Pᴀʀᴀɴᴏɪᴀ ☁︎ Gʀᴀɴᴛ Wᴀʀᴅ

1.1 The beginning

Grant Ward had many regrets in his life, and one of them was not being able to escape from Garrett's clutches sooner. Ward had never imagined that anyone could love him for who he was, especially after the way his parents and his brother had treated him. The only person he could ever trust was himself. That was until Josephine stumbled into his life. She didn't care about his past, only who he was in the present. And he loved her for it.

That afternoon in the coffee shop changed everything. He and Josie talked for hours and Grant finally felt like he didn't have to lie anymore, and neither did Josephine.

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THEN

As Grant strolled into the small café, the bell on the door chimed. He searched for her for a moment before spotting her in the back tucked into a booth.

He approached cautiously not wanting to mess anything up. "Hey, Josie." The brunette's head spun from where she'd been staring out the window. "Oh! Hey, how are you?" Grant smiled playfully, "I'm good. Not covered in coffee anymore." Josie winced with a chuckle, "Ah, sorry again. I've always been such a clutz." Grant laughed, "It's okay, so did you want to get some coffee?" He asked pointing over his shoulder toward the register. Josie nodded, "Yes, coffee is exactly what I need."

After consuming numerous cups of coffee, some muffins, and sharing a raspberry Danish, Josie and Grant found themselves taking a stroll through the park. Josie sighed and said, "I've walked through this park so many times, I think I could do it blindfolded." Grant laughed before turning to her and asked, "Why don't you leave? Travel and explore the world?" His smile disappeared when he saw the sombre expression on her face. "Hey, what's wrong? You can tell me." Josie sniffled and took in a deep breath. "I can't leave. He won't let me." Grant furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "Who won't let you? Your father?" She nodded.

She's the same as me, he thought. Trapped with no one to help. "Do you want to leave?" Josie halted in her steps and turned to face Grant. "I don't want to stay with him anymore. But it doesn't matter because he won't let me go." A voice in the back of Grant's mind was screaming at him.

Tell her! Help her! Tell her! Help her!

This was his chance to be better. Josie's face contorted in contemplation. "How?" Grant exhaled deeply, "I'm about to disclose something to you, and I need you to simply listen. Alright?" Josie nodded, appearing somewhat uncertain. "I'm not a genuine employee for your father. I'm undercover. I'm a part of a bureaucratic government organization that's investigating your father's business. However, the truth is that I don't want to continue working for this organization. A few years ago, some very bad things happened with my family, and a man coerced me into joining this organization. I've committed numerous terrible acts since then, but I no longer want to be a part of it. So, what if we help each other? I'll help you escape from here, and you won't reveal my true identity or the reason I'm here to anyone." Josie stood before him, her eyes wide and unblinking. "Okay." Grant tilted his head, "Okay?" The brunette wrung her hands together nervously. "Okay, you get me out of here and I won't tell a soul who you are."

And so, the first day of the rest of Grant and Josie's lives began.

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This chapter is so short I'm sorry. I'm trying to figure out how to unfold their story in the best way possible. I'm thinking of flashback chapters...

Anyway, hope you're having a lovely day! Lee <3