Chapter 49

“I-It’s okay. I won‘t leave you.” I shook my head and smiled at him.

“Fire... fire reminded me of the past.” He confessed.

I let out a deep breath and caressed his hair.

“You need. . . to see a psychiatrist. I will support you, okay?” I gave him my assuring smile.

He gulped and nodded.

“You’re not. . . you’re not hearing voices right?” I asked with slight hope.

He avoided my gaze.

“I-I’m not.”

He’s lying.

“Grayson. Please. . . tell me the truth.” I gripped his hand.

“I’m not.” He gave me his weary smile.

I bit my lower lip and nodded.

“Do you trust me?”

He sighed at my question.

“I don’t. You always break your promise.” He avoided my gaze.

I nodded, completely understanding his reasons.

“Then if you cannot trust me, learn to trust yourself. Trust yourself that you’ll heal. Please?” I asked gently.

“Mmm. I will.” He kissed my forehead.

I became quiet for a while, trying to gauge the next words I’ll ask.

“I’ll show you something.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me.

He opened another door beside his room and turned on the light. I gasped out of shock when we entered the room. It was like a mini gallery, the ground was a marble white floor while the walls were white. It was surrounded by paintings of different pictures but Grayson pulled me to the end and there I saw a huge canvas.

“This is. . .” I observed the painting. “This is the painting I saw four years ago?” I asked.

He nodded.

“That painting is related to my traumatic past.”

I looked at the painting. It was a colorful abstract.

“Two sides. It was what happened when I was seventeen. The time I last met you when we were teenagers.” He started.

I gulped and didn't say anything, letter him speak.

“The left side where there was a boy leaning against the door was me while the right side where there was a fire was. . . my father.”

I heaved a sigh when he started telling me his story. I can imagine what happened years ago by just looking at the painting.

“Son! Help!” It was what he said what his father shouted.

Being in the scene of the event. I watched how the fire slowly drowned the man asking for his son’s help. But the boy on the other side was too mad to even open the door.

“It’s all your fault! I regret having a father like you!” He shouted with full of rage. The lines were still distinct in his memory as he remember the past.

With both palms covering his ears, not wanting to listen to his father’s shout of help, was his inability to smell the smell of fire from the outside.

I gulped.

Why was he mad at his father?

“Let’s get out, boy. I am a fireman and is here to rescue you. We received a report from your burning house. Grab my hand.” The fireman on the window of his room suddenly appeared in his room.

It was too late for him to realize when he opened the door to see his father. In front of his eyes, he saw how his father get drowned in fire.

“I saw his hands. . . they moved. But I chose to close the door.” He whispered.

I gripped his hands as I stare at the painting.

“Is there another man in the house? We are currently on search, young boy.”

“No. There’s none. Don’t search for more because I’m the only one left here.”

I bit my lower lip as I try my best not to ask him . . . why?

How could you do such thing, Grayson?

“I-I’m sorry.” That was the last words he heard from his father while the fireman was talking to its walkie talkie.

He locked the door.

And with the fireman, they got out of the house. . . without his father.

“Why? Do you hate me now?” He asked with a smile after telling me his story.

“There’s a reason right? I’m sure they’re valid.” I nodded and smiled at him as I squeeze his hands tight.

He avoided my gaze and sighed.

“I’m such a terrible son.” He whispered.

“No, you’re not.” I hugged him.

He hugged me back and kissed my shoulder.

“By the way, I can feel your,” he coughed.

“The what?” I didn’t get him.

“You know. . . the big.” He laughed.

Immediately, I pushed him away from me and covered my breasts.

“What’s with that glare?” He laughed, “I just massaged it yesterday, no need to be shy!”

I rolled my eyes and turned my back on him.

“What do you want from breakfast? I’ll cook.” I said while looking at the refrigerator.

He wrapped his arms around my waist.

“You.”

I growled and grabbed the knife on the knife block beside the refrigerator.

At instant, he removed his hands off me and surrendered it to the air.

“What? Again.” I played with the knife and smirked.

“Silent but deadly woman.” He whispered.

I rolled my eyes and pointed the knife on his hard abs.

