I've Been There Before

“You bitch! You can still laugh now! You murderer! You heartless bitch!”
His voice became agitated and tinged with seething anger, “If it were not because of you, Wallis wouldn’t have been gone from
this world at a tender age from the beginning. If it were not because of you, how could Wallis become a victim of those barbaric
animals! It was all because of you! You evil heartless bitch!”
Grace was tied to a chair which had one of its legs severed in half as she stared blankly at the elderly person who was cursing at
her.
“I couldn’t believe that Wallis had been seeing you as her friend, and a best friend at that. But what have you done in return?
What the hell have you done?”
Sam was shaking Grace along with the chair violently as if he was transferring his anger through this motion. His eyes were
dripping with venomous hatred!
Grace had endured his onslaught of wrath silently, until Sam had mentioned that “Wallis had been seeing you as her friend”...
This was the last straw for her!
“I used to think the same many years ago. Wallis was indeed my best friend and I was her best friend in turn.” Sam glared at the
girl tied to the chair who was starting a muffled chuckle. As if he was overcome with poison, it penetrated through his body ...
Slap!
“You still dare to laugh! You still have the guts to laugh!”
His slap was strong enough to completely twist Grace’s face in another direction. Her head was tilted sideways as her body
remained motionless, half-leaning on the chair. Although her mouth was throbbing with pain due to the slap, she looked unfazed
while maintaining her posture as she slowly opened her mouth, “Sam, do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I wouldn’t be able to
figure things out after spending three years in prison?” Her head gradually spun around so that her gaze was now falling upon
Sam’s distorted face.
“Who was the instigator? Who was the one harboring ill intentions? And who was the one failing spectacularly instead in her
actions and got who she deserved?” She spelled out each word with conviction. Her voice was crystal clear. Although the corner
of her mouth was decimated due to that slap, she still insisted to make her thoughts clear here and now!
It was as though she would finally be able to clear the mess entangling her and Wallis through her announcement here. This was
also her plead to reveal Wallis’ crime even after all these years!

How could she not be sure of every detail here?
She was the one who had fallen from the apex of the pyramid into a muddy swarm. She understood that these seemingly
insignificant details in others’ eyes were paramount to her. She must hold on to every leverage she could get so that she could
be sure of her own decision and concern!
“You...” Sam’s heart seemed to skip a beat as he spiraled into confusion. He gaped at the person tied to the chair and a glint of
suspicion flashed across his eyes. Did she find out about the truth?
No!
How could that be possible?
If she really knew the truth, then why hadn’t she paid the Shaw Manor the moment she was released from jail?
If she was really in the know, why didn’t she say anything about the pettiness and difficult treatment she had received while
staying in the Shaw Manor?
She wouldn’t have known the truth!
If the inverse was true, then how could she stay oblivious to everything happening to her? How could she remain silent?
Grace didn’t register the shock on Uncle Venus’ face, or more accurately, she didn’t care less about his reaction whether it was
one of astonishment or other emotions. She wouldn’t care about anybody’s opinions as she started to put her memories into
words while staring at the white fluorescent light above her head.
“Sam, do you remember? When I was still a child, I always had a lot of fun with Wallis in the garden of the manor. Just the two of
us, we would feel contented even if we were just reading a book with our backs propped up against each other’s under the huge
tree. When my grandpa was still alive, he had been very strict towards me. I had to learn a lot of things, much more than my
peers. Sometimes, I had to study even if it was already past midnight, so there weren’t much time for me take a break. Once I
caught a chance to rest, I would go to the Shaw Manor. Caden didn’t pay me any attention most of the time, instead it was Wallis
who had spent the most amount of time with me.”
“What are you trying to imply by uttering all of this?” Sam’s face was full of apprehension and suspicion, “Are you perhaps
thinking that by resorting to sentiments, it would work against me?”

Grace’s line of gaze finally shifted from the white fluorescent light and dropped onto Sam’s face. Her sights were a tad blurry
after focusing on white light for too long, hence she couldn’t make out the details of Sam’s face clearly. This hit home her
intention--- she wanted to avoid looking into this despicable elderly person’s face as much as she could manage.
“What I am trying to say is, I don’t think Wallis is someone who would kill herself, based on my understanding of her during the
time we grew up together.”
“Wasn’t Wallis’ death caused by you framing her and allowing her to be defiled?” Sam’s cheeks had bloated because of anger!
Grace shook her head lightly while managing a giggle. She was finding this to be amusing, “I am pretty sure I was not
responsible for what had happened that night. I think everybody knew who was behind this. Sam, can you tell me the
circumstances surrounding Wallis’ death?”
“What... what nonsense are you spouting right now? If you’re not the culprit, then who could it be? You’re the one who had
directly caused her death!”
She started to feel a lingering pain behind her retina. Maybe, just maybe... she should continue to focus her gaze onto the
blinding light above her.
“Sam, I am now completely at your mercy considering that I’m all tied up here. You probably won’t allow me to step out of this
place live anymore, am I right? Otherwise, the incident surrounding her would lead that person directly to you. And by then, you
would meet the end of the road too.”
She glanced at this elderly person while continuing, “Uncle Venus.” It was rare for her to address him as such after so many
years had gone by. She continued, “Uncle Venus, since you’re not planning to stay alive anymore and seeing that you will never
let me go, you should just tell me straight about the truth surrounding Wallis’ death. We’re both goners at this point.” She
vehemently believed that Wallis would never kill herself voluntarily.
She was someone who could never show up for so many years and was even using her death to achieve something in her favor.
There was no way a person like her would just commit suicide suddenly.
“Wallis had killed herself! It was all because of you!” On Sam’s pale face, there were strange colors coursing underneath his skin.
“There is no way Wallis would commit suicide.”
“She had indeed done that!”

“She wouldn’t do that!”
“She was! It was the truth!”
“That’s impossible!”
“Why was that impossible! She indeed had killed herself!”
Neither one would comply now. Grace was completely sure Wallis would never kill herself! On the other hand, Sam was
becoming increasingly agitated!
“She didn’t do that!”
“What if she didn’t kill herself?” Sam was shouting in a frenzied state now. His eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks were tinged
with an ominous red as he screamed, “What if I tell you that I was the one who had killed her?”
Bang!
It felt like the air nearby her ear had exploded, and time had come to a standstill.
Sam’s voice was suddenly gone without a trace!
There was an unimaginable expression on Sam’s face. Various colors were fighting for a place on his face as if his face had
transformed into a palette!
“You’re... the one... who had killed Wallis?” Grace managed to squeeze out her words incredulously. “Why, why did you do this?”
She was completely at a loss now. This elderly man in front of her was Wallis’ biological father.
How could he kill his own daughter?