Chapter 10

Regina pulled up to the Nott household, putting her car into park and studying it for a moment. She knew that Richard Nott was a successful business owner and it was clear that he had been able to afford the finer things in life. While his house wasn't as grand as Mist Haven, it was still a mansion. It had a light gray stone façade with white accents around the house. Several windows lined each floor and she spotted two chimneys placed on opposite sides of the house from each other. The lawn looked immaculate and she figured he paid a landscaper to maintain it. Regina wondered what the backyard looked like, figuring they had a pool – she imagined that was something young Keith and maybe young Robin would've wanted.

She got out of the car and took a deep breath before approaching the front door. Regina rang the doorbell and took a step back, waiting to see if anyone opened the door. There were at least two cars in the driveway but knew that didn't necessarily mean anything. Robin likely only owned one car but she knew that he also drove their company's van. Keith definitely owned more than one car, she believed. And she wouldn't be surprised if his father did the same.

Which all meant that it could be that no one home and the door would never open.

But she also knew it was a big house, so she pressed the bell again and decided to wait for a few more minutes before leaving.

After what felt like an eternity, Regina decided that no one was home and she would need to come back later. She started to turn away from the door when it opened. Taking a deep breath, she looked back and found Keith standing there in just a towel. His eyes lit up and he smirked. "Regina! What a surprise!"

"I apologize for dropping in unannounced," she said, feeling awkward. She knew seeing her fiancé in nothing but a towel should create some desire in her but she didn't feel much toward him. And so she kept her focus on his face. "But I was in the neighborhood and wanted to see your house."

"Of course," he replied, stepping aside. "Come on in."

She passed him, feeling the damp heat radiating off his body. As he closed the door, she turned to him and motioned to his state of undress. "I can wait for you to put on some clothes," she said.

He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Do you want to help me dress?"

"I think I'd rather wait for the wedding night," she said, realizing she had no desire to see what lay under that towel. But she certainly would love to see what lay under Robin's sweaters and jeans.

That was something she would need to unpack later.

Luckily, Keith nodded as he winked at her. "I understand. I'll be right down," he said.

"I'll be right here," she replied, watching as he walked up the stairs. It was only a few moments later did she realize that he had assumed she was a virgin. She didn't really care to correct him. As long as he didn't try to make another pass at her, she didn't care what he believed about her.

Regina heard the jingle of a bell and turned toward the hall to her right. A gray cat walked down it, the sound coming from the bell on his collar. Her heart sped up as she recalled the cat toy in the stocking and she wondered if maybe it had pointed to Keith after all. Crouching, she held out her hand and waited to see if the cat would approach her.

The cat came closer to her and sniffed her hand. It then bumped its head against her hand and she scratched behind its ear. "Good kitty," she cooed.

"Ugh," Keith said, coming back down the stairs in a nice shirt and pair of pants. "Robin's stupid cat got out again."

"This is Robin's cat?" she asked, surprised that he did own a cat but pleased that the cat toy again pointed toward him being Shakespeare.

Keith nodded, looking disgusted. "He's supposed to keep this mangy thing in his apartment but Tuck keeps getting out. Dad doesn't seem to mind but if it were up to me, I would've chucked him out years ago."

He started to reach for the cat but Regina scooped him up first, cradling the cat. "Why would you throw out such a sweet animal?" she asked.

"Tuck isn't sweet," Keith said, glaring at the cat. "He's a monster. He always scratches me."

"Animals are very intuitive. He senses that you don't like him so he doesn't like you in return. I'm sure if you were nicer, he wouldn't scratch you," she said, feeling Tuck purr as she gently rocked him like a baby.

Keith just made a strange sound before saying: "We should probably put him back in Robin's apartment."

"Probably," she replied, finding herself eager to see Robin's living space. "Why don't you take me there? I can carry Tuck so he doesn't scratch you."

"Fine by me," he said. "It's this way."

