Zach chose the process of elimination to test all these theories on Grace so as to ascertain the true reason with the help of the polygraph despite Grace's continued silence throughout the interrogation.
"Judging on the basis of how you waited for such an opportune moment to take action against Mr. Windsor and Violet, you must have some heavy grudge against them, am I right?" Zach decided to confirm the last possibility first because the rest of the interrogation would be carried out to determine exactly when Grace's loyalties shifted to the Hunter family.
Grace didn't say anything but the skin conductivity response indicated extreme anger which corresponded with the twisted expression on Grace's face. Zach knew then that he had touched a nerve there. Previously when he blamed him or interrogated him, he had never shown such a reaction but now it was as if his insides were boiling. It could only mean that he was actually angry as if Zach had stained his honor or whatever he had left in its place.
"Even a dog by the side of the road knows how to return favor with gratitude but you have only waited for an opportunity to bite the hand that fed you all these years. What kind of a human being are you if you can't even distinguish between your master who has taken care of you and the enemies who only want to use you for momentary gain?"
As Zach expected Grace was like a volcano that was about to explode as soon as he heard Zach's words. But still the man held in his wrath and refused to speak a word. His fists were clenched so tightly that it was putting a strain on the electrodes connected to his fingers.
Zach eliminated the third possibility that Grace had been loyal to the Hunter family from the get go. That only left him with two things that he still needed to find out; the exact time when the Hunter family poached Grace from the Windsor family and the reason why Grace decided to betray the Windsor family.
"I don't think you are such a heartless person. The first time I met you, you defended Clara with your life on the line. Was it all a fa?ade to gain her trust?"
There was a severe fluctuation on the polygraph as all the parameters spiked. This could only mean that Grace was affected by his words. A disloyal person would never bother with such stinging words.
"I will tell you my theory that I have built up through our conversation so far. I think you were always loyal to the Windsor family until your recent actions proved otherwise. I am right, aren't I?"
There was no fluctuation on the polygraph this time indicating that the statement was probably true for Grace.
"What makes me wonder is the thing that made you change your mind? What could the Hunter family give you that made you transfer your loyalties instantly?"
Grace was like a lifeless doll and even the polygraph results were consistent with normal vital patterns. There was no abnormality.
"Was it wealth?" asked Zach curiously as if he wanted to know how much Grace had received from the Hunter family to sell out the Windsor family so heartlessly.
Grace's face twisted into a sneer as if Zach hadn't talked about wealth but some shit by the side of the road. Obviously, the answer was not money. The polygraph corresponded with the result as well. The man was unaffected by the question.
"Did they promise to give you a better position than your current one? If they did, I am afraid that they will cut you off the moment they succeed." Zach was structuring his questions based on the greatest temptations for all men.
Unfortunately, power and position didn't seem to have any kind of effect on Grace either. It had to be something else, something that was capable of coercing a loyal man like Grace into changing the object of his loyalty.
And that was when something clicked in Zach's mind. Hadn't Nelson threatened Violet with her father to get what he wanted? Maybe this was the modus operandi of the Hunter family. If it was due to this, even Zach might have converted let alone Grace.
"Did they threaten your family?" asked Zach with anticipation.
There was a severe fluctuation on the polygraph and the graph seemed to have shot through the edge of the paper.
Zach finally had a direction to work with. Obviously, his family had been threatened in some manner.
"So, it's because of your family then. Those bastards…" cursed Zach as he tried to build up a little rapport with the object of his interrogation. He believed that doing this might get Grace to open up with him.
Grace was shocked as to how Zach managed to guess the reason even though he hadn't opened his mouth. He was worried that the Hunter family would hurt Taylor now that he had been found out by the Windsor family.
"Where is your family now?"
Zach wanted to offer protection for his family in return for his cooperation.
Grace on the other hand was close to tears now that his wounds had been pried open by Zach. Taylor's face kept on appearing in front of his eyes even though she was being held hostage by the Hunter family.
"How many family members do you have? Are all of them being threatened by them?"
"That should not be the case. As far as I know, he has no family." Clara was the one who had spoken. She was also the one who had spent the most time with Grace in the Windsor family. Her words should have been reliable but in this case her statement could be disregarded completely since she probably didn't know anything about Grace's relatives.
Grace only shook his head as if in helplessness but refused to reveal information about his only family for fear that the Hunter family might hurt her in retaliation.
Violet couldn't stand the stuffy atmosphere and had to intervene. She knew what it was like to be threatened with one's family. Even she had bent her back when faced with such a threat. Therefore, she felt some sympathy for him.
"I don't know what the Hunter family promised you but let me assure you that their methods are extremely ruthless and their promises nothing more than air. If you think that your family would be safe after you are no longer useful to them, then you are severely mistaken. They would never let someone like you who is a witness to their crimes go off unscathed. At that time, both you and your family would suffer the consequences of your stupidity."
Violet's words struck like the gong of awakening and made Grace realize how much truth her words held but he seemed to be unwilling to take the risk since even the Windsor family was unable to contend with the power of the Hunter family. Therefore, he couldn't trust them with Taylor's safety.
"Don't overestimate your worth in their eyes. You are no more than a pawn that would fall after it has fulfilled its purpose. I suggest you tell us about your family and we might be able to help you ensure their safety. This is your only option and I am only giving you this chance because you have served the Windsor family loyally all these years despite your recent actions."
Violet struck his core this time and offered him the only way out.
Grace was like a cornered rat that finally found a hole to hide in. He immediately had a hopeful expression on his face as he stared at Violet with excitement that was previously missing from his face. It was as if he had suddenly remembered how to live again.
Grace finally broke down after the bout of questioning and began to shed tears as he kept muttering, "T-Taylor…my Taylor…they have her. I c-couldn't save her…I tried but they…they took her from me."
"How come I don't know this person if they are so important? Who is this person to you?" Clara asked Grace directly this time.
"No, he's not lying this time. You might not know of them but he definitely has a family that he is trying to protect." Zach didn't let her speak since he had already ascertained the truth with the help of the polygraph.
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