?When she got to the pce entrance the guards at the magnificent Golden gate didn''t let her through.


    "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Tracy questioned sternly. But not even her stern voice or murderous res could affect the guards. They remained unfazed.


    "How dare you block my path despite knowing whose quarter I am from? Are you sick of your jobs?" Tracy threatened.


    She was so sure that this tactic of hers would work since it always works each time she used it in the pce.


    "Judging from the quarters you are from and your rank, I am sure you must know the pce rules more than anyone," The leader of the guards said with a nk expression.


    "Pce rules are rules that should be obeyed no matter what. It doesn''t matter whether you are from His Majesty''s or Her Highness''s quarters. After the pce gate has been closed it shall not be opened to anyone," The guy stated the rules.


    His words didn''t go down well with thedy who was desperate to secure not only her master''s foothold but also her future in the pce.


    "How dare you…,"


    "Same with your rank. Even though you are His Majesty''s or Her Highness''s closest aide you can''t leave the pce no matter what…,"


    "How dare you disrespect Her Highness in this manner," Tracy lost her temper and raised her hand to p the man in a ck suit.


    The agile man caught her hand in the air and flung it away.


    "Leave now while I am trying to save your face or I will be forced to order my men to keep you in check if you continue disturbing our duties," The guy retorted. His men circled him after he finished his words.


    [I know I am eager to gain some merits but I am sure that Her Highness will not spare me if things get out of hand. She was already in a bad mood, I am sure I will not live to see daybreak if I mess up here]


    Tracy tried to let go of her pride and humbled herself. If not for anything but her life, she needs to keep her cool.


    "You said no matter the rank none is allowed to leave the pce after the gates are locked but I just saw someone leave the pce," Tracy decided to use another approach when she realised that her first attempt failed.


    "I was here and I can assure you that not even a cockroach had left the pce," The leader of the guards replied with confidence.


    "But I saw….,"


    "Leave now Youngdy or I will be really forced to have you locked up," The guy threatened before Tracy could keep insisting.


    [I am sure that Gideon left the pce not long ahead so why are they so certain that none left the pce premises - Are they perhaps in this together?]


    Tracy red at the guy whose hand waspointing for her to turn back.


    She had no choice but to let such an amazing opportunity go down the drain.


    [Since I have confirmed that Gideon left the pce I better go and ry the conversation I overheard to Her Highness]


    Without waiting for the security guard to threaten her one more time she turned and hurried back to where she came from.


    As Tracy made haste to disclose the important information to her master, somewhere in the middle of a tastefully furnished sitting room a man was seen sitting on the couch while another stood not far away.


    The way the man sitting on the couch constantly gazed at the door, at first nce would make one suspect he was waiting for something/someone.


    Not long three girls each holding shopping bags arrived at the sitting room.<novelnext></novelnext>


    While Tiffany hurried to the couch, her friends kept their silence.


    "Grandpa, look at what I got for you. isn''t your granddaughter very considerate…,"


    BANG!


    The p thatnded on Tiffany''s face forced her to stop talking.


    Tiffany''s eyes and those of everyone in the spacious sitting room widened in shock.


    "Tell me he didn''t just lose his temper and p her?" Nora quizzed as she rubbed her eyes to make sure that she wasn''t framing.


    [It''s a well-renowned fact Mr Martinez is cruel but never did I expect he would p her, especially in front of us]


    Doris mustered up her courage to steal a nce at the fuming man.


    "Grandpa, you pped me…,"


    "And I will p you once more or even a hundred times if you don''t act straight," Mr Martinez retorted. He didn''t even spare a minute to look at the gift she bought for him.


    "Grandpa, Tiff has been well-behaved recently so why did you…,"


    "Shut your tramp if you don''t want me to teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents who couldn''t educate you well," Mr Martinez warned, as he shot Nora a murderous re.


    With the way, Mr Martinez reacted to Nora''s words even though the others had wanted to speak up for Tiffany they had to think twice about it.


    He shifted his gaze to his granddaughter once again.


    "If you were as half considerate or intelligent as other children I wouldn''t have been very worried each time. I would have been very happy since there would be no one to constantly ruin my ns," He asserted.


    Tiffany, who was still holding her burning cheeks, raised her head and stared at her Grandpa.


    "Grandpa, I haven''t done anything wrong so why did you…,"


    "You haven''t done anything wrong?" He demanded fiercely. The old man raised his gaze and signalled Sniper to turn on the television.


    "Watch this and tell me what exactly you did," Mr Martinez ordered.


    Slowly Tiffany shifted her gaze to watch the ongoing news on the television channel.


    Her heart sank the instant she saw the news. She and her friends couldn''t hide their bewilderment.


    [We hid our tracks well. Because we were afraid of being found out we didn''t physically participate in the execution of the ns. Does this mean Grandpa knows we are behind this incident?]


    Tiffany''s heart pounded hard against her chest as she fiddled with her silky ck hair.


    Her nervousness gave her away without her even realising it.