“But since your chocolate seems tempting, call. You can bathe with me.” I put the knife back and head my way towards his room where the bathroom is.

I should at least distract him.

I heard his celebratory gasp from behind that made me smirk.

“Shit.” I cursed as he filled me to the brim from behind and I felt like my world went into a dim for a second.

With the steamy shower, the glass was foggy, both my palms on the misty glass wall made a mark. He held my waist with his left hand and intertwined the back of my palm with his right hand on the wall as he enter me more deeper and thrust inside me more faster.

“Grayson. . .”

“Mmm?” He groaned in such a sexy manner as he suck the side of my neck.

Shit. He’s not only good in bed. He’s also good in bathing me!

By the time I felt my third— or maybe forth release, my knees almost gave up if only he was not fast to lift me up. Now, I’m facing him as he drown me once again with his kisses.

Surrounded by the steamy smoke along with the hot water from above, we savored each other again and again as we form a blistering fire in between our thirst for each other.

“I cannot walk!” I shouted with full of frustration.

He laughed and tied the bathrobe I’m wearing while I glare at him with full of rage. He’s in his usual home attire and I hate that he still looks hot in my eyes with clothes or none— No! I mean, formal attire or home-attire.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Oh shit. I can be your personal elevator.” He winked at me.

“Is this what you called closure, Grayson?!” I don’t know why I’m mad.

“Yes. It means. . . Close-exposure, closure.” He laughed.

“You’re wild.” I grunted.

“Why? Don’t you like it?” He asked in his soft tone.

“Like.” I muttered.

Our day continued but didn’t end without doing any mischievous things. When the night comes, I told him to return me to my apartment, at first he didn’t want to because he wanted to cling more but I asserted it so he had no choice.

That day, I slept with a smile plastered on my face. It was a foreign yet familiar feeling. The way he called me baby again, the way he treated me as his number one priority again, the way he cling to me again, everything seems new yet old, I cannot describe the feeling.

“I’m sorry, I’m late.” Lia apologized and sat in front of me.

I gave her my small smile and drank my cappuccino. I let out a deep breath and looked at the glass window outside the café.

“How will you know if someone is healed or not? All the people passing this café, are they all okay? Or are they only pretending?” I asked after minutes of observing the people around us.

“What do you mean by that, Alessia?”

I looked at Lia and tightened my grip on my cup.

“Did you hate me back then that’s why you wanted me to leave Grayson?”

She avoided my gaze.

“Who wouldn’t? You have the same blood as the man who. . .” She cannot continue her words.

“Is it because my father killed his father? You know, Lia! You know how I suffered too because of my father.” I put great emphasis on my every word.

She sighed.

“Look. At first, I didn’t notice because you don’t have the same surname as your father and I know that because your parents weren’t married that’s why you're carrying your mom’s name but by the time that I diagnosed Andra she has the same surname as my stepfather.”

“So? What are you trying to imply?”

“Our family is not meant for each other. Your father and mom has a secret connection to Grayson’s father and our mom.”

That left me confuse.

“What?”

“Yes, it is true. Grayson got diagnosed with schizophrenia but he didn’t continue his medication. He said he’ll heal in Europe and I let him stay in there.”

“So you knew where he is by the time that I visited you three years ago?”

She sighed.

“Yes. But that time, he already knew that your father was the one who killed his father. Seeing you in that state of his, I know your relationship with him will worsen. He’s mad, Alessia. He’s too drowned in rage back then.”

I scoffed.

“Are you sure he’s already healed, Lia?”

Her forehead knotted.

“He said he’s not hearing any voice anymore.”

“Did he got diagnosed with PTSD?”

That made her lips part and seeing her appalled face, I know she didn’t know.

“You didn’t know? Well he’s handling it himself every time he saw fire. He’s showing the symptoms of the episode I’ve experienced only that he can handle it himself unlike me. But still, don’t you think he needs medication?”

She gulped.

“He has a trauma with fire?” Her voice trembled.

“What did really happen back then, Lia?”

She stood.

“I’ll talk to Grayson.”

I stood too and grabbed her hand.

“Why did my father killed his father? And what are you saying that Grayson’s parents are related to mine?”

