MADELINE POV

I walked down the stairs to see a handsome Grayson waiting for me. His gaze showed so much adoration and love. I couldn't help but feel a bit shy seeing him look at me like that.

"You're beautiful Madeline." He pulled me towards him and we shared a passionate kiss.

"Alright, alright lovebirds let's get going." Ian said teasingly.

"Leave them alone Ian. You and I were once like that." Grace responded.

He gave her a gentle kiss and we all headed out.

"Where's Jack?" Grayson asked.

"He said he'll meet us at the ceremony."

"Ok" He answered.

Today couldn't be anymore perfect. I was going to graduate high school today and finally I would be reunited with my mother.

Soon we had arrived at the ceremony and Grayson and I went to find our seats. Unfortunately I couldn't sit next to Grayson since we were all seated in order of our last names.

I looked over to the crowd to find Jack and his girlfriend, Ian, Grace and William sitting down. They were all there waiting to see Grayson and I graduate. I was happy but I couldn't help but wonder where my mother could be.

I wondered if she would be coming late. The ceremony finally started and it helped distract me for a while. Before I knew it Grayson and I had received our High School diploma and everyone congratulated us.

"Congratulations my children." Grace said to us.

I gave her a hug and thanked her.

"Thank you Grace. I had a quick question to ask you, do you know when my mother is coming to see me? She said she would be here for the ceremony but I haven't seen her."

"Oh don't worry about it dear. She's probably running late. I gave her directions to the house just in case she forgot. She might be meeting you there."

I guess she was right. I was simply overreacting.

Grayson held my hand and we all headed to the car. As soon as we arrived at the mansion we saw lots of cars parked out front.

As we entered the home we were surprised to see the rest of the Lockwood family. Ian's family from England were here as well as Grace's family.

"I couldn't help myself. I wanted to surprise you two with a graduation party."

I was definitely surprised. Grace was the sweetest person I knew and I truly appreciated the effort she put to organize this party for us.

"Thank you so much Grace." I hugged her and Ian.

I greeted all of Grayson's family whom I viewed as my own family. From the moment I entered the Lockwood's home everyone has considered me family.

We all headed towards the garden in the back. There were lots of tables for the guest, as well as servers all over the place bringing food.

Grayson pulled up a chair for me and we began to eat. There was a live jazz band playing music and everyone seemed like they were enjoying themselves.

Grayson grabbed my hand and smiled.

"You're wearing the ring I gave you."

"Of course, it's the most precious item I own."

He kissed my hand clearly content with my answer.

"Do you want to dance?"Grayson asked.

Before I could answer I felt someone tap my shoulder.

"Can I speak to you in private?" It was Grace.

"Yes of course"

"Maybe we can dance after my conversation with Grace." I said to Grayson. He simply smiled in agreement.

I left the table and followed her inside the house.

I wondered what Grace was going to tell me? She had never been the secretive type but I assumed she might talk to me about Grayson. We had just started dating so I was positive she would have a lot to say about our relationship.

We walked over to the living room and sat down on the couch. Grace stood silent for a bit as she recollected her thoughts, and suddenly she began to speak.

"I met your mother when I was in high school. We both attended the same girls academy. She came from one of the most elite families and my parents had persuaded me to befriend her. I didn't want to disappoint my parents so I did just that, I became friends with your mother. She had always been very kind and understanding towards me. I found that she was a devoted friend who I knew would never betray me, in fact, it felt like we were sisters. We ended up going to the same University to stay together. But she began to distance herself as soon as she started dating your father. He was so possessive of her that he didn't even allow her to hang out with me, her best friend. He was the stereotypical bad boy and I am sure that interested your mother. Although things got worse when I noticed she had bruises on her body. When I asked her what had happened she claimed that she had tripped. If I ever questioned her if it could be your father who was hurting her, she always denied it, she even got defensive. She stopped attending school and I rarely saw her in class. It wasn't until our junior year of University that she dropped out of school. I was so worried about her that I had even gone to her parents' home to see what could have happened to her. They simply said that she had run away with her boyfriend and that they were doing everything they could to find her, but they never did. After I graduated University I went on to pursue my professional career, I ended up meeting Ian and we got married. We ended up forming a family and I was happy, but I always wondered what had become of your mother. It wasn't until 12 years ago that I saw her again when she came to my doorstep along with an adorable six-year-old child."

