“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 125

***Gracie’s POV:***

Brian stared at me with widen eyes; the color completely drained from his face. The entire ballroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Sharon looked as if she were about to faint as tears flooded her face.

*“T-That’s not true…y-you’re lying….YOU’RE LYING!!!!”*

Brian yelled as tears began to fall down his face. I stared at him stoically. I actually almost felt sorry for him. It’s not easy learning your life is a lie. Brian frantically turned towards Sharon.

*“M-Mom…it’s not true right? Tell her!!! Tell her it’s not true!!!!”*

Sharon fell to her knees, crying hysterically.

*“B-Brian…I’m so sorr-”*

*“NO!!!! It’s not true!!! Mom!!!”*

Calvin’s eyes widen in rage.

*“You whore…YOU WHORE!!!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!!!! You’re finished!!!”*

Noah suddenly ran to Calvin placing his hands on his shoulders.

*“Father!!! Not now!!! Look, I’m sure mom can explain-”*

*“Explain!!! Explain how I’ve been raising another man’s child for over 22 years!!!”*

Jonathan suddenly turned to me; hatred on his face and in his tone.

*“Is this what you wanted Graceland? To tear your family apart?”*

I cut my eyes over to him and laughed.

*“I didn’t do a thing. The Rochesters did this all on their own.”*

Noah suddenly turned towards me. His face filled with chagrin

*“That’s enough Graceland! How could you do this to us!!! We’re your family!”*

*“Ha! My family?”*

I sneered as I walked towards Noah.

*“You people have never been my family. Family doesn’t abuse each other. Family doesn’t ridicule each other. Family doesn’t STEAL from each other. All you people ever did was use and abuse me! What family!”*

*“Graceland that’s not true!”*

Olivia yelled out, tears pouring down her face. Kai pressed play on the projection screen once more. This time showing all of the Rochesters along with Jonathan plotting to bring me back to the estate. Olivia's voice bright and chipper.

*“Oh!! Big brother! Do you think I can get Graceland to do all of my homework and tests!”*

Olivia’s face turned ashen as she watched the screen.

Hearing how the Rochesters were scheming to lure me back home just so I could do all of their work, the crowd grew even more disgusted.

*“How could they do something like this to their own daughter and sister.”*

*“What a disgusting family.”*

*“No wonder she doesn’t want to claim them.”*

Olivia slowly backed away; her face filled with embarrassment. Brian stormed out of the ballroom as Cole followed. Releasing Sharon, Noah stepped forward.

*“Graceland…we may not have always been perfect, but we were your family. It was never anything wrong with you helping family.”*

This jackass…he equated theft to assistance.

*“Help? Is that what you call taking their tests as they received the A’s. Doing their homework as they received the achievements. Writing their music as they received the praise and promotions.”*

Noah’s eyes widen. Never had he heard me be so brazen. I smiled smugly.

*“Or perhaps you thought doing your business proposals and then presenting them as your own so that you could get all the credit and accolades was ‘helping’.”*

Noah’s face turned ashen.

*“T-That’s not-”*

*“You know Noah, you’re actually the worst of them all. Sitting on your high horse as you scolded your siblings…but no one stole from me more than you did.”*

I sneered at Noah as his words felt caught in his throat. With nothing to refute, Noah turned to Sharon helping her stand up.

*“Let’s go mother.”*

After Noah and Sharon left, Calvin turned back to me.

*“Graceland…I don’t understand, why would you do this here? We’ve always been honest and-”*

*“Honest?”*

Kai laughed ironically as he walked forward.

*“You’re saying you’ve been honest Rochester? Your wife has a bastard son; your children have been receiving praises for the work and talent of my fiancé…and you? Tell me something Rochester…does your board know the truth about you and the Brooks?”*

As Calvin’s face grew ashen, Jonathan stormed back to the front.

*“What the hell are you talking about Christiansen!!! Just because you’re one of the most powerful heirs…it doesn’t mean-”*

*“One of?”*

Kai responded with an arrogant smile. There was no clan in the world as powerful as House Christiansen.

Jonathan lowered his tone.

*“Regardless…it doesn’t give you the right to make up lies about my family!”*

Kai stepped directly in front of Jonathan. At six foot three inches, Kai towered over Jonathon. His gaze was filled with hatred as he stared at him.

*“You know Brooks, I’ve been wanting to meet you personally. I really don’t care about what you said about me…I know you would never be man enough to say such words to my face…but you insulted my fiancé…that I simply cannot allow.”*

Jonathan’s face turned pale as he backed away slowly. Turning to face my father, Kai continued.

*“So tell me Rochester…Does your board know about your dirty dealings?”*

Calvin’s eyes widen in fear, I’m sure he wanted to know just how Kai found out about his underground business deals with the overlords of North Bay.

Before Calvin could respond, one of his board members Martin Keys stepped forward.

*“What is it that we don’t know Lord Christiansen?”*

*“I’d like to know that as well.”*

Another board member stated. When Kai first gave out the party invitations, he made sure to invite a few of Calvin’s board members.

Calvin nervously turned towards his board members, his face ghostly pale.

*“I-I don’t know what he’s talking abo-”*

*“I’m talking about your dirty dealings creating front companies for some of North Bay’s most despicable crime lords. You and Steven Brooks have been involved in tax evasion, money laundering, and all types of illegal activity for years.”*

*“THAT’S A LIE!!!”*

Jonathan ran forward; his face filled with fear.

*“My father would never-”*

*“Your father is a crook, as is your grandfather.”*

Kai’s tone was flat as he glanced at Jonathan.

Jonathan’s face fell. As Olivia tried to hold his hand, he suddenly yanked it from hers.

*“Let go of me!!!”*

Stunned, Olivia began to cry.

*“Jonathan, why are you-”*

*“I should have never chose you over Graceland! My grandfather warned me!”*

Jonathan stormed out of the ballroom. Olivia turned towards me.

*“You treacherous bitch!!! This is all your fault!!! I’m glad mother tried to have you killed!! I wish she would have succeeded!!!!”*

I smiled smugly as Olivia’s true mask finally showed. Finally, everyone got to see the real her!

Olivia stormed out of the ballroom after Jonathan. Leaving Calvin now by himself. Martin Keys walked over to Calvin, disgust in his face.

*“I hope you know I’ll be reporting this to the board. By tomorrow morning, I’ll have you removed.”*

With that, he also left the ballroom. Calvin’s face was filled with complete despair. Tears falling down his face; he turned to me.

*“G-Graceland…how….how could you do this to your own father? Your own family?”*

*“Family?”*

I scoffed. These people had no idea what *‘family’* was. Pulling out the marital contract my father signed the day I informed him of my proposal from the Christiansens, I turned to the final page.

*“Do you know what this is? No? This is a parental release agreement…and guess what…you signed it.”*

Calvin’s eyes widen in panic as he snatched the contract from my hand.

*“That’s impossible! I would have never signed something like that! I would have never given up the opportunity to be connected to-”*

Calvin halted his words realizing he was about to say too much. I decided to finish it for him.

*“What…connected to House Christiansen? Oh I know…I also knew that you were so willing to sell me to the highest bidder, that you wouldn’t have even bothered reading that contract. Afterall, you signed it thinking the Christiansens were going to have me here as a slave. Unfortunately for you, you signed over your parental rights.”*

Horror stricken Calvin’s face. He couldn’t believe what he was reading.

*“So you see…you’re not my father and the Rochesters are not my family. As of June 25th, I officially became Graceland Teagues. I guess I should thank you; if you hadn’t been such a disgustingly greedy father…I would have never been able to legally become the daughter of my true mother…Diana Teagues.”*

Calvin dropped to his knees, his tears falling on the paper. Suddenly, Kai signaled for security.

*“If you could please remove this man from my ballroom…his presence is no longer required.”*