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

Chapter 59

"You deleted all her files," Grayson finished his sentence.

"I couldn't take the risk of someone finding out, so I hired experts to keep her records and the agreement a secret. If I deleted them myself, the authorities would cause trouble for me."

Grayson understood now. Mason had drugged Alison to make her sign the social contract, which explained her memory loss. Next, Mason made sure nobody would suspect him by hiding all her files and even altering her family's records. Since Alison technically didn't exist on paper, nobody would believe her if she spoke out, and it would only cause trouble for herself. 

Mason managed to convince her family, except her father, to go along with his plan by offering money. Her father didn't accept the money but remained silent to protect Alison and the rest of the family. 

Everything Mason was doing was extremely risky, as getting caught by the authorities could ruin everything he had built.

"Do you now understand why I need Alison?" Mason sighed, his frustration evident.

Grayson leaned back in the chair, unyielding. "She's not some prey to be captured. You can't control her."

Mason frowned slightly, clearly not expecting such a sharp comeback. "This is the only way to save her from herself."

"And imprisoning her in this so-called social contract is the solution?"Grayson countered. "She deserves the chance to make her own decisions, even if they're not the ones you agree with."

"And watch her die?" Grayson grew tense in his chair. Mason gave him a slow, sinister smile. "You think you're any better than me? You're just a bystander in her life, too afraid to do something real."

Grayson knew Mason was right. He couldn't save Alison that night. Instead, he had to watch as she prepared to end her own life.

Mason stood up, his fists clenched. "You don't know what it's like to love someone so much and see them slipping away," Mason said angrily. "I did everything for her, even until now. She's worth so much, and I needed her to see that, to see her true potential. But she kept pushing me away, shutting me out. I couldn't just stand there and watch her destroy herself!"

The room fell silent as Mason and Grayson locked eyes in a tense stare. Grayson did understand how it felt to lose someone he loved, watching them slip away.

Loving Emily wasn't easy, but that's one reason why Grayson loved her. But during their time together, he knew Emily's heart problem was getting worse, and he knew what was coming. But he never thought he would be the end of her. He spent his whole life since then blaming himself, and even now, Grayson didn't know how to let go, despite his mixed feelings for Avery and Alison.

He felt similar feelings toward Avery as he did with Emily - how she loved games and puzzles, and how she was quick-witted and smart. The feelings he had for Alison were slightly different though. He cared for her, like a sister, probably because she reminded him of Jameson when he was younger. But she had her own qualities - her singing was beautiful, she was mischievous when you least expected it, and her writing won America's best-selling novel of the year.

Grayson was sure Alison knew that he had kissed her to clear his thoughts, and she did the same, kissing him back to ease her mind. It wasn't really love, was it?

"Love isn't about controlling someone or molding them into what you think they should be-"

"You still don't understand," Mason's anger flared again, and he took a step closer to Grayson. "Alison is special, she's meant for greatness, and I couldn't just stand by and watch her throw it all away!"

Seeing Mason more clearly now, Grayson wondered if he could have ended up like him. Would he have done anything to keep Emily, even if she wasn't truly happy, just to keep her alive?

"You're not doing it for her," he said firmly. "You're doing it for yourself."

Mason raised his fist, about to hit Grayson, but froze when he felt something cold at the back of his head.

Grayson looked behind Mason and squinted in the dim light, noticing bright blue eyes staring at him from the darkness.

"Lay a hand on him, and you'll regret it," Alison spoke with an eerie calmness.

Mason slowly lowered his hand, and turned around to face Alison. She stepped into the dim light, her eyes, once gentle, now carried an intense energy.

"A gun?" Mason paused, a small smile playing on his lips, "really, Alison?"

She loaded the gun, making sure the bullets were ready. "You won't shoot me," Mason challenged. "You can't do it."

Alison's grip on the gun tightened, her resolve unwavering. "You're right," she said coldly, pointing the gun at her head.

The room felt heavy with tension, and Grayson held his breath, unsure of what would happen next. 

"This won't end well for you," Mason warned, his tone desperate.

"I'll take my chances," Alison replied calmly.

Mason's face stayed serious, but fear flickered in his eyes. He pulled out a gun from his pocket, pointing it at Grayson's injured head. "Two can play at that game."

Alison looked at Mason, then at Grayson, who silently begged for her understanding. He wanted her to know that even if Mason harmed him, he wouldn't kill Grayson because of who he is. But Grayson realized by now that Alison didn't care about that. She just wanted to keep him safe, even if it meant doing whatever it took to rescue him from Mason's grasp, even if it meant getting her hands dirty.

Alison hesitated, then lowered her gun, focusing on Mason. 

"That's a good girl." Mason followed her lead.

"Let him go." Alison wasted to time. She kept her gun pointed towards the ground, showing she was willing to talk, but she was ready to protect Grayson if necessary. "I'll do what you want. Just promise not to hurt him," she added quickly.

Mason thought for a moment, glancing between Alison and Grayson. Finally, he sighed and swung his fist at Grayson's jaw. The blow nearly knocked Grayson out of his chair.

"Alison..." Grayson could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, but took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure despite the pain.

Alison closed her eyes briefly, trying to gather herself. A single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek.

When she opened her eyes, she looked straight into Mason's, her gaze unwavering. "Mason," she said calmly, but her voice trembled slightly. "Please stop."

Mason did as Alison asked, lowering his fist and stepping back. His face softened, showing a mix of sadness and regret as he watched Alison break down and cry silently. He approached her, extending his hand to gently touch her face. 

"I want to be the one who wipes your tears," he said, caressing her cheeks gently. She froze at his touch and let out a shaky breath. "But I am the reason they fall."

Alison closed her eyes again, tears streaming down her face, and she reached out and hugged Mason. "Please," she sobbed. "Let Grayson go."

He glanced at Grayson but looked past him. With a heavy sigh, he nodded in reluctant acceptance. "Alright," he said quietly.

Two figures appeared beside Grayson, keeping him still. He felt a strong grip on his nose and mouth, cutting off his air supply with a cloth soaked in chloroform. He tried to resist, but there were more than one person holding him down. His vision blurred, and his body grew weaker with each passing second.

"Grayson..." Alison's desperate and fearful voice called out to him, trying to reach him.

Through the haze, he managed to glance up at Alison. Her crystal blue eyes were brimming with tears. She looked down at him, her hand outstretched to reach him, but Mason pulled her close, shielding Grayson from sight.

"Don't..." Grayson tried to speak, but the suffocating grasp of sleep tightened around him, robbing him of the chance to say more. His vision faded, and his body went limp. His last conscious thoughts about Alison.