Chapter 12: Fallen Reputation

Grace lay in her bed thinking of how to bring

Lucas down, as much as Emily was nice to her, she didn't look like someone who would snitch on her blood, she saw how she tried not to be involved in all the drama no matter how hard they pushed it, so she cancelled going through Emily to find out certain things,

After much pondering, Grace decided to do it

on her own.

She sat up on her bed and checked the time, It was 10:30 pm and the whole household

seemed to have retired to bed, so she got up

and went downstairs.

She went to the bar and grabbed a bottle of red

wine and poured it into a glass cup, she gulped it down and filled up the cup again

Well well don't we make a good match, you're

a drunkard and so am I-

Lucas entered, Grace looked at him and threw her face away, gulped the drink down and filled up her cup again, Lucas came and sat next to her, he took the cup emptied the contents in his mouth and helped her to refill it again.

"You know Grace, you're quite a tough nut to

crack, I mean what can I possibly use or do to

make you sign those papers-

"The earlier you understand that you don't force love the better for you Lucas, "She snapped feeling tipsy

"Who talked about love, I don't do love, I am

only trying to get what's mine, you see I have

always wanted you to myself, the day you

came to my office begging for a job, I knew that was my opportunity-

"Lucas I can't be with someone I don't love, I

love Jason, but 1 don't have a single feeling for You Lucas, that boy is the only love of my life -

"Yeah he is, i see the way you fondle him during intimacy-

"What?-

Grace's eyes opened and she no longer felt

tipsy, Lucas chuckled and picked up his

phone,

"Here, take a look at this"

she stared into the phone, mouth agape, she

was too speechless, she was angry and scared, and she just couldn't understand her feelings

"You stalk me now? "Grace asked in a

frightening tone

Lucas was shocked when she didn't blame it on Jason,

"What do you mean?"

"You sent your men to record me while I had

sex with my boyfriend! What is wrong with you

Lucas? What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?”

She screamed, Lucas chuckled and rubbed his jaw staring at her in disbelief,

"Well as you can see, you have two choices to make Grace, either I leak your sex tape or you sign the papers-" He whispered and went to his bedroom.

Grace ran upstairs, her heart was twisting, it

wasn't tears that wanted to burst out, something was consuming her heart, an

emotion she had never experienced before, it

turned her stomach and twisted her heart, she

felt her brain twitching and she hit them hard

with her hand, she swallowed hard and rushed to the bathroom and poured water on her face, she raised her hands, staring at it she made a fist and punched the mirror, it broke into pieces, she grabbed one of the broken pieces and held it tight, blood gushed out, she slumped on the floor and started crying,

"I blame you, father, I fuckin' blame you-

She murmured and cried even more.

For the next two days, Lucas continued

threatening her with the sex tape, she stood her ground still, she didn't tell Jason because the video only got her.

That morning at the office as Emily came in

and discussed something with him about the

consultants in the company, Grace arranged

his shelf placing one document after another,

Lucas's phone was just right next to her, and

both Lucas and Emily were focused on what

they were doing and she had every opportunity to pick up the phone and quickly delete the the evil evil piece in the phone,

Suddenly, Lucas's phone started ringing

non-stop,

"Let me have my phone" He said and Grace gave it to him,

"Paul?.

"Yes?

"What the fuck!" He stood up immediately with a start,

"What do you mean it got ceased He dragged his foot, He was angry

"I put you in charge for a reason Paul, what sort of-

He hung up immediately,

"Get out the both of you"

He said most calmly ever, Emily stood about to ask what the problem was

"I said get the fuck out!" He shouted and they both turned,

"Come back here Grace" He said and Grace came back while Emily left, he brought out the papers,

 "Sign” He said and she shook her head,

"Sign the fucking papers or I fucking leak your

nudes-

"Please Lucas, you are angry-

"Yes I am and you are adding to it, sign the

fucking papers- He said and opened the video,

"Once I press this button, your sex tape will be on the internet-

Grace refused and found herself pleading,

Lucas turned with the rage in his head and

pressed the button, and that was it, he laughed hysterically,

"I warned you, but you seem to be good at

pushing people too far"

He said, slumped on his chair and burying his

face in his palm, Grace turned and slowly left

the office. As she walked out of the office, she could feel all eyes on her, both the judging and pitiful eyes, she could hear some chuckling as she passed but she didn't hasten up or hurry out of their sight, she slowly walked into the convenience, every other person inside excused themselves immediately she entered she slowly closed the door and locked.

She fell and lay there, she was not crying, she

was just there thinking of how her reputation

had fallen. She waited for a text from Jason or her father but got none, eventually, Mr. Ethan called, not to console her or tell her to be strong but to tell her to look at what she has caused for herself, he told her that if only she signed the papers that all these things wouldn't be happening.

 Speechless, Grace dropped the phone and allowed her father to continue ranting.