She followed him down the hallway until they reached a door right by the kitchen. It was ajar enough for a cat to get out and explore the rest of the house. Keith saw it and shook his head. "I wish Robin would lock his door but he refuses. I guess he doesn't think he has anything to hide or something," he said.

"Or maybe it's a sign of how much he trusts you and your uncle, that he knows you won't go into his private space without him or his permission," she said, though she did agree that maybe Robin needed to lock his door as she doubted Keith was very trustworthy.

"Maybe," Keith replied, shrugging. "Or maybe he does it so the cat can get out and annoy me."

Regina did her best not to roll her eyes. "Well, I'll put Tuck back inside and be right back out."

She opened the door and stepped into Robin's apartment, ready to get to know him a bit more by taking a quick look around his personal space.

Or at least his living room.

It was neat and had good quality furniture, so it was more than just a bachelor pad. From what she could tell, Robin had made himself a nice little apartment that was mostly decorated in browns and greens. There were a couple plants around the room as well and she liked that he had a connection to nature like her, thinking of her beloved apple tree. Naturally, all the plants were safe for Tuck, meaning Robin was a responsible pet owner.

She placed Tuck down and he rubbed her leg before walking away. He hopped up onto his cat condo, sitting in a corner next to what appeared to be Robin's desk. Tuck curled up on one of the platforms, resting in the sun coming through the partially opened blinds. Regina knew Robin did that on purpose so his cat could enjoy the sun.

Her attention was drawn to his desk now and she found it was neat, though it had some papers stacked on it. She also saw a sketchbook on it and stepped closer, opening the cover to reveal a sketch for her wedding. Regina knew he had made it the day he asked her to imagine her perfect wedding and she was amazed with how well he had captured it. He was certainly a talented artist and she wondered if he had ever wanted to pursue other avenues with his art. She set the sketchbook back down and continued looking around the desk.

There were two picture frames on the desk. She realized one was a picture of Robin with his parents. He was a good mixture of both his mother and father though he did take after his father more than his mother. Both Robin and his father wore suits while his mother wore a beautiful blue dress. They were at some sort of party and all three smiled at the camera, looking very happy. She wondered how much longer Michael and Elizabeth lived after the picture was taken.

Robin's second framed picture was from college graduation, judging by the robes he and Keith wore. They stood on either side of an older gentleman with graying brown hair and beard. He too had blue eyes that were filled with pride and he smiled warmly at the camera, holding both Robin and Keith close. She knew that was his Uncle Richard, Keith's father, and he clearly was proud and loved both his boys.

No wonder Robin was such a loving and kind man. He had been surrounded by it his entire life.

She had no clue what happened with Keith.

"Regina? Is everything okay in there?" Keith called out, reminding her that she needed to leave. She took one last look around the living room before heading back to the main part of the house.

Keith raised an eyebrow when she closed the door behind her. "What took you so long?"

"I just wanted to make sure Tuck was comfortable and wouldn't try to follow me out," she lied. "He seems content on his cat condo."

"Robin spoils that thing," he replied, rolling his eyes.

She frowned. "What do you expect him to do? There are certain things that cats need and something like the condo is one of them."

"Whatever," he muttered. "It's all stupid."

"You are not an animal person, are you?" she asked him, studying him. She had learned never to trust anyone who didn't like animals.

Like her mother.

Keith shook his head. "Are you?"

"I am," she replied. "I have a horse who I love very much. And I wouldn't mind another pet like a cat or a dog."

"Well, don't expect me to take care of it," he said, motioning for her to follow him.

She took a deep breath before walking down the hallway after him, growing more convinced that he was not the one for her. "What about children? Pets are a walk in the park compared to them."

They entered the kitchen and Keith motioned to the refrigerator. "Do you want something to drink?"

"Water will do," she replied, crossing her arms. "You haven't answered my question."

"Do we need to talk about children now?" he asked, pouring her a glass of water. "Can't we wait?"

