Chapter 6 A Fall From Grace

• The Grey’s mansion, with its pillars and lush gardens, its vastness was like none other. But the true gem of this mansion was not its grandeur or vastness; it was the laughter and joy brought by little Sarah.
• “Good morning, Princess,” Mr Grey greeted his daughter as he entered her beautifully decorated room. The golden rays filtered through the sheer pink curtains of Sarah’s room, casting a warm glow that matched the happiness in her heart.
• “Good morning, Papa!” she replied, leaping out of her canopy bed. “Do we have time for breakfast together? You left before I woke up last time”
• “I’m sorry about last time Princess. I had to attend an urgent board meeting” Mr Grey explained himself to his daughter, sitting down on her bed with her.
• “Apologies accepted” Little Sarah said smiling as she rested her head on his shoulders feeling safe.
• “Thank you, Princess. So why don’t we go downstairs and have breakfast” Mr Grey replied with a broad smile, offering his arm to escort her to the dining room.
• “Dad do you have a board meeting to attend today? I need you to act as a king in my magical kingdom.” Little Sarah pranced as they made their way to the dining area.
• “Is that what you dreamt about last night?” her father asked as they approached the dining room.
• Sarah’s eyes lit up in joy. “Yes! I was a princess in a magical kingdom, Mike was there too.”
• “Of course, he was princess”
• The dining room was a majestic space with long mahogany table and a crystal chandelier. It was already filled with the aroma of freshly baked croissants and the sweet scent of orange juice.
• “Breakfast is ready” Mrs Grey said as she carried the big jar of freshly squeezed orange juice to the dining table.
• Little Sarah took her seat beside her father; their bond was evident in the way they shared their morning rituals.
• “Can I have Mike come over today?” Sarah asked with confidence, she was sure that her parents would grant her wish every time.
• Sarah’s beautiful childhood, filled with love, laughter, and endless adventures, shaped her into a compassionate and imaginative young woman. The lessons she learned, the bonds she forged, and the dreams she chased became the foundation upon which she built her life.
• “I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve called on all the investors and stake holders but they weren’t willing to help. Even the banks can no longer give us loans. We’ve truly hit rock bottom this time” Mr Grey explained to his worried wife, his voice was heavy with sorrow.
• “Mom, Dad, what’s the problem?” Sarah came out of her room as she heard her father’s voice filled with sorrow.
• “It’s nothing Princess. Go back to your room” her mother said to her trying to hide the truth from her.
• “Mom, I’m no longer a child. You can tell me what’s going on. If Dad’s company has issues, you can tell Me.” she said as she moved closer to where they were standing. Her father was too embarrassed to look at her in the eyes.
• “You don’t have to worry about your father and I. It is not your duty to worry about us, Princess”
• “The other day at school, I overheard some people talking about Dad’s company. They said that it wasn’t the way that it used to be before. Is that true? Say something, Mom”
• Sarah was getting impatient as no one was providing answers to her questions.
• “We’ve hit a rough patch, Princess” her father finally turned to her. His voice was heavy as he spoke. “But don’t worry; we’ll get through this like we always do.”
• Mr Grey tried to reassure her but she knew deep down that there was no coming out of this one. The blogs had already carried the news, everyone in her school spoke about it.
• “We might have to cut down our expenses. Even the house will have to go” Mrs Grey patted Sarah’s shoulders as she spoke. Her words were like sharp knife piercing through Sarah’s soul.
• The mansion was eventually sold and they moved to a modest apartment on the outskirts of the city.
• “Hey, Princess, where’s your castle?”
• Sarah struggled to adjust to her new life. The school she now attended was vastly different from the private college she was used to. She faced ridicule from some of her peers who had heard of her family’s fall from grace.
• “Leave her alone” her new found friend Dave would always come to her rescue every time they taunted her.
• “Will this ever end?” Sarah asked him as they strolled to the library.
• “It’ll get better, I assure you. Come with me, let me show you something.” Dave took her hands as he brought her to the colleges’ art studio.
• “This is where I pour all my emotions. Most of my works here are a representation of how I truly feel.” He showed her his side of the studio and all his works.
• “Wow, they are beautiful” she said as she traced the painted works with her finger.
• “Maybe you can try it too. I never knew I could paint until my mother died and my dad left me to fend for myself. It was a very rough moment for me but I found peace when I held a painting brush and expressed how I truly felt.”
• He held her hands leading her to an empty bench and canvas.
• “Here, just calm down and do your thing. I’ll check on you later okay?” he said as he arranged drawing materials for her.
• Sarah hesitated but she finally picked up a brush and began to paint like she was a pro at it. Her fingers moved gracefully on the canvas.
• “This is beautiful” Dave came back to check on his student and discovered that she had painted a beautiful girl running happily through a garden filled with pink and white roses.
• “I told you, everyone has that talent hidden somewhere inside of them. They just need a little push. This looks like a master piece.” Dave said placing his hand on her shoulders passionately.
• “Thank you, Dave. I couldn’t have pulled through without you”
• Sarah felt relieved; she had not felt that way in a long time. She always felt like she was lifting the weight of the world on her fragile shoulders.
• “You’re most welcome” Dave replied with a bright smile on his face.
• “Can I ask you...?”
• Sarah was caught off guard as Dave planted his lips on hers. The kiss was sudden, but not hurried. It was a soft, tentative brush of his lips against hers, as if testing the waters of this new territory they were venturing.
• Sarah’s breath hitched, her heart pounded in her chest. The softness of his kiss was overwhelming; a tender caress that sent shivers down her spine.
• “I’m sorry” Dave said as he pulled back.