I always wondered how my mother and Grace had met. But I never would have expected that she came from a wealthy family. I wondered why she would leave everything she had for my father? Although she was madly in love, just like I am crazy in love with Grayson, I guess I can understand.

"Your mother had been heavily abused over the years and when she came to my house that night, I had to call a doctor to come and check up on her immediately. I talked to her as soon as her health got better. We caught up on old times and she told me exactly what had happened while she was living with your father and the terrible conditions you both had to live in. But she planned to file a divorce from your father and hope to get a restraining order on him so he couldn't hurt you two anymore. After a week in my home, she left to take care of all of that. I think you recall that day, you cried a lot in my arms."

It was a very difficult moment for me. I love my mom dearly, and being away from her was unbearable. Although I made sure to behave as I had promised her.

"She ended up staying in a hotel and began to work full time. I think she was trying to save up for an apartment for the both of you. I had told her to stay and live with us, but she said she wanted to take care of everything on her own and not involve you in her problems. After a month it seemed like everything was going well and she had finally finished the papers for the divorce. I called her and planned to meet up with her one morning but she had informed me that she was going back to her old home with your father to retrieve her belongings. She told me that he was always out working in the morning and would surely not be back until late at night. I begged her not to go and instead to bring some of our security guards with her, but she was stubborn and genuinely believed it would all be ok. I trusted her but my intuition kept telling me that something bad was going to happen. We planned to meet at a cafe near our old academy at exactly 11 am, but she never came. I tried calling her but she wouldn't answer her calls. I decided to go find her in that terrible home, thankfully I had asked her to send me the direction of the home just for precaution but it seems like it really came in handy. I ended up seeing two cars in the driveway and I knew he had gotten to her. As soon as I entered the home I noticed the blood on the walls and your mother and father on the floor. Your mother had been stabbed to death and it appeared that your father had committed suicide. I immediately called 911 and then Ian. My entire body wouldn't stop shaking and I felt my body grow weak. I sat on the floor in silence as I took in the horrible scene in front of me. To think that such an amazing person lost her life in such a tragic accident. She was like family to me, and I had just lost a sister. The authorities finally came and I was interrogated. As soon as I got home, I hugged Ian and I cried for hours. I worried about you and how you would take the news. You were just a child and I didn't want to inflict any more pain than what you had already suffered through. After much thought, I decided not to tell you. Although as you got older I knew that you would ask me about your mother and her whereabouts, so I decide to send you letters claiming they were from your mother. They always seemed to make you happy and brighten up your day so I continued. I felt terrible for lying to you every time but I knew that as soon as you graduated high school, I would tell you everything. I'm sorry Madeline, I really am."

Grace began to cry once again. She grabbed my hands and began to whisper "I'm sorry" over and over again.

I just stood there, numb to it all. This was a lie, this couldn't be true. The letters my mother wrote to me, they had to be true! She had promised me that she would come back that day. I told her that I would behave and never make trouble for the Lockwood's. We were finally going to be happy and safe.

I felt a warm drop fall down on my cheek. My chest hurt and I felt as if I were in a dream. No, this was a nightmare and I would soon wake up. My mom would attend my graduation and we would reunite again just like I had planned it. My body trembled and I found it difficult to even stand up without falling.

"Hey Madeline, they're cutting the cake now! I know you're always excited about this. Where are you?"

I heard Grayson say my name and I couldn't help but want to run to him and embrace him. I had always felt happy and safe in his arms, and at the moment I craved that peace he always gave me.