She accepted the glass from him. "I don't think so. We're rushing to the altar so usually there are a lot of things we would've already figured out before getting to this moment. I think we need to talk to make sure we're truly compatible."

He paused for a moment before slowly sitting down. "Do we have to do this now now? Maybe we could wait and talk about it over dinner?"

"No, I think it's best if we do this now," she replied, not wanting to give him a chance to find a way to prevent this conversation from happening. "So, answer the question. Do you want children?"

"Well, do you?" he asked, sweat starting to roll down his forehead. She knew that he would just agree with whatever she said and she didn't want that. Regina wanted to know how he truly felt.

She crossed her arms. "No, you answer first. I don't want to influence your answer."

He swallowed before answering: "I never really saw myself as a dad, honestly. But I do get that we would have to have a child to carry on the family name. Maybe two. However, that's what nannies are for, right?"

"Nannies?" Regina asked, not liking his implications. "Why would we need nannies?"

"Well, because we'll be working and then I imagine we'll be going to a lot of parties as well," he replied. "And of course traveling. Traveling with kids is the worst when they aren't yours. I can't imagine how much more of a nightmare they would be if they are yours and you can't escape the little monsters."

Anger burned in her veins. "Children aren't monsters. And I will not have my children raised by nannies. I plan on being an involved parent and I would hope my partner would be the same," she said.

The color drained from his face. "Well, maybe I'll change my mind."

"Maybe?" she asked. "I don't want to hang a future on maybe."

"Okay, okay," he said, now clearly panicking. "Then I definitely want children. Yeah, I do. Can't wait to be a father."

Frustration filled her and she rolled her eyes. "Now you're just saying what you think I want to hear."

He shook his head. "Not at all!"

"I don't even know why I'm doing this," Regina said, realizing it was all pointless. "I know you aren't Shakespeare."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his eyes darting around as if looking for a way to end this conversation. "Of course I'm Shakespeare. Haven't I proven that already?"

She shook her head. "Not to my satisfaction."

He leaned forward. "Okay. Then what do you need me to do to prove it?"

"We both had codenames," she said, leaning forward as well. "If you are Shakespeare, what did you call me?"

"That's easy," he said, smirking now. "I called you Goddess."

She almost laughed at how confidently he had delivered his wrong answer. "No."

He leaned back, his smirk gone. "I, um, had a lot to drink that night. Maybe I'm just confused."

"I don't think so," she replied. "Why don't we cut the crap?"

"There's no crap to cut," he insisted.

She rolled her eyes as she came up with a good cover story. "Remember when I asked about sharing what was in our stockings? I didn't tell you the whole truth – I already had looked inside your stocking."

His eyes widened. "You did?"

"Yes," she replied. "The only thing I couldn't figure out was the cat toy but now that I've met Tuck, I get it. And I can only conclude that the stocking really belonged to Robin."

"I can explain," he said, still sweating as his cheeks turned pink. "Remember how I was having that allergic reaction? Well, I thought I wouldn't be able to go so I told Robin to go instead so he had already filled the stocking. But then the reaction wasn't as bad as I thought so I went but we didn't have time to change the things in the stocking. One of the reasons I wanted to wait until the wedding was so I could switch out Robin's things with my own."

Regina had to admit that Keith was good at thinking on his feet and coming up with plausible-sounding bullshit. But her mother was Cora Mills so she was an expert at recognizing said bullshit. So she just slowly clapped. "Bravo," she said.

That seemed to surprise him. "Bravo?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. "That was almost believable."

He scowled before leaning closer again, a coldness in his eyes that sent a chill down her spine. "Fine. Maybe I am lying about being Shakespeare – which I am not saying I am – and maybe Robin is really Shakespeare. But that leaves a couple questions for you to answer."

"Is that so?" she asked, unnerved by the look in his eyes and his tone. But she tried to look as calm as possible so that he didn't know how he was affecting her. "And what are they?"

"Well, if I'm not Shakespeare and Robin is, then he has been helping me fool you," he pointed out. "Why would he do that if you two had such a special connection? Why hasn't he tried to stop us and tell you who he is himself?"

