I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden) novel Chapter 178

“Come with me, Mr. Venus.” As Sam was about to close the gate of the mansion, a voice rumbled behind him and his hand which was holding the doorframe gave an indiscernible tremble. The black shadow behind him passed by him and strode to the outside before he could turn. Sam immediately followed the shadow quietly with his head slightly lowered while keeping a distance of less than one meter from the slender figure before him.

Both the master and the butler strolled around the mansion and headed to the mansion’s backyard.

Their path grew darker when they went deeper into the forest, and the towering trees at both sides of the path made the night seemed creepier. Not to mention it was already winter. A profound silence prevailed over the dried woods and the sound of bird flapping its wings and occasionally jumping between the twigs of the withered trees was heard, followed by the snapping sound of twigs.

Anxiety clasped Sam and sweat was flowing down his calm wrinkled face at a winter night like this. He could no longer maintain his composure and asked, “Mister, where are we going? We’re going to reach the brook if we go deeper inside.” There was a moderate-sized brook situated behind the garden of the Shaw Manor and the brook was viridescent with splendid views during the day. Yet during the night, it was eerie on sight. Sam shuddered and his face went slightly pale, not dare to take one more step further.

The person in front of him turned. His leg coincidentally stepped on a twig and snapped it when he turned. “Uncle Venus.” Caden spoke yet he did not address him as ‘Mr. Venus’ like he used to but ‘Uncle Venus’ which he had not addressed him that way for a long time.

Sam was startled. After three seconds, he quickly waved his hands and replied courteously. “Oh no, you shouldn’t address me like that!”

Caden’s long eyelashes lowered. He hid his thoughts behind that pair of black eyes of his and spoke rather gently. “There must be already ten years when Uncle Venus officially became my butler, right?” His voice was soft. Sam nodded humbly. “There’s been quite a long while. I feel glad that mister still remembers it until now.”

“Hmph---Uncle Venus has been by my side for more than ten years. I have a question for you. If both grandpa and I are asking you to do one thing each, and the things we ask you are completely opposite to each other, how would you choose? Uncle Venus.” Caden’s long eyelashes were raised and his deep, black eyes were locked on the old servant before him.

Sam felt his mind had blown. What did that mean? Why did mister ask him this out of the blue? Thoughts jumbled in his mind yet he did not reply instantly, and Caden’s black eyes had grown gloomier. Caden took a deep breath and made a decision. “Uncle Venus, according to the house rule of the Shaw family, there’s still more than half year left before you officially retire. Starting from tomorrow, there would be someone continuing your job. For the sake of our relationships in the past, you can enjoy your retirement in this manor for the rest of the half year time, and everything would be done by someone else.” Color drained from the old butler’s face and he asked anxiously, “Mister! What have I done wrong? I…I don’t agree!”

Caden took a cigarette from his inner pocket and lit it. He took a sip and glanced at the sky. There were disappointment and grudge in his eyes. A mouthful of smoke was contained in his oral cavity and it lingered on at the entrance of his throat. He then exhaled it slowly and his glimpse swept past Sam blandly from the corner of his eyes. “Uncle Venus, you hate Grace James. Right?”

“I---!” I hate her! Yet the words were stuck in his throat and he could not spit it out in front of Caden.

“If I tell you, I am investigating Wallis’s case, and it’s regarding what happened that night. If I say I believe that Grace James is innocent in this case, what do you think? Uncle Venus.”

“It’s impossible!” Sam’s expression changed and his eyes were filled with hatred. “It can’t be! She’ll definitely not be innocent! If it’s not for her, Wallis wouldn’t have died!”

A pair of cold eyes was watching Sam’s every movement and tiny expressions. Caden watched his furious wrinkled face and could not dismiss even a transient trace of fury. “Look at how much you hate Grace, how could I be assured enough to let you manage this mansion? She’s still staying here.” Although Sam loathed Grace, he felt relieved when he saw his reaction. At least, from the current situation, Sam only informed grandpa secretly that he was investigating that case from three or four years ago, and he knew nothing else.

“It’s late. You can go back to sleep now, Uncle Venus.” His finger loosened and the cigarette between his fingertips fell onto the ground. Before he left, he glimpsed at the small brook not far away. If Sam had slightly revealed any sign that he knew the fact his grandpa had framed Grace three or four years ago, his corpse would be sunk to the bottom of the brook now.

Sam glanced at the cigarette butt on the ground. It was not extinguished yet and the red spark at the end appeared more eerie in the middle of the night. He then looked up to the shadow which had walked far away. The poisonous vines in his heart spread across his body, from the organs to the limbs and bones, and every cell was bawling of hatred and vengeance. “It’s unfair. It’s too unfair for Wallis that silly girl.” Sam stood in the middle of the forest and stammered to himself. His dry, cracked lips flapped while he was gazing at the cigarette butt underneath.

---

The door was opened effortlessly with a squeak. He entered the bedroom without uttering a word and started to unbutton his clothes. He took off his clothes one by one and his muscular upper body appeared. He pulled the bathroom door open and entered without even looking at the person on the bed. Grace, who was on the bed, stared through the window blankly. She only turned and glimpsed when she heard the bathroom door was closed. She then moved to the edge of the bed slowly, turned her body to the side, curled up and closed her eyes.

After a short while, she heard some rustling noises and felt that part of the bed suddenly sank. Her heart plummeted and the first placed before her chest uncontrollably clenched even tighter. Heat approached her and an arm clamped on her waist at once, dragging her to the center of the bed by force. Her shoulder became stiff and her teeth were trembling. She pleaded him not to touch her anymore secretly in her heart as every second and minute was a torture! The feeling of love and hatred afflicted her mind and she begged him not to approach her anymore.

“No one would ever hurt you again in the future.” A coarse voice rumbled beside her ear. Not even grandpa…Caden spoke in his mind. He knew she was innocent, but he could not tell her frankly. How could he say when it concerned his grandpa? His grandpa laid the trap and he had sent her to the hell-like prison himself. He was his grandpa. If it truly was his grandpa that set the trap back then and made her the scapegoat, there was no turning back between him and her!

He hugged her tighter. Gazing at the woman in his arms whose hair had covered more than half of her face, he whispered in his mind. “If everything is true, we Shaw family has owed you too much.”