“I need to go, Alessia. Ask your father if you want.” She removed my hands off her.

And by that, she left me.

I let out a deep breath.

Will I be able to talk to him?

“Alessia?” I gulped after hearing my father’s voice on the telephone.

I was looking down, I know he’s looking at me on the glass wall in between us but I’m still gathering my courage to look at him.

“My daughter?”

My grip on the telephone tightened.

“It’s been years. . . next month is your birthday right?”

I sighed and with all my courage, I looked at him on the glass window.

I felt like my heart collapsed after seeing his smile, it was genuine. His hair was all white and he already has a beard. He looks stress and drained while his other hand that was cut years ago left a scar on it.

“Why. . . why did you kill a person?” I asked after staring at the man who gave a scar in my life.

His smile faded.

“Of course. I stole a money and killed a person. Easy.” His tone changed in an instant.

I gulped and suddenly, I felt cold while staring at his eyes along with my hands that trembled due to fear.

“Mr. Cristopher. . .” It was Grayson’s father. “He’s your friend.” That was what Lia told me.

A vicious smile formed into his lips.

“Friend? Hmm. He’s an idiot for trusting me.” He let out a playful and villainous laugh.

His laugh sent shivered down my spine. It was wicked, brutal, and vicious, I cannot put it into words.

“Truth be told, he let me borrow a money.” He leaned on the chair and stared at me.

“So—”

“But I discovered that he slept with your mom.”

That gave me a dumbstruck.

“He was your mom’s first love and since we were close friends, he came to me after Cristopher abandoned her! What a witch! She used me just because she saw her first love happy with another woman!”

I parted my trembling lips. So Grayson's father was what my mom was talking about when we were at Andra's funeral?

He gave me a smirk and leaned his body near the glass window that made me step back on the chair.

“Did you really think I did that thing just because I care for Andra, huh?”

I felt bad for Andra.

“No! I only said that reason to be pitied! How funny seeing those bastards pitying me for being poor and not having enough money for his daughter’s treatment.” He laughed.

“You deserve to rot in jail.” I clenched my fist.

His smirk widened.

“And one thing. Andra’s mom discovered the true reason behind that crime so she had a heart attack. It was fun seeing her in shock after hearing my reason. Poor her, she must’ve though that I care for her daughter.” He clicked her tongue and shook his head.

With a heavy feeling, I returned the telephone to its spot and turned my back on him.

I shriek after hearing a huge bang on the window. Unconsciously, my body turned to his direction and he was shouting on the other side that I cannot hear, police officers were stopping him from his violent behavior but my dad was looking at me with his rage eyes.

“I’ll kill you too!” I can read his mouth without voice.

With a trembling feet, I stepped out of the prison.

“Are you okay?” Mom asked me the moment I stepped in her car.

She was waiting for me, she knew I was meeting with my father.

“You. You cheated first.” I can’t help but to point it out.

She gave me her weary smile as if she knew that I’ll discover it one day.

“My first love was Grayson’s father but he left me for his mom. So I dated his best friend and that’s when everything became a catastrophe.”

I gulped.

“So. . . one night, the day of your sixth birthday. We made a mistake. Grayson’s father and I. . . we slept together. Your dad discovered it because of the mark on my neck so he got mad.”

“Is that why he was mad that time? Is that why he. . . he did that thing in front of me even when I was a kid?” I asked in my trembling voice.

She bowed.

“After that night. I ruined someone’s family. Grayson’s mom got mad when she discovered it so she cheated too. . . with your father.”

My fist clenched.

“Ale—”

“You’re all immature. You never care about your children just because you all dwell too much on the past.” I said with so much hatred.

Before she could utter another word, I left her car. I don’t want to say things that could hurt her.

It was already dark when I decided to go to Grayson’s unit, I don’t know if he was there but that is where my feet wants to go.

But I freeze the moment I saw the building. My heartbeat became abnormal along with my body that trembled due to fear. I felt like I paled the moment my eyes saw the fire in the building.

“Shit.”

I ran towards the building where everyone was in panic and with my trembling hands, I dialed Grayson’s number.

But it cannot be reach!

I dialed another number while catching my breath.

“A-Alessia. . .” Lia cried on the line.

