Mandy was at a lens for words. She wantedionice them out, but nothing seemed apt enough. The way these people kept escting their insults made her want tácy.


    But Grace simply polled open the car door and gor in


    "Mandy, pet in," she said.


    Mandy chubed into the car with deve


    Behand them, the farmers saved their brooms in elebiation as if they had just tid themselves of a gie


    Seeing this scene in the rear-


    view mittor, Mandy nearly spat out blood in rage. She couldn''t hold it in anymore, and her tears spilled over.


    Exhausted from a sleepless night, even the middle-


    aged driver in the if our seat clutched the steering wheel with reddened eyes. He, too, was crying


    Who would''t feel devastated? Pouring your heart into something, only to have in trampled on Worse yet, Grace was being used of crimes she nevermitted Grace sat by the window and watched the sce Though. Stop crying.


    ΠΕ


    But Mandy was too far gone. nlowing her nose into a tissue, she stifled between her worth. "I''m just.. I''m just so angry! I''ve never been treated like this in my whole life! That Alice is such a


    be''s socha Uch, she''s vilet


    it believe it trice, in this what your life in the Lambert family has been like? Everyone side with her, no matter what? No wonder your reputation is so bad. I race dédia''s knyan how to respond get it now


    That was exactly how she had lived in the Lambert residence, but she had been part of the problem too back then. She had been too eager to please and too desperate for approval. That was what hadnded


    en


    She shut her eyes, but a small tug at her sleeve made her open them again.


    Mandy''s voor was thick with congestion "Your knee in infected. Does it hurtr?


    "It''s not that bad," Grace ceplied. "Come on, stop crying. This isn''t the end of the road. Let me think it through once we get back to the There''s always a way forward"


    Mandy sniffled a few more times before finally quinting down.


    Back at the lion, Grace forced herself to take a shower fast. The metallic went clinging to her skin was finally washed away.


    However, her knee looked even worse now. The wounds were swollen and angry. Just as she was about to ask the front desk for a first aid kit, there was a knock on the door. She opened into linda man in a wh "Mu Lamberi, Mr. Henderson sent me to check on your leg"


    She hadn''t been him sincest night andha''n un intim when he returned just now. How did he know she was injured?


    Her gaze flickered past the doctor toward the door across the hall. It was shut, with nothing to see,


    She made her way back to sit on the bed with a slight limp.


    The dot carried in arge medical kit, put on gloves, and began treating her wounds. When he pulled out the embedded stone, she turned ghostly palm.


    it wasn''t until the medicine was applied that she finally unclenched her jaw, her tightly knitted brown rxing slightly. Sweat had already gathered on her forehead.


    The doctor handed her some lever medication. "Take this. You''re running a fever."


    "Alright. Thanks"


    After he left, the swallowed the medic


    She had barely sat down when the door swung open again.


    Ellum entered his expression unreadable the maneuvered his wheelchair into the room and closed the door behind him.


    Ourside,


    duck had settled in. Thest rays of sunlight bathed the room in a golden-


    red glow


    Grare instinctively curled her injureding. She could still walk, but the pain hadn''t faded


    Ethan rolled up beside her and poured her a ss of water. His gaze drifted to her wounded knee. "Feeling wonged?" he asked.


    Grace hadn''t thought much of it at first, but people were strange sometimes. They could grit their teeth and endure miles of harthhip without a word, only topletely unavel at the umallest gedwie of kindness. Ihan held the water out to her. "Even if the agricultural project fails, Henderson Group will still see the tourism bid "


    He was trying to reassure her, telling her not to feel pressured.


    Hen ru-dug into her palms, the sharp pain keeping her steady. She looked


    Tup and


    Grace didn''t take the ss, instead, she sat on the edge of the bed and slowly ruled her fingers into fists. H midfirmly, "Thaven''t lost yet. I still have other ways


    Litan''s fingers tightened slightly around the s


    probably didn''t even realize it herself, but it was captivating


    There was something fierce in her eyes-


    like a spark in a poder moments away from igniting Spi Exhunthalted his gaze away, his Adam''s apple building as he sipped the water himself.


    Grace let out a chuckle. "Mm. Don''t weary, Mr.Henderson won''t do anything to taih you


    But he had already toned away, his posture straight andposed.


    That''s not what I''m wired about, hemamuied


    for what he was was led about, he wouldn''t may.


    yourpany''szeputation."