Regina's stomach turned as she realized he had a point. She did have to wonder why Robin would go along with his cousin's plan. "I don't know but I intend to find out," she told Keith.

He frowned. "And that leads us to question two - then what?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused by his question. "I'm going to call off the wedding."

"Do you think that's necessary?" he asked.

She wondered what was going through his mind to ask that question. "Yes, of course. I'm not going to marry someone who is lying to me and who I don't love."

He reached out and took her hand. "Look, it may not be the ideal start, but we have been enjoying our time together, right?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "Because I feel like when I am enjoying our time together, you're just pretending to be Robin. So do I enjoy our time together? Or do I enjoy time with Robin?"

"That's a fair question," he said. "But maybe we just need to get to know each other better. Maybe you'll find out you like me for me."

She knew he had a point but that didn't convince her she didn't need to call off the wedding. "That's what dating is for. We don't need to be married for that. And if we don't end up being compatible, it's easier to just break up than get divorced."

"Yes, but there's so much hype around our wedding," he said. "People will be very disappointed if we don't go through with it, especially your mother."

That comment annoyed her and she crossed her arms. "You know, you care a lot about how my mother feels."

"I know things are tense between you but she really does have your best interest at heart," he said, looking almost earnest. Regina realized that he actually believed that, falling hook, line and sinker for whatever lie her mother had spun for him.

He reached out and squeezed her arm. "She just wants you to have what is rightfully yours."

"My inheritance," she replied, knowing exactly what he was talking about and feeling foolish. "That's what this is about, isn't it?"

"Yes," he said. "It is."

Her blood began to boil. "Of course it is. Thank you for being honest with me at least about that."

Keith looked unnerved by her comment. "Really, Regina, we're doing this for you. So you can have your inheritance. It's yours and you deserve to have it."

"Right," Regina said, wanting to leave and return to the safety of her home so she could process everything she had learned. She picked up her bag and started to back away from him. "I need to go."

"Wait," he replied, walking toward her. For a moment, she wondered if he was about to comfort her when he asked: "Are you going to cancel the wedding?"

She held up her hands, hoping to keep him away from her. "I don't know. I need to figure everything out."

And before he could say anything else, she turned and left the kitchen.

Thankfully, he didn't follow her as she reached the front door and opened it. She nearly ran to her car, knowing it would provide her some sanctuary. As she buckled herself in, she looked up to find Keith watching from the door. He waved at her but she was unable to wave back. Instead, she put the car in drive and started to make her way back down the driveway.

But as she drove past one window, she spotted another familiar form – Tuck watching from his cat condo as she drove away.

Robin sat on the front steps to Mist Haven, waiting for Regina to return. After his conversation with John, he knew what he had to do. He just hoped he was ready for the fallout, knowing he could lose everything dear to him – his family, his business and his chance at true love. Closing his eyes, he asked his parents to watch him and protect him as he braced for whatever would come next.

He heard a car approaching the house and he opened his eyes to find Regina's car coming toward him. Taking a deep breath, he stood and waited for her to park in front of the house.

She climbed out of her car, frowning. "Did I forget a meeting?"

"No," he replied, his stomach churning. "There's something I need to talk to you about and it's very important."

"Well, there's something important I need to talk to you about too," she said, stepping closer. "And I really hope it's about the same thing."

The look in her eyes made his stomach turn again and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Where do you want to talk?"

She motioned to her house. "We can talk in the dining room."

Robin followed her inside and she led him to the dining room. She pulled out a chair and motioned to it. "Have a seat."

"Thank you," he said, watching as she sat down across from him. He took a deep breath. "I have a confession, Regina. I'm Shakespeare. Not Keith."

"I know," she replied, placing a bag on the table. She then dumped the contents on the table, revealing all the items he had placed in his stocking. "I did some investigating. The matches come from a pub that confirmed you're a regular. And I went to your house. I didn't peg you as a cat person but Tuck is very lovable."

