By the time I've had a quick shower and changed into something comfortable and reach William's room, Spencer is already seated on the loveseat, his head held high, and defiance glinting in his beautiful dark blue eyes.

"Finally!" William barks and I roll my eyes, taking the spot next to Spencer, and cross my legs.

Kristian enters the hall and leans to the wall across from me, folding his arms in front of his chest, his face unreadable.

William stalks to us, holding out an iPad. "What the hell is this?" He shakes his head, fuming. "What have you done!" he roars. "This is not the news I wanted going around my family, only twenty-four hours left for the fucking wedding!"

"Well you can't control everything, especially not the news," I pointedly say, propping my elbow up on the armrest.

He throws the iPad to the wall on his left, it crashes with a loud sound. "I am William Wright!" he bellows and I wince from the sound. "Nothing happens if I don't allow it."

Dramatic.

I purse my lips and hold his glacial glare.

He jabs his index finger in my direction. "This is all your fault! Who did you piss off this time, huh? That they started this stupid rumor. Do you know what people are saying about us!" he growls.

"Not really, you didn't give me the chance to assess the hell is going around right now," I snap.

"Watch it, girl," he snarls. "We're in this mess because of you, your stupid reputation with men, and your reckless behavior, picking up fights with everyone. You should be fucking grateful I'm not suing you for ruining my family's reputation and I'm still willing to go through with the contract and the goddamn wedding."

I jump to my feet, balling my fists at my sides. "I should be grateful?" I seethe. "You're not backing out of the contract because your loser of a son's reputation is shitty enough that mine is nothing compared to his. Because at the end of the day, no matter the fuck you say, you need me, and not the other way around."

"You fucking-" William starts raging, his face suffusing red from anger, a vein standing on his forehead, but Spencer interrupts him.

"That's enough. Stop blaming, Gracie. It's my fault." Spencer raises to his feet and shoves his hands into his pockets.

My head whirls to him as I stare at him incredulously. He doesn't turn to me and holds his father's surprised gaze.

William opens and closes his mouth, but no words come out.

"Spencer-" I begin but he shakes his head.

"No, really, it's my fault." He glances at me and pushes his glasses up his nose. "When I was breaking up with Julia, one thing led to another and I told her. In my opinion, she deserved to know... I just didn't think she'd sell this information to the highest bidder."

My jaw would have hit the floor if it was only scientifically possible. Speechless, and surprised I stare at him with disbelieving eyes.

"Are you saying this shit is fucking real!" Kristian thunders from the other side of the room, charging to us.

"I am," Spencer casually answers and nods.

"Why on Earth would you say something like this to her?" I ask, turning to Spencer. What the hell!

"I was convincing her to break up with me... she was reluctant, so I told her I cheated on her and...well, she didn't believe it, so... I told her everything," he sheepishly explains. "Probably wasn't the wisest thing to do."

"Yeah! No shit, Sherlock." I shake my head. How can he be so stupid! Oh my God.

William's shocked face with gaping mouth and wide eyes contorts with rage. "You've been making a fool out of me, deceiving me for all these months!" he hollers. "Are you deranged! What the fuck were you thinking! Do you have any idea the position you've put yourself and us, your fucking family, in?" he yells, spittle building in the corners of his mouth as he shakes with anger.

William's wild wide eyes jump from me to Spencer and quick darting motions. "You," He jabs his hand at Spencer. "Betrayed me, because of her," he spits.

I frown and open my mouth to remind him I'm not only standing here but he's also going to fix his stupid son's reputation thanks to me, but Spencer is faster to speak.

"Technically, I didn't betray you, I just did the right thing. Now you're on the wrong is a completely different, and pretty much irrelevant matter to my decision. You simply could've not done the wrong thing."

I gape at Spencer as he holds his father's blazing gaze with ease. I'm starting to think he has a death wish or something.

Not paying any heed to Kristian's incandescent form deliberately approaching him, and his father's flushed skin and clenched hands, Spencer calmly continues, "The deceiving part is quite... debatable. I never lied to you. You assumed you know why I don't want her around, you thought you know my reasons so you never bothered to ask. That's not my fault you always think you're aware of everything."

"Spencer," William growls a warning.

"Last but not least," Spencer casually adds, pushing his glasses up before shoving his hand back into his trousers' pocket. "A man who had multiple affairs while being married, and dumped his pregnant wife because he got another woman pregnant, stole everything his wife had before divorcing her, refrained from paying child support, and didn't even once bothered to show up for either of his children, has no right to react this way, don't you agree?"

Holy shit.

