I frowned as I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror after splashing cold water over my face. The redness had calmed down somewhat but I still looked like a train wreck. The dark circles under my eyes told of a lack of sleep. The red eyes were from crying, and aside from the redness, looked hollow. My skin looked dull and lifeless. Too bad I didn't have any makeup on me and I really didn't have time to go home. I needed answers from my grandfather and I needed them now.

The one positive I could focus on was Ryan and me. We had turned a real corner. Last night was amazing with sweet lovemaking and whispered praises of love and adoration, and it was a most welcome distraction, but now it was time to face reality and prepare for a confrontation with the man who raised me.

"Are you ready for this?" Strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind and warm lips pressed against the side of my neck.

"No, but I need answers. I wish I could pretend like it's all a huge misunderstanding or someone is just messing with me but I know better." I sighed, leaning back into his embrace and letting his warmth soothe me.

"Just know that whatever happens, I'm here for you. You got this and I've got you." He said, his raspy voice in my ear wrapped around me like a warm blanket, filling me with a sense of peace and comfort. I wished I could just stay like this forever.

I turned myself around to face him, looking deeply into those ocean eyes that were so full of love and promise. "I don't know what I would do without you." I then wrapped my arms tightly around him, soaking him in as my eyes began to tear up.

He pulled back slightly, his eyes locked with mine as he tenderly wiped the lone tear from my face. "That's something you never have to worry about. I am here for you. I love you baby. Come back here when you are done and just let me keep being here."

"I love you too." I melted into his embrace once again, taking the warmth and strength with me. I was going to need it.

                                   **********

I stood at the front door of my grandparents house, wringing my hands nervously as I waited for someone to answer the door.

"Mia, come in sweetheart. It's so good to see you. I've missed you." My grandmother's sweet voice rang in my ear as she hugged me tightly. "Thank you so much for picking up food and getting the house ready for us. It was so nice to come into a warm home and a stocked fridge. That was so thoughtful of you darling girl."

"Of course grandma. I need to speak to grandpa. Is he still asleep?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes and sighed as if to say tsk tsk. "He left for the office about an hour ago. He was so anxious to get back to work." She shook her head with a wry smile.

"Alright. Thanks grandma. I should head there now." I really should have known he would be there.

"Is everything okay darling? You look...off." She asked, a concerned expression on her face.

"Yes grandma." I lied. "I just need to go over some things with him. I wondered if she even knew about the can of worms, all the secrets and lies and the cover ups her dear husband was responsible for. I made a mental note to ask him that.

"Okay sweetheart. Come by for dinner tonight. We have a lot to catch up on." She offered.

I simply nodded. I didn't have the heart to tell her that a family dinner would not be happening tonight. Probably not ever again.

                                  ***********

"Good morning princess. It's so good to see you." My grandfather smiled warmly at me, yet I felt chilled to the bone as I barged into his office. "Did I not get the memo that today is casual day?" He chuckled. His eyes glanced over my attire of jeans, sneakers and the chunky knit pink sweater I was wearing.

His casual, friendly attitude irritated me because I nearly fell into my usual habit of appeasing him or joking with him. I paused for a moment, summoning my anger, which came surprisingly quick.

"Is it true grandfather?" I led off angrily. I knew deep down it was true but I wanted to see him squirm for a moment before I showed my hand. Then I needed to hear it from him.

He looked at me puzzled. "Is what true?"

"That Jimmie is my biological father?" I stood back a bit, letting those words sink in.

His face instantly turned pale, losing all of the healthy color he had gained during his recovery. His eyes held a look of pure panic. "Mia...I...." He stammered.

"Is it true?" I demanded, raising my voice.

"How did you...?" He stammered once again.

I dug the journal out of my bag and threw it on to his desk angrily. More panic filled his eyes and he saw the gold letters EJH embossed on the black leather cover. "What is this?"

I felt whatever little composure I had begin to crumble. "It's all in there grandpa. Everything. How you forced my mother into a marriage to benefit you. How you forced her to cover up Jimmie being my father. How you coerced her and threatened her to keep up the charade. How could you do this to me? You let me believe that I was an orphan. You saw me cry every night over how lost I was without my parents when my father was right there all along. How could you do this to Jimmie? He was loyal to you for so many years." I snapped, unleashing a torrent of emotion and anger and tears."

His blue eyes darkened angrily. "Loyal to me? He slept with my daughter. Impregnated her. He was not good enough for her or for you. I did him a favor. He was a twenty year old kid sleeping on another driver's couch. He was not in any position to be a father. Certainly not a father to my grandchild." He snapped.