He nodded. "Yes, he is."

She didn't say anything after that and just kept staring at him. Robin shifted in his chair before saying: "I'm sorry."

"I guess that's a start," she said, a hard look still in her eyes. "I also want an explanation. Why lie? Did you not feel the same connection I did?"

"No, I did," he assured her, wishing he was as eloquent as Shakespeare so he could explain how she had made him feel that night. "That night was the best night of my life and it was all because of you."

Her eyes began to water. "Then why not tell me?"

"Remember some of our earlier conversations?" he asked her. "And how I suggested that maybe Shakespeare needed time to figure out if he wanted to know the real you? I was talking about myself, especially since most of our interactions to that point hadn't really left me with the best impression of you."

"That is true," she agreed. "But we got past that and were getting along."

He nodded. "And so I was going to tell you. I was just about to tell you when Keith and your mother came in, announcing he was Shakespeare and I didn't think I could argue with him at that moment."

Regina's expression remained neutral and she kept her hands clasped as she asked: "Why didn't you tell me afterwards? Why go along with this farce?"

"I let Keith convince me that this was being done for your benefit, that no one would get hurt," he replied, wishing he had one of his pencils to play with as his stomach churned from nerves. "It was stupid and I should've questioned it more. But a friend has recently pointed out that I might have some issues that I haven't really addressed and that Keith knows how to use them to manipulate me to do his bidding."

"So why are you telling me now?" she asked. He had read several tabloids call her an ice queen and he had a feeling he was now experiencing that side of her.

He took a deep breath. "Because I've finally admitted that my cousin's intentions aren't as honorable as I was led to believe and I don't want to see you get hurt."

She studied him, her eyes icy. "And that's it?"

"Yes," he replied, confused. "Why?"

"You must be getting something out of this," she insisted. "What is it?"

"Besides a clear conscience? Nothing," he replied honestly. "I will likely lose everything – my family, my business and you – but I know this is what I have to do."

She didn't look moved. "And this isn't about my inheritance?"

"My confession? No," he told her.

"What about the lie?"

He took a deep breath, knowing he had to tell her the whole truth. "Yes, it was about your inheritance."

She let out a little laugh. "And how much were you going to get?"

"What?" he asked, surprised. "Nothing."

"You really expect me to believe that? That you participated in deceiving me for nothing? Please," she said, rolling her eyes.

Hearing her say that out loud made Robin feel even shittier. "No, I don't expect you to believe me but it's the truth," he said.

She shook her head. "No, I don't believe you. You have just admitted to conning me though I doubt you've told me the truth. You two were likely in on this from the start and now that I've figured out that Keith isn't Shakespeare, it's your turn to try to salvage the situation so you can still get access to all my money. I'm sure it's very tempting to someone like you."

"Someone like me?" he asked, feeling like he had been punched in the gut. Anger chased away his guilt as he crossed his arms. "I don't need your fucking money. My uncle is very well off. And you're not the only one in this room who has an inheritance."

Her eyes widened as her lips parted. She closed them before they parted once more. After the third time, a word finally squeaked out. "What?"

Robin leaned back, nodding. "My parents likely didn't leave me as much as your father left you but they left me enough to make sure I could at least have a good start as an adult. I haven't touched it yet either as I haven't had the need to but it's still there. So it's definitely not the fucking money.

"I like you, Regina," he said, still holding her gaze. "I really thought we had a connection both as Shakespeare and Milady as well as Robin and Regina. And I acknowledge I messed that up. I should never have agreed to help Keith deceive you. I apologize for that. You deserved better than that. You still do."

He could see the ice in her eyes melting as her posture slowly relaxed. It seemed she was not expecting him to say that. Robin hadn't expected it either but now that he had started, he knew he had to continue until he was done.

"Look, I'm not going to pretend I understand being worried that someone is only with you for your money," he continued. "Most people don't think I have that kind of money. You didn't even after going to my uncle's house. You still didn't see me as a socioeconomic equal."