I'm half tempted to ask him if he downed an entire bottle of vodka or whiskey before showing up here.

William vibrates with rage. A vein stands against his forehead as a deep flush travels from his corded neck up to his face, his lips pulling back making him look like a feral animal ready to attack.

A sly smile slashes across Spencer's face. "I think William is done, you can leave, Gracie," he says without taking his eyes off him.

I stay rooted to the spot, my mind failing to wrap around this peculiar side of Spencer. When did he become so verbally aggressive? Holy hell.

"Gracie," he repeats, casting a glance at me.

Hesitantly, I nod before scurrying out of the room.

Kristian tails me and once the door shuts, he grabs my forearm and twists me around, slamming my back against the wall. Pain shoots across the back of my skull, down to my shoulders and back.

"You bitch," he snarls, bringing his face close enough his hit breath hits me, churning my stomach.

The wall is thin, nowhere near enough to confine William and Spencer's raising voices from the other side, but I can't focus on their argument, as I struggle against Kristian's tightening grip on me.

"You fucking played me. Who the hell do you think you are?" he growls.

I hold my ground and meet his glare with a steady stare, even though his clutch on my arm—right above my elbow—increasingly becomes painful.

"Spencer! All along it was him?" he spits.

I roll my eyes. "Let go of my hand, Kristian," I mutter.

"Tomorrow. After you officially become mine, I'll make you pay for using me and making a fool out of me. Just wait and watch." He punches the wall right next to my head, freezing me with shock for a moment before stamping off.

I release a slow breath as my tense shoulders relax and lean to the wall, dragging my palm down my face.

We should have lied.

Shaking my head, hesitantly I pull myself upright and glance at the closed door. A huge part of me hates Spencer is fighting with his dad because of me.

The other part of me, however, small as it might be, is unapologetically happy he's actually standing up and admitting the nature and truth of our relationship, what he claimed to be his biggest mistake for such a long time. He's not only accepting it, but he's kinda defending it too.

I bite my lip and drop my gaze to the floor. Though my heart flutters, I can't help but think it's too late.

He's trying to make up for his mistakes, I can see it... and despite everything, it strengthens my unchecked feelings for him, but why now?

I wish he'd started being this way before I had signed the contract... or perhaps it was possible to swap Kristian and Spencer's spot.

Wishful thinking.

I sigh and shake my head, plodding away from the room and heading towards the Cocktail & Piano salon, in hopes of finding Mom.

Along the way, through the narrow corridors, I sense every guest's stare piercing through my back, following me like a goddamn hawk.

Some of them murmur, and the others throw me all sorts of looks. Some pity, the others, disgust.

I roll my eyes and enter the salon, finding Mom and Savannah sitting in the farthest corner as a man plays the piano, the soft melody filling the air. For a heartbeat, the place falls dead silent as I cross the threshold, and the next moment it erupts in not-so-hushed whispers.

"Amanda has been ignoring me, so it's a remarkably good day. How's your morning going, Gracie?" Mom lifts an eyebrow, casting a side glance at me.

I puff out my exhale and plop down on the empty seat between Mom and Savannah. She curiously watches me.

"I've had better mornings. William is not... happy." I intertwine my fingers together.

Savannah snorts and sips her coffee. "That's one way of putting it."

"Spencer is handling him," I say. Instantly Mom's lips purse and her features harden. I continue in a soft voice so the other guests won't be able to hear, "We decided to tell him the truth."

Their heads whip to me, both mirroring equal shock and disbelief. In answer, I shrug and wave at a server to bring me a coffee.

"Why!" Savannah whisper shouts.

"I don't know... I guess we're tired of hiding it," I mumble, before shifting on my spot and raising an index finger. "Plus, your brother started it."

Her lips press into a thin annoyed flat line.

I plaster a small as her brilliant blue eyes glare at me. "He told everything to Julia. To get back at us, she leaked it to the press."

"Spencer told everything to Julia?" Mom echoes.

I nod. "He said it himself." The server places my coffee in front of me and I thank him before he scurries away.

Mom shakes her head.

"He can be astonishingly stupid for someone as smart as him," Savannah huffs.

I giggle. "I introduce you to male species. Startlingly dumb, even if some of them might be geniuses in their professions."

She laughs and a corner of Mom's mouth lifts up in a tiny smile.

Once we fall silent, and the gossipy guests seated a few booths away from us around the somewhat small space move on to their next topic, or at least stop glancing at me every five fucking seconds, Savannah sits taller and drums her fingers on her cup.

"Your wedding dress arrived," she says at last.