"That should have been up to him to decide. You took that choice away from him. If you didn't see him fit then, then why didn't the truth come out after the plane crash?" I demanded.

"Because he had built a life. He was about to marry a lovely woman and I didn't want to spoil any of that for him. How do you think Chandra would have felt having to raise another woman's child with her brand new husband?"

"That's bullshit and you know it. Chani would have understood. You never gave either of them the choice. You robbed me of my father for twenty seven years. You robbed me of a mother figure. Of a somewhat more normal childhood. I was just a child when my parents died. I was hurting and I was isolated from everything." I cried.

"I was just trying to protect you sweetheart."

"No. You were trying to protect yourself. You took everything I had left away from me."I raised my voice even further, nearly to the point of yelling.

"Jimmie would have taken you away from me. I couldn't let that happen Mia. I lost a part of myself when I lost your mother. But she left a part of herself behind in you. I made so many mistakes with her, but I had a chance to make things right with you. You were my second chance." He pleaded his case.

Now it was starting to make more sense and I was even angrier. "Is that how you see me? As a replacement for her? Erika 2.0? My mother never wanted this life for me. She wanted me to experience more, to be my own person but you...you turned me into your perfect version of her. I am not my mother. I will no longer allow you to control my life. I am done with you and I am done here. I quit. Find yourself another puppet." I did yell this time.

"You can't do this Mia. This is your legacy.

"Fuck my legacy." I snapped. "For years I have ignored the stories of your shady dealings. The fact that you went to prison but then got house arrest then later pardoned because of your leukemia. All of that happened before I was even born, but I heard all of the stories. I was too young to remember most of them, but I refused to believe it. I defended you. I believed in you. I trusted you. Did you even have leukemia or was that just a lie to avoid prison?"

"Of course I did Mia. I would never lie about something like that." He scoffed.

"I don't believe you. I don't believe a damn word that comes out of your mouth because they are all lies and manipulations. Does grandma know any of this?" I asked.

"Yes. Your grandmother knows. She reluctantly went along with it because she knew it was for your own good, as did your other grandparents. It would have caused a scandal and you would have been ridiculed your entire life. I covered it up for you. I gave you a good life. You had everything handed to you on a silver platter. You never wanted for anything." He spoke in a way that had him believing his own lies.

"I just wanted a parent." I said softly, then turned around and walked out of his office slamming the door behind me.

I was leaving Hendrick Motorsports for good. There was no way I could work side by side with him. I couldn't even look at him. Where there used to be warmth was now nothing but an icy chill. As far as my legacy goes...Alexa...play Burn It Down by Parker McCollum.

Burn it down til it's ashes and smoke.

                                   **********

Third person POV

The driver crept stealthily through the darkened offices as it was after hours at Hendrick Motorsports and all office personnel had gone for the day.

Using the set of keys that had been given to him, he swiftly unlocked the door to his boss and team owner's office. Earlier that day, he had witnessed a heated argument between Mr. H and his granddaughter. He had been trying for weeks to uncover dirt on the spoiled little princess. He knew there had to have been some skeletons in the closet somewhere, and now he knew he was on to something. Something about Mia's deceased father not being her biological father.

After Mia had stormed out of the office, he entered Mr. Hendrick's office under the pretense of welcoming his boss back. It was then that he noticed the black leather book with Mr. Hendrick's late daughter's initials. As if Mr. H sensed him eying it, he swiftly removed it and placed it in his desk drawer. Whatever was in that book held the secrets he was looking for and he knew he needed to get his hands on it. Formulating a plan, he went to his mentor and told him about parts of the conversation he had overheard. It was then that the older man slipped him a set of keys to use after hours.

The drawer was locked, but luckily he had the key. He was barely able to contain his excitement when he saw the book sitting in the drawer, calling out to him like a beacon.

As he read what was written inside, he couldn't help but grin. This had everything he needed. Mia Davenport was done.

Making his way to the copier in the corner of his office, he copied the entire contents of the journal then placed it back in the desk drawer just as he found it, then locked the drawer back.

Taking his copies, he left the office and drove to his destination.

"It's all here. All kinds of dirt. You will never guess who Mia's biological father is." He practically squealed with excitement as he handed over the copies to the older man.

The man raised his eyebrows in surprise as he read some of the pages. He then smiled. "You did good son. I'm so proud of you." The man clapped him on the shoulder before pulling him into a side hug.

"Anything for you dad." He smiled at the man, standing just a little bit taller, his chest puffed out  from the words of praise.