She looked down, no longer meeting his eyes. He hoped it meant she was feeling remorse for how she was treating him. It was one thing to be angry that he had been deceiving her but another thing to accuse him of only wanting her money. But he now realized it was always about the money, but not in the way she thought.

"I do believe that you really don't care about the money," he said, knowing she was genuine about that. "Otherwise, you would've been married and likely divorced by now. But I do believe it controls you more than you are willing to accept."

"What do you mean by that?" she snapped, the fire back in her eyes as she looked back up at him.

He did not back down and tried to hold her gaze again. "You've been so worried about someone only wanting you for your money, you've made it a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are marrying someone who does only want you for your money and for the luxurious life you can give him.

"Which leads to one question that I think only you can answer," he said. "Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?" she asked him, her cheeks growing redder. "You know why I'm doing this. And you know I'm trying to get out of it."

He tilted his head. "But are you really?"

"Yes," she replied, scowling. "We talked about how there would be no wedding."

"But why did you even agree in the first place?" he asked. "If you don't want to be married, then don't get married. But you've acted like you have no choice in the matter when you really do. So I can only conclude that maybe I wasn't the only one who has been threatened to go along with this whole debacle."

He saw her shoulders tense as she sat up straighter, little signs that told him his assumption was right. So he continued. "And I think the money plays a big part in how your mother controls you. You say it doesn't matter, prove it. I came here to tell you the truth knowing that it will destroy my entire life. Will you take the same risk?"

"We're not the same," she said, almost whispering. It was all he needed to know her answer.

"Clearly," he replied. "Maybe I'm not the man you thought I was but I don't think you're the woman I thought you were either."

She nodded, the cold look back in her eyes as she slipped back into her ice queen persona. "We were just strangers in masks, after all."

"I think we were more than that," he said, not fooled by what was likely her version of armor. "If only for one brief moment. And I will treasure that moment for the rest of my life."

"Me too," she said, her voice soft again.

He nodded, finding some solace in that statement. "The fault, Regina, is not in our stars but in ourselves. It's our responsibility to carve our own future."

She tilted her head. "I know that one, Shakespeare. It's from Julius Caesar."

"Yes," he replied as his heart constricted when she said his nickname for the masquerade. "Goodbye, Milady."

He didn't wait for a response. Instead, he walked out of her house and didn't stop until he got into his car. Robin started it up and pulled away from Regina's house, likely for the last time. He gripped the wheel tightly as he drove off her property, letting the gates close behind him. And still, he never looked back.

Only when he was a couple miles did he pull over. Putting his car into park, he finally let the tears that had been gathering in his eyes since he left the house fall. Robin sobbed in the privacy of his car, mourning the relationship he could've had with Regina. For a moment, he thought he had found the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. Now he not only lost her but had likely lost the life he had built for himself.

And he only had himself to blame.

If only he hadn't said yes to Keith only a few weeks ago.

But he had and now he needed to deal with the consequences. He would pick himself up and work to build a new life for himself. This time, he wasn't going to let anyone destroy it – especially himself.

Regina's mind was so loud it felt like it was roaring. Too many voices echoed around it – Robin's, Keith's, Mother's, Granny's. All their words jumbled together and were ultimately nonsense that made her feel even more confused as her stomach continued to twist into knots. She struggled to breathe, feeling like the walls were closing in on her.

She was trapped and it was one of her own making.

"Take a deep breath, Regina," Granny said, her voice cutting through the fog in Regina's mind. She sat down next to Regina and took her hands. "Breathe with me."

Granny guided Regina through some breathing exercises and Regina felt her mind clear. Her heart rate slowed and the panic receded though her body trembled. She accepted a glass of water from Granny, drinking it slowly as everything started to feel normal.

"I've been waiting for that," Granny said.

"Waiting for what?" Regina replied, confused. "For everything to fall apart around me?"

Granny shook her head. "For the panic attack."

