Elise's pov
I swallowed hard, dropping my stare to my plate.
He cleared his throat. “If you won’t ask, I’ll tell you what I can.”
My eyes flicked up, startled at the way he quickly brushed off the tension as he leaned back in his chair.
“Okay, where do I start…” he trailed off with a thoughtful look.
“I’m the son of a maid,” he began flatly. “One my father—Mr. Grey—forced himself on and he called it an affair. But it wasn’t.”
What?
My blood ran cold.
“My mother couldn’t speak up. Obviously, she couldn’t fight him because he had money and power he places she couldn't even dream of. And Mrs. Grey—” his jaw tightened, —“she couldn’t conceive at the time so when they found out my mother was pregnant, she struck a bargain. She’d spare her life, if she gave up the baby after birth and di
