Chapter 145. Sucker-Punched

"Bernard?" Marissa called hesitantly when she saw the back of the man who was standing in the parlor waiting for her.

He turned slowly to her. Rissa," he said simply.

"How did you?" she trailed off as he turned back to the portrait he had been staring at before she entered.

"Is that your grandfather?" He asked, pointing to one of them.

"Yes," Marissa muttered as she looked at the portrait he was referring to with a smile.

That had been one of her favorite pastimes back then—staring at the portrait and imagining her grandfather using the gun he had with him in the picture.

Her grandfather had been a brave hunter and farmer, according to her grandmother. He had been the most eligible bachelor in their town back then before he saw her grandmother and instantly fell in love with her. Grandma used to relay their story to her with a lot of spirit as she explained how much she had stressed her grandfather before she finally agreed to marry him. His