Camera Flashes (1) - Taylor Swift

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The next morning, Grace walked down the stairs as if nothing had happened. Taylor had went to sleep in the guest room, they never finished talking because Grace requested more time to think. Again.

Taylor didn't want to give it to her but she still had the tiniest ounce of hope that in the end the brunette would choose her. She felt ridiculous begging for someone's love. She could've had anyone she wanted except the one she wanted.

Things could only fester for so long before they became unbearable and watching Grace continue to plan a wedding yet continue to say she wasn't getting married had put her far past the breaking point.

But Grace had a busy day ahead of her. Charles had a graduation party with his friends from law school. It was a dinner at a nice restaurant and then drinks at a local bar with a good draft beer. Grace was in charge of setting it up as the dutiful fiancée, so she was busy double checking reservations with Bridget in the parlour when Taylor's footsteps could be heard going right past the room.

Taylor was Henry's date again, not that she had agreed to going before Grace splattered it onto her schedule like a wine stain. The only reason she got away with it was because Grace's twenty-fifth birthday was the very next day and Taylor didn't want to be a spoilsport.

"Did you call the restaurant and confirm the headcount?" The brunette asked her assistant in her familiar, professional and worry-free manner.

"I will do that right after this," Bridget pushed some papers over, "Your father had this faxed over this morning to Charlie's assistant and he wanted to have Charles look over this work schedule and confirm your honeymoon would not conflict but Mr. Langford is otherwise engaged at the moment."

Grace looked at Bridget with interest, "What is he doing?"

"It is not what... ma'am."

"Who then?" Grace inquired further. She wasn't jealous in the slightest, slightly more concerned that Charlie was messing around with a one night stand so close to the party.

Bridget looked around, she didn't want others to hear her confess, "The rumour amongst the staff is that he and Ophelia have been seeing each other."

"Ophelia as in my dresser?" Grace's mouth dropped open, "My Ophelia?"

"Yes, Miss Kent," Bridget winced at the tone, "For a few weeks."

"Oh my god," Grace covered her mouth. Charles having his fun was one thing but fraternizing with the staff opened them up for major lawsuits.

She couldn't believe he would be so stupid and yet at the same time, every interaction she had with Taylor was just as risky. Every staff member who knew about their relationship was a potential loose cannon, everyone was a liability, herself included.

So she tried not to worry about it too much, she had much bigger things on her mind.

Taylor poured a bowl of cereal and sprinkled granulated sugar on top. She would never usually eat such a thing but it was a special occasion, she was upset and lonely and wanted to drown her sorrows with Frosted Flakes.

She sat down on the back patio in the garden, her golden hair ruffled from a restless sleep of tossing and turning. She was so mad at Grace for not seeing the signs but at the same time, she was mad at herself for not communicating it further.

In her mind, the heiress should have realized at Taylor was obviously not going to be okay with the wedding after all the times they discussed it, however she also knew that Grace wasn't the best at communicating anything. It was a hard pill to swallow, both sides not quite in the right.