Regina took another sip of water before saying: "Oh."

"Yeah," Granny said. "I think we need to talk. I'm not going to pretend I didn't overhear your conversation with Robin so let's just go from there."

"So you heard that he was lying to me this entire time," Regina said, wondering what Granny would think. "You were right. Shakespeare was just another snake in the grass."

Granny, though, shook her head. "I don't think he was a snake at all."

That surprised Regina. "You don't?"

"No," Granny replied. She wagged her finger at Regina. "Don't forget, girlie, I see and hear a lot that goes around this house. And I saw and heard a lot from that man, both when he was and wasn't with you."

"What did you see?" Regina asked, intrigued to know what Granny had experienced to make her still believe that Robin was a good man. Especially as she found she wanted to believe it as well.

Granny smiled, taking Regina's hand again. "I saw that he made you happy. I saw that you lowered your walls around him and let him see the real Regina Mills."

Regina felt a lump form in her throat. "I felt really comfortable around him. Like I could be myself with him."

"I had a feeling he would be right for you from the moment he stepped into this house to help plan your masquerade," Granny replied. "And I worried that his arrogant but flashier cousin would distract you. Which he did."

"Because Robin helped him," Regina pointed out. "I thought Keith was him."

Granny held her gaze as she said: "You thought Keith was him before they ever deceived you. You made assumptions based on one email signature and focused on Keith rather than the man who really did all the work, Robin."

Regina felt herself deflate as she realized Granny was right. But her anger flared up again as she said: "So he has been deceiving me from the beginning. He signed with his cousin's name."

"And you've never written an email your mother signed her name to?" Granny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, yes," Regina said, feeling her eyes blink faster. She also recalled how Robin had said he often did the hard work and let Keith do the talking with clients, a strategy that had clearly worked since even she fell for Keith's charm at first. It was a dynamic she had seen often in the business world – even in her own company.

The realization then hit her so hard, she almost fell off her chair. "Shit. Robin is me and Keith is my mother."

"Yes," Granny said. "Exactly."

"Oh god," Regina groaned, her conversations with Shakespeare playing over in her head. They had first bonded over having family members who were domineering and who always had to get their way. He hadn't specified the exact relationship with his family member, just that they were close in age. Now, though, it was clear he was talking about his cousin.

Not only were Milady and Shakespeare two peas in a pod, it seemed Keith and her mother were too.

She sighed. "No wonder Mother and Keith get along so well."

"Pretty much," Granny said. "They're kindred spirits, much like you and Robin."

Regina looked down into her half-drunk glass of water. "Do you think I lashed out at Robin as proxy to lash out at myself?"

"I think that's a Dr. Hopper question," Granny replied. "Who I'm guessing you haven't talked to since this whole mess began."

"No, I haven't," Regina confirmed with a sigh. She hadn't made a conscious decision not to make a new appointment but she knew she was avoiding him subconsciously. "I'll give him a call."

Granny nodded. "Good. I think he'll help you sort this out. But can I say one thing?"

Regina was amused she asked for permission. "Would it really stop you if I said no?"

"Not really, no," Granny replied, smirking for a moment and then growing serious again. "Look, I'm not saying what Robin did was right. He shouldn't have lied to you and helped his cousin deceive you. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still doing the wrong thing. But he did come here to make things right and I think that says a lot about his character."

She paused before continuing. "You both have been so passive during this and are just letting things happen to you. He's taking steps to stop that despite the personal cost. Are you going to do the same? You promised me you wouldn't go through with this wedding but it's two days away now and still on. So are you going to stop it or will you prove Robin right and let the money control you?"

The question felt like a punch to the gut. "Do you really think I let the money control me?" she asked Granny in a quiet voice.

"I think it is one of the many tools used by your mother to control you," Granny said, though Regina wasn't sure that sounded much better. "And that will only stop once you stand up to her and show the money can't control you. Calling off the wedding is a very good start."

