Penance - Uncovering the truth, Secrets and confessions, and Twisted pasts

Chapter 25

Alison took a seat next to Grayson, breakfast laid out before them on the table. Grayson couldn't help but steal glances at Alison, her eyes distant and lost in thought. He knew they both had questions that needed answers, but where should they begin?

Breaking the silence, Alison finally spoke up. "Did I tell you anything yesterday?"

Grayson took a sip of his green tea, choosing his words wisely. "Longa et obliqua via. Quod ad ianuam meam ducit," he repeated the Latin words Alison had used to explain her house directions.

Alison paused for a moment, contemplating. "Your turn," she said, biting into a scone. Grayson could see that she didn't have the slightest interest about last night's event, although he too couldn't fully understand why he was taking this so seriously.

Leaning back in his chair, Grayson put his tea down and folded his hands in front of him. "Why did you attend Mason Valentine's party?" Grayson asked, starting with a simple question to break the ice.

"Why did you attend Mason Valentine's party?" Alison fired back, as she took another bite of her scone.

"You were drunk."

"I was recuperating."

"You wore no shoes."

"And you wore judgment."

Grayson's jaw tensed, his frustration mingling with a growing sense of intrigue. He refused to back down and continued to press on, determined to uncover the truth. "What is your connection to Mason Valentine?" Grayson asked, his voice steady and direct.

The room fell silent then, the weight of the question hanging in the air. Alison remained eerily calm, her expression unchanged. Her poker face was impressive, almost matching Grayson's.

Grayson's jaw tensed even more, his frustration reaching its peak. But he held his ground, waiting for Alison's response. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she spoke, her voice measured and composed.

"You like challenges, don't you, Grayson?" Alison's words carried a cautionary undertone, a warning that he should tread carefully. This was a new side of Alison that he hadn't seen before. She had always been about fun and games, but now there was something deeper at play. "How about a game of truth or dare?" she suggested, placing her half-eaten scone back on the table.

Alison really did remind Grayson of Jameson- always misleading, giving out cryptic responses to  evade the truth.

Grayson's gaze remained intense and unwavering. His mind raced with possibilities, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words. Was she refusing to answer? Or perhaps she couldn't answer? The weight of the unknown pressed upon him, urging him to find a crack in her stoic facade.

"Very well," Grayson conceded, his voice tinged with resignation. Alison gave him a crooked smile, leaning forward, her breath caressing his ear as she whispered, "Truth or Dare?"