Grace's POV.
"Mom!!" I said in shock and disbelief. I can't believe my mum is here. She has been in Paris for about two months now and I did not even know that she was coming...this is unbelievable...
She smiled at me and held out her hands and instinctively I moved into her hands and hugged her and she kissed my forehead.
" I have missed you so much, Gracie! Oh just look at you!" She said beaming as she smoothed my hair and I held her tightly.
" I didn't know you were coming!" I said as I separated myself from and her still in shock she shrugged and said:
" I decided to come home. It was a last-minute type of thing. I am not leaving until 4 months or so." I smiled at her with genuine excitement. Considering how many times she has been away from home, 4 months is a pretty long time for her to be at home.
" Awwwwwwww! Family Reunion..." Mellisa said and I rolled my eyes at her.
" Good evening Mrs Richards," Mellisa said with a low bow but my mum quickly pulled her up for a hug and Mellisa blushed in embarrassment.
" Mellisa, don't act too formal! My name is Marissa and that is what you should call me. We've been over this." My mum said as she hugged Mellisa and Mellisa smiled shyly.
" OK, Marissa..." She said shyly and my mum beamed at her.
The housemaids took my mum's baggage up to her room and then I suddenly remembered what I wanted to ask her. I know this will probably suck out the happiness from the room but I have to ask her. If she doesn't know anything about it then I will ask my dad...Hope I am not being a killjoy.
" So how was France, Mum?" I asked trying to slow down into the betrothal issue.
" It is particularly lovely at this time of the year." She said as she put her hands around me and Mellisa's shoulders and we moved into the living room. She settled herself on an armchair and I and Mellisa sat on a couch. She looked around the living room and sighed.
Now it's time to go into the lion's den...
" Mum, can I ask you something?" I said slowly.
" Sure thing, Pumpkin." She said giving me her full attention.
" Do you perhaps know anybody around my age who has the name, Michael Scott?" I said cautiously. Suddenly her eyes widened and her face turned pale. She froze and kept quiet with her mouth slightly opened. This confirms my suspicions. My mum knows or has something to do with this...How could she?
"Mrs Richa- I mean Marissa, are you okay?" Mellisa said with concern on her face and my mum snapped out of her daze and she nodded.
" I'm fine." She said and I went into the kitchen and made 3 cups of hot cocoa for us with marshmallows and cream on top. I put them on a tray, brought them to the living room and set one down in front of my mum and Mellisa while I took the last one and sip out of it. Mellisa smiled and took a sip of her's and sighed.
" Grace, you are no longer a little child so I will explain everything." She said quietly.
" Mum, why would YOU betroth ME to some guy I don't know?! NO, scratch that! Why would YOU betroth ME to ANYONE?!! I am not trusted to have my pick of a husband when the time comes, is that it?!! Some guy just comes up to me while I am still in school and most likely to make a fool of myself in front of a lot of people and he goes 'Hey girl, we're getting married' like ancient times huh!!!!" I said angry and frustrated. I was so angry! Why would she do this to me! I'm going to be miserable for the rest of my life!!! Whyyy!!!
" What?!" Mellisa said in shock and she widened her eyes in disbelief and she looked at me and then at my mother.
" So is that what that guy told you?!" Mellisa said still dazed.
" Yup," I said, close to tears.
" Calm down Grace, I will explain everything." My mum said in a pleading voice and I sat down and wrapped my hands around my cup so tightly that my knuckles turned white.
" Grace, Michael Scott is the son of the American businessman James Scott. Our families are friendly with each other. When you were born, James and his wife tried to make an agreement with us that you will get married to their son when you are all grown up and ripe and stuff like that. We told them that we will think about it. Later on, when you were 5 years old, we agreed to it but we only agreed because we wanted to protect you." She said and she took a sip of the hot chocolate and I became curious suddenly.
" Protect me from what mum?" I said and she sighed.
" From certain people, like Aidan's Mum and Dad."
" Aidan's Mum and Dad?!" I and Mellisa said in unison with disbelief. First time Mellisa talked during this conversation
" Yes." She said calmly.
" How?" I said with uneasiness and I quickly finished my hot chocolate.
" Remember that time when you were 4 and then Aidan's Mum and Dad showed up and said they were going to take you to the park with our permission then I and your dad show up and we are yelling at them and then they walk out angrily? Remember that?" She said sadly.
" Yeah. And...." I said confused.
" They wanted to kidnap you. We had this in mind when we agreed to the betrothal." She said and I almost fainted. I could not believe it. Aidan's parents who gave me candy and sugar apples, who were always kind to me, the same ones tried to kidnap me?! This totally changed my perceptive of them...
" That is messed up..." Mellisa said and my mum nodded.
I looked like I was about to cry so Mellisa put her hands around me.
" Don't cry Gracey. It will be alright. If they try anything funny, I'll punch their guts out!" She said and squeezed my hands.
" And I will personally sue them and they will rot in jail." My mum said.
" Thanks guys. I feel a lot better actually." I said and wiped at my eyes and they smiled.
" We are always here for you Gracie. If you need anything, you just come to us." My mum said.
"Yeah!" Mellisa said and she hugged me again and I hugged her back.
I know everything will be alright and this is certainly just the beginning....
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