"Good."

Meanwhile, across the street, Thomas Gold stood looking into the diner at Belle and her fiancé holding hands.

Oh boy… This is interesting. Next week will be another Indecent Proposal prompt. You know what to do!