"But what about you and Mary Margaret?" Regina asked, feeling tears in her eyes as she recalled her mother's threat to make them both jobless and homeless to punish Regina for her insolence.

Granny moved to sit next to her, taking her hands again. "We'll be fine. The only thing we want is for you to be happy. Any temporary inconvenience is worth is as long as you are happy and living life the way you want to."

Regina knew Granny was right but still wasn't sure unemployment and homelessness were really just temporary inconveniences. Even though she had lived a privileged life, she knew those were serious issues that could end up being permanent. She didn't want the people she loved the most to end up miserable because of her. Her misery seemed a small price to pay for their happiness.

Was that the lesson her parents wanted her to learn? Had it really been about being selfless all along?

No, she then realized. Her mother was the most selfish person Regina had known and was only ever focused on her own happiness – especially during her marriage. Daddy had always been the one to make sacrifices for her and it still was never enough, making both miserable. Regina had always known deep down that marriage was not supposed to be like that and she almost allowed herself to fall into the same trap as her parents. But not anymore. For whatever reason, Mother did not want Regina to ever be happy but Regina would not let her ruin her life – or anyone else's – anymore.

Granny was right. It was time to take away her power.

"Okay," Regina said, nodding. "I'm going to stand up to my mother."

"Good," Granny replied, patting her knee. "Now stand up so I can give you a hug."

Laughing, Regina stood and let Granny hug her. They held each other tight as a sense of calm descended over Regina. She knew what she needed to do and was not going to let anyone stop her this time. And then once that was done, she would figure out how she felt toward Robin and how she wanted to proceed with him.

Something Granny said stuck her now as odd and she pulled back, frowning. "You said doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still the wrong thing. What was Robin's right reason for deceiving me?"

"Right, you cut him off before he could explain that," Granny said. "Well, apparently he was told that if you don't marry before your thirtieth birthday, you lose everything. Not just the inheritance, everything. The deception was framed as a necessary evil. I have a feeling your mother is behind this lie and probably cast herself as the hero in this story."

"I bet," Regina replied, feeling annoyed. She also felt angry on Robin's behalf that her mother and Keith would use his kindness against him like that. They both needed to be stopped and she knew there was only one way to do that.

She squared her shoulders. "My mother has said so many different things about my inheritance. I think it's past time I found out what my father said."

"One step ahead of you," Mal said, entering the dining room. She motioned behind her. "Front door was open. Anyway, I have an early wedding present for you."

Mal set her bag down and opened it as she kept talking. "So, I don't trust Edgar Gold at all so I never believed that the summary he provided of your father's will was accurate. I've been trying to get the actual will for some time now but Gold's blocked me. However, needing to draw up your prenup worked in my favor and I finally got this."

She tossed a thick stack of papers onto the table. "The last will and testament of Henry Xavier Mills," she announced.

"Oh, wow," Regina said, finally looking at her father's will itself. "Have you read it?"

"I have," Mal confirmed. "And it was a very interesting read. I don't think I've learned some much since school."

That surprised and intrigued Regina. She leaned closer. "Like what?"

Mal smiled. "Well, for starters, your mother is not the executrix of your father's estate. Granny is."

"What?" Regina and Granny said together. Regina turned to Granny, find her mouth open and her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yep," Mal replied, motioning for them to sit down. "There's more but the short version is that everything we've ever been told about the will is lie."

Regina sank into her seat, her mind processing Mal's words. Hope began to course through her as she realized she was close to being free from her mother's control forever. She leaned forward with a smile. "Then tell me everything," she said.

A/N: Uh oh. Things aren't looking so great for Robin and Regina right now, huh? But it looks like Mal might have just saved the day. Will what she has to reveal help Robin and Regina get a happy ending together? Or is it too late?

We're getting closer to the end! Hopefully I'll be able to wrap this up by this Christmas and I hope you'll enjoy it.

I can't believe it's almost October! The holidays are almost here and I can't wait to see what holiday goodness the amazing artists of this fandom have in store for us!

-Mac