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Nova laughed, “My grandmother’s housekeeper, Miss Paula, knows the Roberts’ driver Carl. Carl told Miss Paula that every Wednesday and Friday he takes Bill Roberts and Celeste to a house out in the Northeastern side of the Falls for their secret rendezvous. I believe the house is owned by Bill’s family, so Georgia probably thinks he is checking on the property. One of the main reasons I visit my grandmother is for the latest happenings around town. Between the women talking while here for fitting and my grandmother, I know it all.”
“Wow, you are better than the local news station reporting.” Aubree laughed.
“So, does this mean you are going to tell Grant? Let him hear about your past from you and no one else. Especially Celeste. If Grant can’t see how awesome of a person you are, then fuck him and move on to the next.”
“You are right. Grant should only hear about my past from me. I’m going to get out of here. I’ll talk to you later.” Aubree gave Nova a hug before walking out of the boutique.
Aubree arrived at the house and saw Grant’s car in the driveway. She knew she needed to talk with him today about Gerald and Mario. When she entered the house, Grant was sitting on the couch waiting for her. This was going to be her only opportunity.
“Grant, I need to talk with you. I...” Before she could say a word, Grant interrupted her with a question of his own.
“Was I a game to you? A means to an end? Were you just using Chanel as a way to get me to trust you?”
“No, that was never the plan. There wasn’t a plan. I fell in love you which is why I need to talk with you.” Aubree sat next to Grant, but he stood from the couch.
“The guy Celeste brought with her the other night; you knew him, didn’t you?” Aubree only nodded her head. “Was he your ex-boyfriend?” Again, Aubree nodded.
“So, that also means you were part of the prostitution? You sold your body to the highest bidder at the Black Dungeon. Is that right?”
“Grant, that is not the truth. Yes, some of those things happened, but not the way you think.” Aubree held her head in her hands. This was the moment everyone warned her that would happen if she didn’t tell him first.
“The truth you didn’t want to tell when I asked you. I gave you plenty of chances, but you decided I wasn’t the person you wanted to talk to or trust. You even called your friend Davis and told him everything, but I was left in the dark. Your associates tracked me down, you remember Tone, Gerald, and even Mr. Wilson were eager to tell me about their involvement with you.”
Aubree teared up. “It only happened once, I promise you. I needed the money, or I was going to lose everything I had.”
“Why didn’t you tell me from the beginning?” Grant asked. He had to know. Aubree worked her mouth to produce words, but the words failed her. This was it; the relationship was over, and this time, she was the only person to blame.
Grant looked at Aubree. “You need to leave now. You have put my daughter’s safety and well-being in danger because of your choices. I have had strange people confronting me on the streets or in my home because you didn’t think about my daughter and me. I can’t be with a woman who won’t trust me to inform me when our lives may be in danger. You need to go now; your presence breeds trouble. Chanel is my first priority. Go. I will have Mrs. B pack your things.” Grant walked out of the room and out the front door.
“Grant! Please don’t leave! Let me explain; I promise I will tell you everything!”
Crying, Aubree saw the pictures from the night Mario and Tone approached her in the parking lot, her and Gerald in front of her grandma’s house, and pictures of her from the Black Dungeon. Someone went through a lot of trouble to make sure Grant knew her past and hoped he would walk away. And he did.
Aubree drove to Margrett’s house and burst through the front door looking for her. She knew her grandmother would say I told you, but when she saw Aubree, she opened her arms. Aubree fell into her grandmother’s arms crying hysterically.
“It is going to be alright, baby. You will survive this relationship. Give Grant time to calm down and then talk with him about it. He will come around and realize that people were trying to destroy his happiness.” Aubree cried until she had nothing left in her to cry. Her grandma was right; there were people that didn’t want to see her happy. It was time that those people pay.
Grant had been riding around for hours before he saw it was past the dismissal time. He sped down the interstate, so he wasn’t too late picking Chanel up. To keep his sanity, Grant had to leave the house. Every part of the house reminded him of Aubree or their time together. Now he had to tell Chanel that Aubree was gone and would not be back. Grant picked Chanel up from school and took her to dance class dreading the conversation he had to have. Chanel asked about Aubree nonstop the entire ride home. Grant tried to change the topic several times, but Chanel found a way to make it all about Aubree. He noticed Aubree wasn’t at the studio teaching her dance class that evening, but what did he expect? Mrs. Dubois came out from the office to speak to the families present. She pulled him aside to speak with him about a message she received.
“Good evening, Mr. Hollings. How are you?”
“I’m well, thank you for asking.” He anticipated her next questions.
Mrs. Dubois looked distraught. “I received a phone call from Aubree. She said that she was resigning from her position effective immediately. Do you have any clue as to why she is leaving? I enjoyed working with her.” Grant could provide the same information that he was given, but he wouldn’t hurt Aubree that way.
“Aubree hasn’t discussed her plans with me. Maybe she will let you know later.”
“I hope so. I had plans for her to help with the expansion of the studio with the addition of theater and music studio. She was the perfect person for this project.” Grant was surprised because that was Aubree’s dream for a performing arts center. If only things were different.
Chapter 26
Time seemed to have stood still since leaving Grant’s house. Staring out the window, Aubree reflected over all that had happened to her and how she ended up alone. Every good thing that happened in her life went away from her dad, her dream, and Grant and Chanel. If she had the ability to travel time, she would have trusted him with all her past especially Gerald. Gerald was not going to let her be happy. He wanted her under his thumb, waiting in the corner to do his bidding. He had taken so much from her and now she was tired. She had lost everything from the man she loved, a little girl she adored and loved, the career she was establishing and her dream. People like Gerald and Mario didn’t care what it cost someone if they got what they wanted. Tired, disappointed, and fucking angry was how she would describe herself. She was ready to take her life back and possibly get her man back too. Aubree sent a message to Nova and Ivy.
Breezy: Black Out!
Poison V: Bitch rolling through in 10.
Super Nov: Damn, ready in 20.
