The Secret Garden of Ravenwood

Chapter 9: Confrontations

Avery couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that came with the revelations about her family's past. She had always looked up to her grandmother, who had been a constant presence in her life after her parent's divorce. But now, she felt like she had been keeping secrets from her all these years.

She couldn't keep the secrets she had discovered to herself any longer. She needed to confront her grandmother and demand answers. Avery had always known that her grandmother was a private person, but she couldn't understand why she would keep such dark family secrets hidden away.

That afternoon, Avery marched into her grandmother's study, notebook in hand. Avery was surprised to see how composed her grandmother seemed, despite how angry Avery looked. Grandma Jane greeted Avery warmly and asked how she was doing, as if nothing was wrong. But Avery couldn't hold back her anger any longer.

"Grandma, why didn't you tell me about all of this?" Avery demanded.

Grandma Jane looked up from her desk and sighed wearily. "I knew this day would come," she said. "I suppose you've found the hidden room, then?"

Avery nodded, feeling a mix of nervousness and determination.

Her grandmother looked down at her hands and sighed. "I didn't want to burden you with the sins of the past," she said. "I wanted you to have a happy summer here without the weight of our family's mistakes on your shoulders. You have already gone through so much with your parents' divorce."

"But that's not fair!" Avery protested. "I deserve to know the truth about my own family. And what about the workers who were exploited by my great-great-grandfather? Don't they deserve justice?"

Her grandmother nodded slowly. "You're right, Avery. I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry for keeping this from you. I suppose I thought it was better to let the past be buried." Grandma Jane rubbed her hands together, his expression somber, "But perhaps that was a mistake. Your great-great-grandfather was not the man you thought he was. He was a cruel and ruthless businessman who cared only about his own interests."

Avery felt her stomach churn as her grandmother continued to speak. She had always felt so proud of her family's legacy, especially after what the townspeople had said, but now she felt as if the rug had been pulled out from under her.

They talked for a while longer, with Avery asking questions and her grandmother answering them as honestly as she could. Avery could tell that her grandmother was struggling with guilt and regret, but she was also grateful for the chance to finally know the truth. Much of what her grandmother told her she already knew from the journals and papers in the attic, but she was glad that Grandma Jane was telling her regardless.

Avery was starting to feel more calm and content with what she had learned, but that was until her father burst into the room. Grandma Jane struggled to her feet, but a glare from her father sent her sitting back into the chair.

"But there's more," her father said as he walked into the room. "There are more things that your grandmother has kept from you. If I should even call her your grandmother."

Avery went pale, looking between her father and her Grandmother Jane, "Dad, what are you talking about?" She finally turned to face her father, the man who had always been distant and estranged from the family. She wondered what he could possibly have to add to the family secrets.

Her Grandma Jane looked like she was guilty or sacred, Avery couldn't understand why.

"It's time you knew the truth," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "Your 'Grandmother Jane', she isn't who you think she is. This woman right here in front of you is not your grandmother."