28| Family reunion

Debbie and Owen waited patiently at the door when Victor's car pulled up.

"Gracie!" They called excitedly as Grace and Victor entered.

"Debbie, Owen?" Grace looked at them surprised, hugging them quickly as relief for their safety washed over her. They hadn't been gone long, but Grace missed them every day.

"I thought it best they return home," Victor said, greeting Debbie and Owen.

"Thank you," Grace smiled, her hazel eyes warm.

"What's this?" Debbie asked, holding Grace's left hand tightly, pointing to the engagement ring. She looked between Victor and Grace, "Are you two engaged?"

"What? No way!" Owen smiled, coming closer to look at the ring.

"Yes, we are," Grace said softly, giving them a smile

"You consented?" Debbie asked, shocked

"I did," Grace nodded

"Are you sure?" Debbie asked, making Victor raise a brow

"Yes," Grace nodded. "I want to marry Victor,"

Victor couldn't help the small smile that came to his face. Even if this was a last resort to save her, the thought of her wanting to marry him gave him a warm feeling, one that he was not used to.

"Then I believe celebrations are in order," Vincent called, coming into the foyer with a bottle of champagne. He poured each of them a glass, toasting to Victor and Grace

Grace didn't often enjoy the attention, so when Victor and Vincent returned to his office, Grace was more than happy to just spend some time with her siblings. They stayed up for a while as Grace told them about everything that had happened since they'd been gone, including Frank's promise to Demani. She was happy that she'd finally had someone to tell these things to, and it wasn't until she had said it out loud that she realized the extent of the situation she was in. When she went up to bed, she wondered if this was what it would be like her whole life. Going to bed without Victor and waking up the same way. She tried to stay up and wait for him, but she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Little did Grace know that by the time she woke up the next morning, the news of her engagement to Victor would already be the talk of the town. However, her engagement being on the front page of the New Port Daily was not what had gotten her into a foul mood, it was rather that the first and only time she had seen her fiancé was at breakfast for a few short minutes until he was in his office again.

She didn't see him again at lunch, and she'd hoped that perhaps she'll see him at dinner. Grace wasn't sure if it was not seeing Victor or the fact that she didn't have anything else to do that was getting to her. She also couldn't understand the irritable feeling she had the whole day like something was nagging at her but she didn't know what it was, when Darla opened the door and brought the visitor through the living room, she almost groaned out loud as Elliot Mann smiled at her, in his signature white suit with a golden cane in one hand. The last thing she felt like right now was Elliot.

"Hello, waitress," He said excitedly as Grace stood. "I believe congratulations are in order."

"Hello Elliot," She said, trying to keep her annoyed feelings at bay.

"Getting married to the king, I wasn't expecting that from you," he gave her a coy smile. "You see, this puts you in a little predicament."

"What predicament?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest

"You're supposed to be our new Queen, but some of us in the business don't see you as such" Elliot raised a brow "You haven't done anything worthy of being a queen waitress so we can't treat you as such"

"I never wanted to be your queen," Grace defended

"Ah, but yet here you are. Nothing but an out-of-luck waitress bedding the first man that has money. " He looked at her

Grace winced at the insult. Of course, this is what they thought of her, regardless of the circumstances that had gotten her here. Everyone in the town thought she was just some gold digger. Unluckily for Elliot, as he was rambling on trying to get a reaction out of Grace, he didn't expect that Victor had heard his every word.

"Elliot," he said sharply, his voice laced with the anger he felt hearing Elliot disrespect Grace. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I come baring gifts," Elliot smiled, hoping his gift to the king would erase the angry daggers being stared at him by the king's emerald eyes.

"Elaborate," He said as he walked over to stand next to Grace.

"Well, I recently came across a man by the name of Frank Brennan." Elliot looked between the two.

Grace's heart immediately sped up, while Victor's hands curled into fists, pure rage circulating in his blood

"I planned to keep him as one of my men, but then McCullough said that you were looking for him." Elliot smiled as the front doors opened, and two men practically dragged Frank into the house.

Grace looked at her father, his face beaten. His eyes met hers with a plea behind them while her eyes held tears at the rim, threatening to overflow. She looked at Victor, who didn't know who to shoot first, Frank or Elliot.

"Holy shit," Owen breathed, coming into the room with Debbie and Vincent close behind him.

"Gracie, you have to help me," Frank pleaded, his brown eyes desperately looking at her.

For the first time, Grace had finally had enough. It was as if a switch had flipped in her brain. She was done with Frank's abuse, he used her, and promised her to a man she didn't know, she had done everything for Frank her whole life, and now that he stood in front of her along with the two mafia men that had taken her freedom from her. She had no control over what came next.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She asked looking at Frank.

"Please Gracie, I need you" he cried stepping closer. Victor and Vincent both pulled out their guns aiming them at Frank.

"Story of my life Frank!" She said throwing her hand in the air "You always need me but you keep fucking everything up." She laughed dryly "Look around Frank, these men want to kill you! For fuck sake. You're hopeless and I'm done helping you"

"So you're just going to turn your back on your family Grace?" Frank shouted

"Everything I've done is for my family!" She shouted. Victor watched her as anger radiated from her small frame. He'd seen that fiery look in her eyes before but never to this extent. "I was always there Frank! I was the one who made sure Debbie and Owen were fed and dressed every day for school. I sat for hours helping Owen with his reading, I picked lice out of Debbie's hair and I was there whenever anything was needed! I raised them when Norma was too depressed to leave her room. I was there! Not you, never you Frank. You were always too fucking loaded anyway." Grace vented as a guilty look replaced that of anger on Frank's face. "They are my family!" She pointed at Debbie and Owen "and I have done everything for them!"

"Gracie, I'm your father" Frank cried

"Yes, you are! And look at where we are because of you! You fucked up again and I had to fix it again. You promised me to a fucking mafia boss Frank! How could you" She cried

"I didn't have another choice, I was in trouble" He tried to defend.

"Yeah, well, now you're in even more trouble." She looked at him."You are nothing of mine, and I'm not helping you anymore." She looked up at Victor."Do whatever you want with him, "

Victor gave her a questioning look, his green eyes concerned before she turned and walked away. Frank sobbed he looked up at his other two children, both staring at him with the same disgust Grace wore on her face

"Debbie?" He asked, looking at her

"Fuck you Frank" She said calmly before walking away.

"Owen?" His last resort.

"Burn in hell, Frank," Owen said, pulling up his middle finger.

"Take him downstairs. Lock him up, " Victor instructed his men. They nodded, pulling Frank up and out of the house.

"Elliot, I suggest you leave now," He said quickly before walking the same way Grace had left.