Icy dread grabs and sinks my heart to the bottom of my gut. I force myself to nod and offer a small smile.

"And Amanda refused to cancel the bachelorette party tonight. The guys will go out of here, there's a club the planner has booked for them, and we'll be here."

"Great," I mutter, suppressing an irritated sigh. Looks like I know what I'll be doing on the last day of my freedom.

The thought itself, that the timer is rapidly moving, pushing me closer to the daunting hour of walking down the aisle and saying those vows constricts my chest.

A sudden surge of emotions overwhelms me and I excuse myself to my room.

Not only am I not ready, a gigantic part of me just wishes to run off with Spencer, to a faraway land, where no fear or stress can even graze their claws against us.

But I know, if I back out of the wedding now, we might go bankrupt, and I cannot—will not— risk it.

❦ ♥︎ ❦

The party goes by in a blur. I ensure not to drink. Matters are already muddled enough, no need to put myself in potential situations with uncontrollable drama.

The older women are in the gardens, chatting their night away, entertaining themselves with whatever they find interesting.

The huge space across from the pool, where initially the sun loungers were placed on the grassy ground, is replaced by a desk for a DJ, and a stand for professional dancers.

Savannah sticks by my side the whole time, saving me from everyone else's pretense that just this morning the news for the elites didn't explode with confirmed rumors about me and Spencer.

Me and Savannah slip away the second everyone are too drunk to notice our absence and once inside the hotel's building, we part ways, each of us going to our own suites.

With heavy steps, I enter the room, flick the lights on and fall on the bed. Blankly, I gaze at the dark sky, afraid to even think how tomorrow night might turn out to be.

Slowly, I change into my nightie and climb back on the bed, hugging my knees to myself.

In the quiet of the room, with the moon's silver face casting a white light on the balcony, I can't help but think about Dad.

None of this would've happened if he was alive. He never would've let me go along with this madness. And I wouldn't have been stuck in this mess, afraid to draw back. At the end of the day, he'd fix everything and not let matters get out of control.

But he's not here, and I'm the one who has to watch out for Mom and Mason. One wrong step can send us back to the place we had fallen five years ago.

I close my eyes and press my forehead to my knees. I wish Dad was here.

I wish I could've backed out of this stupid contract without worrying about the heavy consequences. The one Mom and Mason will have to pay alongside me.

During those three months, I managed to silence all my doubts and worries, making myself accept this fate and the path I chose in desperation.

Ever since Spencer showed up and started acting the way he is, the voices are not shutting up. I groan and throw my head back.

Maybe I shouldn't have pushed him to talk to me and tell me why he did and said all those things.

A knock snaps me out of my doomed thoughts. With a frown, I slide down the bed and slip into my robe before getting to the door.

It must be past midnight. What if it's Kristian?

Fuck it.

Inhaling sharply, I open the door. My eyes widen with surprise before narrowing with suspicion.

Spencer offers a small timid smile. "Can I come in? I wanted to talk to you."

"You're not drunk?"

"As sober as it can get."

I roll my eyes and step aside, letting him enter before closing the door and returning to my bed, on the other side of the room, my heart pounding harder and faster with each stride.

He follows me halfway through the hallway and halts. Patiently, he waits for me to sit down on the edge of my bed.

"Well?" I probe, arching a brow.

He sucks in a sharp breath and runs his fingers through his hair. "There are some things I need to tell you... not because I want you to..." His voice trails down and he shakes his head. "You deserve to know the whole truth. And I just need to say them, or I'll never stop thinking what if I had and I'll go mad. So yes, it's a bit selfish of me to show up now, and I'm sorry, but... I want you to know everything, and decide accordingly."

I tilt my head to the side, studying his features as his gaze fixates on me. My heart skips a beat and my skin tingles from anticipation.

"We have the entire night," I reply softly.

❦ ♥︎ ❦

Comment your thoughts. What did you think about the scene with William? And any thoughts on the things Spencer is going to say to Gracie?

I'm excited about the next chapter, and I hope you guys are too hehe. Vote if you enjoyed. The next chapter should be up in 12-14 hrs from now =)

I'm too lazy to type it again (or even copy and paste it lol) so maybe check out my message board, I have kinda written my plan for the month, the stories I'm planning on wrapping up and all. Especially after The Remedy is finished those mentioned in the message will be updated every day, so maybe check them out =)

Yeah... Thanks for sticking around, really, I know I wasn't consistent with this story's updates but, you guys put up with it, so thank you so much <3

Stay safe, lots of love, happy reading ♡