I gulped the loading confusion, anxiousness and pain while listening to her voice.

“Where’s Grayson. . .” I tried my best to utter those words even with difficulty.

“He’s on the roof.” She sobbed on the line.

“What?” I became dumb for a moment.

I looked up above the building and it was not in fire. Seeing the unit on fire my hunch got confirm that it was Grayson’s unit.

The next thing I know was that I was forcing myself in the hoard of people after hearing what Lia said.

“He was the one who caused the fire.”

I kept on cursing while waiting for the elevator to open on the rooftop and when it opened, I didn’t waste any time, immediately, I ran towards the roof.

“Lia. . .” I paled after seeing her beside the door of the rooftop, crying.

“Ethan. . . Ethan’s not real.” She whispered, half sobbing while shaking her head.

I gulped hard and looked at Grayson. I paled after seeing him standing at the edge of the rooftop.

There’s a rescuer beside him, trying to convince him to go down but he was shaking his head.

With my wobbly legs, I stepped near him, I was behind him and he cannot see my presence. I know I’m pale even the rescuer seems worried about my state but I smiled at him.

“Grayson. . .” I called.

He turned to me with a smile. My tears gave up even when he’s smiling because shit, that kind of smile hurts.

The rescuer let out a sigh of relief when he went down the roof and went near me.

“Why is my baby crying?” He asked and wiped my tears off.

“A-Are you okay?”

“Mmm. I saved a person.” He exclaimed with joy in his tone.

“Really?” I tried my best for my voice not to tremble.

“I saved Ethan and his father. Silly boy, he caused the fire because he was mad at his father.”

I bit my lower lip at the mention of the name.

“You see. He was mad at his father because he discovered that he cheated first. Also, he hates him because he has a Tourette’s syndrome. He was bullied because of that.” He uttered while staring at nothingness.

Were you bullied, Grayson?

“Funny how he stole luxury watches from me only to give it to his mother who left him with her new affair.” He chuckled.

I covered my mouth to stifle my sobs as I listen to his story. I know that was his story.

“Don’t cry, my baby. Aren’t you happy that I saved a person?” He asked with a wide smile as he wipe my tears off.

“Grayson. . .”

“Look at that kid. He’s saying sorry to his father after what he did. What a terrible son. I wish his father can forgive him.” He shook his head while staring at my side.

I followed his stare but there was none. It was only me, Lia and the rescuer in here but he’s referring and looking to no one.

Lia’s sobs became clamorous.

“Gray—”

“Hey, Ethan! Go treat your father a corn soup! That’s his favorite! Saying sorry is not enough!” He shouted while staring at nothingness.

I held his arms tight but he was still looking at it as if he was listening.

“You kid, stop saying thank you and get out. Instead of saying thank you to me, say sorry to your father. You bastard.” He laughed and shook his head.

“Grayson!” I shouted with full of irritation.

He looked at me with a smile.

“Why, my baby? By the way, he said my girlfriend’s pretty.” He waved his hand behind me and smiled at it.

I shook my head.

“Grayson he’s not—”

“Finally!” He shouted at nothingness and closed his eyes as he spread his arms wide while feeling the cold breeze of the night.

“Please. . . listen to me.” I whispered.

“I’m a hero! I’m not a murderer anymore!” He shouted in bliss.

I stared at his smile and it breaks my heart to see that he’s happy over the thing. . . that’s not real.

He opened his eyes and met mine. His eyes were screaming of happiness while mine says the otherwise.

“Grandma would be proud of me don’t you think? Thinking that the grandson she loathed saved a person?” He asked with full of excitement.

Instead of shaking my head I nodded and smiled at him.

“Of course she would be. . . My Grayson’s a hero not a murderer!” I shouted with full of delight while my tears were betraying me.

He smiled and stared at me.

“He’s not a murderer! He’s a saver! He saved me! He protected me! He’s a good man not a bad man!” I continued shouting with a trembling smile.

He hugged me tight.

And for the first time. . .

He sobbed in my arms.

I closed my eyes and without any sound, I sobbed too.

But my world completely collapsed after hearing what he whispered.

“I just wanted to protect you.”

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