Grace opened her mouth, but for a moment, she found herself unable to respond.


    The day they first met, she had felt Ed''s intense emotions-love, hatred, longing, and sorrow. Hisplicated feelings had made her reluctant to hurt him, and step by step, she had lowered her defenses until they got into a rtionship.


    The more she got to know him, the more she felt for him, and the more she lowered her own boundaries.


    "Ed."


    Before she could even finish her sentence, Ed, unwilling to listen to her, grabbed


    her waist with an intense and forceful grip.


    After it was over, Grace heard his hoarse voice.


    "I don''t want you to see me like this."


    With that, he opened the car door, mmed it shut, and walked away.


    Gracey back in the seat, still feeling the sticky mess below. He hadn''t even cleaned up after himself. It was clear that he was really angry.


    She slowly sat up, her mind still swimming in the rush of emotions he had given her, unable to focus on anything else.


    She reached for a tissue, quietly cleaning herself, and then began to understand his feelings.


    Ed felt like he shared his loneliness, sadness, and unfulfilled longing with her. He expressed his struggles, feeling disconnected and loyal to something he couldn''t fully believe in, as well as the emptiness he constantly felt.


    Grace threw the tissue into the car''s trash bin. She could understand him, but continuing like this was exhausting.


    She decided to give him the cold shoulder for a few days. After all, adult rtionships weren''t just about love and romance. Besides, depending too much on someone was a frightening thing.


    If she wasn''t careful, she could end up destroying him.


    With that thought in mind, she forced herself to get up, get home, wash up, and copse into bed.


    But that night, her sleep was restless. She dreamed of the hot spring pool in the dark, her body hanging on the man.


    He whispered to her, asking if she knew who he was.


    Through the mist, her face was flushed, glowing with a kind of irresistible beauty.


    She didn''t know what she said in the dream, but the man became suddenly agitated.


    The night was chaotic.


    When Grace woke up, all she felt was exhaustion and a headache that throbbed relentlessly.


    She washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she got in the car, she noticed Ed had sent her a text at 3:00 am. He said, "I''m sorry."


    Grace felt her heart soften again. She didn''t know why, but she couldn''t bring herself to be hard on him.


    People were strange sometimes, easily swayed by emotions they couldn''t exin.


    She had nned to take the time


    today to think carefully about their rtionship; even considering whether they should break up to give each other some space. But when she saw that he hadn''t slept at all and sent her such a message, her heart softened.


    Perhaps this rtionship couldst a little longer. Maybe he would change in the future.


    However, she didn''t reply to the message immediately. Instead, she got in her car and drove to Henderson Group.


    When she arrived at her desk and got the documents rted to the Yule family coboration, she was about to leave. But when she looked up, she saw Jodie standing in front of Ethan, talking to him.


    Jodie''s eyes were sparkling, bouncing around like a little bunny. She had a cute appearance, but if it weren''t for her ruthless methods, she''d probably be very popr with men.


    Grace was already in a bad mood, and seeing this scene made her even more frustrated. She grabbed the documents and was about to head out to meet Simon when she saw Jodie walking toward her confidently.


    "Well, you''re off to see Simon? Congrattions, you might end up in the hospital today."


    Grace really didn''t like Jodie''s sharp and mean attitude, but with Ethan behind her, there was nothing she could do.


    She forced a smile and tried to leave, but Jodie wasn''t backing down. She grabbed Grace''s hair, yanking it so hard that Grace''s scalp stung.


    Jodie grinned when she saw the pain on Grace''s face.


    "Grace, you''re lucky you weren''t beatenst night, but now you''re going back to seduce Yancey? You''re pathetic. I''m telling you, Yancey isn''t interested in you. You''ve slept with other men already No man will want you after this."


    Grace pped her hand away, rubbing her sore scalp. "Are you done?"


    Jodie hade specifically to provoke her, and seeing Grace''s calm response only made her angrier.


    "No, I''m not done! You''re a slut!"


    As she yelled, Grace threw the documents she was holding right at Jodie''s smug


    face.


    Jodie flinched in pain, her nose and cheek throbbing as she quickly ran over to Ethan.


    "Uncle Ethan, look at her!" she whined.