As soon as he entered the living room our eyes met. He looked worried for me and practically ran to me.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Grace calmed down and stood up.

"I told her, she knows everything now."

I looked over at Grayson and I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry my love. I planned to tell you one day but I didn't want to hurt you. I can't stand seeing you in pain."

I could see how genuinely sorry he was. He walked over to embrace me but I moved away and stood up.

"You mean you both knew all this time, and you kept it away from me?"

Two of the people I love the most had just kept something from me that I had every right to know.

"When we were children, you told me that Grace had lied to me. That she had kept something from me regarding my mother. It was this right? You have known that my mother died all this time!"

"I..." He tried to speak but I cut him off.

"You bullied me for so long when we were children along with your group of friends. Your endless ways of torturing me and the humiliations I had to face were unbearable. Every day I woke up feeling an immense fear and anxiety because I knew I would see you. You had inflicted me the same abuse my father had caused me before and I never said a word because you had promised me that sooner or later you would tell me the secret Grace had kept from me. But now I understand it all Grayson. You never planned to tell me that secret. That secret that I deserved to know all of these years. You prefer to play with my feelings and make a joke about them."

I looked over at Grace and then at Grayson.

"The letters I was given each month, and my plan to see my mother today....." I began to laugh.

"I must have looked so stupid to you all. Getting excited to see someone who no longer exists."

The tears kept falling and falling. I was certain that my eyes were red now.

"The funeral, when was the funeral?"

"It was held a couple of days after she had passed away."

Hearing this hurt me even more. I felt like my happy bubble had just popped and reality was starting to sink in.

"Don't you think I had the right to say goodbye to her? You couldn't even give me one last chance to see her again?"

I couldn't handle this anymore, the shock of hearing this was too much. I decided to walk out and leave the house.

As I neared the door Grayson held me back.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled as I tried to push him away.

He immediately let go of me.

"Please Madeline, don't go. I love you and I know this hurts you. Please just let me be with you, let me comfort you and we can talk about this."

"What is there to talk about Grayson? You lied to my face so many times. Was I a joke to you? Is this relationship and your feelings even real? If you lied to me about this, I wouldn't be surprised if you said you were playing with my feelings all this time. You never liked me, since the moment I arrived at this household you have made it very clear that you disliked me. Well congratulations Grayson, you never have to see me again."

I opened the front door and walked out.

William had just walked in and seemed surprised when he saw me.

"Madeline what's wrong?"

He looked back at Grayson and began to yell at him.

"What the hell did you do to her!"

I walked over to William and asked him if we could leave. I didn't want to be here anymore.

"Yes of course."

As I walked away I could hear Grayson screaming out my name.

"Madeline please don't go!"
I didn't look at him. I couldn't bear to see him. If only Grayson hadn't lied to me, I would have been in his arms right at this moment. He was the one I wanted to run to, not William. I craved for his warmth and gentle embrace. But what he, Grace, and Ian did to me hurt so much that I didn't know if I could ever forgive them.

I continued to walk away but Grayson caught up to us and pulled William back.

"Get the fuck away from her! Don't you dare touch her!"

Grayson began to beat William. Suddenly Jack, Ian, and other family members began to run over to us and stop the fight. But Grayson wouldn't stop.

"Grayson please, if you truly love me then stop this! Leave William alone and let me go!" I said to him.

I could see how much it pained him to let me go but he agreed.

Both William and I walked towards his car and we left. I looked back and noticed the house grow smaller and smaller. I was leaving the place I called home for so long. This felt like deja vu, only this time I didn't have my mother driving us away to safety. I would never get to see her again.

TO BE CONTINUED

(Hello everyone I really hope you all enjoyed this first story, I am currently working on the second book which will show you all that happens with Madeline. I can't believe part one of this story is already over and I can't wait for part two! Until next time my lovelies, thank you very much for reading.)