Donald stormed out of the mansion. Without wasting time, he sped off to one of his warehouses.
Collins stood over three dead bodies sealed in black bags.
He walked to the bodies angrily. He unzipped the bag to confirm if it was the men who tried to hurt Grace.
He stood up and turned furiously to Collins, "Who did this? The instruction was to bring them alive."
"I… I… We met them dead." Collins said, trembling.
"What? What did you say?" Donald's hand began to tremble.
He turned, and his eyes fell on the bodies again.
"Find out who did this," he said to Collins. He turned to leave.
He entered the car and sped off.
His mind raced. He knew Grace wasn't safe. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel until his knuckles went white.
If whoever is behind this could kill in such a manner, then there was no telling what lengths they could go to.
He knew he wouldn't always be there to protect her.
His chest tightened at the thought of her getting hurt again.
"I can't let her out of my sight again." He whispered.
"I'm sorry, Grace, but you'll have to remain in the mansion until I am sure it's safe for you to leave."
He increased the speed of the car. His mind wasn't on traffic. It was on Grace and ensuring she was safe at home.
Back at the mansion, Grace walked towards the front door. This time, she was determined to leave. She wasn't backing down.
She approached the door, and the guard stepped in front of her. "You cannot leave, ma'am."
"You aren't stopping me this time. I need to leave. I am not your prisoner!" Grace said as she tried to force the door open
"Enough!" a voice thundered from behind.
Everyone froze. Grace turned, and she saw Mrs. Cole.
Her presence filled the room — sharp eyes, commanding aura, and a silence that demanded respect.
Grace finally saw the legendary woman that she had heard so much about.
"What is happening here?" Mrs. Cole asked. Her voice was calm, but thundered through the room.
The guard spoke quickly. "Ma'am, Mr. Donald said that Grace cannot leave the house. He thinks it's not safe."
Mrs. Cole's eyes fell on Grace. "If the lady wants to leave, then let her go," she ordered.
The guard opened his mouth to explain, but fear sealed his lips. He nodded silently and stepped aside.
Grace did not hesitate. She walked past the guard and out of the mansion.
Donald returned an hour later. He went directly to his room without saying a word to anyone. He pushed the door open but it was empty.
"Where is she?" his voice thundered.
The guard swallowed and explained everything. He told Donald how Mrs. Cole had arrived and ordered him to let Grace leave.
Donald's face turned red with anger. He stormed to his mother's study.
"Why did you let her go?" he demanded, voice sharp. "She is in danger. Someone is trying to kill her!"
"I have heard so much about this Grace." she replied, ignoring his question. "Why are you trying to protect someone who has sworn to ruin your father's legacy?" she stated without looking up from her papers.
"This has nothing to do with her. There is corruption happening in Cole Oil. I need to find out who is behind it. Someone is already ruining the Cole's name from inside the company. She's only helping me to expose the truth." Donald said as he took a step forward.
"There is always going to be collateral damage. You can't protect everyone. Cole Oil is a big company; things like these are always bound to happen." She flipped the next page of the book in her hand.
"Father would have wanted me to expose corruption. Cole Oil shouldn't prey on the poor."
"You have no idea what your father wanted. You still have a lot to learn, Donald. I suggest you focus on the company and get your priorities in order. You aren't a child anymore. You need to stop chasing girls and settle down. You have a lot to learn." Mrs. Cole replied.
"I'm going after her, I don't have time for this," Donald said as he turned his back.
Mrs. Cole stood up in anger. Her palms spread apart on the table
"We trained you to focus on what matters, not people who add no value to your future. Where did you put all we've taught you? What is this girl to you?"
Donald left abruptly without saying a word.
He sank into his car seat, his mother's words echoing in his mind. "What is this girl to you?"
He closed his eyes, and for the first time, he whispered the truth to himself.
"She's everything I swore I didn't need."
He started the engine, and drove into the night.