“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 94

***Noah’s POV:***

It’s been almost three months since Graceland left with the Christiansens. I can still remember that day as it lingered in my brain like the smell of rotten fruit. Graceland left with those people without a single word. Fury burned through my parents as the doors closed behind her and the Christiansens.

*“That little bitch! How dare she embarrass us like that!”*

My mother scream as she threw a glass against the wall causing everyone to jump back.

*“Calm down Sharon!”*

*“Calm down! Calm down! We just got made a fool of in front of the world’s most powerful family! How can I calm down!”*

I could tell my father was reaching his breaking point. In all honesty, I was irritated with them both. Their complete disregard in front of the very family Graceland was marrying into was nothing short of pathetic. What’s worse, I no longer felt the Christiansens shared the same sentiments about Graceland that we all did. The way they looked at her, it was as if the sun shined out of her. When Lady Christiansen referred to Graceland as ‘our daughter’, I could hear the deliberate tone in her words. It was as if they were claiming Graceland.

Brian decided to speak up.

*“I don’t give a shit how powerful they are. What right did they have to treat us as if WE were the ones less than Graceland of all people.”*

For once my fool of a brother was right. You could clearly tell the Christiansens held a low regard for us while they beamed with joy over Graceland. It didn’t make sense.

*“Am I the only one that felt like they may have already known Graceland? I mean, she never exactly told us HOW she received that proposal.”*

Cole looked over at me and dad, suddenly, dad saying it didn’t matter how she received that proposal became the biggest form of irony.

*“It doesn’t matter anymore. She’s gone. Let’s all move on. When they send the wedding invitation, just pretend she’s apart of our family that day. We don’t want to piss the Christiansens off anymore than we already have.”*

With that, father left the room. Mother looked over at me, her eyes filled with anger and traces of sadness. What could she be sad about?

*“Did you hear the way that woman called her daughter! That little…first the woman that stole her and now…”*

Her words trailed off as she stormed out of the room. Could she be upset about Graceland being close to another woman? The thought of that seemed unlikely, but if that wasn’t the case…

Suddenly, Olivia spoke. Throughout the entire situation, she remained the quietest. Her face had an unusual expression; I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. She smiled warily.

*“Well, if the Christiansens do care about Graceland, I hope she has a happy life, even if her husband is a vegetable.”*

For some reason, her words didn’t match her expression. She motioned for Jonathan to follow her as she left the room.

*“Do you think they care about her?”*

Brian asked me with a worried look on his face. I knew why he was worried; it finally began to dawn on him that Graceland could tell the Christiansens everything. A thought that had been haunting me from the moment they arrived.

*“I don’t see how they could. There’s no way she could have met them prior, I’m not sure how or why they chose to marry her to their son. I’m going to do some digging to find out. In the meantime, not a word of her or this to ANYBODY!”*

Both Cole and Brian nodded in agreement. Until we got more information, we needed to hold off on bragging about Graceland becoming a Christiansen.

*“Still, it was pretty rude of her to leave without even so much as a goodbye. She didn’t even look in our direction. We are her family after all.”*

Cole’s words gave me mixed feelings. Were we her family? In the seven years Graceland had been here, I couldn’t remember one family act we had with her. Perhaps her anger was warranted, though that didn’t give her the right to disrespect us.

Whatever.

She’s gone now. Time move forward.

Now, it’s been three months since her departure, and the realization has been hitting hard. The school year had just started at the University for both Brian and Livie and they were already on the verge of academic probation.

*“Mr. Rochester, I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”*

As I sat across from the Dean at Bayview University, I could feel my irritation growing.

*“I don’t understand why it’s not. Have the Rochesters not donated an obscene amount of money over the years to this University?”*

*“Well…yes sir you have but-”*

*“And if I’m not mistaken, without that funding, this school would not have the labs and resources that they have today correct?”*

*“W-Well, yes-”*

*“Then explain to me why you can fix my siblings grades so that they won’t end up on academic probation.”*

Dean Launberg looked at me with exasperation in his eyes. Since Graceland left, both Brian and Olivia were forced to do their own work leaving them severely behind. I was pissed! I knew she’d done some of their work, but I wasn’t aware it was to this magnitude.

*“Mr. Rochester, the problem is, even if I curve their grades, at this rate they won’t be able to pass midterms or finals. Also, some of the instructors are wondering if they were cheating last year. The drop in their grades have been significant.”*

*“You dare accuse the Rochesters of cheating!”*

I had no choice but to use fear for persuasion at this point.

*“No! No! Of course not! I’m just expressing concerns! The main concern right now is their ability to pass their midterms and finals-”*

*“You let me worry about that! Curve their grades so that they don’t end up on probation. I’ll make sure they pass.”*

The dean was about to say something and then decided against. He knew that if he pushed too much it would put the school’s funding at risk.

I stormed out of the school pissed. What the hell had Livie and Brian been doing these past two years! I got back to the house in record time. Both Livie and Brian were in the grand room laughing with Jonathan, it irked me to see them not studying. As soon as Livie saw me, she perked up.

*“Noah! What are you doing home so early?”*

I looked at Livie annoyed causing her to shudder. Brian then spoke up.

*“What’s up your ass? Why aren’t you say-”*

*“I just got back from the university after having a meeting with the dean regarding you two.”*

The words sneered out of my mouth like acid. Both Livie and Brian’s faces instantly turned ashen. They knew I’d learn about their grades.

*“Look Noah, I can explain…we-”*

I waved my hand cutting Brian off.

*“How the hell can you explain! You’re both in danger of probation! Do you know what kind of embarrassment that is!”*

*“Just relax Noah, I’m sure-”*

*“I don’t remember asking you for your thoughts on this Jonathan. If anything, you need to help my sister, YOUR fiancé not flunk! I highly doubt your grandfather would be thrilled about that.”*

Jonathan’s eyes darkened, he knew what I said was true. If Isaac found out about this; he would surlily call off the engagement. He was already irritated when he learned Graceland was marrying someone else.

I’m going to have tutors here starting tomorrow. Until your grades are up don’t even think about doing anything but studying!

I barked my orders and left the room feeling exhausted. Their grades weren’t the only issues. The business proposal Graceland set up for me regarding a property investment now had to be extended. I had no idea what all the proposal entailed, and I hadn’t been able to get in contact with Graceland. Her original phone number was no longer in use. No one had been able to get a hold of her since the day she left.

That evening, as we all ate dinner, my father began to fume.

*“I can’t believe that little bitch has been gone three months without so much as a word! We haven’t heard anything from her OR the Christiansens! No dowry, no partnership, nothing!”*

I was about to comment when Zelma walked into the dining room holding an envelope.

*“Sir, this just arrived by way of carrier.”*

*“Hand it here.”*

Zelma handed father the envelop. My mother looked over.

*“What is it?”*

Suddenly, my father’s eyes beamed.

*“Finally!! It’s an invitation from the Christiansens, they are inviting us to they home for birthday celebration!”*

What???? Three months of nothing and now all of sudden a party? I wasn’t sure why, but I had a bad feeling about this.