Escaping Mr. Grayson [UN-EDITED]

Chapter Twenty-Two.

Manipulation, and how to use it

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The more I mull it over, the more my brain becomes like a spinning wheel moving at its fastest pace. With each second that goes by, I'm finding more questions than answers. First, I find out that this man is deranged, and now this? I'm re-ally...confused.

Anitta eyes me weirdly.

"That's not...that isn't possible. I... I've seen him. He...well, that's just impossible", I mutter self-consciously

"My husband, Xavier Maxwell, was killed almost seven years ago", she says

"Wait. I thought... I thought you were married to Xavier Grayson", I say with such uncertainty

She's not saying a word and I can sense the sudden shift in her expression from anger to a flat sadness. She quickly darts her eyes towards me. They show concern and fear. She knows exactly who and what Im talking about. If not more. She takes a deep breath before telling me, "I met Xavier ten years ago. He was fresh out of college and he came to apply for a job at my fathers real estate agency. The minute I met him, I remember thinking how he was the sweetest, most patient and loving man I'd ever known. He was perfect. Just so kind and gentle and filled with so much... good"

".... We had an instant connection", she continues. "It was like something out of a movie honestly"—she blushes—" it was just...love at first site. He was...he is, my soulmate. After being together for two years, he finally proposed and we got married only three days after, we couldn't wait. It was a small wedding, maybe 20 guests, but nonetheless, we were happy. Months later, when we found out that we were expecting a child together, something was missing for me. I just, I though it was strange that I never met his family. He told me that he had no family outside his identical twin brother. His mother died at birth and his father was so bitter that he blamed Xavier and his brother for their Mother's death. He treated them like they were animalssomething less than human. He would beat them, torture them, he wouldn't feed them sometimes, he barely paid for their school. He was a terrible per-son. A terrible human being...a sad terrible man with nothing good about him. That's what Xavier would say"

She goes on. "I remember him telling me that, one day he met with the social worker and he was able to rescue himself and his brother out of their fathers house when they were thirteen. That's when they moved into a lady called Miss Grayson's house. I think her name was Rachel Grayson, I don't remember. He said it wasn't the best place to grow up but it wasn't as bad as being with his father. I remember him telling me that Miss Grayson was always so fixated towards Jeffrey. He said they would watch strange documentaries together and sometimes she wouldn't let him go out with friends because she wanted him to stay with her. I remember him saying that Jeffrey told him that he felt suffocated, but Xavier forced him to stick it out because this was as good as it could be for them...at least until Xavier could go to college and build a life for him and his brother."

"And where is Miss Grayson now?", I ask

She stares out the window lifeless and takes a breath. "She was poisoned. They never looked into it much but, Xavier knew that it was his brother. I never would've met Jeffrey if it wasn't for my own stubbornness. I insisted time and time again for him to introduce me to Jeffrey and he would refuse time and time again until the night I said I wouldn't let him meet his daughter if he wasn't going to let me meet his family. That was my greatest mistake"

She sighs heavily. "Jeffrey invited us to his home. He was the mirror image of Xavier. Youd barely be able to tell the difference. I remember the evening was...quaint. We had dinner and talked. The next thing I remember is being in the kitchen and hearing Xavier upset about something Jeffrey had done. I remember walking into the room to try and mediate, and then...then...seeing my daughters father....dead, on the floor, with a knife to his chest. I was so...terrified. I remember thinking that it was all my fault. I remember thinking, my baby is going to grow up in the world, without a father... because of me."