She couldn't let anything like that happen to Grace if she could help it.
Being a weak woman with no background and no power, she could only beg Clara to spare the man she loved so that was what she did.
"My Lady, he only did it to sa-save me…he didn't want to do it. The young master of the Hunter family made him do it. He forced him."
Clara was apathetic as she listened to her bawling her eyes out as Taylor begged on her knees. She felt betrayed and angry for Grace hadn't even asked for their help before betraying them.
She just turned her face away from Taylor as if she couldn't even bother to hear her words. The coldness of her face was enough to freeze the hearts of all those present.
Usually, Clara was a bubbly girl but she couldn't forgive Grace who had helped those who hurt both her father and her elder sister, the two most important people in her life even if he was forced to do so. She wasn't that na?ve or that nice. Even if he couldn't help them or stop the Hunter family from carrying out their schemes, he could have at least given them a hint so they could prepare from the upcoming storm or could help him weather through his difficulties.
"That beast threatened to r-rape my in front of Grace. How could he let that happen when he loves me so much? If you want to punish someone…. then punish me. All of this happened because of me anyway. I don't want to cause him anymore harm." Cried Taylor as she begged Clara with hopeful eyes. She didn't ask for anything for herself but only wanted to save Grace from whatever fate that awaited him.
Both Clara and Violet looked slightly perturbed at what Grace had gone through before turning against them even if it was against his will. Still the facts remained facts. Grace had poisoned several innocents at the behest of the Hunter family in order to frame the leader of the Windsor family. Therefore, he was the evidence they needed to save their father. Violet wasn't willing to let him go so easily. She had to take him to the police station in order to get his statement recorded so that she could bring her father back home.
Grace fiercely shook his head at Taylor, urging her not to say anything but Taylor was unable to see anything at the moment. She was busy securing clemency from the Windsor family for her lover. She ignored everything else in her vision, even Grace.
Clara let her elder sister handle this matter because she looked like she knew what she was doing.
Zach and Christina didn't interfere in the matter because it was concerned with the internal affairs of the Windsor family. It wasn't right for the two of them to meddle in their affairs when they were only external helpers. Same went for Luke who had been a spectator from the very beginning. He had hardly taken action after he got injured in the fight against Jack.
"I am sorry but there is no way for us to forgive him even if he didn't want to do it. He hurt several innocent people including my father in an attempt to save you. I am sure he was prepared for this ending the moment he agreed to the proposal of the Hunter family in exchange for your safety." Violet turned to look at Grace at this moment in order to confirm her evaluation of him.
It turned out that Grace wasn't the least bit shocked or surprised at this time, as if he had long since seen this end. He had already prepared himself.
Taylor on the other hand felt as if her soul had been torn from her body all of a sudden. Both her body and mind were completely numb as if the blood in her body had stopped flowing. Her face was pale and she felt like she would faint the very next second. She slowly turned her pale face to take a look at the person who had given up his everything in order to give her the hope of survival.
Grace's lips were upturned as if into a smile that contained the sadness of the whole world. He was satisfied that he had been able to save Taylor from the clutches of the Hunter family but was heartbroken at what he had to do in order to ensure such an outcome.
"You will come with me to the police station now. Admit to your crimes and reveal the dark hand that instructed you from behind so my father can come back home." Violet was talking to Grace this time and was waiting to hear his response with some anticipation.
"I am willing but I have one condition…" Grace wanted to ensure Taylor's safety in his absence. Therefore, he wanted to exchange this promise from the Windsor family in order to do their bidding.
"This is neither a negotiation nor blackmail. I won't hold her hostage to make you acquiesce to my demand. I didn't save her for that purpose. As for you condition, you can forget it. THIS is what you owe us, the Windsor family."
Violet's words weren't threatening. They were exceedingly calm as if she was reading out facts that were undeniable.
Grace's face fell as soon as he heard her last words.
"Yes, this is…this is what I should do for them."
At the same time, he felt ashamed at having dared to put forward a condition when they had saved his beloved before he could beg them to.
Clara didn't say anything to him as she had figured out how tough a choice Grace had to make in order to allow his beloved to survive with her dignity intact. Moreover, Violet's intimidating aura was enough to make Grace obedient.
Zach unstrapped Grace from the polygraph at the indication of Violet and helped him stand up. Not that Grace needed any help, it was just to make sure that he wouldn't be able to pull anything under his vigilant gaze.
Just when Violet was about to call for a few guards from the outside to escort Grace with her to the police station in order to get her father released, another uninvited group barged into the already devastated study without notice. It was the third time this kind of incident had happened in her home. She even wondered if there was any meaning to stationing so many people outside the mansion if anyone could barge in at will. She made up her mind to fire those incompetent guards or at least put them through harsh training with the help of Zach once she was able to sort out all this mess.
All those who were sitting comfortably after having discovered a means to save the leader of the Windsor family stood up with a jerk. They looked like they had eaten something extremely distasteful which left a bad taste in their mouths.
Unlike the previous times, this group neither belonged to the cops nor to some criminal organization. They were quite orderly and disciplined for a group that had forcefully entered the premises of the mansion.
Clara had already been looking for a way to unload her frustration that had built up over time. She was close to bursting and was very happy to lay eyes on a group of enemies that looked tough compared to the ordinary folk. They looked unarmed but the tones muscles hidden underneath their shirts was a depiction of how well trained these people probably were.
Violet and Zach went on full alert as they wondered whether this was another trick of the Hunter family to take down what was left of the Windsor family. They had seen first hand how devious the leader of the Hunter family could be in order to get what he wanted.
Christina had been following after Zach from the beginning. Therefore, as soon as Zach grew vigilant, she turned her eyes towards the new group of people with bloodlust oozing out of her very being.
Zach on the other hand was apathetic in the face of so many strangers.
The one who was the most affected was none other than Luke, the prince who had left the Norman royal family. He probably knew who these people were.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆webnovel