《Regret Came Too Late (Grace and Ethan)》


 Chapter 1

    "Ms. Grace Lambert in Bed 16, have you not recalled anything? You''ve been hospitalized for three days now. You need to get a family member to pay the hospital bill soon," said a nurse.


    Grace had bandages wrapped around her head. She gave the nurse an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry, but I really can''t remember my phone''s password."


    "Do you have an emergency contact?"


    "..."


    Before she could finish speaking, the door to the hospital room was pushed open forcefully. A young man with sharp features walked in, his expression looking impatient.


    "How many times is this now? What kind of game are you ying again? You dragged Alice out with you, and it ended in a car ident. If she hadn''t been lucky, you would''ve ruined her face!


    "Grace, let me make this clear our engagement is off! Stop thinking you can win me over with these little tricks. Even if you threw yourself into a river, I wouldn''t care!"


    Behind Yancey Henderson stood a gentle-looking woman who lightly tugged on his sleeve.


    "Yancey, I''m fine, really. Grace didn''t do it on purpose. My injuries have already healed, so please don''t me her anymore. Luckily, when the windshield shattered, it didn''t cut my face. Otherwise..."


    Grace''s eyes shed with confusion. She touched the bandages on her head.


    She had only woken up that morning. The nurse told her that she had barely survived and that they hadn''t been able to reach any of her family members. Yancey frowned. He was indeed handsome, dressed in an impably tailored suit. At that moment, he held Alice Lambert tightly in his arms.


    "Grace, Alice is the one I like. You and I may have grown up together, but I have never had those kinds of feelings for you. You''ve been following me around like a lovesick puppy for five years now. Don''t you find it disgusting?


    "Alice never dared to confess her feelings for me because you were always chasing after me. I''m making it clear today-your behavior is pathetic. Alice and I are already together, and we''ve been intimate with each other. I''m not leaving her!"


    Alice''s face was full of emotion as she clung to his arm, a hint of triumph flickering across her delicate features. "Yancey..."


    Grace lowered her eyes, watching the two of them with their intimate disy. Her heart felt like it was being eaten away by ants, leaving her breathless. A flood of emotions overwhelmed her, and her eyes burned. However, she forced herself to stayposed and cut them off.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t know who you two are. But I think I do have a boyfriend. Do either of you know his number? Please ask him toe see me."


    Somewhere in the depths of her mind, there was someone like that.


    Yancey''s eyes flickered with confusion and shock, but then he quickly scoffed. Was this another one of her acts?


    At that moment, the television on the wall was broadcasting financial news. The headline reported the return of Ethan Henderson, the youngest head of Henderson Group.


    Rumors swirled that Ethan had been in a car ident two years ago, leaving both his legs crippled and half his face scarred. Since then, he has refused to make public appearances.


    Yancey lifted his hand and pointed at the screen. "That''s my uncle, Ethan Henderson. He''s your boyfriend. I''ll give you his number. Go find him."


    He picked up Grace''s phone, easily unlocking it with practiced ease, and left behind a string of digits.


    Beside him, Alice covered her mouth, amusement flickering in her eyes as she whispered, "Yancey, is this really okay? Two years ago, because of her, your uncle..."


    Yancey pulled Alice into his arms, his gaze filled with scorn.


    Someone who had chased after him for five years wouldn''t give up so easily. This had to be a new trick-ying hard to get.


    Since she imed she didn''t remember who her boyfriend was, he would let her deal with Ethan, the person she hated the most.


    "You''ve got the contact now, Grace. This time, you better keep up the act for at least a week. Otherwise, even if you beg on your knees, I won''t spare you another nce."

 Chapter 2

    After saying that, Yancey wrapped his arm around Alice''s waist and left without hesitation.


    Grace stared at the string of numbers on her phone. That man just now had imed to be her fianc¨¦, yet he hadn''t shown a shred of concern for her from beginning to end. All he cared about was defending Alice.


    It felt like an iron wire was tightening around her heart. Her face turned paler as a dull pain spread through her chest.


    Alice looked like she had recovered fully, while she, the one being med, had barely survived.


    How could a man like that possibly be her fianc¨¦?


    She had been missing for three days, yet no one from her family had reached out


    to her. The only thing lingering in her hazy mind was the faint memory of having a boyfriend.


    Without hesitation, she dialed the number.


    It was answered by a robotic, professional voice, which likely belonged to an assistant.


    "Ms. Lambert?"


    "Hello. Is this Ethan Henderson? I think I lost my memory in a car ident, and I


    "Mr. Henderson just returned to Druville and is still undergoing rehabilitation. Last time, you called him with the exact same excuse, asking him to pick you up. You even used the same car ident story. And he actually went-only to end up in that ident with you.


    "Ms. Lambert, if you have even a shred of conscience left, please don''t contact Mr. Henderson again."


    "But I-"


    The call was abruptly cut off.


    Grace let out a sigh and leaned back against the pillow. Her head throbbed, and a sense of fear and uncertainty about the future crept in.


    She nced down at her unlocked phone. At least her payment app was still essible.


    She handed the phone to the nurse who had just walked in. "Could you check if there''s enough bnce on this?"


    Her eyes swept over her transaction history. Just a week ago, she had spent exactly 200 thousand dors. It seemed she had bought a pair of men''s cufflinks. That meant she wasn''t short on money, right?


    The nurse''s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Insufficient bnce. The emergency treatment and hospitalization fees total 20 thousand dors."


    Grace lowered her gaze, confusion evident on her delicate face. She had just spent 200 thousand dors a week ago. How could she not even have 20 thousand dors left in her ount now?


    She went through the contact list and found onebeled Mom.


    Taking a deep breath, she called the number.


    The moment the call connected, an angry voiceshed out at her.


    "So, you still remember to call me, huh? Grace, how old are you now? Why are you still ying these childish games? Yancey and Alice have been secretly dating for a long time. Alice never told you because she didn''t want to hurt your feelings.


    "But what do you do? You see them kiss once and drag Alice out, leading to a car ident! You''re such a burden! Honestly, you should''ve just died out there! Alice has always been so considerate of you as her sister, and all you do is resort to these dirty tricks! How did I give birth to such a vile creature like you?"


    Grace was about to say something when she suddenly heard Alice''s voice on the other end.


    "Mom, I think Grace might have lost her memory this time. Maybe you should go easy on her."


    "Memory loss? How many times has she ''lost her memory'' this year alone? What a fool-always pulling the same stunt. If she really had any backbone, she''d stay gone forever. That way, I wouldn''t have to deal with the stress of her existence.


    "Alice, stop defending her. Haven''t you suffered enough over the years? Yancey confessed to you first, but because of your kindness, you let Grace cling to him like a fool. She never dared to confront him directly, so she takes it all out on you. You''re too kind, my dear."


    Upon hearing this, Grace felt a sharp pain in her chest, an unbearable bitterness spreading through her heart.


    Was this really her mother? Why was she just like Yancey-never once asking how she was or concerned about her injuries?


    She opened her mouth, her voice trembling in disbelief. "Are you really my mother?"


    What kind of mother would say such vile things to her daughter?


    "What do you mean by that, Grace? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? If you don''t want to acknowledge me as your mother, then fine! I don''t want a disgraceful daughter like you either! Do you have any idea how many humiliating things you''ve done chasing after Yancey?


    "Can you stop embarrassing yourself for once? You even got jealous when I bought Alice an extra car. Do you even see her as your sister? I don''t want to see you for the time being. Didn''t you lose your memory? Just stay gone! Our family will be much more peaceful without you. What a jinx!"


    The call ended abruptly.


    Grace stared at her phone, the dull ache in her chest refusing to fade. Something wet slid down her cheek.


    She reached up and touched her face-they were her tears.


    She scrolled through her social media feed and realized Alice had posted something new.


    It was a photo taken before a massive floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the river


    in Druville, with fireworks exploding in the night sky.


    The caption read, "With my loved ones by my side."


    The reflection in the ss revealed Yancey and two blurred figures of middle- aged adults.


    A sharp pain stabbed through her chest, and Grace nearly doubled over from it.

 Chapter 3

    Grace didn''t know who to turn to for the 20 thousand dors. In the end, at 9:00 pm, she called Ethan again.


    A deep and slightly hoarse voice came through the receiver, reminding her of snowkes on a winter night.


    "Grace Lambert?"


    It was as if an invisible hand tightened around her throat, suffocating her with overwhelming grievances.


    "Hello, Ethan. Can you lend me 20 thousand dors? I''m in the hospital and can''t afford the medical bills."


    The only response was the sound of steady breathing and the faint rustling of fabric.


    Just as Grace was preparing herself for rejection, she heard him ask, "ount number?"


    "Let... Let me find it."


    She quickly grabbed the bag beside her and started searching frantically, afraid he would hang up before she could give him the details.


    The nurse told her this was her bag, but inside, there were only cosmetics for touch-ups.


    Finally, she found a card in the innermostpartment and quickly read out the number.


    In less than a minute, the notification of a bank transfer came through.


    Grace hesitated to hang up. After all, this was the only person willing to acknowledge her since she had woken up with amnesia.


    However, she hesitated for three full minutes, unsure of what to say.


    Surprisingly, Ethan didn''t hang up either.


    In the quiet stillness of the call, they could hear each other''s breath. "Ethan, I..."


    "Are your injuries serious?"


    His voice wasn''t gentle. If anything, it carried the same chill of ate-night breeze.


    Yet to Grace, it was the first true concern she had heard since waking up.


    Something stirred in her heart, but her words failed her, so she simply said, "I''m fine now. Thank you. I''ll find a way to pay you back."


    "Grace, how long are you nning to lie to me this time?"


    Her heart skipped a beat. Panicking, she quickly hung up the phone, her thoughts


    a mess.


    What did he mean by that? Had she lied to him many times before?


    No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn''t make sense of it. Instead, she only got more confused.


    For now, all she could do was settle her outstanding hospital bill andplete the paperwork for her discharge.


    However, when she stepped out of the hospital, she found herself at aplete loss. She had no money and no idea where she lived.


    Eventually, she found an address in her message records and took a taxi there. The ce was a beautiful vi with a meticulously maintained garden.


    The taxi driver tapped the steering wheel. "That''ll be a hundred dors. Are you paying cash or online transfer?"


    Grace got out of the car with an awkward expression. Coincidentally, a luxury car pulled up in front of her.


    The window rolled down, revealing Yancey''s face. Alice, looking fresh and delicate, was in the passenger seat.


    Alice stepped out of the car and asked with concern, "Grace, why did you leave the hospital?"


    She looked stunning today. Her dress was adorned with shimmering crystals, and her handbag was a limited edition model worth at least three million dors.


    "Didn''t Yancey tell you earlier? Your boyfriend is Ethan Henderson."


    Alice''s eyes reddened, and she continued, "Are you here because of me again? What do you want from me?"


    Before Grace could say anything, Yancey had already got out of the driver''s seat, his gaze filled with mockery.


    "I really thought you''dst longer, but you couldn''t even hold out for six hours. Grace, do you have no shame? Do I really need to repeat myself over and over again?


    "I like Alice. Do you not have an ounce of self-respect? Do you enjoy being humiliated? Why do you keep making things difficult for Alice?"


    Alice leaned into his embrace, shaking her head. "Forget it, Yancey. I''m used to


    it."


    Thest trace of color drained from Grace''s face. She was still dressed in the oversized hospital gown, and her long, darkshes trembled like fragile ss, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.


    She forced herself to look away from the scene and whispered, "Do you have a hundred dors? Can you lend it to me?"


    Yancey scoffed, his disgust barely hidden. "I''d rather give it to a dog than to you."


    He looked down at Alice in his arms and said gently, "Let''s go inside. Just ignore her."


    Alice wiped her eyes and smiled softly. "Grace, here. Take my card. Use it if you need to."


    Grace lowered her gaze, swallowing down the bitterness in her heart. She wanted to throw away her pride and ept the card because, at that moment, she was truly desperate for money.


    Eventually, people had to face and ept reality for what it was.


    But just as her fingertips were about to touch the car, another luxury car pulled up beside her.


    Her mother, Carmen Ok, stepped out of the vehicle in a fit of rage. The moment she saw the scene before her, she strode over and, without hesitation, pped Grace hard across the face.


    "Are you bullying Alice again? Haven''t you taken enough from her? Grace Lambert, what do you want from us? Do you want to make everyone miserable because of you?


    "Ever since Alice was found and brought home, you''ve made her life difficult. Why weren''t you the one kidnapped instead? Alice has already suffered so much. Can''t you just grow up and deal with things like a mature adult?"

 Chapter 4

    Grace took the p, her head tilting slightly to the side. There was no light left in


    her eyes.


    Alice quickly stepped to Carmen''s side, soothing her. "Mom, I''m really fine. There''s only a million dors tied to my card. I was afraid that if I gave her too much, she''d keep spending recklessly like before, so I didn''t put in much in that ount."


    Grace''s throat burned with pain. She suddenly pulled open the door of the taxi parked nearby. "Please take me to..."


    But her mind was nk-no ce came to mind.


    Through the car window, she watched as the four of them walked into the house together.


    The taxi driver nced at her and sighed. "Are those your family or your enemies? You didn''t even say a word, and they just pped you. Forget the hundred bucks. Just get out."


    Grace''s tears, which she had been holding back, finally spilled over. She wanted to ask the same thing-were they really her family or her enemies?


    Not far away, Alice clutched Yancey''s hand. A flicker of triumph shed across her eyes.


    "Mom, Yancey, do you think Grace really lost her memory? Maybe we should call her back in."


    Carmen''s expression darkened. Just the mention of Grace filled her with disgust. "If she really had amnesia, she wouldn''t have been able to find her way here!"


    She then turned to Yancey and said, "Yancey, you should call off the engagement with her as soon as possible. Don''t let Alice suffer. She''s already experienced enough hardships outside. As her mother, I can''t bear to let her go through more pain."


    "Don''t worry, Mrs. Lambert. I''ll take care of Alice for the rest of my life."


    As for Grace? Sure, they had grown up together, but he had long since grown tired of her.


    Besides, when Grace and Alice had gone out together years ago, Alice was the one who got kidnapped.


    When Alice was finally found five years ago, they all learned the truth-Alice had shielded Grace and told her to run for help.


    Grace had run, but she had done nothing-she left her own sister to be taken away.


    She had been rotten from the start. After Alice was brought home, Grace bullied her constantly, believing Alice had stolen her ce in the family.


    Any time Yancey defended Alice, Grace would throw a fit. Everything that happened to her now was-she brought it upon herself.


    ...


    Grace sat alone by the roadside, still wearing her hospital gown. She looked frail and weak.


    A car pulled up beside her.


    "Grace?" A young woman''s voice called out.


    Grace looked up and found her face to be familiar, but she couldn''t remember who she was.


    "What''s this? Did you fight with Yancey again? At least change your clothes before running away from home next time."


    "Who are you?"


    Joanne Sylvester facepalmed, then unlocked the passenger door. "Just get in. Honestly, I don''t me people for getting tired of you. You pull the same stunt too many times. I don''t even get why you put Yancey on such a pedestal."


    Grace got into the car and sat in silence.


    Joanne drove back to her residential area. "Stay at my ce tonight. Not that it matters. You''ll probably be running back to him first thing in the morning."


    Grace followed her inside, politely changing into slippers at the entrance. The ce felt familiar-it seemed that this person was probably a friend of hers. She sat down on the couch while Joanna poured her a ss of warm water. Holding the cup in her hands, Grace finally felt a bit of warmth return to her body. Joanne, visibly exhausted, yawned. "I''m going to take a shower. You can sleep in the same room as always. And in the morning, don''t forget to take the clothes you left behindst time."


    Then, she muttered, "Honestly, I wish you''d grow a spine and stop surrendering to Yancey so quickly. Every time you run away, it neversts more than three days.


    "The moment he crooks his finger, you go crawling right back, letting him trample all over you. It''s no wonder he and his friends look down on you. Seriously, Grace,


    if you ever actually lost your memory, I''d set off fireworks to celebrate."

 Chapter 5

    Grace had no way to exin herself. Upon seeing how exhausted Joanne was, she didn''t want to argue the point.


    Joanne ced a fresh set of pajamas on the bed. "Your room has its own bathroom. Go shower and get some rest. I''m too tired to chat tonight."


    Grace nodded and simply said, "Thank you."


    When she saw Joanne enter one of the bedrooms, she knew the other room had to be hers.


    She grabbed the pajamas and took a shower. Finally, she felt a little morefortable.


    Just as she was about to sleep, her phone buzzed with a new message.


    It was from her younger brother, Liam Lambert.


    "Grace, I''m home for break. Just got back. It''s Alice''s birthday today. Why aren''t you here? Mom said you ran away from home again. Are you serious? Can you stop already? Juste back. The housekeeper''s cooking is awful. I still prefer your food. I want mashed potato sd for breakfast, okay?"


    "Alice cried tonight. Juste back and apologize first. Aren''t you tired of making a scene all the time? Yancey doesn''t even like you. Sometimes, I feel embarrassed because of you."


    As she clutched her phone tightly, she felt a sharp pain stab through her heart. It felt like the whole world adored Alice.


    Meanwhile, she was just trash that people couldn''t even be bothered to kick aside.


    Even without her memories, she could still feel the pain.


    The next morning, she woke up early with dark circles heavy under her eyes.


    She went to the kitchen and started cooking, surprised to find that she seemed quite skilled at it.


    Joanne walked out of her room, inhaling the scent of food, and sighed.


    "Are you bringing breakfast to Yancey again? Over the years, how many meals have you made for him? Has he ever eaten a single one? A rich girl like you wasting her time perfecting cooking skills just so you can chase after a man...


    "You graduated and didn''t even look for a job. You spent years running after him, and all you got in return was everyone''s mockery. What''s the point?"


    Grace''s hand froze. She wanted to say that she hadn''t made this for Yancey.


    But from what she learned so far, no one would believe her anyway.


    She silently ted the food and brought it to the table.


    Joanne''s resume was sitting there, so Grace nced at it. "Joanne, I want to find


    a job. What did I study in college?"


    Joanne stared at the food for a moment, frowning in thought.


    "Grace, you''re acting more convincingly than ever this time."


    A bitter feeling crept up in Grace''s heart. She pushed a bowl of soup toward Joanne. "Just tell me."


    Joanne ate some and let out a sigh.


    "You studied finance, but your family''spany belongs to Liam. You probably don''t even know which direction the office doors face. Even Alice has ten percent of the shares, but you have nothing.


    "Back when you graduated, you had the chance to intern there, but you turned it down because working would mean less time to pursue Yancey. Now Alice has made a name for herself in thepany. Everyone knows her as the second daughter of the family. No one even remembers you exist."


    Grace quietly ate some food before suddenly saying, "Then I''ll work at Henderson Group. Ethan just got back, right? I want to go after him."


    Joanne choked on her soup, coughing hard as if she had just heard something ridiculous.


    She quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth.


    "Did you hate Ethan the most? Since Yancey never liked his uncle, you followed suit. Every time someone mentioned Ethan, you looked absolutely disgusted. Do you even know what kind of man he is?


    "He graduated from Haverford with a double degree at 18. At 19, he founded the biggest acquisition firm overseas. He was a regr on Varnell Street finance covers. If it weren''t for the ident two years ago that crippled his legs, every woman in Druville would still be in love with him."


    Grace thought about the deep,pelling voice she had heard over the phone and couldn''t help but ask, "What does he look like?"


    Joanne did a quick search and pulled up a foreign news photo.


    "Here."


    The man in the picture was wearing a ck suit, and his shirt was buttoned all the way up. He had a reserved, almost ascetic air about him. His gaze, cold and deep, was like a vast ocean on a winter''s night, concealing unseen storms beneath the surface.


    It was the most breathtaking face Grace had ever seen, over a hundred times better-looking than Yancey''s.


    Joanne clicked her tongue. "It''s a pity. After the ident, he never returned to Druville. No updates in any domestic or international newspapers. Even with his legs injured, he still has women lining up for him.


    Grace took a sip of soup and suddenly said, "Yancey told me he''s my boyfriend. I''m going to Henderson Group."


    Joanne gave Grace a strange look and rubbed her temples.


    "Are you going to Henderson Group to pursue Yancey, or are you actually going after Ethan? Do whatever you want. If you can manage to win over Ethan, I swear I''ll never criticize you again."

 Chapter 6

    Grace finished eating and was about to leave when she hesitated and asked, "Can you lend me some money?"


    Joanne took a deep breath. "You spent 200 thousand dors on a pair of cufflinks for Yanceyst week, and now you''re telling me you''re broke?"


    Grace awkwardly scratched her cheek. "I had to borrow money just to pay my hospital bill yesterday. I''ll pay you back."


    Joanne transferred ten thousand dors to her and patted her shoulder. "Your family cut off your spending ages ago. But instead of saving for yourself, you kept using your money to buy gifts for Yancey and even tried to win over his rtives.


    "There''s no point lecturing you on this. You don''t have to pay me back. If you don''t have anywhere to stay tonight, juste back here."


    Grace felt a wave of gratitude for Joanne.


    Since she had decided to apply for a job at Henderson Group, she needed to return home to find her ID and other important documents.


    When she arrived at the Lambert residence, she felt a little uneasy as she rang the doorbell.


    A young man''s voice called out from inside. "Who is it?"


    The door swung open, and Liam stood there. The moment he saw her, his face darkened with frustration.


    "Grace, what the hell? Didn''t I tell you toe back early and make breakfast? You''re just getting home now? Hurry up, I''m starving."


    Grace looked at the tall, handsome young man standing in front of her, then lowered her head and slowly changed her shoes at the entrance.


    "Don''t we have a housekeeper?"


    "The housekeeper''s food isn''t as good as yours. What''s wrong with you? You''ve been doing this for so long, and now you suddenly want to act differently? Cooking for the family is your responsibility, isn''t it?


    "Even when you had a high fever before, you still cooked for us. Mom would praise you, and you''d be happy about it for hours."


    Grace felt a heavy weight in her chest after hearing that. Her gaze drifted to the couch.


    Alice, Carmen, and her father, Quentin Lambert, were all sitting there.


    The moment Carmen saw her, she scoffed, "I thought you weren''ting to cook today. Looks like you couldn''t keep up the act. Go to the kitchen. Your brother is starving. You really don''t act like an older sister at all."


    Alice, who was sitting elegantly on the couch, smiled softly when she heard that.


    "Grace, I want some shrimp with broli. Don''t add too much salt to my meals. I don''t want to get bloated. Yancey and I are taking some mor shots soon."


    After that, she turned to Carmen. "Mom, Dad, what would you like to eat?" Carmen''s face instantly lit up with a bright smile, and she stroked Alice''s head tenderly. "Alice, you''re so thoughtful."


    Grace stood by the entrance, finding the entire situationughable.


    Then, the housekeeper walked over and handed her an apron with a slight frown. "Ms. Grace, you usually wake up at 5:00 am to cook breakfast. Why are you only getting back at 7:00 am? Everyone''s been waiting. If you''re going to bete, at least give us a heads-up next time."


    So, they all just saw her as a servant?


    Grace didn''t take the apron. Instead, she turned and walked toward the stairs. Everyone froze at that.


    Liam immediately jumped up. "Grace, what''s your problem? I''m really hungry! Just apologize to Alice for missing her birthday yesterday and go make breakfast!"


    Carmen spoke up as well. "They all prefer your cooking, and you''re used to it. Stop being so difficult."


    Grace had already reached the staircase when she suddenly let out a soft chuckle after hearing their responses.


    Her features were naturally striking-stunning and refined. When she wasn''t smiling, she had a cool, distant air. Herplexion was so fair that her skin seemed to glow.


    She would undoubtedly be ranked among the top beauties of Druville.


    However, because she had spent years pursuing Yancey, she had be aughingstock.


    "I''m charging 100 thousand dors for each meal. Who''s paying?"


    Her words plunged the room into an eerie silence.


    Quentin mmed his newspaper onto the coffee table. His face was dark and stormy, looking as if he no longer recognized his own daughter.


    "This is ridiculous! Where did you pick up such a money-grubbing attitude?"


    Grace calmly tucked her hair behind her ear, her gaze sweeping over the four people in the room.


    "Why should I cook for you for free? I''m the one putting in all the effort. Yet Alice only asks what you''d like to eat, and that makes her the considerate one. If she''s so thoughtful, let her cook."


    Just as Grace turned around to go upstairs, Alice immediately burst into tears.


    "Grace, what do you mean by this? You were the one who insisted on cooking for us, saying it was to make up for things. I know you''ve never liked me since I came back five years ago. You always think I stole something from you. Fine, I''ll just move out."


    She wiped her eyes, looking like she had suffered some unimaginable grievance.


    Carmen''s heart ached, and Liam jumped in to reprimand Grace. "Grace, look at what you''ve done! Why are you always like this?"


    Grace didn''t bother responding. She swallowed the suffocating bitterness in her chest and curled her lips into a faint smirk. "Sure. Move out. Want me to help pack?"


    Alice clearly hadn''t expected that response. Her eyes gaze looked even more aggrieved. "I knew it. No matter what I do, you''ll never like me..."


    "What are you crying for? Did I hit you or insult you? You sure have some talent for summoning tears on demand, huh? I suppose the drama you generate is enough to entertain the entire country for life. You and Yancey are really the perfect pair. Please stay together. Just don''t bother me anymore."


    Alice''s tears stopped as she stared at Grace in shock.


    The old Grace would never have said something like that. She wouldn''t have


    been able to bring herself to say anything harsh about Yancey.


    It seemed that she had been pushed to the brink and lost her mind.


    Alice''s lips curved ever so slightly. That was fine as well. She had always hated Grace''s face and wished she could destroy it.


    Jealousy shed in her eyes.


    "How could you say that about Yancey..."


    Grace couldn''t be bothered to argue anymore. She simply walked upstairs.


    Carmen stormed after her furiously. "You''re out of control! Do you even hear yourself?"


    She reached for Grace''s sleeve, but Grace shoved her off.


    Carmen was stunned by her reaction and was dazed for a few seconds.


    Grace had always been obedient-neverining or fighting back. Just a little


    bit of praise from the family would make her eyes sparkle with joy.


    Now, that same daughter was defying her. It made her feel uneasy. "Have you been possessed or something?"


    Grace ignored her and continued upstairs. She asked one of the housekeepers and found her bedroom.


    Inside, it was a mess. There was even a grand piano and various instruments cluttered about.


    She walked over and took a brief nce, realizing that they were allbeled. Some belonged to Alice, some to Liam.


    Was there no other ce in this massive vi to store instruments? Did they really have to turn her bedroom into a storage room?

 Chapter 7

    Grace was so furious that her chest ached. She wanted to quickly gather all her important documents, but when she opened thest drawer, she froze.


    Inside was a pile of certificates. Among them were the Certified Public ountant and Chartered Financial Analyst certificates, two of the most prestigious credentials in the finance industry.


    Some of these certificates were known as the golden tickets to Varnell Street, yet they had been shoved into the most neglected corner.


    Wasn''t she supposed to be a useless woman who only knew how to chase after a man?


    She scanned them briefly. Unwilling to stay in this house any longer, she quickly packed a few sets of clothes and prepared to leave.


    Just then, Liam walked in. "Grace, are you running away from home again? Cut it out. I''m starving."


    He strode over and yanked the suitcase out of her hands.


    "If you don''t go apologize to Mom and Alice right now, no one will bother


    themselves with you anymore. How long do you n to be gone this time? Wasn''t


    it just yesterday that you pulled this same stunt?


    "You were gone for only a few hours before crawling back. You''re embarrassing yourself, you know that? You''re ruining the harmony of this household."


    As he spoke, he angrily tossed her suitcase to the side, scattering her neatly packed clothes onto the floor.


    "Do you know why everyone likes Alice more? She''s gentle, educated, andpetent at work. She''s miles ahead of you. Seeing how Mom and Dad refuse to give you any shares, shouldn''t you reflect on your own actions and attitude?"


    While looking at her clothes on the floor, Grace''s patience ran out. She raised her hand and pped him across the face.


    Liam clutched his cheek in shock. A red mark instantly swelled on his face. "You hit me?"


    Grace had always been the one to endure everything in silence, always indulging him. And now, she had actually hit him?


    His heart twisted for a moment, but soon, anger reced the shock.


    "You hit me? You actually hit me? Grace, I swear I''m done with you! Unless you cook for me for an entire year, don''t even think about talking to me again! Just leave already! We all know you''lle crawling back in a few days anyway!"


    He stormed off furiously.


    As Grace dragged her suitcase downstairs, she heard Carmen''s sharp voice.


    "Unbelievable! Grace, you actually hit your own brother! You''repletely out of control! Get outside and kneel until we''re satisfied. Otherwise, you''re no longer wee in this house!"


    Grace nced at the couch. Alice was gently massaging Liam''s swollen cheek, her eyes filled with concern.


    Liam looked deeply moved. When he turned toward Grace, he even snorted coldly, exaggerating his reaction.


    A stabbing pain shot through her heart. However, she had truly lost her memories.


    She no longer had the instinct to grovel for their affection.


    She calmly pulled her suitcase toward the door and said evenly, "Good. I don''t want to stay here anyway. Since I''m no longer wee here, I''ll leave. The four of you can live happily together. I won''t disturb you anymore. Goodbye."


    Carmen thought she had misheard. She trembled with rage. "You-you...! How did I give birth to such an ungrateful child? Fine, go! You''ve never worked a day in your life. Let''s see how long youst out there. You''ll be back begging in no time!"


    Grace''s response was the loud m of the door.


    Carmen''s body trembled with fury. She copsed onto the couch, hands trembling as she reached for a ss of water. "I shouldn''t have given birth to her!"


    Alice''s eyes sparkled with amusement, though her expression remained worried. "Mom, don''t worry. She always talks big. The harsher her words, the faster shees back."


    Liam quickly agreed. "Yeah, and after what she did to me today, I''ll never forgive her."


    Grace dragged her suitcase out of the house. She had only the ten thousand dors Joanne had sent her, and her first priority was finding a ce to stay.


    Although Joanne had offered her a ce, she didn''t want to impose.


    She searched online for nearby rentals, aiming to find a ce close to Henderson Group.


    But thepany was located in the heart of Druville, where every inch ofnd was worth a fortune. The cheapest apartment she found was nearly 20 thousand dors a month, which was far beyond what she could afford.


    If she rented somewhere farther away, the daily taxi fare would cost a fortune.


    After thinking it over, she spotted a nearby free electric scooter station.


    With no other choice, she decided to rent a ce in an older neighborhood. A scooter ride to Henderson Group would take about 20 minutes.


    She unlocked a scooter parked outside theplex and took a practice ride on the main road.


    Since she had no memory of her past, she wasn''t sure if she even knew how to ride one. Watching others, it looked easy enough.


    However, as soon as she started, the scooter wobbled like crazy. It was painfully slow, and every passing vehicle honked at her.


    Sweat beaded on her forehead as she clung to the handlebar, staying as close to the roadside as possible to avoid an ident.


    Meanwhile, in a luxury car nearby, Ethan sat in the backseat, reviewing a stack of documents on hisp.


    When the car came to a halt at the traffic light, he closed the folder and turned to nce outside-only to see Grace struggling to control a scooter on the road.


    Today, she had tied her hair into a ponytail. Under the sunlight, her skin looked almost translucent, radiating a fresh, youthful energy.


    However, her riding skills were atrocious, and she nearly crashed into a turning


    car.


    Ethan''s gaze froze for a moment, his fingertips curling slightly.


    From the driver''s seat, Tim Be spoke up.


    "Isn''t that Grace? What''s she up to now? Didn''t she used to refuse to ride


    anything that was cheaper than three million dors?"


    Tim was Ethan''s assistant and had just returned to the country with him.


    He nced at the rearview mirror and met Ethan''s eyes.


    "Sir, let''s stay far away from that walking disaster. Thest thing we need is for her


    to drag you into trouble again."

 Chapter 8

    Grace had underestimated the eleration of the electric scooter. The moment she twisted the throttle, it lurched forward and crashed straight into someone''s car.


    She tumbled to the ground and scraped her knee. The sharp sting made her frown.


    The car''s owner stormed out furiously. "Do you even know how to ride? Are you in


    a hurry to die or something? Damn my luck. This is a new car I just picked up from


    the dealership, for goodness sake! You better pay for the damages."


    Grace nced at the car emblem and realized it was a Maserati.


    Just great. There was no way her ten thousand dors would cover this.


    A crowd quickly gathered, eager to see who had the misfortune of crashing into a luxury car.


    The man grabbed her sleeve. "Pay up, woman, or I''m calling the police!"


    Grace adjusted her stance to alleviate the pain in her leg. "Is ten thousand dors enough?"


    The man thought he was hearing things, and his face immediately flushed with anger. "Do you take me for a beggar or something?"


    Meanwhile, the traffic light at Ethan''s intersection had turned green.


    His gaze flicked back to the scene, and the air around him turned colder as his gaze darkened.


    Just as Tim was about to step on the gas pedal, Ethan spoke up. "Go settle it." Tim''s grip on the steering wheel tightened immediately. He had the urge to say something but finally decided against it and got out of the car.


    The temperature outside was high, and Grace''s forehead was already covered in sweat.


    She was just about to figure out who to call for help when she noticed a young man approaching.


    The young man spoke in a professional tone. "Call the traffic police first. How much is it? I''ll cover it."


    The Maserati''s owner was about to explode in rage again, but when he noticed that Tim had stepped out of a limited edition luxury car that was worth tens of millions, his heart skipped a beat.


    There was no second car like this in Druville, and he couldn''t afford to offend the owner.


    Not wanting to wait for the police, he quickly said, "A hundred thousand dors. You can just transfer it."


    Tim transferred the money and turned to leave, but Grace stopped him.


    She wore casual sportswear today, emphasizing her shapely legs and waist. A


    tiny beauty mark on the tip of her nose added a touch of warmth to her otherwise cool and striking features.


    "Um... I don''t have the money to pay you back right now."


    She nced at the nearby car, feeling that someone else was in there.


    Tim waved her off. "Forget it."


    His face was a picture of impatience, clearly uninterested in talking to her any longer.


    But Grace walked toward the car anyway. "Can I get your contact information? I''ll make sure to pay you back as soon as I have the money."


    A look of mockery shed across Tim''s eyes.


    She really wasmitted to this clueless act, huh? She even imed she''d pay back once she had money!


    As if a daughter of the Lambert family wouldn''t even have a hundred thousand dors to spare!


    He couldn''t be bothered to y along. With a smirk, he said, "Ms. Lambert, people get sick of your overacting. I told you to forget it. Just stay away from us. Everything about you is just screams of a scam and misfortune. Please don''t bring your bad luck onto us."


    Grace was taken aback. She had no memory of this person, no idea who he was. But if he hated her so much, why did he even help her?


    She lowered her eyes for a moment, then smiled as she thought of something. "If you dislike me so much, that''s all the more reason I need to pay you back. Give me your contact info. If you won''t, I''ll go ask the person inside the car. I''ll get your contact information one way or another."


    Tim wasn''t about to let her meet Ethan just like that, so he scribbled down a string of numbers in annoyance.


    Grace carefully saved it and offered an elegant bow. "Thank you."


    Tim was stunned. This woman had been rude and indifferent to everyone in the past, never bothering with basic courtesy. Had she really changed?


    Just as that thought crossed his mind, he scoffed, dismissing it. It was probably just another ploy to get Yancey''s attention.


    Everyone in Druville knew what kind of person Grace was she waspletely insufferable.

 Chapter 9

    Tim couldn''t be bothered with the act and turned back to the car.


    Grace gripped the handlebar of the rental scooter, standing still as she watched the car drive away.


    Inside, Ethan lowered his gaze to the documents in his hands.


    Tim scoffed. "I checked into it. She''s jealous again over Yancey and Alice. Looks like he''s finally going to call off the engagement. Serves her right."


    Ethan''s fingers on the document froze for a moment after hearing this.


    Thest time Yancey had talked about breaking off the engagement, Grace had refused. Yancey had joked that if she jumped off a bridge, he''d reconsider it.


    Right after he said those words, Grace jumped off the bridge into the river without hesitation. Although she was hospitalized for a month, her stunt kept her engaged.


    And now Yancey wanted to break it off again...


    Who knew what kind of stunt she would pull this time?


    Grace wobbled her way back to her rental unit, frowning at the hundred-thousand- dor debt hanging over her head because of the short trip. Lately, it felt like she was the epitome of misfortune.


    Just then, her phone rang. It was a call from Joanne.


    "Grace, aren''t you short on cash? Want toe to Velvet Eclipse tonight?" she asked.


    Velvet Eclipse was the most popr nightclub in Druville, also known as a money pit for youngsters from rich families. The tips were insane-sometimes reaching tens of thousands in a single night.


    "You can really make money there?"


    "Yeah, I made 30 grandst night. The guys in the VIP room are big spenders. It''s my shift tonight, but I have something to do. I''d rather give this chance to you than someone else. If youe over tonight, you can have this opportunity."


    30 thousand dors?


    Grace was instantly tempted. She quickly asked for the address and took a taxi


    over.


    Unbeknownst to her, her face was one that people at Velvet Eclipse were familiar with, a regr.


    It was a club that operated on a face-recognition system. The security guards were well-paid. Their job was to memorize the faces of every club member and staff to prevent unauthorized ess. If someone upset the wrong person there, it could lead to serious trouble.


    The moment Grace appeared, the guards looked at her with obvious disdain.


    She had caused plenty of drama here before, most notably when she pped Yancey multiple times for getting too close to a hostess.


    But after Yancey got angry, she quickly apologized, switching attitudes so quickly it was downright embarrassing.


    One of the guards gave her a warning. "Ms. Lambert, please don''t cause trouble again tonight."


    Grace raised an eyebrow, confused by his warning.


    She walked inside and found Joanne in the employee locker room.


    Joanne took off her outfit and passed it to Grace, reminding her, "When you bring in the drinks, make sure you hand them the expensive ones. The pricier they are, the higher yourmission. Once your payes through, I''ll transfer it to you. I have to head out now, so I''m counting on you."


    Grace quickly changed into the uniform. The uniform hugged her figure tightly as they were designed to cater to a certain clientele''s tastes.


    She always had a striking figure, and now it was even more noticeable.


    Joanne lowered her eyes to hide her expression.


    "Alright, go on. It''s thest room down the hall."


    Grace nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Joanne."


    She pushed the drink cart toward the VIP lounge.


    Inside, Yancey and his friends were in the middle of a conversation.


    Hendricks Parker scoffed and held up a finger. "I bet she''lle crawling back in a day. Last time you mentioned breaking up, she practically threw her life away- jumping off the bridge without a second thought."


    "I wonder what it is about Yancey that had Grace sopletely obsessed."


    "If she wasn''t so crazy about him, I''d totally go for her. That face... damn!"


    The ttery from his friends gave Yancey''s ego a good stroking.


    For men, ego was everything. And Grace, with her beauty, had spent years chasing after him like a lovesick puppy, which made plenty of guys jealous.


    Once upon a time, he had liked her. But as they said when a woman became too avable, she would lose her value.


    He humiliated her time and time again, and instead of leaving, she had only be more devoted. Over time, he had convinced himself that Grace would never walk away. She would alwayse back, even without him doing anything.


    Recliningfortably, he smirked smugly. "I bet she''ll show up tonight. I know her too well. She can''t survive without me."


    The moment the words left his mouth, the VIP lounge door swung open.


    Grace stood at the entrance, pushing the drink cart inside.

 Chapter 10

    For a moment, the room fell silent. Then,ughter erupted.


    "Damn, Yancey, you really called it."


    Yancey hadn''t brought Alice tonight. Instead, he had a hostess by his side.


    Men had a certain pack mentality-everyone here had invited a hostess. Not having one would have made him look out of ce and reduced his credibility.


    So, one should never believe a man''s im that he was the only one who restrained himself when all his friends did it. Men would never want to be the odd one out.


    When Yancey saw Grace, a flicker of surprise shed through his eyes before settling into a smug expression.


    He frowned deeply as he set down his ss.


    "Grace, don''t you ever get tired?"


    She had already caused a scene here several times in the past, and now she was even dressing up as a staff member. Each time, she just made herself look even more pathetic.


    Grace bowed slightly, picked up the most expensive bottle of Roman¨¦e-Conti, and shed a polite smile.


    "Who ordered this? Would you like me to open it?"


    She had heard their conversation from outside, and her heart ached.


    But when she stepped in and saw this group of spoiled, rich young men, she


    realized they were nothing but walking money bags.


    She could make enough tonight to cover that hundred-thousand-dor debt. That bottle alone was worth a million dors.


    None of these men were strapped for cash, and right now, they were very interested in watching her make a fool of herself.


    Hendricks nudged Sloan Sidler with his elbow, his gaze flicking to Grace''s figure.


    "Damn, those legs are something else, aren''t they?"


    Both of them were Yancey''s friends. They had spent years mocking Grace, and Yancey had never once stopped them.


    After all, having a stunning woman so obsessed with him made him look good.


    Sloan, however, only felt disgust. No matter how pretty, to him, she was just a pathetic mess. "Grace, we''ll open as many bottles as you can drink today."


    Beside him, Yancey wanted to stop him. While they had money, those bottles were a million dors each. And with Grace''s alcohol tolerance...


    "Sloan, she''s quite the drinker..."


    Before he could finish his warning, Grace had popped open the bottle and smiled.


    "Deal. You won''t go back on your word, right?"


    Sloan hated her to no end. He couldn''t wait for her to make a fool out of herself in her drunken state.


    He leaned back with a smirk and said, "Yes, it''s a deal. Go ahead and start drinking. Grace, don''t say I didn''t warn you. Yancey doesn''t like you. Everyone in this room despises you.


    "If you end up in tomorrow''s headline after drinking yourself stupid and getting taken home by some random stranger, no one here''s going to clean up your mess."


    Everyone knew Alice was the family''s favorite. Grace was nothing but unwanted trash.


    Grace grabbed a tall ss, filling it to the brim, then downed the first bottle. She then proceeded with the second bottle, then a third.


    At first, Sloan was amused. Then, he started shifting in his seat ufortably. Grace didn''t look even tipsy, and it looked like she could down a few more bottles. Three million dors had gone up in smoke just like that. Even if they were rich, they couldn''t go on like that.


    The noisy room fell silent. Afraid that Sloan would be left in an awkward spot, someone tugged at Yancey''s sleeve, urging him to intervene.


    Yancey scowled and shot Grace a warning re. "That''s enough. Stop embarrassing yourself."


    Grace finished her fourth bottle and smiled. "And you are?"


    The moment she said that, someone immediately sneered, "Come on, drop the act. You came here for Yancey, didn''t you? I gotta say, your tactics are getting bolder. At least now everyone will remember you."


    Grace opened the fifth bottle, and Sloan''s expression darkenedpletely.


    Yancey got up and grabbed her wrist. "That''s enough. Do you really want to be theughingstock?"


    Grace twirled the ss between her fingers and focused her gaze on Sloan.


    "If you can''t afford to pay, maybe someone else can help you out."


    on''s face reddened with fury. He had never been humiliated like that before.


    "Grace, this unreasonable behavior of yours is exactly why Yancey doesn''t want you. You''re nothingpared to Alice!"


    Grace slowly finished thest ss and raised an eyebrow.


    "So, you like Alice."


    Sloan stiffened, immediately ncing at Yancey.


    Yancey''s expression soured and shoved Grace. "What the hell are you talking about?"


    "If I''m wrong, why don''t you look at your good friend''s face? You might as well investigate if he and Alice are having an affair."


    As she said that, she gathered the five empty bottles and lined them up. "Five million dors. Please pay up." She held out her hand toward Sloan.


    Out of guilt, Sloan didn''t dare drag things out and quickly handed over his card. Grace processed the payment and then nced at Yancey. The way Sloan had paid so quickly suggested that something had indeed happened between him and Alice.


    Raising an eyebrow, she said nothing. Some truths were best left unsaid.


    She turned and left to change out of her uniform in the employee''s break room.


    Suddenly, the door behind her flung open. Yancey stormed inside, his fury barely restrained.


    He grabbed her by the throat.


    "Grace, are you trying to die? You went too far this time!"


    How was he and Sloan supposed to face each other now after she said that in front of everyone?


    Grace stared at his rage-contorted face and felt a sharp pain shooting through her chest.


    The grip on her throat tightened, and she was almost suffocating. Pain spread


    from her heart to every limb, and her body grew cold.


    She raised her hand and pped him hard across the face.

 Chapter 11

    "Eve mullion dors. Please pay up." She held out her hand toward Sloan.


    Out of guilt. Sloan didn''t dare drag things out and quickly handed over his card.


    Grace processed the payment and then nced at Yancey. The way Sloan had paid so quickly suggested that something had indeed happened betwee


    Raising an eyebrow, she said nothing. Some truths were best lett unsaid.


    She turned and left to change out of her uniform in the employee''s break room.


    Suddenly, the door behind her flung open. Yancey stormed inside, his fury barely restrained.


    He grabbed her by the throat


    "Grace, are you trying to die? You w


    went too far this time!"


    How was he and Sloan supposed to face each other now after she said that in front of everyone?


    Grace stared at his rage-


    contorted face and felt a sharp pain shooting through her chest.


    The grip on her throat tightened, and she was almost suffocating. Pain spread from her heart to every limb, and her body grew cold... She raised her hand and pped him hard across the face. ce brad jeiked to the side, and his expressson froze in dishebel. His pripen her threat loosened instantly.


    He touched his cheek, stunned to several seconds.


    The Gar he kurs would neves hit him, bats L, she would rather but het self than see him get hurt, kt alene humiliate ban in trant at everyoncealin.


    Der sense of uneasecteptinto him.


    fen, drace asked, "Does it hurt?"


    Yanoes''s confidencetetimet She was taking (1) she was just trying to get his attention!


    I made sente quace loved has to death. There was no way she could live without him. -


    The took a deep breath. "Let''s see how long you can keep this up.


    Grace leaned against the wall, wanting sustil he finally let before she pressed her hand to her stomach


    Whm Yancey choked her aber, she was barely able to hold back the nausea.


    After drinking so much, there was no way she didn''tted it. Her stomach was already in


    She changed out of the


    verm quickly and lett Velvet Eclipse, just as she stepped outside, someone grabbed her roughly.


    Sloun gave her a sharp-


    kick in het stomach, then asked with a sinister look on his tice, "Feeline proud of yourself?"


    Orace wiped the core of her mouth, tinding the situation amusing. He had just lost five million dors in that VIP lounge but didn''t dare tosh out in there earlier. Now that they wete outside, he docked to ambus What a loser. It was no surprise everyone who stuck around Yancey was garbage.


    quickly approached her and yanked her up by her ham. He tezed so forcepolly that it felt like he was about to rip her scalp ott


    "Grace,


    you''re nothing! Compeed to Alice, you''re trash. Do you think Hendricks would be delighted if I sent you to his bed? He''s been eyeing you for ages, alter


    Tiklice told me that you made het angry on her birthday. You better watch out niest time, or I''ll have a few guys take hams with you and make sure photos of that act are stered


    Alice only needed to shed a few tears, and Sloan would do anything for her. All she needed to do was say the word, and Sloan would do it


    He looked down at Grace condescendingly and chuckled "Don''t piss Alice off again. You won''t like the consequences."


    He let go of her, scotted, and walked away without holding back.


    Grace''s scalp was burning, and her stomach was testing in pain.


    Slour was there to hit a woman. She didn''t egg him on earlier because doing that would one make things worse for her.


    Slowly, she pushed herself up. Her stomach churned violently, and before she


    could stop it, she vomited.


    Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen.


    leed unwanted trash.


    At least kan was right about one thing. Even though she had lost her memories, one thing was clear to her now she was indeed


    After emptying the contents of her stomach, she walked to the curb to had a taxi back to her rental


    Betore she could raise het hand, a sleek, ck luxury car colled up in front of her. The window lowered, revealing a breathtaking face.


    The man side had chiseled features so wlessly sculpted it was


    almost unreal. There was a distant arogance about him. His dark eyes were cool and indifferent as they reflected her disheveled state Even the light seed to favor him.


    Grace''s facetumed pale. Before she could even think, her body reacted firstand took several steps back.


    It was Elban.


    As far as she could remember, it was her firsttime seeing him in person, yet she was afraid of him. Cold sweat broke out along her back.


    Instinct didn''t le-she must have always kept her distance from this man before.


    11 Ethan was truly crippled because of her, how was she still alive?


    Swallowing the panic clowing at her chest, she forced herself to stay calm and greeted politely. "Mr. Henderson."


    "Where do you live? I''ll send you home."


    She felt her heart clench tightly Why was she so afraid of him?


    She had to lindost


    "Wight Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Henderson."


    She gave a polite bow before opening the car door, and her gaze immediatelynded on the wheelchair beside him.


    A wave of fear crashed over her, and her fingers balled up into fists involuntarily


    Just how tentiedof Ethan had she been? Even without her memory, just being along with him belt like texture


    The car started moving. She sat stilly and told him her current address.


    Erhan replied, "That''s close to Henderson Group"


    She didn''t dare say it was to pursue him, she had a feeling he''d throw her out on the spot.


    Mehtas she said that, the air in the car turned inigid, and achilian down bar spine


    She had clearlystepped on andesler, but she had no idea why


    Grace stood still, unsure of what Ethan''sst word


    meant. It felt like he had something to sav


    She had a strong premonition that before she lost her memory-


    she most have gone out of her way to avoid Echan


    Considering all the foolish things she


    had learned about her past behavior from others, she had probably mocked him more than once.


    Pressing her fingers against her temple, she let oufa sigh

 Chapter 12

    That night, she was startled awake by the sound of someone violently pounding on a door. She wasn''t sure if it was her door or someone else''s. So, she sat up and listened closely Altera while, the noise faded


    The next moming, Grace gathered all the necessary materials for an intendew. She put together


    Within half an hour, she received a rejection without even giving her a chance for an interview. Unfazed, she sent out applications to different departments, but the results were the same.


    It was rejection after rejection.


    Het credentials were solid, so why was her resume getting blocked at every turn!


    By noon, Joanne transferred her 150 thousand dors-


    themission from best night''s work


    Grace''s eyes lit


    She immediately pulled up Tim''s mumber and dialed hims


    me and submirted it to Henderson Group.


    If she had guessed correctly, the person who had helped her on the street the other day was then. And Tim was his assistant.


    She still teh an instinctive fear of Ethan and didn''t dare contact him directly


    Tim answered quickly, but he sounded reluctant "Ms Grace"


    She kept her voice calm. "Hello, Mr. Bet. What''s your ount number? I''ll transfer the money I owe you!!


    Tim''s eyes were immediately filled with a scornful look


    just yesterday, she had said she didn''t have the money and now she suddenly did?


    As he had expected, this had to be one of her acts


    He gave her his ount number and heard


    her ask, "By the way, is Mr. Henderson free anytime soon? I''d ke to treat him to a meal."


    She needed to ask him why she was being blocked from Henderson Group


    "Ms. Lambert, you''re finally showing your true colors, huh? Did Yancey say something again? Are you trying to pull a prank con Mr. Henderson to impress your fiance?! Grace was truly exasperated. No one believed she had amnesia


    "Il you won''t help, sk him myself"


    She had his number, after all


    Tim was pissed. "He''s busy. The entire month is booked for rehabilitation and work. Mr. Henderen won''t be going out"


    "We does he live?


    Thecall ended with a sharpelick after she asked the question


    But findingout where Ethan Irved wasn''t difficult. She found out he stayed in Palm Bay


    That evening, as Grace stepped outside to hail atari, she saw Alice.


    Alice''s luxury sports car screeched to a stop right in front of her. It she was even a little closer, it would have sent


    d have sem Grace flying


    Grace''s eyes glinted coldly as she watched Alice step out.


    Alice had put extra effort into her appearance. Het makeup was wless, and she carried a limited-


    edition designer bag. She looked every bit the pampered princess


    The Lambert family wasn''t among the top-tier elite in Druville. The reason


    Grace had grown up aboneside Yancey was because of their mothers -


    Games and Yancey''s mother. had bem best friends,


    Alice flicked her hair back and smiled gently, "Grace, what a surprise running into you here. Are you waiting outside Henderson Group for Yancey?"


    Grace felt an instinctive wave of irritation just from looking at her overly sweet, sincere expression,


    Gitar wasn''t wrang makeup today. She was only weating a simple white shirt and jeans. Yet somehow, on her, the simplicity carded a quiet elegance that was untouched by


    Jealousy flickered in Alice'' r eyes, but she forced a smile. ¡°Yancey and thave dinner ns. Do you want toe? Oh, and after you left home, Mors felt had about my birthday being nubbed, so she bought me a


    If this were the old diner, she would have cracked she world'' ve spiraled into insecurity, obscavel over her


    self-worth, and acted out in desperation.


    eximply nced at the car and smiled. "It suits you."


    Allel like she just punched a pillow. Theck of traction left her deeply frustrated


    "If you want to see Yancey tonight, I can smid you our dinner location," she offered sweetly.


    Grace ralied an myrtirov.


    So all those tunes she had interrupted their dates, it was because Alice had told her whieve to find them?


    So, she has been waiting for Grace to store up and lose contrul just sa Yancey wonki har her even inore.


    And then Alice would y the victim, drawing Yacey''s sympathy.


    That would have killed two birds with one stone. What a scheming little snake she was!

 Chapter 13

    Chapter13


    "Alice, Yancey is something I discarded. There''s no reason for me to pick him again. If you like him that much, then hold onto him," Grace said as she raised her hand and faced down a tax Her words hit Alice like a p in the fice.


    "Grace, do you hear yourself? You spent wars chaping after Yancey, doing all kinds of embarrassing things. How can you say you don''t want him the pist never wanted you! He told me in bed that he''s never even kissed you. Imagine that! You have zero appeal!"


    ?Grace''s hand was already resting on the taxi door. Upon hearing those words, she chuckled.


    "It a woman''s worth is measured by how many times she''s been


    slept with, then shouldn''t prostitutes be the most attractive people in the world? Have you ever considered...


    it might just be about convenience?


    The roundabout insult hit Alice hard, right in her some spot. Her face turned pole in an instant.


    "You!"


    She raised her hand to p trace, but Grace caught her wrist effortlessly.


    While looking at Alice''s hulous face, Grace''s expression remained Indiferent


    Her calm only made Alice''s outburst seem even more pathetic.


    Grace let go


    of her wrist with a flick "Talready said you can have him, but you don''t seem satisfied Do you even like him? Or do you just enjoy taking things from me?"


    Alice''s face lost even more color at that, and she pressed her lips tightly together


    Grace didn''t bother wasting another second on her. She got into the taxi and signaled the driver to go.


    Alice stood trozen, her chest heaving with rage.


    ¡°she must be taking it! There''s no way she doesn''t care about Yancey! She''s probably just going to cry somewhere in private like she always did!" Alice thought, trying to The thought made her feel much better


    "Alice, where are you? Are you there yet?


    Alice''s eyes reddened immediately. "I just ran into Grace she said some things, but I''m fine, I''ll be there soon."


    The


    moment Yancey heard the slight tremble in her voice, he was instantly on edge.


    "What did she do to you this time? Why is she always so pathetic


    "Yancey, don''t fight with her. I don''t want you to get upset before dinner"!


    You''re just too kind for your own good. Forget it juste over first Don''t let her nain or night"


    Alice felt much better. The same man who treated Grace like dirt put her on a pedestal.


    Thedfference between them made her feel like she had already won.


    "Grace, keep pretending You''re just a pathetic wreck," Alice thought


    Grace soon arrived at Palm Bay


    Thergest vi was set deep within the estate, surrounded by acres of private gardens, separating it from other mansions. It exuded exclusivity and wealth. After getting our of the tard, she stood outside the iron gates, resume in hand.


    She had a feeling that her applications were likely rejected because of either Timor Ethan''s personal involvement.


    But Ethan seemed too proud to bother with such underhanded tactics, so it was more likely Tim


    Grace stood there waiting, and the waitsted four hours.


    Aspen, Ethan''s car finally approached.


    Her gaze brightened up, momentarily pushing aside the unease she always felt around him, and she quicklystepped torwand


    The car rolled to a stop in front of her, and the window lowered smoothly.


    "Mr. Henderson," she greeted.


    n sat by the window, his voice as cold as ever. "What do you want?


    "I submitted ten applications to Henderson Group today. All of them were rejected"


    Her tone was sincere. "I believe I fully meet yourpany''s hiring standards. I reviewed Henderson Group''s recent project bids, and I saw one involving a government- backed Farin Support Project in Southbrook


    "I put together a proposal in just a few hours. Mr. Henderson, Thope you''ll take a look at it. I''m willing to personally oversee the project in Southbrook."


    Projects like this are typically more about reputation than profit-


    a way for corporations to build goodwill and position themselves for bigger government dealster.


    Anyone assigned to such a project had to be tough. After all, Southbrook was notoriously underdeveloped


    Quare stood outside the car hire gaze stealy and lopetd. She bowed slightly and


    watched him expectantly


    tjor any man to say no whim being looked at like that.


    dis Adam''s apple bobbing slightly


    A few secondster, he finally spoke, "You''ve changed a lot for him this time."

 Chapter 14

    Grace knew exacte who Liban was referring


    Erin Dassumed that everything she was doing now was for Yancey. No one would believe otherwise, no matter how much she denied it


    "Mr. Henderson, I really jint need money. I''m looking for a job, and Henderson Group offers a good sry tean handle hard work When someone made the m they end handle furd work, it would only invite igen themselves an endless amount of hard work. orace understood that, but she still wanted to get into Hendryan Grmp.


    She needed to find not what had really happened to Ethan''s legs. She needed to know what hof transpired between them in the past.


    iring in the car, Ethan suddenhe let out a soft, mocking lunch.


    Achill ran down Grace''sxpine Door apa, she had unknowingly pushed one of his buttons.


    He closed his eyes, his facepletely develd of emotion


    TEE you want to join thepany so much, help yourself!


    toe''s eves sparkled at that, and she quickly bowed "Thank you!e in tomorrow to process the puperwork"


    Thun didn''t respond, and the car window slowly rolled up


    "It wasnici unel the while passed through the iron pen that he finally spoke to Tim. ¡°Don''t do that


    "Mr. Henderson, Tjust don''t trust her. She has ulterior motives. She''s going to stir up trouble with Yancey again, and you''ll end up dealing with the fallout." than hired his gate to the window, his fingers resting lightly on the tile next to him. He said nothing


    Tim sizhed-there was nothing more he could say.


    Hebated Opace to the core.


    she disappeared, he would consider it a blessing.


    Meanwhile, Yancey had just finished dinner with Alice


    He took her shopping and bought her several designer bags.


    Il .odd. Normally, whenever he took Alice out alone, trace always found a way to interfere. It only made him despise her more.


    But tonight, things went surprisingly smoothly.


    He had prepared a long list of ins us to throw at her, but he didn''t even get to use them


    What are you thinking about?" Alice asked softly.


    Yancey lifted her chin and scowled at the fading redness on her cheek. "Why is it still not gone?"


    thelowend gare, looking pitiful "Maybe by tomorrow. Lately, Grace''s temper has been bad. She even pped Liam. He''s still upset about IL"


    "She''s getting more and more out of control and your parents just let it slide?"


    "Tery time they scold her, she threatens to leave home. This time, she was gone for two days. Mom''s so upset she''s fallen ih.


    Yancey expression darkened with


    disgust Whoever had Grace as a daughter must have been cursed


    "Good thing your family has you, Alice. Theard you made another few million dors on that investment. That''s impressher."


    Alice unded. "I own ten percent of thepany, and I''ve spent so much at home 1 have to contribute."


    "ich'' Someone''s teen lying off the Lambert family for years, doing absolutely nothing, while you''ve only been back for five years and already manage projects better than anyour. You''er both siblings, yet there''s The next morning, Girare dressed samply and went straight to Henderson Group to report for work.


    Just a ser waspleting her paperwork he HR department, the ran into Yanery stepping out of the elevator.


    shi was why she hadn''t caused trouble kast night


    egrated her and sharply remanded br, "Grace, I don''t war what you do outside, but I''ve told you a thousand times that Henderson aquup is not your yground!"


    sked at his frustrated expression and felt an inexplicable irritation growing inside her.


    Vatirey''s gate darkened. "You''re only making me despleje And don''t think I''ve forgotten that you pped Alice. You should be thankhill I don''t hit women


    band then, thar ftit statt handed Graceberpany ID she ced traspard around her nos k and booked Yatory directly is the eve


    minployer of Henderson on Yancey, I didn''te beer for you. Yourie init that special "


    Then, skiest imagedately, binred h?melt otherwise


    han ssly would someone asry as you suddenly want a job?

 Chapter 15

    race bound it ridiculous. She didn''t even bother responding and moved in walk


    But he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall. "Or, are you trying to drive a wedge between me and Alice?


    Grace fell an intense itch in her palm. She really wanted to p him right there and then.


    Just then, the door of the CEO''s personal elevator slid open it was the first time she saw Echan in his wheelchair


    He wore a dark suit, and his posture was regal even while seated. He excuded a cold presence that seemed to keep others away.


    His face looked as striking as ever, an wless it was almost immed.


    nicht now, Grace and Tancey were far too close, their bodies ovepping in a way that could be easily misunderstood


    She was about to shore him away when Ethan''s key, detached voice rang out, "Henderson Group Employee Handbook, Section 41. Noolfierromance"


    Achilles down Grace''s spine-


    it seemed the misunderstanding was only being reinfot.


    And Yancey, instead of stepping away, made things worse.


    "Eihan, Grace is just throwing a cantrum. I was calming her down. Alter all, she''s my fianc¨¦e, Can''t just let her sulk because she followed me here for work, right? She''s never been good at housework, and she business affairs, She''s not cut out for this ce."


    Grace deltaick It was funny how he never remembered she was his fiancee when he was in bed with Alice.


    She needed to end this engagement right now, or this would just disgust her to no end.


    Before she could speak, Ethan''s pazended on her


    Something about the way he looked at her made her entire body freeze-


    his sharp gaze seemed to plece right through br.


    The atmosphere in the hallway grew tense, and everyone seemed to be suffocating under the weight of his presence.


    Yancey''s face bad gone pale, his hand on deace trembling slightly.


    She noticed and scolded internally, "Coward"


    Ethan marred has wheelchair and headed toward another corridor.


    The moment he left, the at around them seemed to lighten immediately


    Tanor let out a sigh of relict and meteerd, "Eikun hasn''t been to the office for after ring to the country. Why did he suddenly came in today?


    Grace shoved him off. "Yancey, didn''t you want to break of the engagement? Let''s set a date, Inform both fails, and get it


    done over a meal"


    Yany thought he was hearing things. All these years, he had been convinced that Grace would never suggest breaking off the engagement And yet, she did just that disdainfully


    A flicker oftewelled up inside him. He grabbed her by the throat. "What did you say? say that again?


    Yancey had grown up in the Henderson family and was treated like royalty. He got whatever he wanted.


    No one had ever dared to reject him he that


    acer was a renowned beauty, and she had chased after him relentlessly for five years, but he had only thought of her as annoying throughout those live And now, she was saying she wanted to break things oct? "Grace, I''ll admit, this tie trick of yours has piqued my interest. Are you trying to provoke me


    because I''ve been ignoring you? up. Only I get to decide when this engagement ends. You don''t get asay


    "Don''t forget, thest time brought up breaking it off, you throw yourself off a bridge. If you hadn''t done that, we would''ve been over a long time ago."


    Grace''s neck hurt, and her cheeks were flushed red from his grip


    She raised her hand to p him, but he caught her wrist


    His expression darkened "Tonight, F''ll take you to dinner. Stop making a scene."


    Themoment he finished speaking, Grace''s koreshot up and hit him square in the groin.


    Yancey instantly doubled user, breaking into a cold sweat


    She adjusted her winkled blouse. The cheap fabric was already creased from his rough grip, and one of the buttons had even popped off, it made it look like she had just done something indomit


    "No thanks, Vanery I wouldn''t be able to eat sitting across from you. Go find Alier instead. And just so we''re clear, I meant what I said I''m breaking of the engagement. I''ll let our families know when tharer time. After al, the Landest family had always sided with Alice.


    "You woulda''i date!"


    She absolutely would dane.


    A strange sadors swelled up inside her, and she let out a long sigh. Maybe she had really loved Yancey ener


    But after losing line memories, all she could think about was how utterly blind she must have been


    She turned and


    walked down the corridor, wanting to familiarize herself with her new workce.


    And then, at the rotort, she can straight into Fihan agalii.


    His ganded on ber disheveled shirt and faint red marks on her neck


    ''At a nce, it didn''t look like she had been choked instral, it looked the something much more intimate had just happened. Elbanacwed his eyes at her.

 Chapter 16

    Grace only knew that her clothes were messed up, but she didn''t realize there were marks on her neck. Her skin was naturally pale, and after getting in a heated situation with Yancey, bet cheeks were a little be When she saw that no one was behind Ethan''s wheekhair, she quickly stepped forward.


    "Mr Henderson," she called t


    She ced her hands on the wheelchair and spoke sincerely,


    "Get lost


    She thought she must have michean


    "Are you heading to the penthouse? Let me take you there."


    Ethan maneuvered his wheelchair on his own, passing right by her Grace stood frozen fur anent, then realized he had just rejected her


    She took a deep breath and decided it wasn''t worth trying to bother has anymore. She found her desk, and of course, it was just outside Yancey''s office


    There were several members


    among the younger gurations of the Henderson family. Although Ethan was much older than Yancey, they were actually the same age. Every member of the Henderson family interned at Henderson Group. Ethan was Jordan''s youngest son. He was only hom in Jordan''ster years. Because of his talent and intelligence, he was designated the hair at an early age. Although his position had been constantly attack However, two vars ago, he lost the useet his legs and has been confined to a wheelchair since then


    People had thought the ident would cause him to lose his ce as heir, but Jordan said nothing, boving


    the family in a state of unpest.


    Grace sat down at her desk, and when Yancey saw her, he noted "And you''re saying you''re not here to chase after me?


    Grace took a deep breath and locked up as a young woman walked over, dumping a pile of half-


    height paperwork onto her


    desk. she ordered, "You''re new, right? Get this organized by tomorrow."


    The woman said as she rolled her eyes, her disdain for Grace clear.


    Grace didn''t respond, silently opening the first file.


    At people in the next cubicle quietly whispered


    "Isn''t that Grace? How''d she end up in the department?


    "han''t she just trying to chase after Yancey? Didn''t you see how he acted towed her? How embarrassing I wouldn''t have the guts to keep bothering someone like that." "This is just the beginning, she''ll keep cau Grace pretended she didn''t hear them and kept working through the files it wasn''t until 9:00 pm that she was done. The department was nearly empty.


    She yawned, putting thest file down and getting


    up to leave, only to see Yancey walk into the department


    When Yancey saw her, a hint of disdain crossed his face. "I said I''d have dinner with you, but I ended up having to check on Alice because she had a fever. Sorry I kept you waiting


    Grace had been in a bad mood all day because it was her first day workingte Hearing him say that, a spark of imitation re up inside her. Yancey tupped at his the, his expression full of arrogance. "Forget it all the restaurants are probably closed. How about kiss you instead?" tner''s lips twitched She honestly thought Yancey had lost his mind.


    She grabbed the keys from the side, ready to leave, but Yancey grabbed her wrist. His fingers tightened on her chin as he leaned in to kiss her Grace''s skin crawled in tear. "Yancey, are you serious? ng to take an interest in you you''d better not hun one


    Yancey stepped back, eyeing her warily. "Are you nning to kick me again? Grace, are you done making scene? I''m starting to down, or next time, kiss you whether you want it or not." Grier''s temper red, and her cheeks turned red from his arrogant words.


    Yancey noticed the change in her usually calm face. He''d been hesitant about kissing her, but now he wasn''t so sure it was such a bad idea after all. He had to admit that Grace was definitely attractive. Grace scotted and walked past him. You still smell like Alice''s perfume-


    the Lonely Rose, She''s obsessed with that scont


    "Are you jealous?" Yancey smirked as he asked.


    Grace had already stepped into the elevator. Hearing his words, she didn''t even feel angry anymore She was strangelycan.

 Chapter 17

    Yancey followed her into the elevator. "It won''t matter if you''re jealous. Alice''s a hundred times better than you."


    Grace was too tired and couldn''t be bothered to argue with him.


    Just as they got out of the elevator, they ran into Alice, whose eyes immediately reddened after seeing the twoing out of the same elevator.


    "Yancey""diecalled out.


    Yancey looked a bit guy and quickly stepped forward, pulling her into his arms. "What''s wrong? Didn''t tell you I''d be working gate? Why are you waiting for me


    "Is it really work, ai dul you get tangled up with Grace again!"


    Alice lowered ber head, tears inmediately welling up in h


    Yancey kissed her cheek, then turned toxicare. "Grace, are you not going to apologize?


    ace was so shimmed by the absundity of it all that she couldn''t even react at first, Why dat she have to apologize just because Alice was crying?


    she couldn''t help butgh "Why should I apologize? Because we''re in the same space?


    Yancey was left speechless, unser here to respond to that


    Alive grabbed his sleeve, and her eyes were filled wil tears as she looked at trace.


    light. She wants to know when youe home, Liam is on summer break,


    og dinner tonight:


    "Nouace, I deserved the p yesterday Don''t bemad. Mom was asking absent you during Voucan''t kepeansing trouble like


    this. It''s making everyone miserable."


    Very seemed to remember something and nodded. "Night! Youupped Alkor yesterday Hurry up and apologize!"


    Grace linked at the pair of maniptive, set confound indickduals and


    smiled. ¡°Lawear, you two must be out of your minds, You''re both delusional One thinks I''m head over he for him, and the other thinks Twant to share his cheap atletion. Maybe you should both go get a reality check"


    She honed on her heel and walked awing with long strides.


    vances, seething with rage, I


    du"l known Grace could be this sharp tongued before. He instinctively released Alice and rushed after her.


    "Visage, what the hell are you saying? You like me, don''t you? And now you''re talking to me like this?'' he yellst


    Alice stood in the lobby, watching them for Her expression tuned twisted in an instant.


    She pulled out her plume and called m


    "alice, what happened?


    Sloan quickh panicked, leaving the private room and finding a quiet spot.


    "Did Grace bully you again?" he asked


    "No, the just pped me, that''s all Sloan, I''m just upset. I need someone to talk to "


    "That bitch! Just wait, I''ll make sure you get your revenge!"


    A smile flickered in Alice''s eyes, hirr mood lightening. As long as she wanted, she could have a man she wanted.


    Grave had already reached the to, and Yancey stood with


    his arms crossed. "You used to never sit in a car worth less than 300 thousand dors."


    Grace had already gotten in "Yancey, how about we meet at the Lambert residence tomorrow night to talk about the annulment of our engagement?" Vanery''s smug expression faltered when he heard that, and "Grier, you''re going too far this time."


    Grd back in the seat, anting straight as a flower that posed to break


    1700pm ribe waiting at the Lambert residence."


    She turned to the driver and signaled to Trave


    Yancey stood frozen, his eyes locked on the car that was driving away. At that moment, someone suddenly bagged his wa


    Then, he heard Alice''s voice, sounding like she was sobbing and was full of tears."Yancey"


    "Alice, Grace said she wants to meet at the Lambert residence tomorrow at 7:00 pm annul the engagement.¡±


    Surprise shed in Abor''s eyes, but she looked down, pretending to be wronged. "She''s said that kind of thing a lot before. When the timees,


    She just wants to get your attrition. But this time, it looks like it worked. Yancey, do you really care about her now?"


    Yancey looked a little guilty and annuendiately cupped her face, kissing her lips solily


    find any excuse to avoid it.


    Alke'' vespimikin turned cold, and she pressed her lips together tightly


    "Yantry, dal yousee Mr. Edun today? 1 heard he came to thepany," she suddenly asked Comment by Chelsea Lah: It''s Yancey''s uncle. I''m not sure it should use Mi


    illis condrat since Alice was talking to Yaurey (who''s also attenderson)


    "I did it''s strange. It''s the


    first time he''s been back in thepany sitering back to the country."


    As soon as he luashed speaking, Aler''s expression darkened even further. Her hands clenched slowly, her nails diggling into her palu.


    "Beatty "Could it be because of Graef


    Yacoryughed as if he''d hunard the funniest joke. "Youcan''t possibly think.


    steelings for her, right? trace is just pretty and nothing else has doesn''t care about


    Adar slowly wed the lood fumber and looked up with a soft, gentle sinile. "I was just saying for the sake of

 Chapter 18

    te boxi driver and wird back to her ce that when she founded the corner, someone suddenly covered her nose


    Grace paid ther


    She struggled for a moment, but then she heard Sloan''s voice.


    "I told you before, if you keep making ice upset, I''d throw you to a man, hut this time, I''m not passing you off to just anyone. Hendricks has been wanting to sleep with you for a while Get ready tonight- he''s got some pretty wilj moves in bed. I''m not sure you''ll be able to handle ir "


    Inherited state, Grace felt half a bottle of liquid being forced into her. She had no idea what it was, but her body instantly grew hot, and the world around her became a blur.


    One thought raced thrmeh her mind-


    if she made in through this, Sloan would regret it


    was thrown into a war, her head hitting the side painfully. She briefly regained some rity, but an even stronger wave of confesion quickly drowned it.


    Threat stopped outside alusamous hotel and Grace was tossed into a room


    Hendricks and an weer both close friends of Yancey


    slon hat been in love with Alice for a long time, and Hendricks had wanted to sleep with Grace for ages.


    So when Shan called Hendricks, he thought it was a joke. He had no idea Sloan was actually bringing Grace to him.


    The two men stood by the bed, looking at Grace, who was now barely conscious Hendricks felt a surge of heat rise to his head.


    *Sinan, are you sure Yancey won''t get mad if I sleep with her?" he asked.


    an snerted and pulled out his phone, calling Yancey.


    The me picked up quickly. "Sloan, what''s up?"


    "Yancey, Hendricks says he''s interested in Grace. If he sleeps with her, you won''t mind, right?


    "Of course, I won''mind I''ve been annoyed by her for awhile now."


    sian smirked at Grace''s dazed form on the bed. "Good to hear. We''re still good friends."


    He ended the call and patted Hendricks on the shoulder.


    "He said it''s fine, so go ahead and enjoy. Make sure you get lots of pictures and videos. I want her videos spread all over Drawville tomorrow!"


    Hendricks couldn''t hold back anymore and pushed Sloan out "Don''t worry, I''ll take plenty. Don''te back till tomorrow afternoon!"


    dearly, one night wasn''t enough for him. He nned to have fun with her all day tomorrow. He shut the door and immediately lunged toward the bed. "Grace, finally got you where I want you."


    Grace only trashadow loom over her. Instinctively, she grabbed the nearbymp and mmed it into him.


    Hendricks didn''t expect her to still have strength in her body. The sharp corner of thempent his forehead, and blood started to flow


    "You must have a death wish!" he barked. He then raised his hand and pped her hard across the tace.


    rmouth, and she didn''t know where the strength came from, but


    Grace''s check stung with pain, but the shock made her Instantly more alert. Blood trickled from theer of her m the grabbed themp again and swung it at him


    Hendricks had been indulging in booze and pleasure for years, and his body had already been worn down. The first hit had drained his strength, and now, after the second, he


    Grace staggered off the bed, her head spinning. She saw themp shattered on the floor, sharp pieces scattered everywhere.


    She grabbed a piece, ignoring the blood dripping from her palm, and squeezed it with all her might. Only pain could bring her back to her senses.


    She quiddy straightened her clothes, prabbed her phone, and made acall


    The drug effects


    were too strong, and though she''d briefly woken up, it onlysted a few seconds.


    The wasn''t sure who she had called-maybe Joanne, maybe than, or perhaps Tim


    When the call connected, the qukkly gave the hotel address before stumbling toward the door with blurry vision.


    The head surged through her again as she reached dieer of the first floor. She wanted to ripolt all her clothes.


    The sound of wheels chord, and a clear voce asked, "Can you


    Grace tried to focus, her vision swimming as she made out bahan''s figure Instinctively, she took a step back, but soon, everything went ck.


    I was so hot that her body felt like a desert, desperate for water or any formed eller


    She had no idea how she maded up in the room. Her hands were out of control, touching everything around her.


    hat''s wheelchair was expensive and cold to the touch.


    She copsed onto the bed, her face bing iter fingersbrushed against something cool, like a lifeline for a drowning person


    Elin temamed in his wheekhat, wanoring. He watched her rapet expression as if the was desperate.

 Chapter 19

    Grace opened her bluny eyes and tried to look up at Ethan, but everything was a haor.


    She mustered enough strength to reach out and grab his hand


    that was resting on the arm of the wheelchair,


    Hedidn''t puiway, but he didn''t move any closer, either. He kept himsell at a distance


    "Give me wat please"


    It was unbeatable, the heat consuming her.


    Ethan''s fingers suddenly rightmed on her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Do you know who I am?


    chadna idea-all she knew was she was about to the of thirst.


    the hand he used to grip her chin beese strangely alluring.


    She took his hand with both of hers and kissed her way from his fingertips to his palen.


    His handled slighth, i at his throat babbed as he tuned his wheelchair.


    She was leaning at it, and at that moment, she fell onto the carpet.


    The temperature in the room was low, and all the cell see was him moving toward the bathroom. Soon, the sound of water running filled the space.


    race curled up on the carpet, feeling like her skin was crawling with a thousand ants, an unbearable, bone-


    deep itch.


    Than ignored ber, instead moving to aer, picking up a book, and starting to read.


    Gear''s breath came in shallow page, her body slick with sweat


    20 minutester, she felt like she had just been pulled from the depths of water, her hair drenched in s?ral


    Ethan moved over and scooped her up, carrying her into the bathroom and dumping her into a tub filled with cold water.


    The collision of scorching heat and icy cold made her shiver violently.


    For a briet moment, her mind cleared, and she pressed her lips together. She was soaked through as she sat in the tub


    Ethan''s expensive suit became damp from the sshes, but he sat in his wheelchair, staring down at her.


    "Are you feeling better?" he asked


    Gewor shivered again, about to say that she was feeling fine, but the heat came rushing back, stronger than before, overwhelming her again. She leaned back, nearly slipping into the tub


    Ethan''s reflexes were quick. He grabbed her just in time, his own clothes getting soaked in the process.


    Drace need in the rub, and her hands cupped his face in a frantic kiss.


    This mun-how could his kisses be so cold?


    She praed his lips open with her tongue, trying to pull more from him. But before she could, she was suddenly pushed under the water.


    Ethan turned around. His hands were gripping the sides of his wheelchair, his fingers were curled up tightly, and the tendons in his wrists flexed. "Corse out when you''re fully awake."


    done was truly awake now. Her body was still burning with heat, but now she felt the sting of the cold creeping in. She pped her face a few times, finally realizing her cheek was


    Taking a deep breath, she buried her face in the cold water until she felt her body cool. When she finallyrose, she almost copsed as she stepped out of the tub.


    The beat tud faded, but what followed was a deep sense of embarrassment.


    She stood at the


    at the bathroom door, water dripping down her body.


    Ethan still sat in his wheelchair, his suit visibly soaked. Yet, he was unfazed. His hands crossed over his abdomen, and he raised his eyes slightly.


    Grace felt incredibly awkward, her toes gripping the floor, unsure of what to say


    "Are you feeling better?" he asked. I


    Thanks for tonight, Mr. Henderson


    Hendation the bed "Take a look. II''s useful to you?"


    trace grabbed the file quickly to distract herself. It contained information abo the business Layouts of Durville''s major families, including their connection. It was invaluable for someone like her, who had lost her Ethen looked down, unbuttoning his suit jacket.


    Whim Grace nced atim, he passed, frowning. "Yurt out."


    They were coundly in a luxury sate, and they were in the master bedroom


    re awkward than ever, as though she were being treated like a privert.


    selled toward the living room, ring over and sering bn taking off his suit jacket.


    Before long, be trapperated, doessed in fresh clothes, pointing to a shopping bag beside him. "Those air your clothes tio get chungel"


    cirace hurried to grab thebag and went into the burcons When slir spened it, she found th chat thoughtfully included underwat


    Mher quickly changed, clouring at herself in the mirror. Her check was still a little red, with our side swollen


    Alter a momera''s hesitation, die opened the door and stepped oud.


    Chister


    Ethan was sitting in his wheelchair, flipping throughpany documents.


    There was an ice pack on the coffee table. He had his head tilted down, and his fingers looked long and graceful, exuding an almost ascetic elegance. "Ice your face," he said.


    Grace was still shaken from everything that had happened. It was already 11:00 pm, but she didn''t want to leave.


    She sat on the couch, pressing the ice pack to her swollen check


    The only sound in the


    room was the rustling of Ethan''s papers, and the silence was so thick that it felt like a needle could drop and be heard.


    Grace had initially felt awkward about the kiss, but now, seeing how calm he was, she suddenly felt like she had blown it out of proportion To him, that kiss was probably nothing more than a passing breeze. Ethan just seemed like the type of person who had no desires

 Chapter 20

    Grace kept the ice pack on her face for half an hour, and then she heard n say, "It''s gettingte."


    The implication ww.clear-she could renow


    She didn''t move, still sitting on the rosh. Her heart was racing a litle. Atleast here, she felt safe. Though she was stand of than, it was better than going back to face the unknown dangers waiti for her.


    Alice had easily manipted Sloan, so whatever dirty tick he had nned next would be even worse.


    tiace ced the ice pack on the coffee table and asked, "Can I stay here tonight? Dean shepon the couch in the living room. I won''t disturb you, Mr. Henderson


    Tthan had already termed toward the master bedroom. Grace understood the unspoken hint and immediately stood up to jesh his wheelchair.


    Even though she knew he didn''t need help, she had to take a humble approach, given that she was asking for a favor.


    When they reached the master bedroom, she spoke again. "I don''t snore. I''ll post manage for one night on the couch."


    "Do whatever you want


    Upon hearing his agreement, Grace''s face mediately lit up with a smile. "Thank you again, Sr. Henderson."


    Ethan didn''t look at her. He leaned against the side of the bed, slowly stamillest vgs.


    curace suddenly remembered something Tim had told her he was


    doing rehab. Did she just disturb his rehabilitation session tonight?


    she hurried over and supported his hand..


    Ethan had a tamt, clean scent to him-


    something like the crispsomt of pine trees on a winter day


    He sat on the bed and slowly moved his legs up.


    The way he performed these movements was graceful and effortless. There was no sign of struggle or difort, making it oddly pleasant to watch.


    Grace stood by the bed, thinking about what Joanne had said. Even if his legs were really damaged, there would still be plenty of women secretly in love with him. But had the ident really happened became She didn''l dane ask, tearing it would trigger a sensitive subject.


    When she reached the door, she politely asked, "Mr. Henderson, will you need the lights turned off soon?"


    She slowly closed the door behind her.


    She was truly exhausted. The effects of the drug had wom her out, and


    the hour she spent in the cold water didn''t help. Fatigue hit her, and she copsed into bed, immediately falling into a deep sleep


    The next moming she didn''t wake up right away. She felt like her entire body was on fire


    Someone was speaking nearby, and then she felt her mouth being pried open and something forced into it


    She frowned at the biner taste, wanting to spit it out, but the hand was firm, lifting her chin, and she had no choice but to swallow


    Ethan ced the bowl down and nced at the IV bag beside her


    "Mr. Henderson, her fewer is almost at 10 degrees, she won''t wake up for a while."


    The private doctor had been called over in the middle of the night, starting his work at three in the morning when Grace had begun running a ?rver.


    She had just gotten out of the hospital and hadn''t been eating well, so her body was already in a weak state. After a cold bath, it was no surpriseshecopsed.


    It wasn''t until 7:00 pm the next day that Grace finally stirred Her that felt dry, and she hurriedly tried to sit up but almost tainted


    Grace drank


    thanded her a ss of water.


    ole ss but still feli like she was forgetting something


    She nced at the clock on the wall and quickly tried to get out of bed. "Sorry, thave to go. Yancey is going to the Lambert residence tonight to annul the engagement. " If she weren''t preumat, with Yancey''s na Ethan watched her stumble toward the dour and sneered, putting the cup down


    thought you were actually


    was still logry the bad intended to open the


    bestroom door, but her vision ckened montentally.


    Beluctantly, the had to return to the bed Having had a fever all day, she waspletely drained. Before she could say another word, sleep took over, and she was out again.


    ined sitting by her side, his expression growing colder. After a long pause, le turned the wheelchair and lett the room. Meanwhile, Yancey did indeed arrive at the


    The Lambert Landy were pleased wlin


    ad that Grace had taken the butive to annul ber engagement with Yancey.


    Liam cantabted Alor. "Alor, owgrantions! You and Yarry an


    i is annulled, will you two get married right away


    was filled with bitter resentment inside. She was sure Grace wouldn''t show up tonight. After all, Sloun had already made his move. In a few hours. Those rimbarrassing, photos of Grace would probably be everywhere..


    Byd?n, meryone world turn their backs on hert, and even that


    guy wonki surely stop holding onto any lintasies about her.


    Alice''s lips curled kalo a satisfiedgrin, her eyes gleaning with a sense of twistedpparis.


    Sitting nearby, Yaurry rolled. He didn''t believe for a second

 Chapter 21

    The Lamberti were in high spirits, already discussing where the wedding would be held.


    Carmen held Alice''s hand, her eyes red-rimmed as she said, "Alice


    has really had a hard time, but new wrything is finallying together. You two need to take care of each other Don''t let anyone especially those who are aboys scheming against others happiness Alice smiled slightly. "Mom, Yancey and I will be happy."


    Liam chimed in, "II Gr?or hal pem up earlier, you two would''ve been together years ago. You didn''t have to waste that much


    Venery''s gane kept flicking to the wall, where the clock showed it was exactly seven o''clock. But there was solino sign of Grace.


    He turned to the nearby maid and asked, "Has Grace arrived yet?


    "No, Mr. Henderson, we haven''t seen her."


    Vincey snorted, crossing his arms, clearly displeased. "She''s noting again, is she? I knew this was her tactic. She always does this."


    The others'' faces shifted from joy to indifference, then to potnight disgust.


    Carmen''s chest heaved with anger as she took out her phone and dialed Grace''s number. Hut no one answered.


    She coughed harshly, furious. "I swear, sometimes I wish I''d never given birth to her!"


    Alice quickly poured some warm water for her. "Moen, don''t be upset. Maybe Grace is stuck in trattie. Let''s wait another hour


    Liam rolled his eyes. "Alice, stop defending her. She''s done this betare. Every time she says she''ll annul the engagement, she thenes up with some excuse not to show. I really thought this time she meant The mood soured for everyone except Alice, whose smile only grew wider. She was confident in Sloan''s abilities-


    once he lost control, he wouldn''t care about the consequences.


    diewe was nothing but a pawn to be toyed with. She deserved it


    By K00 pm, there was still no sign of Grace


    Yancey mmed his hand on the table, his expression dark "I don''t want to waste my tin I''m not waiting anymore. Mr. and Mrs. Lambert, I''ll be leaving. "


    The mood in the room soured further. Alice quickly got up to see him off. She said, "Yancey, don''t be mad


    Yanceywasn''t really angry-


    he was more frustrated, wanting to leave as quickly as possible.


    After seeing Yancey oft, Alice retumed to the living room, looking hun, as though she''d been wronged


    Carmen handed her a card with ten million dors on it. "Alice, this is yourpensation for tonight. Ten mm. Buy yourself something nice. And about that house you liked - we''ll go take a look together when I


    "Thank you, Mom."


    Alice hupped her arm. "You''re the best mom evn!"


    "You need to leam to fight for things for yourself. If you did, you wouldn''t always be taken advantageod"!


    Grace woke from her stupor, ncing at the clock and realizing it was already 10:00 pm.


    She sighed, forcing herself out of bed. The room was empty.


    This had to be one of Ethan''s sultes.


    She was drenched in sweat, so she


    headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower


    As she came out there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find a staff pushing in


    a foodcart.


    "Ms. Lambert, you''re awake. Would you like something to eat?


    Grace was absolutely starving and feeling lightheaded. She ate a little, and finally, some strength returned to her body


    Shechecked her phone and saw several missed calls from Carmen, Yancey, and even m.


    Yancey had sent a message saying, "I knew you wouldn''te."


    Grace''s expression remained calm as she also saw a message from an unmown number. It read, "You''re a slut. Next time, you won''t be so lucky. You''re donelor"


    She guessed this was from Sloan. Her expression darkened when she read it. After all, she had promised herself she wouldn''t let him get away with it.


    Another message came from the same number saying, "Hendricks is in the


    hospital. You''d better brace yourself for revenge. His methods will break you. Maybe when you wake sp, you won''t know whose bed you''re lying in.¡± These two people were truly disgusting. She couldn''t go back to where she lived for now. It wasn''t safe.


    She called Joanne and leamed that Sloan was drinking at Velvet Eclipse. Grace went straight there williout hesitation.


    When she found Joanne, she was still dressed as a walterss.


    "Panne, can borrow your outfit?


    "Grace, you can''t do this. If anything goes wrong, libeinplicated."


    Joanne hesitated but then handed over the clothe


    firacechanged quickly, putting on a hat, and headed to the private room where Sloan was.


    I¨C


    Shaam, the youngest heir of the Sidier family, was of noble status, but with an established heir to the Sidleys, his importance was limited.


    Grace kept her head down and served drinks to the people in the room.


    Even bete was tom the circle, some close to Sloan, others just random argisaintances who happened to be there drinking


    shon, alread in a bad mood, started insulting people as he got drunk


    "orse''s just a slut. Last night, Hendricks had her the whole time. Hah! You could hear her screams all the way down the hall,"


    lyhought Grace was chasing aljer Yancey. She was willing to sleep with Hendricks?


    Sloan sorted, "You guys don''t get it. To please Yancey, she''ll sleep with anyone around him. She''s basically a high-


    end prostitute. As long as you''re close to Yancey, you can have her A woman who


    sees a gynecologist hundreds of times a year? I''m scared she''s got something"

 Chapter 22

    The Lamberti were in high spirits, already discussing where the wedding would be held.


    Carmen held Alice''s hand, her eyes red-rimmed as she said, "Alice


    has really had a hard time, but new wrything is finallying together. You two need to take care of each other Don''t let anyone especially those who are aboys scheming against others happiness Alice smiled slightly. "Mom, Yancey and I will be happy."


    Liam chimed in, "II Gr?or hal pem up earlier, you two would''ve been together years ago. You didn''t have to waste that much


    Venery''s gane kept flicking to the wall, where the clock showed it was exactly seven o''clock. But there was solino sign of Grace.


    He turned to the nearby maid and asked, "Has Grace arrived yet?


    "No, Mr. Henderson, we haven''t seen her."


    Vincey snorted, crossing his arms, clearly displeased. "She''s noting again, is she? I knew this was her tactic. She always does this."


    The others'' faces shifted from joy to indifference, then to potnight disgust.


    Carmen''s chest heaved with anger as she took out her phone and dialed Grace''s number. Hut no one answered.


    She coughed harshly, furious. "I swear, sometimes I wish I''d never given birth to her!"


    Alice quickly poured some warm water for her. "Moen, don''t be upset. Maybe Grace is stuck in trattie. Let''s wait another hour


    Liam rolled his eyes. "Alice, stop defending her. She''s done this betare. Every time she says she''ll annul the engagement, she thenes up with some excuse not to show. I really thought this time she meant The mood soured for everyone except Alice, whose smile only grew wider. She was confident in Sloan''s abilities-


    once he lost control, he wouldn''t care about the consequences.


    diewe was nothing but a pawn to be toyed with. She deserved it


    By K00 pm, there was still no sign of Grace


    Yancey mmed his hand on the table, his expression dark "I don''t want to waste my tin I''m not waiting anymore. Mr. and Mrs. Lambert, I''ll be leaving. "


    The mood in the room soured further. Alice quickly got up to see him off. She said, "Yancey, don''t be mad


    Yanceywasn''t really angry-


    he was more frustrated, wanting to leave as quickly as possible.


    After seeing Yancey oft, Alice retumed to the living room, looking hun, as though she''d been wronged


    Carmen handed her a card with ten million dors on it. "Alice, this is yourpensation for tonight. Ten mm. Buy yourself something nice. And about that house you liked - we''ll go take a look together when I


    "Thank you, Mom."


    Alice hupped her arm. "You''re the best mom evn!"


    "You need to leam to fight for things for yourself. If you did, you wouldn''t always be taken advantageod"!


    Grace woke from her stupor, ncing at the clock and realizing it was already 10:00 pm.


    She sighed, forcing herself out of bed. The room was empty.


    This had to be one of Ethan''s sultes.


    She was drenched in sweat, so she


    headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower


    As she came out there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find a staff pushing in


    a foodcart.


    "Ms. Lambert, you''re awake. Would you like something to eat?


    Grace was absolutely starving and feeling lightheaded. She ate a little, and finally, some strength returned to her body


    Shechecked her phone and saw several missed calls from Carmen, Yancey, and even m.


    Yancey had sent a message saying, "I knew you wouldn''te."


    Grace''s expression remained calm as she also saw a message from an unmown number. It read, "You''re a slut. Next time, you won''t be so lucky. You''re donelor"


    She guessed this was from Sloan. Her expression darkened when she read it. After all, she had promised herself she wouldn''t let him get away with it.


    Another message came from the same number saying, "Hendricks is in the


    hospital. You''d better brace yourself for revenge. His methods will break you. Maybe when you wake sp, you won''t know whose bed you''re lying in.¡± These two people were truly disgusting. She couldn''t go back to where she lived for now. It wasn''t safe.


    She called Joanne and leamed that Sloan was drinking at Velvet Eclipse. Grace went straight there williout hesitation.


    When she found Joanne, she was still dressed as a walterss.


    "Panne, can borrow your outfit?


    "Grace, you can''t do this. If anything goes wrong, libeinplicated."


    Joanne hesitated but then handed over the clothe


    firacechanged quickly, putting on a hat, and headed to the private room where Sloan was.


    I¨C


    Shaam, the youngest heir of the Sidier family, was of noble status, but with an established heir to the Sidleys, his importance was limited.


    Grace kept her head down and served drinks to the people in the room.


    Even bete was tom the circle, some close to Sloan, others just random argisaintances who happened to be there drinking


    shon, alread in a bad mood, started insulting people as he got drunk


    "orse''s just a slut. Last night, Hendricks had her the whole time. Hah! You could hear her screams all the way down the hall,"


    lyhought Grace was chasing aljer Yancey. She was willing to sleep with Hendricks?


    Sloan sorted, "You guys don''t get it. To please Yancey, she''ll sleep with anyone around him. She''s basically a high-


    end prostitute. As long as you''re close to Yancey, you can have her A woman who


    sees a gynecologist hundreds of times a year? I''m scared she''s got something"

 Chapter 23

    space had eriginally nned to slip some low-


    quality dru es into the drinks of the people in the room, but after hearing Sloan''s words, she changed her mind.


    She slowly removed the hat from her head and spoke, her tone can but filled with suspicion. "Me. Sidley, are you willing to take responsibility for what you just said?


    Slim was stunned to see Cirace in person. Itis expression instantly changed, filled with appression "Grace! How dare you show up in front of me


    O?rer nced around the room and then spoke agdin. "I''ve already called the police. Mr. sidleyimed that Hendricks yed with me all nightst night. However, I have no


    memory of it, so I suspect Hendricks


    doigged me. Since Mi Sulley brand the sounds and is so certain,! should be able to act as my witness, right, Mr. Sidley?"


    Sloan Tempe, his face reddening with embarrasummat


    The room was filled with wealthy heirs, all iridbsential figures with strict family discipline. Moreover, they were all under the title of a legitimate heir, and if things went wrODE, they could be severely punished. Cling the police would be a huge disgrace.


    "who told you to call the police? Grace, are you trying to stir things up?


    Furious, Sloannged


    at her, but at that moment, several police officers pushed the door open, their voices serious


    "Who called the police?".


    The young hers in the room shrank back, afraid they might be taken in, knowing if their families found out, they''d be made to kneel for an entire nigh


    Grace''s eyes reddened, and she quickly raised her hand.


    called the police, officer. Someone said I was drugged by Hendricksst night, but have no memory of it.


    I suspect he used drugs. Mr. Sidley said he heard everything, so becan testy, right, Mr. Sidin?"


    Sloan''s Lace turned a deeper shade of red, and he clenched his fists tightly as he struggled to breathe.


    The police officers focused their attention on trace Shehad lowered her head, and they didn''t think she was lying.


    The officers then turned to Sloan before finally gesturing for both of them.


    Youe with us to the police station. And Hendricks, who is he? He needs to step forward ande with us, too."


    Drugging someone was no trivial matter, especially with fivettices present


    Velvet Eclipse was a popr spot, and as soon as the police opened the private room''s door, a crowd gathered outside, watching.


    All eyes were on Sloan. He was used to being the one admired, never the one to be looked down


    on. His lips trembled as he realized Grace had blown this situationpletely out of proportion


    Did she have no


    the police and mad


    A woman in this kind of situation was supposed to remain silent. But Grace had chosen a different path. Since he imed she''d been dragged, she called ties her witness. And now, Grace was only adding fuel to the fire


    "Mr.Sidley, the police are here. Why don''t you repeat what you just


    said? I know you''re close with Hendricks, and you probably don''t want to create a rift, but if we work together to send him to jail, he''ll never be able to cause problems for you again." "Grace!" he yelled.


    Sloan


    raised his hand to p her, but the poller immediately shielded Grace, their expressions darkening


    "Oh? You actually have the audacity to strike the victim in front of us? That''s an additional charge!" one of the officers said.


    With a quickmootion, silver


    handcuffs were pped onto Sloan''s wrist. Never had Sloan been so humiliated. Pank set in as the instinctively tried to exin,


    Grace covered her face and began crying, "Mr. Sidley, doesn''t my reputation matter to you? Why are you don''t believe me, hot ask the others here."


    Tare your


    refusing to tell the truth


    truth now? Everyone in the room heard you officer, it


    distanced themselves from


    The officers'' eyes shifted to the dozen or so people sitting around. When their gazes met Grace''s, they quickly looked away, their expressions makwand "Skan did say that."


    *Deali, we all heard it. "


    If they denied it, with Grace now using them, the police would surely contact their families, and they would all be in trouble. So, everyone quickly d


    ttare looked at the few who spoke u


    up with a grateful smile


    **Thank you, you''re really good people. You''re not afraid of the der Camily''s influence and are brave enough to testify for someone like me. I''m so touched." Her words wereartedly meant for Shoari.


    If Shan continued hanging out with these so-


    called friends, he would always remember the sting of being betrayed today.


    Aktan''s expression darkened, his eyes burning with


    anger as he red at the group The group quickly looked away, unable to meet his gaze


    The officers didn''tearealued the rest of the room. They grabbed shout and said, "You"ing with us. We''ll get the full story at the station." "I''m not going! Let god Do you know who Lan? Sloan barked.

 Chapter 24

    Grace raised an evebion, a trace of mockery shing in her eyes. She had to admit that Sloan was foolish to say soch things in front of the police. Thus, this was Velvet Eclipse-


    d the police dad to show iq, they must have been realy to confrunt any influential figures here.


    As expected, the police firmly held Sloan, don''t care who you areTM


    Grace''s lips curled into a smile. "Mr. Sidies, wherels Hendricks? Where is he?


    Fon had just tested her about Hendricks being in the hospital, and now Grace''s question seemed like a direct p to his face.


    lips trembled, utterly intrated. He had never been so humiliated before.


    The other tightened their grip on Skoon''s arms. "Tell us the truth. Where is the other person?


    Sloan telt utterly embarrassed, as the people who had just been Battering him earlier in the room now seemed to be watching the spectacle unfold.


    The pride he had alwins cling to was being trampled on by Grace. At that moment, he swore he would never forgive her.


    Outside the private room, a crowd had gathered Slon was a regr here, and almost everyone in the circle recognized his face.


    "Isn''t that the youngest hair of the Sidler family? Why are the police here!


    "What happened? Is hun here tonight? Can someone po tell him?


    Upon hearing the Sloan''s face drained et coke


    "Don''L"


    ackshi


    But before he could finish his sentence, the crowd parted to make way for aman dressed in a ck shirt.


    His parece


    exuded cold authority. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, and as he surveyed the scene, a look of impatience crossed his face. "What''s going on here?" he asked.


    Grace recognised him from the files she had looked through-


    Julian, the heir to the Sider family, a man of high this


    slo died not meet his eyes


    Before the


    police could speak, Julian casually pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and spokenonchntly yet with an undeniable air ofmand.


    Sloan, you tell them," the offices said


    Sloan stattered, seemingly afraid of julian. He couldn''t form acoberent sentence


    Juhan, growing impatient, put the lighter away and stepped forward, grabbing Slown by the hair. "I said, speak?


    "Julian, it''s not me, it":


    Sloan''s are shifted toward


    Grace, the idiot, would be to


    race. The truth was, he had drugged Gracest night if the police investigated, both he and Hendricks would be in trouble. He had assumed that scared to even show her face for days, but here she was, making Grace remained cdm as she addressed putian, exining the situation briefly


    "Well, str. Julian, it sees your cousin, Mr. Sloan, here said I go to the gynecologist hundreds of times a year. He also said that I''m easy to buy off if someone offers a little money, and we all heard it Now, it this g Slown''s expression changed again, and his tone was now desperate "Grace, you


    Before he could finish, a p rang across his face, leaving him stunned. His head snapped to the side, and blood


    mickled from theer of his mouth.


    Sloan''s eyes reddened instantly, but because it was Julian who had struck him, he didn''t dare make a sound


    Grace raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of satisfaction


    However, she wasn''t done yet. "Mr. Julian, I do have a question. Since you''ve humiliated him so openly, what if he turns around and ses me for all of this?


    officer, you can bear witness. If something happens to meter, the first person I''ll be locking into is Mr. Sloan."


    Sloan, already humiliated beyond beled, was pushed to the edge by her words, and he spat out a mouthful of blood


    Juanced at Grace, his expression untradable.


    Then he turned to the police. Thank you for your time tonight. We''ll resolve this matter privately and ensure Grace gets a satisfactory answer. Sloan''s foolish words won''t be


    He said this with such authority that it was clear anyone invoerd in gossiping about it outside would be going against the Sidler family.


    ce clutched the card in her hand, her vice light as she added, "It was all just a misunderstanding. But since everyone''s here, I should rity. I, Grace, am clean and innocen Mr. Skin is young and careless wi Skan, furious beyond words, rolled his eye and passed out cold


    Julian exchanged a few words with one of the police officer, who nodded and led the others out


    The crowd dispersed, learning only Julian and Grace in the room


    diem e started to leave, but she heard his voler again.


    "Ma Lambert, you''ve changed spalte a bit."


    She smiled faintly, her expression cool "Midley, don''t tell me your story answer is just to threaten me now that no one else is around?


    Julian walked closer, his preseter intimidating, like that of Yancey, but even more oppressive


    Grace instinctionly became wary, bundum she heard a vice from the door.


    *Enough with the drama. Get out."


    Grace turned to see Ethan in his wheekhair, surrounded by a few others who were clearly hispanions. They stood apart hom Ethan, all exuding an air of nobility that


    them feel almost untouchable.


    Julian pulled out a card and tapped it on Grace''s Lace. "200 milion dors here. Is that enough?"


    Julian meant for the money to be a hush fee. After Grace left the room, no one was to mention what happened that night again.


    And besides, she had already embarrassed Sloan-


    at least for now, he wouldn''t dare toe after her.


    Grace calmly took the card, her eyes glimmering with a hint of amusement. "What happened tonight? I have no idea. Goodbye, Mr. Sadley."


    Tulian''s eyes darkened with a hint of sarcasm in them, and he slid his hands into his pockets as he walked toward Ethan


    Despite being in a wheelchair, Ethan''spanions treated him with the utmost respect. They spoke to him with their heads lowered, and even Julian lowered his tone when addressing him. "I thought fold your guys to eave first," Julen said


    Ethan''s gazended on Grace.


    She stood in the private room alone, the overhead lightcasting a soft glow around her, almost like a protective shield.


    Amidst the chaos of the world, she smiled lightly, her solitude air strangely timing

 Chapter 25

    Ethan withdrews are and asked, "What''s going on?"


    Upon hearing that, Johan''s tone tumed impatient. "What else? That punk stirred up trouble again. I''ve been sick of him for a while now


    The group headedeuside.


    Grace quickly picked up on the dynamic-


    Yancey was surrounded by the crowd just beneath the city''s elite, while Ethan was in the center of it all, nked by the heirs of the most powerhdfamiles. They were reckless, muttled, and well- mannered but always carried an air of superiority.


    She let out a small sich and went to return the outfitto omne


    nced at her and asked, "Grace, do you really not care about Valley anymore?


    sloace changed back into her own clothes and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I''ve thought it through. I''m done plewing him.¡±


    omplicated look shed through Jeanne''s eyes as she folded up her work uniform, ¡°So, are you really working at Henderson Group just to chase after Ethan?¡±


    care chuckled. "Come on, seriously? When I first lost my memory, actually thought than and I might''ve had something. But now? I''ve realized he''s got nothing to do with me I just wants on my job and stop chasi Joanne let out a relieved sigh and smiled. ¡°I''m d you''ve figured that out"


    Now, with money in her ount, Grace sent Joanne a ten-thousand-


    dor transter. "Here''s the money I owe you. I''m heading out-


    Ineed to find a new ce in the morning The area I''m staying in now in''t exactly safe


    Joannenodded. "Take care, and next time, don''t get mixed up in stuff like tonight Julian''s not exactly the easiest person to deal with


    Grace rated a brow. "You know him?


    2611


    Joanne''s face stiffened up with awkwardness, and she quickly looked away. "I''ve been working here for three years. If someonees around often enough, I''ll recognize them." Grace didn''t press further and The next day, Grace arrived at Henderson Group, barely settling into her seat when a woman walked up with a sarcastic smile.


    "Some people really treat their job let''s just a way to chase men," she said,


    "Pulling shady moves to take someone else''s spot-


    hope you''re ready for the bacsh when it


    rames


    Grace nced up at the woman-Jessica Hull, the department manager.


    Jessica had been out sick yesterday, but Grace clearly remembered sending her a formal leave request after she had regained consciousness.


    Jessica crossed her arms and smirked. "Grace, the documents Lasked you to organize ne?r got turned in, which set the whole department back. So, you''re buying everyone afternoon cotle today. Drop your or The town jumped in immediately.


    "Thanks, Jessica!"


    "I order Smarbucks!"


    Jessica''s smuk deepened. She always had a sharp, put-


    together look, but from the moment Grace had joined, her dis had been crystal lear


    "Grace, how about a Sarbucks for everyone? Are you cool with that?"


    Sitting at her desk Grace acknowledged that she had missed work on her second day. Even if she had be sick, it was what it was-


    she''d take the hit


    "ho problem," shesad. "But shouldn''t be added to the work chat first


    A few coworkers nearby stiffened, clearly ufortable. None of them had even bothered to add Grace as a contact.


    Someone finally sent her the code, and she joined the group.


    It was a group chat for the whole department, and even Yancey was in it


    Grace ced the orders through a delivery app as thecoders rolled in Just as she confirmed the order, Yancey stepped out of his office. He paused beetly as he passed by her desk. Grare kept her head down, focused on organizing her work. She was not in the mood to deal with him.


    Yancey beated


    to slightly. "Do you have anything to say to me! En tree tonight. Du you want to grab danner?!


    Since she hadn''t shown up at the Lambert residencest night, he was in a good mood. He figured he''d amuse himself with her with nothing else to do tonight.


    Grace''s expression darkened. I was sick yesterday. Maybe another time"


    Yancey let out a coldugh. ¡°You really expect me to buy that excuse? What kind of liness lets you bounce back just in time to show up at Velvet Eclipse? The Lamberts called you a Who was she hidding? She wasn''t sick-


    she just didn''t want to break off the engagement


    Grace had no interest in exining hersel


    Wanery tapped his fingers again her desk, histone arrogant "Lasked you a question. Are we going out tonight or not?


    Hracoffed, "Oh, please Drop the actin''t know you were this good at ying pretend

 Chapter 26

    If Grace could him back time, she world''ve crowded her


    way to the Lambert residencest night, even if she had to die in bed.


    She took a deep breath andpletely ignored Yancey.


    Yancey, on the other hand, was pleased. Even though he and Grace had known each other for years, Alice''s arrival five years ago really caught everyone''s attention- she was


    Inconscioush, everyone began


    favoring Alice, and it had be so normal now that no one questioned it


    Everyone assumed rare was fist being difficult and that she would eventuallye back.


    The drinks from the delivery soon arrived, and everyone thanked Jessica, not realizing that Grace had actually ordered them.


    Grace did rare to address the matter She simply continued working dicently on the files in treat of her,


    she had scheduled to meet with a real estate agent in the afternoon. After recebing 200 million dorsst night, there was no remo As sowas the workdayended, she stood up to leave. At that moment, Jessicawalked over and handed her a stack of new materials.


    "dicace, sort these mut need them in an hour"


    on to keep living in that unsafe ce.


    Grace owed her brow, flipping through a few pages. "Ms. Hull, you gave me these same materials on the first day. I''ve already noted everything that needs attention andpiled a Jenkka''s expression froze up She hadn''t expected Grace to


    havepleted the task so quickly when she saw the


    finished product, she was still in disbelief.


    she was certain that Yancey must have helped because there was no way Grace could do this on her own. So, she brought over another stack of papers, most of which were simply repes of the enes from the fi Grace quickly skimmed through the new batch, immediately recognizing that it was all familiar material


    I smiled at Jessica. "Or maybe, Ms. Hull, is there southing you didn''t understand?


    Jessica''s expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?


    "I''m just stating the facts. The materials I''ve already organized


    are clear and concise. If you don''t understand anything, feel free to ask me.''


    "1


    Jessica, the so-called "Alpha woman" of the office,couldn''t be such an intialt.


    She took a deep breath, shewing, "A man probably helped with those materials you presented Grace, what are you so prouded? You have everything because of your family background you came from a reg Grace pped slowly, her face calm. "So, M., Hull, you truly are someone to admire. You''re the epitome of the modem independent woman; we should all learn from you. Is there


    Jessica''s face caddened with anger, but she couldn''t think of anything to rebotely


    Tm Bothing Eke you, a woman who only chases after men. Everything I have is earned throuch my own efforts," Jessica scoffed. Grace nced at the time. Her patience was running thin. "I''mnot interested in your personal history. If there''s nothing else work- rted, I''m leaving"


    "Grace!¡± jessica barked as her chest head with frustration.


    Garewalked straight to the elevator, not intending to escte things, but Jessica''s self-


    proimed "independence¡± irritated her. She had but herself up by putting down another woman


    She imed to be an independent was while tearing down others where was her true independence? She was just another opportunistic woman


    Graessen the real estate agent as scheduled, and the agent was very polite to her


    Ms. Lambert, this is the best property in the area. The security is top-


    notch. Only residents or those with the homeownermer


    This property was indeed nice, located near Henderson Group and in a quiet jet central area, which made it a good option. But the price was far beyond her budget, even exceeding at she could atted


    "This is too expensive for me," she said with sigh.


    Just as she finished speaking, she saw another agent waking in, apanied by Alice and Garmen.


    The agent was very enthick. "Although this vi has a small deponit, it''s located in the center of the shopping district, making a perfect ce for a single woman. It''s sale


    Carmen grasped Alice''s hand, her to full of sympathy. "This vi is only about 1000 square feet with a small garden. Are you


    sue you want to buy it? Mom can buy you a better


    Wice''s face was all urades "Mom''s yine 1000 square feet is enough for me, and it''s close to Yancey''s office. I can visit him anytime."


    Then the noticed Grace in the distance, surprised. "Grace, are you here to look at houses too!


    Cartes tinalipotired Goare as well, her expression immediately darkening, "What are you doing here? Seeing that I''m buying a house for Alke, are you nning to cause trouble

 Chapter 27

    Grace seemed to have not heard the conversation between Carmen and Alice. She turned to her real estate agent and said, "An apartment or condo in a small building with just


    two units per foot is fine forme minot considering standalone houses ne townhouses. Do you have any other Estings?


    *


    ¡°There''s one that may be what you''re looking for just around this area, Ms. Lambert Would you like to take a look now?"!


    Bornodded and followed the out


    Carmen, feeling ignored, was seething with frustration "Grace, what exactly are you doing here? Can you just settle down for once


    She quickly walked over and grabbed Grace''s wrist. "Last night, we agreed to annil the engagement, but you''ve left everyone hanging, not answering calls. Now you''re here unting yourselt. Are you shameles One quick shock off her hand with a cold expression "Have you said ergh, Ms. Oblik


    Centre for a moment contred by the formal address "What what did you call me


    Grace smiled Lighthe. "My Ok. I''ve already told you I''m cutting ties with you I''m no longer your daughter, so you don''t need to y the role of a parent. Your daughter is only Alice, and I''m so, I don''t really kn Carmen stood frozen as if hearing things that weren''t there in the past, if she had praised Grace even a little, Grace would have been pleased and promised to do better next time Now, however, Grace address Carmen didn''t know how to respond for a moment, but then she heard Alice speak


    "Mom, I think Grace is trying to get your attention this way. How about I don''t buy the house and give it to her instead? I''ve got other pl


    Carmen''s contusion disappeared in an instant. Of course, dewe was just pretending to be upset to get attention.


    "Let''s not pay attention to her. Let her put on a show. Eventually, she''lle back when she gets tired of it," Alica said.


    Carmen Book a deep breath and linked arms with Alice. "Who says we''re not buying


    it? We''re getting it


    "Thanks, Mom."


    ces to stay.


    Alice looked smugly at Grace, expecting to se jealousyor resentment inte''s eyes, but Grace had already walked a distance away with the agent, lookingpletely Al''s practioned to difort


    Cicerode in the car with the agent for about ten minutes before arriving at the new property


    The building was six stores tall, with two units per floor. The apartment was about 15 hundred square feet, and the location was excellent. The price was ten thousand dors per square foot, totaling slightly ove was also conveniently close to Henderson Group, making perfect for her.


    1. ts. Lambert, do you like this one? The owner is eager to sell. Since you''re a local, you know how central this area is Everything is close by, and the security is top- notch. There''s even slightly patrols, so it''s safe even for someone living alone."


    Grace immediately liked IL. The apartment was tastefully decorated, and the owner was probably a woman


    "t''s about 15 million dors Couldn''t you bring the price down a bit she asked.


    "The prices have been rising these past few years. This is the market price for an empty apartment, and they''ve added the fumiture and good- quality pieces. If they weren''t so eager to sell, it''destar million dors more."


    Grace smiled. "Alright, it''s contact the owner and sign the contract"


    She could tell that the furniture was high-


    quality, and the apartment was only two years old. Everything was in great e water to sell. There was no need to haggle further.


    condition, and the agent wasn''t lying-the owner was indeed


    The process went smoothly. Within an afternoon, all the paperwork


    waspleted, and the keys were handed over to him. I was so quick that Grace was a bit stunned. She could move in as soo


    woon in she bought some bedding tomorrow, and she immediately felt her mood lift


    Meanwhile, Hendricks, though not seriously injured, thought about Grace and red angrily.


    He was drinking with a bandage wrapped around his head, and Sloan, sitting across from him, looked tense, like he was aboys to explode at any moment. Hendricks couldn''t stand the frustration anymore. "Tha Hendricks immediately grew impatient. "Sloan, don''t tell me you''re scared of your cousin. Are you this afraid of him?!


    His words struck a nerve-


    Julian decided everything in the Sidler family if Julian wanted someone gone, they had no choice but to leave.


    Shan, clearly atrail, stood up abruptly, veins bulging on his forehead. "It''s easy for you to go after her. You''re


    Yancey''s uncle, and Grace''s been trying to please


    your family for so long, hn''t that what she''s been doing?


    range. That bach is acting weird, she actually dared is hit


    1. me.


    Sloan''s eyes tumed cold, seeming like a shake waiting to strike. "You go first you can''t handle step in and finish the job"


    Tine, I''ll make sure this bitch salters-


    she will wish she was dead rather than alive!"


    Grace ended up at a hotel again tonight. It was the same suite as before-


    the one that belonged to then


    She had grabbed the keycard when she left in the morning, and after


    spending the afternoon dealing with the house-


    buying process, she was exhausted, without thinking, she swiped the card and walked straightin


    She copsed onto the couch, letting out a tired vom.


    As she started drifting off, she heard the sound of watering from the master bedroom''s bathroom. When she looked up, she saw Ethan.


    He was drying his hair, wearing only a towel around his waist. This time, he wasn''t


    in his wheelchair-his feet were on the ground, though he walked very slowly.


    e mapped out of her daze and immediately stood up from the couch.


    Ethan stood still casually towel-


    drying his hair, before ncing at the door. He was likely wondering how she had gotten in


    was the first time Grace had seen him without a shirt. Water droplets ran down his neck and trailed down his chest,


    She quickly looked away "Mr.Henderson, we meet again."


    This is my room," he replied coolly


    Grace felt a bit awkward. She must''ve been too tired to think straight earlier. She hadn''t intended to walk right in


    Ethan moved slow, needing to lean on the walls or nearby humiture for support.


    His posture was still ned, standing tall as if he were a resilient tree in a desert, unbreakable and strong


    Without thinking. Grace instinctly moved forward and helped steady him by grabbing his arm.


    "Sorry, I''m really tired tonight. I wasn''t thinking I go book another room right away," she said


    Her hand was on his skin, which was still cool from the shower.


    He pulled his am away expressionlessly. "The couch is avable for one more night."


    Grace stifled another youn. Her body was so tired it felt like she could fall asleep in an instant if she had a pillow,


    "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Henderson *


    He didn''t want her help, so there was no reason for her to stay close. She turned to leave but noticed he was heading toward the hairdryer,


    Its movements west slow


    Grace rushed forward. "You need to dry your hair? I can do it for you.


    She stood on tiptoe to grab the blow dryer from the cab, but the cord hit her forehead by ident. She instinctively stepped back, bumping into a solid wall of flesh


    Erhan''s legs were still undergoing rehab, so he could barely walk when she collided with him, he lost his bnce and tell back onto the bed.


    Grace held the blow dryer in her hands, immediately realizing what had happened. She quickly turned around to get up. But as she moved, her clothes snagged on the towel around his want. He was barely cov


    "Grace!"


    Grace rose and immediately shut her eyes. She hadn''t mean to


    Ethan noticed she had closed her eyes,ed his gaze, and the braced himself against the bed. His muscles tensed, and his wrist bone remained rigid.


    *GereUL


    He grabbed the nket nearby and carelessly draped it over his lower body


    Grace opened her eyes, not daring to look at him. "Okay, Mr. Henderson, please get some rest


    She was so embarrassed that any trace of sleepiness was gone.


    As she closed the door behind her, the master bedroom fell silent. Ethany on the bed, staring at the ceiling. One elbow covered his eyes, and he was deep in thought. His hair was still damp, and water drople


    He was usually so cold, but now, the atmosphere around him seemed detent. It was as if the usual barrier of restraint had been broken, and there was a sense of dangerous allure about him.


    Grace opened another door, still feeling awkward "Mr. Henderson, I''ve booked a separate room. I won''t disturb you tonight. Goodnight"


    She was about to leave, but after thinking it over, she te she should at


    least be polite


    After a long peur, Ethas responded with a low hum

 Chapter 28

    Corace checked into a new room for the night,


    , and as she was about to rest, her phone suddenly buzzed with a message from the work group chat


    Curious, she opened it and found her coworkers gossiping about her


    Someone had posted a picture of her back.


    "Valy is Grace Staying in a hotel


    The probably has some date tonight. She''s always surrounded by men, right?


    Honest, she only got into thepany because of her connection with Mr. Henderson"


    Grace rassed an eyebrow, realizing they had probably forgotten she was in the group.


    she quickly typed a message. She asked, "Since when have had a lot of men around me? Howe I didn''t know the


    Thedon in the group had been pretty lively, with people em guessing she had slept with Yancey to get into thepany but once they saw her message, they suddenly sumbered she was part of the group.


    The group chat went sent Grace tagged the person who had taken her photo. She questioned, "Have you never


    theart stayed in a hotel before?


    The group chat became even quieter. If this weren''t a work-


    rted group chat, it would''ve likely been disbanded by now.


    Gracefortably went to sleep, knowing it wasn''t her fault they were talking behind her back. The embarrassment they felt wasn''thers


    When Grace arrived


    at the office the next day, she immediately felt the awkward tension, she pretended like she had no idea what was going on and focused on her work at her disk After work, one called her and asked if she wanted to go shopping


    Since Grace had bought


    a new house, there were still some furniture pieces the needed to check out in person despite already ordering some items online.


    The house was rtively new, so the future was also new She''d had a cleare in, and after picking up a few small things, she could move in right away


    Joanne was a bit surprised when she heard that Grace had bought a 15-ion-


    dor house. For a moment, her smile seemed forced: "Grace, weren''t you string financially? How did you suddenly get so much money?


    "Unexpected windfall," Grace replied casually, picking out a tablemp. She asked a nearby sales clerk,


    "Do you have any more


    nee vintage styles?


    "Right this way."


    They were in arge mall surrounded b


    d by lummary brands¡ªbaps, furniture, you name it¡ª


    and every item cost thousands of dors. Grace bought themp, left her address for delivery, and continued shopping.


    Joanne


    followed closely behind, and she widened her eyes when she saw the 50,0000-


    dormp she subconsciously curled her hands into a fist


    "Did Yancey give you that money? Or someone else? Joanne asked.


    Grace picked out a few more small items to be delivered, and she was already thinking about the new house. She was looking forward to moving in that evening "Neither. It''s a long story. Do you want toe Joanne forced a smile "Sure, I''ve never seen a 15-million-dor house before."


    How many people in Drunville worked their whole lives and couldn''t even afford to buy a house the size of a bathroom?


    As they passed by a designer handbag store, Grace didn''taven


    pause She preferred a simple canvas tote than those bags worth tens of thousands.


    But then a familiar voice rang out, followed by a hand grabbing her wrist


    "Grace, long tote no see. Hurry up and pay for this bag It''s only 30 thousand dors, and I really like it."


    The woman who grabbed her was in her 40s, well-


    maintained but with calcting look in her eyes.


    Greefurrowed her brow and gently pulled the woman''s hand off her arm, "Who


    are you?!


    The woman''s expression changed instantly after hearing that. She speed, "Come on, what are you ying at? Just pay already"


    Grace found the situation amusing and turned to leave.


    But the woman grabbed her wrist again, this time with a threatening tone "dieace, what''s your problem? told you to pay. Don''t make this hard. Don''t you want me to go to Yangry and say something nice about y Grace''s expressionrkened. "Let go"


    Joanne, standing behind her, said calmly, "This is Yancey''s second aunt. You used to spend a lot of money on bags for her and others like her, Oh, and Yancey has an older aunt whour bnd owes a huge gam Grace''s head throbbed at the revtion it took her few seconds to process it, and then she chuckled settly "Are you sure?"


    So, she''d been financially restricted because she spent everything on these leeches!


    At this moment, Yelena Parker crossed her as with a smug look. "Hurry up. Where''s your card? You''re not short on money."

 Chapter 29

    Grace recalled the information Ethan had given her. The rtionships between the people involved were crystal clear in her mind


    Yancey''s mother, Lily Parker, had risen to her position as the mistress and was indred very beautiful. After pushing the original wife out, her position had remained solid ever


    since


    h''s tamily background wasn''t impressive-


    she had three sisters and a younger brother, Hendricks,


    The tarnir dynamic, with three daughters and one son, was enough to exin a lot. Hendricks was the youngest, born when his parents were older, and he''d always been focused on marrying off his sisters for a


    But the youngest daughter, Lily, was diferent. She rose to be the wife of a wealthy man, and her sess lifted her entire family


    Hendricks,zy and useless, hadtched onto Yancey and built a connection with him. With just a little help from Yancey, the Parker family had no worries when it came to food


    and drink


    Lib''s sess made her two older sisters green with envy.


    The eldest, Olivia Parker, had already married into an abusive household. Her husband was a gambler who owed a massive amount of debt. The money she received as her wedding gut had gone to Hendricks Yelena was picky about men. After seeing Lily''s sess in marrying into a rich family, she thought she could do the same. So,


    o, after years of waiting, she was in her cos and still unmarried. Luckily, the past few years had been better for her since Grace had been spending money left and right on their family.


    Grace ran through all these connections in her mind, feeling increasingly irritated.


    Upon seeing that Grace hadn''t spoken, Yelena assumed she had already won the argument.


    "Grace, what''s going on with you today? You''re not even trying to pay. Are you not trying to get Yancey to like you anymore? Let me tell you, Yancey listens to me, his aunt Grace snerted. She must''ve been out "Please, give me that one instead."


    The sales clerk looked at Yelena, then at Grace


    Velona immediately grew agitated "What are you doing? I want this one! That one''s not suitable for me."


    But the sales clerk brought the other bag up, and Grace tried it on. "Mm, this one''s perfect."


    She took out her phone to make the payment.


    Yelena''s eyes lit up when she saw the price-


    the new bag was worth 20 thousand dors


    "Alright, I''ll take this one. Haha! Actually, I could carry this one too."


    She quickly grabbed the bag and tried to put it on her


    shoulder.


    Grace yanked it back "Hey, this is for me. If you try to take it, I''ll call the cops."


    Yelena''s expression changed instantly, acting as if she had been ripped off to thousand dors.


    "Grace, let go! This is my bag! Gove it back!!


    Grace looked at the sales clerk and asked politely, "You have security here, right?"


    The sales clerk inmediately called for security, and a few guards came


    to hold Yelena back.


    Yelena''s eyes never left the expensive bag. Her expression was


    twisted with pain the entire time.


    "Grace, how dare you take my bag! Wait until I tell Yancey. You''ll be crawling back to me, begging for my favor!"


    Grace shang the bag over her shoulder and smiled at her. "Go ahead and tell Yancey. He''s the one who told me to stop dealing with people like you. By the way, Hendricks is still in the hospital Dadn''t you know Yelena Troze. Hendricks was in the hospital? He''d always be spoiled by the family and had never suffered much


    Her gaze lingered on the bug, still reluctant to let it go. "I''m just leaving it with you for a few days. You''ll bring it back to me eventually."


    She shrugged off the guards hands and sneered, "Grace, as long as you still care about Yancey, we''ll have you wrapped around our fingers. Next time, you better have a hundred thesand dor bug ready for m

 Chapter 30

    Grace''s gaze dukened as she walked not, her new big over her shoulder, Joanne followed behind her, asking, "Are you really going to use that bag?! "What''s wrong with an?


    kowne shook her head, a hinted disappointment in her eyes.


    "Toanne, let''s go I want to check out my new cftonight, I''ll make dinner, and we can eat together."


    ne give a forced smile, ¡°Sure, sounds good."


    After leaving the store, Velena immediately called Yancey "Yancey, Theard


    your uncle''s in the hospital What''s going on?


    Yancey didn''t rwn know what was happening All he knew was that Grace had caused a scene in the VIP lounge at Velvet Eclipse, humiliating Sloan. He''d heard that Julian hadi goften involved, but an wasn''t


    e had asked Hendricks himself, but he only said it was trace''s doing -


    Grace rrally was a troublemaker, causing problems everywhere she went


    Tanery was already imitated. He didn''t like Life''s side of the family much, especially his aunts Olivia and Yelena. The greed in their eyes was enough to make anyone ufortable. They often asked for money he hadn''t heard from them in awhile.


    That non, mut of nowhere, they were calling again.


    Yelena sighed in rebel, but her tone turned harsh as the mentioned Grace again.


    "That Grace is acting like she''s cursed. She just took my 4D thousand-


    dor bag and insulted me, even tried to stir trouble by saying you told her to do it. Yancey, you should tak tor and get my bag back"


    So that was what this way about


    Yancey hit a cigarette and took a few putts. "I see. She just


    got out of the hospital, so she''s probably in a bad mood. I''ll call herter?


    Yelena''s even glevened with satisfaction. She knew that bag would eventuallye back to her


    Grace had just arrived at her new house when she received Yancey''s call Sheepened the door and answered in a neutral tone,


    Aunt Yelena told me you stole her bag Grace, you''re really going act the rails cl


    Giner''s head throbbed in pain, and her heart felt sour. She took a deep breath and asked, "Is


    that why pscaled me?


    "Isn''t this worth mentioning? How long are you going to keep making scene?"


    Even if she was trying to get his attention, this was petting out of hand


    Grace ended the call, immediately blocking him from contacting her again... -


    She ced the groceries she''d bought on the bar counter and said to Joanne, "Make yourselffortable. The fire should be here soon. I had the cleanerse by this afternoon, and everything''s sanitized and nice and clean"


    The original owner had great taste, and the apartment was perfect for a woman. It was about 15 hundred square feet and was quite spacious. Joanne pressed her lips together, her smile fading slightly. After a long pe, she asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Are you living here by yourself?" Yeah, I moved out of the Lambert residence," Grace replied.


    "Who was that on the phone? Was it Yancey? It''s your first night in the new ce. Don''t you want to invite him ever for dinner


    Grace couldn''t shake the feeling that Joanne was way too interested in her personal te


    "Joanne, I''m toet him. Please don''t being him up around me again. It''s so annoying"


    Joanne gave an awkward smile as she sat down on the nearly couch.


    "After all those years, you really need on?" she asked.


    I was nd f¨¹r kove before Now, I know what I''m doing."


    A hourter, Grace had peopend a few dislus. As soon as they feashed eating, the furniture from the mall actived.


    which she ced around the living room and bedroom. The decorations made the ce feel warm and cozy.


    "Joanne, do you want to stay the night? orare asked.


    "No, Estill have to go to workter."


    Gare personally escorted her


    downstairs, and on her way back, she bumped into a woman with wavy, volumus har


    The woman unbelled aptly of alcohol Her appearance looked polished from head to for


    The elevation on the same floor, and Grace realized this woman was her neighbor. Her name wa


    Selemented her and word she asked, "Grace, you moved in line?"


    Selite je


    Selene se?ined a little unsteady, so Grace instithely reached out to steady her


    air and booked at Grace will a drunkets har in her


    eyes. "Moving out is a good idea. I don''t know how you managed to stay in that house for so long. Thave to


    She opened her door, and a white dog immediately ran out. She yowned as she asked, "ty the way, have you slept with Yancey yet?


    ditacemacaight off guard by the abruptess of the question.


    Selene Tested against the doonfrater, looking every bit the seductress, every gesture ooring allure:


    "Are you sti virgin? No wonder you''re chasing after lilishard Mmarlike that -


    they lose Interest once they''ve had a taste. You''re still chasing him around, so it''s obvious

 Chapter 31

    you haven''t been there. Here, take this. Maybe you''ll find it useful."


    She tossed something at Grace, who instinctively caught it.


    It was a blister pack of pills, with nobel or indication of what they were for.


    Selene smiled shy, a glint of mischief in her eyes. Finally, she said, "Goodnight"


    Grace stood there, confused, holding the pills as she entered her new home. She absentmindedly ced them into her new bag


    This circle was full of familiar faces, and everyone knew about her pursuit of Yancey.


    Selene was from the Jensen family, one of the top five families in Druville. Despite being adopted, she was highly capable but wasn''t really epted by the family, which was why shelvedha.


    She was


    known for her bold, provocative style, and rumors about her spread like wildfire


    A beautiful woman, always impably


    dressed, could never escape the shadow of scandal. Such things were unavoidable, especially in a society dominated by men.


    That numming, Grace made herself breakfast before she left the house.


    This home washers nim, so she didn''t need to beg for scraps from the Lambert fandy anymore. Besides that, with the 150 million dors she had left, she no longer had to beg othes foi mooreta pavile zo- thousand dor medical bill.


    At the thought of the medical bill, she tumedatelky,big et tihan''s number and sent him a friend request on Instagram.


    Wewe even till lunch berak, he sull badn''t epted it Seeing that, Grace coillenty


    I still our you 10 thousand dors. I was wondering if it would be possible to add you on Instagram?¡±


    de was typical at the usually loot man, Ethan didn''t respond.


    sked at her desk for a while before she suddenly noticed Jessica walking over, Thetter ced a project contract on her desk.


    bert, you''re to personally heal to Southbrook for the Farm Support Project. Go back home now to pick up, then be off. If you think this is too hard for you, you''re


    to nesten immediately. After all, the department can manage without you just line"


    When the rest et Grace''s colleagues heard that she had been given this task, they all breathed a sigh of relief.


    Southbrook was a poor area, and since the project was in coboration with the government, there was little profit to be had. Most of them also didn''t care about gaining a good reputation, as those who made it Hence, nothing mily edit be gained from this project but suffering.


    Being sent there was an undertate matter, and that poor soul this time was Grace


    Everyone was vilbly ted as they pretended to congratte Grace.


    "Grace, this means, out superiors think highly of you!"


    "That''s right'' We could only dream of going!


    ace had already promised Ethan the other night that she would personally go to Southbrook for the Farm Support Project, but she just couldn''t stand this sarcastic bunch.


    to go there so much, I could always talk to Mr. Henderson. Coincidentally, I need an assistant. You''re all wee to apply for the position."


    His colleagues instantly stopped their pretentious behavior, their faces turning pale.


    Standing up, Grace grabbed the folder containing information on the project and headed to the top floor


    Since Jessica didn''t like her, she hadn''t told Grace much. Hence, Grace didn''t even know who would go to Southbrook with her or when they would depart However, upon arriving at the top floor, drace spotted


    Tim browned when he saw that it was Grace. "Ms. Lambert"


    Is Mr. Henderson in? There''s too little information here on the Southbrook Farm Support Project, so I-


    Henderson isn''t sering anyone today."


    I have to leave soon to pack my luggage, at least need to know a rough itinerary''


    Nheless, Tu didn''t respond to her words.


    Awe of disappointment crashed over Grace, followed by a surge of humiliation.


    Ever since she woke up in the hospital, she had already grown used to everyone treating her badly.


    Even so, she had hoped than would be debet, she had thought he didn''t hate her like the others did, but it seemed that had just been wishful thinking on her part. Currently, she felt like a soltarynd in a vast o Sailing, she said, "Tine, then go pack my things now"


    Tim continued to igate her, clearly disdainful of lier presence.


    Gor returned to her house and packed


    four sets of clothes and two pairs of sports shoes. Just as she finished packing, she received a text message from Eihan.


    "Come dumistas"


    She stared at the message in surprise, momentarily wondering if she was seeing things


    However, when the braded downstairs with her luggage, she saw En''s car parked outside


    Palling open the door of the extended luxury car, she spotted Elhan sitting inside. His wheelchair was beside him.


    Mr Henderson, are you going to scutii brook too?"


    Coulderpanion for this triple him!


    Bat wasn''t the


    project at Smook to support the local farmers? Was it really necessary for the head of Henderson Group to make the trip himself?

 Chapter 32

    ace slipped inside the vehicle. At the realization that herpanion would be ihan, that instinctive


    fear reared in head again.


    (Laid across Ithan''sp When he spoke, his tone was indifferent


    There was a folder La


    The Farm Support Project in''t the only project going on at Southbreak. Half an hour ago, the government announced a tender for a tourism development project"


    Atourism development project?


    southbrook was an impoverished area, but one good thing came out of that¡ª


    had plenty of natural scenery


    mauishy, the government didn''t date make the decision to develop Southbrook into atourist destination. Now that they had relented, there was no doubt manypanies


    eda piece of the pic.


    Besides that many locations from Soulbrook in Drusille could also be developed into tourist attractions, which would sittely generate inmeuble profits in the future


    Giare immediatch turned on her nench boughtptop and began searching for attractions near Southbrook


    A momentter, she understood why Ethan hat personallye this time. The government was not only willing to have the area developed, but they were also offering significant


    This was good news for Henderson Group as they had the Fam Support Project arealy. As long as theypleted it well, they would be the first choice of coboration partner tiace tapped in a spot on the map and said, "M. Henderson, I remember this ce has a notoriously haunted city. Maybe we could turn it into a huge haunted house.


    Wangsters nowators love this, and those haunted lines in cities aren''t enough for them anymore, so arge-


    scale haunted house like this is sure to attract a lot of people."


    There was also the fact that the younger generation''s mindset was different now. They were more focused on enjoying themsehes. As


    long as they had a good time, they wouldn'' mind paing a line more for the experience.


    She pointed out a few other locations. "This spot is also close to several other areas where people can go for extreme sports. We could link them all together so it''s more


    after she circled out several more locations, than remained indifferent


    Seeing that, Grace deted and stopped talking she couldn''t help but wonder if he thought her ideas weebal.


    Besides that, she was starting to grow nervous after being alone with him in the same space for so long.


    Ethan wet down the document and leaned back in his seat. "Best first"


    11 would take at least 7 or 8 hours to get to Southbrook


    Grace nodded, but her phone rang just as she was about to shut her eyes. The caller ID showed it was Yelena


    After she epted the call, Yelena''s smug voice came over the phone...


    "Did Yancey call you yet? Why haven''t you sent over that bag?


    Frowning, Grace blocked Yelena''s number as well.


    helen, who was used to Grace being meek toward her,


    was utterly furious at suddenly being treated this way.


    She called Yasory next was only after Yancey tried calling Grace that he discovered he had been blocked po


    Yancey sat in a private room in a bar, seemingly rather distracted


    By then, night had fallen, Que of hispanies shoved his shoulder.


    "What''s up with you, Mr. Henderson? You see rather out of ic"


    as was nearby, interjected, "Are you worried because Alice is going to Southbreak?"


    Heating that, Yancey furrowed his brows. "Alice is going to Southbrook".


    Why didn''t he know that?


    Bealizing he bad let his tongue slip, Sloan hurriedly exined, "Tactually found out from someone else. The Lambert Candy wants to work with the government, and it just so happens that Soutubrock har a tour that a good trand working in the government, she was uttered an opportunity to help with the Farm Support Project everything goes well, the Lambert family will also petash?ref the pie in the trader. Aloe volunte Vancey''s expression swiftly turned ss lips curved into a mile. "Alice has always been like that. She has quite a bit of authority in thepany"


    sand plenty ut people saying Alice was dout as capable as Chantin himselt.


    pooled, "Who were you on the phone with just now?


    maskings


    I done that in a while


    Attleet of Grace, Vodily again. How dare she block his number?


    There was hit may far would spateluri ewn a nce if she begged on bikes


    Hestood ugo deciding to pay a visit to the Lambert turtly.


    Upon aliving at the


    to take her back in the future.


    milent residence, he spotted Lian sifting cross legged on the couch. Thetter habitually ordered, "Hey, Grace, make me a cupol pace."


    ja kretalelor you as her brother amor


    (mobile game, best at this poist, he stopped it was only then he recalled that Grace hali''t returned home for several days now,


    "Mom, it pad slzyedout of habit she''ll be back sooner orter."


    Maybe she would even buy a limited-


    edition figura appease him, as she used to do in the past. However, she had indeed crossed the line this time, so he wouldn''t be so quick to forgive her


    Seeing that Yancey had arrived, Carmen immediately stood up "Yancer, what brings you here?:


    "Mrs. Lambert, where''s Alice?


    "She''s still at thepany. That girl is honestly too hardworking. She''s about to leave for Southbrook, and that worries me to no end. Do you have any idea how impoverished that area is? She''s just asking to s "It''s a good thing that she''s working so hard, but as her mother, how could I stop worrying?"


    icey found himself liking Alice even more. When he thought of how Grace used toze around doing nothing these past few years, utter disdain shone in his eyes.


    Indeed, Grace was nowhere near the same league as Alice


    At that mort, Liam spoke up "Mem, you still don''t know Alice, do you? She has to be capable and diligent. Why else would Yancey like her so much? As for Grace, it''s no surprise that she doesn''t have good soc There was nothing but  written across Liam''s face. After defeating the boss in his mobile game, he turned to Yancey with a smile


    "Yancey, are you heading over to Southbrook to meet Alice?


    Feeling a warmth surge through him, Yancey replied, "I''ll go a couple of dayster. Wouldn''t want to disturb her ns. "


    Just then, Quentin came downstairs, a gratified look on his face. "Alice has


    left with the technical team. Everyone at thepany has nothing but high praise for her." The family of three shared in delighted chatter, and even Yancey joined in. Not a single one of them even thought of Gr

 Chapter 33

    The local person in charge took them to a high-


    end bed and breakfast, judging from the architecture, it was undoubtedly a aurious amodation. Only after asking did they find out in wean specifically used to host Vih


    inpposite each other..


    seated in his wheelch


    person in charge still spoke in a trembling voice, cowed by the sheer dominating air Ethan gave off. He didn''t even dare raise


    Fically be united the


    courage to say, "Mr. Henderson, I''ll take you around tomorrow morning"


    once Ethan nodded, the person in charge wiped the sweat from his forehead and hastily departed.


    Tim''s room was a considerable distance vy Upon discovering Grace would be staying opposite then, he was somewhat unhappy, yet he didn''t dare speak up in protest


    nly Grace d Ethan were left in the corridor, Grace opened his room door for him.


    Mr. Henderson, please test well-


    itztuan, was truly handsome and a sight for sore eyes no matter when


    odding, he closed his room door


    sher room to take a shower and wash her


    hair, only to realize the hairdryer was broken By then, it was already 11 at night. Since the VIP rooms were about ten


    front desk, she couldn''t be bothered to seek help there. Instead, she went to knock on Ethan''s room door.


    As the door opened to reveal than, it was clear he had just finished his own shower, as his hair was wet too.


    e appeared a lot more approachable with his hair hanging limply around his face.


    i thin wasn''t Grace''s first time seeing him like this, her heart still skipped a beat at the sight.


    He was dressed in.


    and his expression was cold. His lips were also somewhat pale.


    "Mr. Henderson, the harder in my room is broken Could I borrow yours? Do you need to use it?


    Ethan shook his head, letting out two coughs as he did so


    Grace grabbed the hairdryer and was about to return to her room when she heard him coughing once more. Thus, she asked, "Do you have a cold? I have some medicine with me.


    At first, she thought he would reuse, but to her surprise, he wheeled himself behind her and followed her to her room.


    She pointed at her bag and said, "The medicine''s in there. I''ll get you some water."


    She searched the room for a bottle of water, which she then opened and handed to him.


    After that, she headed to the bathroom to dry her hair


    Ihan popped the white pills into his mouth and swallowed. Following that, he turned to gaze at the scenery outside the window.


    This bed and breakfast was quently designed, with every window looking out on a different view.


    once Grace had finished drying her hair, she stepped out of the bathroom. Upon realizing he was still there, she swiftly gathered up the hairdryer''s wine


    I Henderson, do you want to dry your hair too!!


    However, Ethan remained silent. His body was tense, as though he was trying hard to restrain himself.


    Hurrying over to his side, Grace sanw


    s face was flushed, and sweat was beaded across his forehead. Some were rolling down the sides of his angr cheeks


    She nced at the blister park on the bed and felt her heart skip a beat. It was none other than the mystery drug Selene had given her the other day. She had tossed it into her handug, so it had gotten mixed up cold medicine


    A shudder went through Grace. She reached out to feel Ethan''s forehead, noting how it was burning hot.


    Not only was he now running a fever, but he had also tab that kind of drug-


    If Tim found out, there was no way she could prove her innocence!


    Henderson, E''ll go get you a doctor right now!"


    She had barely finished speaking


    when there were some noises outside the window. It sounded like footsteps and people talking


    ¡°That should be staying in this room.¡±


    "Let''s do Theard he''s supposed to be alone tonight"

 Chapter 34

    omeone discovers is," the stranget sakd


    "Hurry up before some


    shocked Grace instinctively pushed them into the bathroon


    She tumed the water spray to its highest setting before looking at Ethan. The mum''s eyes were shut, and his longshes trembled slightly


    "Mr. Henderson, who are those people she asked.


    Worried the people outside the window would hear her, Grace pressed close to Ethan as she spoke. Her breaths puffed gently against his ear


    Ethan''s eyshes fluttered violently as he slowly pushed her away from him. "They''re probably from the Henderson


    Family"


    Ever since he was crippled, many had set their targets on him. His older brothers werekke wolves waiting for him to show the slightest weakness so they could take him down He had clearly kept his trip here low-key, vet they had somehow still found out


    From


    how hard he seemed to be holding himself back and the sweat incessantly rolling down


    wn his face, it was clear to Grace how strong the drug was.


    genuine worned for her job and wondered if she would be fired for daring


    to feed her boss such a drug while he was sick.


    She opened the packaging on a new towel, dipped it in cold water, and then applied it to Ethan''s face.


    She had barely finished speaking when Ethan slowly opened his eyes. The usual stern air around him had disappeared. His eyshes were damp, and there was a fire raging in the


    As though scalded brithe intense pate. Grace hurriedly looked away and apologized, "I''m Sorry. Someone else;


    She had expected him to be


    angry and kick her out, but all he did was ask, "who were you nning on using it on?


    that to me."


    For a momentace couldn''tprehend his words. When she realized he wasn''t going off the deep end, she immediately exined, "I wasn''t nning on using it on anyone, les alone anony happened to toss it


    Grace wondere


    hallucinating, as the moment she mentioned Yancey, the air seemed to grow incredibly tense


    Outside, themon continued. It seemed the intruders were threshing the ce in search of Ethan while swearing loudly


    Eventually, someone pounded on the bathroom door


    The VIP rooms were quite far from the front desk, which meant they had some privacy, but at that moment, that meant they weren''t able to call for help.


    Grace bowed her head, sang. "So sorry for this, Mr. Henderson."


    With a gnash of her teeth, she began to softly moan. Acting in such a manner in front of someone as stern and rigid as Ethan had her feeling so embarrassed she wanted to die. but they had no other options rig As the suggestive sounds rang out, the person knocking on the door stopped for a few seconds. Grace took this opportunity to call out, "Who is it? I don''t need room service right


    The intruders likely hadn''t expected to stumble upon such an event, but from this, they could be sure the man inside the bathroom wasn''t Ethan


    After all, Erhan was a cripple, so there w


    was no way he would be having fun with a woman in the bathroom.


    Unable to find any trace of Ethan, the intruders quickly


    Grace strained her ears for any sounds, and only once she was sure they had left did she stop acting


    She couldn''t bring herself to look at Ethan All she could hear was the sound of his wheelchair rolling across the floor before the top at the sink was turned on.


    Ertan wit the towel again, the veins on the backs of his hands visibly bulging from the effort he was making to restrain himself


    Still feeling


    wary, Grace didn''t immediately open the bathroom door. She simply stood there akwardly, watching as Ethan covered his face with the


    wet towel


    The man''s body was strung tight, and his chest heaved slightly.


    In an instant, the atmosphere in the bathroom seemed charged with sexual tension Grace could even hear the sound of his breathing


    It was heavy and strained, a clear indication that he was tighting hard to hold back

 Chapter 35

    Alone while bort. Hun vald, "Come here."


    Not doing to disober, Grace inched her wayover.


    Text radiated off his bede in wines, and even the exposed skin from his open cor was shiny with a sheen of sweat.


    Seeing in the towel wasn''t helping anemone, Dhan slowly straightened and used his hands to ssh cold water on his face. Some stray dropletsnded on his robe "Mi-Henderson, don''t forget vonhnearold"


    Ithan toned his bad toward slighth, sshing rww mere cold water on his face. When he spoke, his voice was still husky. "Then what do you suppest?


    That question instantly silmond Grace Somerse of Selene''s status was sure in lunge essin dings that were above the norm


    I even liham, who hat steely resobe, was suffering to this extent, that meant any normal person would have pounced on her long ago. Besides that, who knew how long the


    Ithan was already sick, and he was still undergoing rehab for his legs anything happened to him because of the drug, she would truly be held ountable.


    Grace stated thoughtfully at the sink for several seconds before suddenly suggesting, "How about ind a woman for


    She swore she heard him stop breathing briefly when she finished speaking


    The carrot atmosphere swiftly anished as the air around Ethan seemed to drop seal degrees.


    "tout!" he ordered prim


    shivering at the duck tone, Grace malined this was her first time personally experiencing his anger. Not daring to even make a squeak, she opened the bathroom door and exited.


    Once in the bedroom, she shifted uneasy on her feel, worried something would happen to Ethan.


    it was only two hourster that Ethan slowly opened the bathroom door.


    As usual, he was in his wheelchair. He left straight for his room, not bothering to spine Grace a nce.


    Grace had wanted to ask how he was feeling but his cold demeanor instantly put her ef


    The next morning, she woke up early. As soon as she stepped out at her room, she ran into Tim.


    Tim was inciting Ethan''s room, and upon seeing her, his gaze instantly turned chilly.


    "Ata: Lambert, the locals have sent a female employee to help you with the Farm Support Project. This document details what you need to do. The female employer is already. waiting for you in the lobby" After shooting a nce at Ethan''s room, Grace asked, "Is Mr. Henderson okay?


    "Mr. Henderson will be meeting the person in charge here in Southbrookter to discuss the tourism development project, which is another project different from the one you''re


    In other words, he was warning him against disturbing Ethan


    Since Grace was too scared to Lace Ethan now, she hurried to the lobby to meet with the female employee.


    The female employer was called Mandy Cadman. Upon spotting Grace, Mandy nodded polsely in greeting, her demeanor somewhardstant


    Grace had already received the Dowchart from Tim, and the project manager was waiting for her outside. Hence, she began discussing the project with Mandy as they headed


    "Due to heavier rainfall this year, the apples are smaller, resulting in none of our usual buyers willing to pay them. Hence, all the apples can''t be sold. Since they can only be kept for ten more days before they s possible," Mandy exined


    They had barely sat down in the car when thunder crashed outside the windows. It looked like was about to rain.


    Mandy eyed the dark skies in trepidation. "Grace, we still have to go to


    the orchard today. As that areas more remote, we might only be able to returnte tonight if it starts raining bravly


    **


    Uponering that, Grace frowned deeply. Those apples hadn''t been harvested yet, so if it were to rain heavily tonight, their shelt he would only shorten. Seeing as the usual Vendon''t willing to buy the small apples "Mandy, arrange for sodne live streaming equipment to be sent over. I remember one of Henderson Group''s subsidiarypanies recently tapped into the live-


    streaming market. Discus cing us on the main page with them in that case, we wond ave to worry


    about not having any virin."


    Mandyndeled on her pin worry. "Wie we going to start live streaming I chri


    Date nodded in response. After looking at the darkening skies outside, she said, "Contact the person in charge there and have them set up a temporary tent and lighting Hoore we are and lure rated an agent with the live streamingpany, we can immediately start our live- stream sales."


    They should be able to sell off those apples online.


    Mandy had expected care to have thought of a n so quickly. She had assumed they would need to contact a processing nt and sell of those apples for cheap to have them. Three hourster, they arched at the chard. The may


    up, andrge swathes of dark clouds were gathering


    in the sky. It was about to stor


    After lidding with the lighting, Grace called the live-


    streamingpany, who agreed to ce them in the amended list on the main page.


    Grace pulled on ar before handing another to Mandy


    She hadha''t stopped moving since she disembarked the vehicle and somehow kept everything conning smoothly. Mandy could admit that even she herself couldn''t do the sathe "Grace, you''re rather different from what I imagined."


    Grace, who hadn''t bothered putting on any makeup, didn''t answer, Instead, she called the middleman. "Hello, have the farmers decided on the price yet? How much are they willing to ept When Grace heard the reply, she was shocked


    "One dor per pound?"


    In past years, the average price was usually around 15 dors per pound. However, the apples were just too small this year, hence the price reduction.


    Grace tapped her fingers idly. Then she said, "How about I set the price at right dors for five pounds first!"


    There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before the man replied, "Ms. Lambert, I don''t think you''ll be able to sell them at that price."


    "Let''s give it a try first. That way, if anyone ends up buying, the farmers will at least earn a profit"


    "Alright, thank you."


    Having decided on the price, Grace ended the call Next, she discussed the purchase process with the live-


    streamingpany before finally sitting down in front of the camera. In truth, she didn''t feelfortable exposing herself in front of the camera like that, with so many eyes watching her. However, other than the Despite spending only a short amount of time with Mandy, Grace could tell she was more introverted, so she instinctively wanted to protect the other woman. Hence, she had no choice but to take up the mantle

 Chapter 36

    Gested at Mandy to start, and then they were In


    As they were in the mais page, tonn stewers instantly popped into the live stream the moment it started.


    Growing nervous at the number of viewers, Mandy hid behind Grace.


    giace similed at the camera "ond day, everyone. This is the live stream of a coboration project between the farmers and the government.


    "What we we selling? Apples! Here they ar


    "They''re quite small indeed, but they''re super sweet, even sweeter thanst year! I''m sure you all he brand of Southbrook, right? It''s famous for its apples."


    "I see someone king for the price. Eight dors for five pounds! Wearen''t selling in smaller quantities; if you can''t


    finish them, you could always turn them into apple juice. It''s ahealthy bewerage option too!"


    "Yes, this is our first time livestreaming, so we''re not very experienced. Makeup? No, we didn''t put on any makeup. "


    As Mandy watched Grace calmly answer the viewers questions one by one, her punic subsided.


    She


    had heard plenty of rumors about Grace before since she had a friend working in the same department Grace was in


    so she


    When she was informed she would be working with race this time, she initially resisted the idea. Nheless, her upbringing didn''t allow her to express her distaste, so could only endureit.


    However, Grace was nothing like the rumors suggested. She wasn''t arrogant or pushy, nor was she auseless person who didn''t know how to read the room and only knew how to


    chase after men.


    Grace maintained a serious attitude the entire time she answered the viewers questions, her smile never faltering. Even when the same question was asked over a dozen times, she showed no hint of impatienc Het elegance as she took a bite of an apple instantly drew the attention of yet another batch of viewers


    "It''s truly very sweet. I didn''t put on any makeup as this decision to do a live stream was veryst-


    minute. This tent is also temporary and was set up right in the orchard. I can step outside and show you guys that I''m speaking the truth. It looks the it''s going to rain heardly tonight"


    the had a melodious voice and beautiful Excial features. In addition to that, she was solling the apples at eight dors for five pounds, when they were usually three or four dors per pound in the supermarket, "Her, gorgeous, I would spend ten dors tonight for your sake!"


    "You''re so beautiful! You shouldn''t be out there helping farmers; you should join those beauty pageants or be a celebrity I''m sure you''ll


    do great!"


    "I don''t believe she didn''t put on any makeup. If you ask me, she seems a little pretentious. Who wears such revealing clothing when helping out farmers? It looks more le she'' trying to seducemen There were many negativements, all of which Grace ignored Liming her phone, she headed out of the tent and showed the viewers the orchard.


    "The hills nearby are all filled with apples. Though they might be smaller this year, they''re rtively pest-


    tree, Buying in bok gives you value for money, so you''re all wee in buy some home to try.


    "However, I would like to state here that we''re only selling to the neighboring cities to ensure the apples'' quality. You may check on the map to see if you''re living in a city near Southbrook not, please don''t ce ¡°The weather is hot, and if the apples go bad during transportation, we won''t be offeringpensation for them.¡±


    Grace had a soothing voice, and when paired with her beauty, they had a thousand orders in less than half an hour of the live stream happening. Unfortunately, they had barely made a dent in the umted Mandy couldn''t hide her excitement when she saw the increasing number of orders. As long as this trend continued, they would be able to sell of all the apples within a week! Grace conted talking to the camera When she had a brief set of respite, she instructed Mandy, "quickly fiber through these addresses, they aren''t from neighboring cities, cancel the order. The shelf befor the apples is short, so they''ll surely spoil if we transport them anywhere bootar."


    The two women worked together, each busy with their respective tasks. Eventually, the storm broke, and the thundering of the rain could be hearden in the tent.


    Grace didn''t stop the live stream even when midnight approached. She had only taken a few sips of water in the past few hours, enduring the hunger gawing at her stomach in favour of continuing the live strear Since many were still questioning whether she was in a real orchard, she had no choice but to exit the tent with her phone.


    cut and


    "I''m really in an orchard. I can step outside with a shlight to show you all what it looks like in an orchard when a storm hits. Perhaps we''ll even get to see the farmers out about," she


    She grabbed a Hashlight and got ready to head outside, but Mandy stopped her in worry.


    "It''s raining cats and dogs out tlume. I''ll go with you "


    Grace shook her head. "No need Youtwo continue to tuber the order addresses?


    The driver had been dragged over in ald Manly a few hours ago


    Alter hearing that, Mandy could only stay behind


    With a shlight in hand, Grace stepped outside, all the while still answering the viewers'' gestions.

 Chapter 37

    "it''s inseed quite dark right now as this is the mountains. Since we''re a little far from the city, we likely won''t return tonight and will be livestreaming all night long. Due to the tali, the applest shelf life will shorten orders and send them out tomorrow."


    As the rainfall was quite hivovy, some viewers were wonted about Grace''s safety and cantioned her from walking off too far.


    Nevertheless, Grace didn''t stop walking until halt gn hour had passed. Her voice was as calm as ever as she said, "The orchard is


    huge, and since the weather isn''t particrly hiendly right now, I won''t be going any farther ahead." I


    She had barely finished speaking when she slipped, dropping her phone on the ground. Her knee and palins were scraped by the sharp stones and started bleeding. Even so, she lenoted the paining


    from her wounds and hurriedly picked up her phone, wiping it clean.


    Thankfully, her phone was still working fine When she checked it, she saw that the viewers were urging her to return to the tent


    "Sorry about that Lidentally slipped, but I''m fine. I''m on my way back now. It really is pouring out here tonight."


    There was a pebble lodged in her knee, causing her to limp as she walked Despite that, her tone remained as cheery as before.


    "I''ve already tried an apple on everyone''s behalt and can confirmat''s super sweet. You can rest assured about the quality and just ce your orders. Besides, this is an official coboration with the government, Due to her talleather, she had ripped her raincoat, so her hair was now wet from the rain. Nheless, she was still as beautiful on camera as before.


    In an instant, the viewers focus sh?tted.


    "Seems like she really didn''t put on any makeup She''s absolutely gorgeous!


    "She''s even more beautiful than most celebrities out there! Miss, you really should debut. You''ll definitelyearn more that way than helping farmers." "okay, okay, I''m buying! have rtives staying near Southbroo The moment such ament popped up, simr ones followed.


    "Oh right! I have rtives near Southbrook too. Looks like they''re in for a treat!"


    "You all are too slow. I already bought 200 pounds each for all my aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Money isn''t the issue here. I just love talking to this pretty streamer!" And so, the orders came pouring in Wiping the caindrops


    trickling down her face, Grace smiled brightly. ¡°Thanks for your support, everyone!"


    the pain


    The words had barely lett her lips when she slipped once more, causing the pebble to embed further into her knee. Her face went pale at the Regardless, she forced herself not to make a sound as she slowly cl returning to the tent, she continued the live stream. For the rest of the night, she was either answering the viewers'' questions or eating apples to prove they were sweet. Beside her, Mandy couldn''t hold on any longer and fell asleep.


    When she woke up again, it was already 10:00 am. The sound of Grace''s voice drifted into her ears.


    shocked, she asked, "You didn''t sleep at allst night?"


    Grace shook her head and pointed at the order backend. "We''ve sold 600 thousand


    d pounds."


    That was half the total amount of apples they had, and it was sold all in one night


    Mandy leaped to her feet and stared in disbelief at the order backend. Unsure of what else to say, she hugged Grace around the shoulders and eximed, "Oh my goodness, you''re my idol! You''re absolutely ar She didn''t dare reveal Grace''s real name in front of the camera, so she hadn''t addressed Grace by name since they started livestreaming.


    By this point, Grace was looking rather pale and exhausted. She hadn''t stopped since she started the live stream the day before. Her wet clothes had long since dried, and after munching on apples the entire n f, "You take over from now. All you have to do is answer questions. We still have a few days, so if no more orderse


    Now that Mandy was awake, Grace rubbed her eyes and said, " in, I''ll continue once I wake up"


    She didn''t want to put too much pressure on Mandy


    Mandy''s eyes reddened at the kind gesture, and she felt touched. Just who had said so many bad things about Grace? She would definitely rebuff those people in the future!

 Chapter 38

    "okay! Hurry up and go rest!"


    Feeling utterly exhausted, Grace could hardly keep her eyes open any longer. She moved to the side and instantly fell asleep.


    Only then did Mandy notice Grace''s knee was bleeding. The


    sight was gruesome and horrifying, but since the camera was still colling, she couldn''t say anything. Her admiration


    for Grace only rese


    Grace slept a total of four hours before she woke up to the


    sound of the driver talking to Mandy


    Mandy''s tone was anxious as she said, "Let her sleep a little while longer. It''s utterly disgusting what the other party is doing. How could they nderus ke this?


    The drive was a middle-aged men working for Henderson Group


    Extandy, I think we should wake Ms. Lambert We can''t wait any longer, or all our customers will


    run off!"


    "But she didn''t get to sleep at allst night! At least let her have one more hour."


    The two tried to keep their voices soft, but Grace still woke up. Rubbing her temples, she asked in a hoarse voice, "What''s wrong?


    Immediately, Mandy''s eyes lit up with hope. "Grace, you''re awake! It''s Alice! For some reason, she has also joined the Farm Support Project a even mentioned you in her live stream, and now, everyone thinks y and is helping to sell apples too. She


    "Many have canceled their orders, and the system is about to break down. The tform is also putting pressure on us as


    they''ll be reported if the cancetions continue. If this poes on, all of us will be implicated. What do we do?"


    Mandy was beyond panicked and close to tears. They had already sold so many orders the night before, yet not only had she failed to gain any sales since she took over the live stream but many of the original Grace took up of water to soothe her sore throat. This indeed seemed like something Alice would do.


    "Mandy, show me Alice''s live stream."


    Mandy quickly searched for Alice''s live stream before showing it to ciran


    Compared to Grace''s barebones setup, Alice''s live stream was considerably more sophisticated. She also looked more like a capable working woman.


    Though Alice was quite pretentious, there was no denying she was somewhat capable, or at least her live stream setup was rtively decent


    Most importantly, she had lowered the price significantly, selling the


    apples at 50 cents per pound. That want 20 pounds of apples only cost ten drs!


    With Grace selling at eight dors for five pounds, it was clear buying


    from Alice was the better option, with more value for money!


    As the icing on the cake, Alice had even identally mentioned how Grace had run away from home in hopes of making a name for herself and changing her fianc¨¦''s mind about taking her back Hence, thes all thought Grace was simply using the facade of aiding the farmers as a ruse to get her fianc¨¦ back, all while deliberately raising the price of the apples so that she could get amission from The usation of her wanting to gain amission from the sales was clearly a serious matter.


    Mandy scrubbed at her eyes, having obviously cried once already. "The live chat was filled with curses all afternoon, so I ended the stream because it was


    just too upsetting. Now, Alice''s live stream is practically exploding with over 200 hundred thousand viewers Theard she has sell go thousand orders already"


    Taking a deep breath, Grace patted Mandy''s shoulder. "Alright, don''t panic. Start our live stream"


    Mandy instantly shook her head. "No way! You have no idea just how rude and mean those people were being"


    Seeing that, Grace started the live stream herself, but not without saying calmly, "It''ll be fine. Since Alice wants to use me to boost her poprity, Lean do the same."


    Her live stream had done very wellst night, yet Alice had deliberately used her of putting on an act


    to gain views. There was no way she would take this lying down


    Mandy eyed Grace''s injured knee, her gaze filled with worry and concern. "deace, maybe you should get your knee looked at first? They''re already inmed. What if it''s tetanus? That would be very troublesome But Grace was already smiling at the camera.


    As Mandy had said, the live chat was filled with curses and insults at her.


    "What a shot! The farmers put in their blood, sweat, and tears to produce these fruits, yet you''re so disgusting as to use them for your benefit. You deserve to die! To think we ced so many ordersst night" "Seems like the streamer in the other room was right. She really is selling apples so she could seduce a man!


    "She must have been delirious with joy at all the praises she received for her beauty. We have to report this live stream! Everyone who ced an orderst night, please cancel it "tuthy, disgusting slut! Your face Grace ignored all the insults as she sent out a challenge livvitation to Alice.


    The live chat was silent for a brief moment before it erupted withments.


    What was this woman doing? Was she seriously challenging Alice head-un?


    Alice hadn''t expected Grace to challenge her either. She didn''t really want to ept the challenge, but the viewers heckled her, en asking if she was scared. There was no way she would be scared of that bitch She hadn''t been aware before this, but upon having her delicately made-


    upce ced next to Grace''s barrone, she realized she held no advantage over beauty


    Jealousy shed in her eyes, but then she spoke up gently, "Grace, 1 didn''t expect you to be in Southbrook as well. Our family is really worried about you."

 Chapter 39

    "kload are you purs, so worried about? I''ve been away from home for ages, and nobody has bothered to call me. You had no idea I was in Southbrook, yet you somehow swooped in


    Alice''s gaze named pitiful, her wie Leed with grigance "didn''t sted your customers. My prices are lower than yours, so naturally, people would rather buy from me tinace pulled out het phone, tapping the screen ain of my dear sister kissing my ex fianed trut Ber with him beforeing to Southbrook, so the


    clem that I''m using charity work as an excuse to win back man ispletely aboard on the other hand, my sister sins deeply concemel about my ex. She even followed him straight inred


    "and thave more than just a kissing photo Eve got photos of what happened after that too. Anyone want to see


    The live chat exploded


    "The phot shed by too fast


    do''t see the faces. Meslie''s taking it just to smear her sister."


    d her sister''s expression just changed the looks awal Meansshile, Grace ispletely bothered. I''m siding with her on this one


    Watching


    the chaotic floodetments, Grace didn''t miss a beat and shifted back to selling apples.


    "These apples are right


    dors for five pounds. I''m not taking a single penny inmission. This live stream has been authorized by the off, and if you have any doubts. your je wee to call the local govemment dantly.


    "This year''s sudden in stoms have caused major losses for apple farmers. just want to help them recover a litle. Eight dors for the pounds isn''t expensive, and lowering the


    prike too much would be an insult to their hard work!!


    Hei voice carried


    a steady, radiating strength. She held up another apple, giving it a slight


    ted of the camHL


    "Also, I''monly allowing purchases from nearbyenes. If the distance is too far, I can''t guarantee the quality. If I were actually pocketing amission, I''d be thrilled more people ced orders, right? After all, you all saw the traffic in the live streamst night. I really wanted to cash in, I would''ve hit my target ages ago


    11


    The viewers who had been cursing her just moments ago suddenly paused. That was true. If she were taking a cut, she should be eager for more sales. Yet Grace bad bem actively acouraging people from far-off regions from buyingst night.


    On the other hand, Aller


    wasn''t restricting sales at all. She practically pushed everyone to ce orders.


    The camera zoomed in slightly. Alice''s face twisted for a moment, but she quickly forced herself to regainposure.


    "Graer, I don''Lunderstand why you''re ndering me like this. Is it because no one from the family called you? But Mom and Dad are still angry with you. I''ve been doing my best to mindate things between you a Alor''s orpes welled up as she spoke, and tears soon began to fall


    Grace took a sip of water, entirely unmoved, "My ex-


    fianc¨¦ isn''t the brightest. To force me into breaking off


    the engagement, he personally sent me a video of you two in bed. 11 you keep crying, y it on the stream right now.""


    Alice''s sob cut off instantly. Her face went deathly pale before turning red in quick session.


    She wasn''t sure if Yancey had really done something sa reckless, but ghen that he had been desperate to make Grace call off the engagement, it wasn''t out of the question


    The audience quickly noticed the reaction, and doubts began spreading.


    "She actually stopped crying. The video must be real"


    "So, she hooked up with her sister''s nc¨¦ and tried to sabotage her charity stream?


    "Thave a feeling she''s acting innocent. Look at her, all dolled up. Does she look like someone here to support farmers? She''s just a spoiled princess.


    Skepticism toward Alice grew rapidly, and her chest beaved with suppressed fury Truthfully, she had always looked down on this so-


    called charity effort. She was a Lambert heirns, with a monthly allowance in the calllkan.


    Now, she had to mingle with these lowly inte users? If it weren''t for Lambert Group''s ambitions in the uing tourism development project, she wouldn''t be degrading herself like this.


    Grace met her page but made no move for her off the stream After all, drama was what kept viewers hooked. If Alice left now, the entertainment value would plummet Instead, Grace''s lips cursed into a fait smile


    "The apples in my live stream are absolutely worth buying. They''re crisp and sweet with not a single wormhole in sight. If you cancelled your order earlier, feel tire to


    cepurchase. I promise you woor"Dergiet it"


    ier unshakable cunganine, paired with her clear and steady, was impossible to resist.


    Watumoments, orders suged at an explosier rate while the maffic in


    Alice''s Ine stream plummeted. Still, Alice stubbornly refused to log ott, though her face looked strained.


    She didn''t know what to say, nor did the date to sprak recklessly. Who knew what evidence Grace actually had?


    Just then, allosdol virtual gifts popped up in her streams. It was ten rockets in


    a row, each with ten thousand dors


    Alier''s egression fl¨¹rkened with surprise, but soon, her lips coded into a sting and. "Thank you for the generous gifts.¡±


    In the livestream, the donor had their usemane highlighted in gold, making their messages impossible to miss.


    The name in the screen meat, "Lawfordice."


    Clearly, it was Lim


    Alice''s le deepened, a shot thingh flickering in der rynn


    She knew just how much race cared about Liam Grace had to be seething Inside after watching him tantly take her side, right?


    She nced over at Grace''s live stream, waiting to see het reaction: But Grace was still calmly selling apples, acting as it she hadn''t seen athing

 Chapter 40

    Liam sat in the Lambert residence, gripping his phone with an inexplicable frustration.


    He had assumed Grace would return by now, but three


    days had passed, and there was still no word from her to the past, no matter how upset she was, two days was the longest she could hold out. Then, she''d show upbringing his favorite gins as an apolog


    To be honest, Liam had never thought highly et hig. She wasn''t capable of much she just knew how in chase after men.


    But he had to admit that her cooking was incredible, and she


    always indulged in his every whim. After spending all these years together, he would''ve developed some attachment even if she were just a dog raised by his side.


    Just now, he had logged of this game and casually checked the live streams, only to findAlice locked in a streaming battle against Grace.


    He rxed slightly so, Grice was still holding a grudge about Alice stealing Yancey


    But even so, that was no reason to take it out on her own younger brother. How could she ignore him and not earne back to cook?


    He deliberately sent ten rockats in Alice''s live stream to provoke her. He stubbornly stayed there after doing that, refusing to check in on Grace''s stream. He was sure she knew exactly who he was


    But from start to finish, her expression didn''t change. She continued answering the viewers'' questions, looking asposed as ever.


    "Mm, I don''t know who''s sending the rockets. It has nothing to do with me. Let''s stay focused on the apples,¡± she said lightly


    Liam nearly crushed his phone in anger. Fine! It she wanted to act indifferent, he''d make sure the couldn''t ignore him.


    In a go, he threw docens more rockets, nearly a million dors worth.


    His extravagant show of wealth drew a flooded mattic to Alice''s stream. The tform always prioritized big spenders, announcing their contributions across the site Curious viewers natmally clicked in, causing h "Alice, don''t overwork yourself. Charity is a good thing, but our family isn''t shocton money"


    Alice''s game sottened at the message.


    "Thank


    you for your concern, Liam," she said gently. "Dan though I don''t need the money, helping others is its own reward."


    Watching their intimate sibling exchange, the audience suddenly had an epiphany that she wasn''t taking it. She really was a rich heiress. So, what was up with that other stre- mer?


    While Alice and Liam yed up their heartwarming


    sibling dynamic, Grace continued doing what she did best-


    selling apples. Her cool detachment made Liam feel oddly unsettled. For a moment, he hesitated. Maybe he should check out Grace''s live stream But doing that felt like admiting defeat. So, he stayed put and continued to shower Alice with words of support


    Meanwhile, over in Grace''s stream, sales skyrocketed. She nced at the rapidly climbing older count, a seismile curving her lips.


    "We''ve officially hit ten


    thousand orders and 200 thousand pounds of apples today. Thank you all for your support," she said.


    "Injured my kneest night, so I need to


    take care of that. I must also coordinate with the farmers to pack and ship everyone''s orders. See you all this afternoon"


    With that, the stream ended.


    They had expected her to ride the wave of momentum and keep selling, but she ended the stream cleanly without hesitation.


    The crowd, eager to watch the drama untold, suddenly felt like they had been doused with cold water. This oue was utterly unsatisfying Seeing Grace


    log off first, Allor immediately put on a concerned expression and turned to the camera.


    "You should check in on Grace," she said gently. "She''s probably feeling hurt. Don''t be like this next time. Send her some gifts when she goes live again too, okay? When Liam heard that Grace might be upset, his irritation vanished, reced by a strange sense


    of satisfaction.


    ntion or just to


    He quickly typed ament "I won''t. Why''d she suddenly run off to Southbrook? It''s either to get someone''s attention


    "Don''t talk about Grace like that," Alice chided softly


    just to mess with you, Alice''


    "Forget it do ply your games. I''ll stay and finish selling these apples. At this rate, Eshould be able toplete my charity goal in a few days."


    Alter exiting the livestream, Ham kept ncing at his phone, waiting for a message from someone.


    Ten minutes went by, yet not a single notificationcame through. His good mood soured Instantly Meanwhile, Grace was meeting with the agricultural aid project coordinator on the other side of town The man looked visibly ufortable.


    "Ms. Lambert, I. I have to tell you something," he said awkwardly. "The farmers. Well, they signed a contract with another beamst night. They''ve decided not to work with you Wymore. So, the orders you sold. Grace''s expression remained untradable as she met his gaze. The coordinator scratched his head, clearly embarrassed.


    "Ms. Alice offered to personally contribute million dors


    to subsidize the farmers," he admitted


    Even though her sale prices lower than yours, when they did the math, they realized her offer would bring them even higher profits than in previous years. So, after discussing it, they decided to go with her inste "Twanted to warn youst night, but Ms. Alice didn''t want me to. She said it was best to let you finish selling first"


    cant me to. She said it i


    Mandy immedeleesploded at his words.


    "What the hell is this?" she snapped, nearly jumping to her feet. "We''ve signed an agreement for this project! Last night, while it was pouring rain, Grace was out there livestering, worrying about the farmers losi "And while she was breaking her back for them, you guys were secretly working with Alice to screw her over? Now that all the orders have been sold, you''re telling us then pruduct in ship''Do you have any idea after she pushed another ten thousand orders?"


    This wasn''t just a betrayal. It was a deliberate setup


    Grace had worked tirelessly to promote these apples, only to be left with nothing to ship out. When customers realized what had happened, the bacsh would be aimed squarely


    at her.


    Mandy''s gaze was filled with frustration, her heart heavy for Grace.

 Chapter 41

    Grace sat in a folding chair inside the tent, her legs stretched out before hes. The inmmation had worsened. She couldn''t even bend her knees anymore, the needed to return to the in and apply medicine ass As she breed to the project coordinator speak, her fingers brushed against her wounds. A small shard of stone was still lodged in her knew, its jagged edges digging into her flesh, sending sharp stabs of pain th Her face was deathhrpale. She was now running a fever after spending the entire night in the ra


    rain


    The project coordinator avoided her garn


    Grace knew full well this person was in cahoots with the orchard owners.


    had over 20 thousand pending orders. If they were all canceled, the impact wouldn''t just fall on her. The entire streamingpany would take a hit.


    And since thepare operated under Henderson Group, the ripple effect moulid teach them too. When the dist settled,


    all the me wouldnd squarely on her.


    Alice''s move was ruthless, the out her ott at the source, leaving her no room to breathe


    No wonder she hadn''t panicked during the live stream earlies. Even when things got ugh, the remained unbothered. She had already secured her escape route


    The was uting money to crush Grace, and there was no way Grace could win.


    Grace took a deep breath and looked at the project coordinator.


    "Is this everyone''s decision?


    The project coordinator nodded, then offered a half-


    hearted apology. "I''m sorry, but everyone has their own struggles. At the end of the day, what matters most is money. Ms. Alice is incredibly generous, and she''s warm, polite, and easy to like. Last night, everyo "As for why you weren''t intermed. That was her decision. It had nothing to do with un''


    Now that they had Alice backing them, the project coordinator spoke with newfound confidence,


    no longer bothering to be polhe


    Mandy was furious


    When they needed them, they were all proveling and desperate. But now that they didn''t, they kicked them aside like trach.


    Ind these people even realize that Henderson Group stood behind them?


    She was about tosh out, but Grace


    be grabbed her wrist.


    Mandy''s face burned red with anger. "Kirace, how are you so calu? we how ese 10 thousand orders


    stuck, and we can''t ship a single


    one! Do you have any idea how bad this is? You''re going


    to get absolutely roasted online!"


    This could exity blow up into a full-blown scandal. The bacsh would be brutal.


    Grace''s reputation in the capital was already a mess. If the entire country turned against her, no one would space her asheed of sympathy.


    However, she sumply shook her head. Picking a fight with the project coordinator wouldn''t solve anything


    "Mandy, let''s head back to the inn first."


    Mandy''s eyes weed. She wanted to cry, but she forced herself to hold it in "Fine. At least let''s get your wounds treated first"


    Grace stood up and limped toward the car parked outside.


    But the project coordinator risted the kide even deeper as she reached the exit.


    Ms. Gear, this might sound harsh, but between the two of you, Ms. Alice is clearly the more capable one. Oh, and I saw your litle brother in her live stream. He was showing her with gifts the whole time. Never once did he show up


    "Theard yours are blood siblings. Funny: You''d never pursuit from the way he acts. You must''ve done a lot of awful things at home, huh?"


    Grace''s steps came to an abrupt halt, and she slowly turned to look at the project coordinator.


    Its eyes gleamed with admiration for Alice. He waspletely blind to everything else.


    Alice always had an innocent book, almost deceptively so. Coupled with his pitiful tone when she spoke, it was hard not to be moved by her.


    Group but serialy Alice really wasn''t picky. She was


    constantly disying her allure, no matter the time or ce.


    Gripping her to bear the pain, Grace spoke up, "setting aside my personal issues with Alice, I want to understand your risk management n, South¨¦cook apples have always been famous, priced at six barks f "This egon is known for them in the


    past, merchants would buy them directly from the orchards and never through an online sales model. But now, you''re selling them online and not survening addre


    "What happens if people receive porten apples? Will that damage their priception of Suchbcock apples? Will this incident but the reputation of Southbrook


    "T''ni ijuly trying to help the farmers as this is my first task with Henderson Group. So, I''d advise you bot to focus solely on short- term profits."


    The


    qarojectndrarte scolded "You don''t need to worry about that Ms. Alice has already figured out how to preserve then''


    (Grace found this lesgluble and couldn''t help but chucide,


    "Alina is only here doi ben oven stant-


    term paina. She doesn''t care about the reputation of Southbrook apples. It''s not her concern. All she mants is to polish the Lambest family''s image and make sure the govendent gives them a cut in the uin That''s just nder,¡± the project coordinator unapped "Mc Alke is a kind prison"


    Grace''slipstwitchedinto a faint smile Tyr said what I needed to say. You all can handelt lowerni you verl?L"


    fer sooner had she finished speaking thedder, aching abo. The faces wir flushed with righteous tany


    "Quare, we let you sell our apples tu  backa tas turer pounds, but you insistedan prating them at owi mine buskal Ms. Allgemasight. You''re the one trying to join the reputation of


    "How dare you talk alot Mu Alve that way? Man''s a thumarul times belle iles poult


    She suddenly felt de almend. She opened the car done to get in, but she was stopped when can of the sorband met


    vechern grabbed her w


    .trying to inte the price of our apples to make yourpany look good, but you won''t get away with it!


    "ts: Alice had the right


    ou the partnership was canceled. Now, you''ve got over 20 thousand orders shock in your system Let''s see how you exin that to the cuvcimal)


    suggested lowering the price and selling more at a lower profit. She even gave us esti apensation behind the scenes. She''s an angelpared to you!


    Mandy was shaking with rage. She couldn''t believe these people med Grace for raising the price


    But Grace hadn''t pocketed a single penny. The money would all go to the orchard workers. How could they possibly hold that against her? I


    And now, this whole group wasing together to turn everything on Grace even though she hadn''t slept the entire night and streamed while injured- all to prevent the apples from


    It waschpletely unjust

 Chapter 42

    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 t¨¢cy.


    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.


    ¦°¦¥


    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 d¨¦dia''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."

 Chapter 43

    ced been resting in her room for about half an hour when someone knocked on the door again. When she opened it, Tim was standing outside. His tone remained strictly business Mc Lambert, M. Henderson in She had been knarking on apples all evening, and they had long since digested by noww.


    stepping into Extan''s room, she found the lights turnedup to their brightest, dluminating an extravagant feaut Laid not on the table


    He was seated by the table, silently flipping through a book. He lifted his gaze at the sound of her arrival, his voice calm and deep. "Sit."


    re wat quite hungry, so she didn''t hesitate and took a seat. "Thank you, Mr. Henderson!


    At least 15 dishes were spread across the table with all kinds of food imaginable. Grace couldn''t help but be a little surprised. This level of dining was almost excFLL?VE.


    the picked up her cutlery and began eating at a steady pace.


    Manwhile, En sei hit book aude, took up a kelle and book, and quietly are the small portion of uneak on his te.


    Halfway through the meal, she noticed that he had barely eaten. That was unexpected his appetite was surprisingly small for a grown man.


    Just then, a knack came from outside. It was not at Ethan''s door but athere


    They


    belonged to Manly. She was likely here to ask what she nned to do


    about the 20 thousand orders.


    Grace mood up, but the sharp pain in her knee made her stumble. She instinctively reached out and grabbed the tablecloth for support. But in doing so, the identally yanked it too hard.. sending a bowl of pu The soup sshed straight onto Ethan''s pants


    For a split second, she froze


    as if turned to stone. Then, snapping back to reality, she grabbed a napkin and started dabbing at the fabric. She wiped at it few times before realizing that this


    was entirely inappropriate.


    She lifted her paze and met his eyes.


    Ethan trached on, his fingers closing around her wrist as dark waves surged in his eyes. "stop"


    ? Grace quickly stood up "I''m sorry. Mr. Henderson. I lost my bnce because of my love."


    Lven now, it was still throbbing with pain.


    He didn''t let go of het went right away. Several seconds passed before he finally asked, "Does it hurt badly?"


    Dutside, Mandy was still calling for her.


    she had no choice but to say, "Ti''s dine. I need to head to Northbrook tonight. The dive from Southbrook to Northbrook takes two hours, in I won''t be back. There are apple orchards there too, and want to negoti Her project''s pool was to support farmers in Brookfield, and Northbrook was part of that. However, Northbrook''s apples weren''t as well-


    known as those from Southbrook


    The government''s strategy had been to promote southbrook apples first before shitting focus to Northbrook, which had left thetter almost forgotten in recent years. Since the farmers in Southbrook didn''t need For a moment, she thought


    she felt Ethan''s grip tightening slightly and his thumb brushing lightly over her skin. It was subtle, almost idental.


    But the warmth it left behind lingered.


    He released her wrist. "The farmers in Northbrook aren''t easy to deal with. They deeply resent this side after being neglected for so long"


    Grace was a linte surprised Ethan knew about this too? If she hadn''t mentioned Northbrook herself, would he have brought it up on his own? "know," the replied. "I''ll show them sincerity and earn their trust. Their apples aren''t any worse than Southbrook''s. They''re just not well- known"


    She turned to leave, but Ethan''s phone cang just then.


    Tandry''s name shed on the screen. What a mood killer.


    Grace''s brown furrowed slightly. Why was Yancey calling him?


    Erhan picked up the phone and put it on speaker.


    om the other end came Yancey''s voice. "Uncle Ethan, which room is decent just arrived in Southbrook Inedito talk to her about something


    Dhan nced at Grace, whose expression darkened with impatience...


    IF Yancey was looking for barn, it was either to make her give that go-thousand-


    dor handbag


    to Yelena to face her to apologior to Alice. Either way, it wasn''t going to be anything goal.


    Ethan''s volte armaised indifferent. "What do you need her for?"


    "oli, It''s because of the mess she caused the said what she did in the live stream, and now some people ondine are attacking alice. She even cried. I just want her


    to apologize. After all, she''s


    Grace Hentally reyed what she had said in the live seam-


    something about the two of them leping together.


    And Hory had indeed done so she ludi'' lied.


    Hei disgust for Yancey spiked, instantly wiping away any lingering betterness. All


    that was left was pure nitation.


    "Marie Erban, Gitare sply joined Henderson Group because she''s chasing altet me. All this di sher''s stirring up is just to get my attention. But no matter how far she takes things, the shouldn''t joder about Alire''s Kat are took a dergi temal ". Henderson, I''ll be going now Mandy is still waiting outside,


    She spened the dot stukimmediately sported Mandy walling asbest


    Mandy kosketa batle surprised kar dobyt kurve the time lo pasip right mm


    Now, theyers are in air


    nawa''y a slipping the orders. That toch, Alice, sablon hes live at eam that wingers and that we won''t be able to fulfill the orders at all.


    are walked forward, ignoring the disconduct bucher hire. "Thor''t worry. Come with jne to Northbound"


    After walking for over ten minutes, they reached the main hall


    The inn had no courtyard, one to the wax and one to the west, separated by a ten-


    foot-wide street


    Grace had been staying in the western courtyard 11 turned out that Alice was staying in the eastern one

 Chapter 44

    Alice was impably dressed, ending elegance down to her 200-thousand-


    dor handtop.


    Around her stood several senior technical experts from Lambert Group. Their gates toward her carried both admiration and respect.


    Most of these tech leads were in their mid-''j?n, and ama


    slightly younger omnes, many harbored feelings for Alice.


    O quickly spotted Grace and curved her lips into a smile. "Grace, you''re staying here too?"


    The tech leads were familiar with Grace. After all, the two had faced off in a live stream before. Now, their expressions were filled with undisguised disdain. "sedl have time to hang around, Mts Grace? Have those go thousand orders been shipped yet?"!


    Teah, some people aplish nothing while Ms. Alice here has already led banan-


    dor projects at


    b belt a yo


    "That weren''t that ve stream, I wouki''t


    have even kosman she was the Lambert family''s oldest daughter."


    Their taughter rang out, dripping with mockery.


    Alsce quickly intervened saying "Enmagh, don''t say that You''re all inquity employees, and my sister is technically yotir superior."


    Someone scoffed. "Does she even own any shares in thepany?


    Alice hesitated before carefully responding.


    "Mom and Dad will give thein to her sooner orter.


    "In that case, she''s not our mperior."


    More Laughter followed.


    Alice turned to Grace and gently conndested her, "Grace, don''t take it to heart. They''re all tech experts and blunt by mature. I hope you won''t mind."


    In anypany, senior tech leach were scour strength. They stayed out of power struggles, but their loyalty could make or break an executive''s position. Winning them over meant curing one''s foothold


    Right now, Alice had clearly integrated herself into their circle. Even this small agricultural le strm project had them these tech experts. It was obvious that Alicemanded real authority at Lambert Group. ly following her lead. And thepany had more than


    Grace had no interest in wasting her time on these trivialities and turned to leave, But the tech leads weren''t having iL


    They were highly respected in thepany, so how dare the so-


    called "eldest daughter" of the Lambert family walk away without even acknowledging them?


    the she not mualice they could make her life miserable if they wanted to


    "Ms. Grace, what''s that supposed to mean? You look down on us?"


    Grace paused mid-step, impatience shing in her eyes.


    "And what id i do?" the videoilly. "A bunch of grown


    men are standing around gossiping about a young woman. Does that make you feel powerful?


    "You''re so used to being dattered at work that you''vepletely lost touch with reality, haven''t you? 1 have no conflicts of interest with any of you, but to me, you''re just a bunch of smiNG. gowany middle- aged mum. Do I owe you my respect


    Smug and greary.


    The words hit like a p to the face, unuitantly igniting their fury.


    "You? Even your father, Quentin, has to treat us with respect. Who do you think you are?"


    Grace smirked. "If my father really treats you with such deference, I wonder how he''d feat knowing you all a groveling at his daughter''s feet behind his back. It might make him a little ufortable, don''t you th Their faces turned sed, then pale. The truth behind their attitude toward Alice was simple. First, she was)


    Minul. Second, she was a Lansbert. Andishicd, her own abd¨¹ries were nothing to


    i man would still be interested in their weary, apng wide waining at home?


    At their age, most of them had stay-at-


    home wires. But men had their weaknesses by nature.


    Faced with someone like Alice-young, attractive, and impably put together-


    which m


    So nutudally, they tonated Alica with eventos e admiration.


    edtothank you only slipped up ind


    i cloth, exposing theing filth underneath.


    only to run straight into Yancey as he walked in. His expression dickened further, and he had deadly heard everything.


    that your words got twisted, but I didn''t expect you to be spreading lies about Alice in person


    too. What exactly were you implying post-


    How? Are you saying she has something improper going on wird diese men? How vile can you be? She''s your sister! Who nders their own sister like this?"


    Grace was speechleus. When had she ever said Alice was involved with them? All she pointed out was that those men?vatitinde toward Alice was inappropstate. That was an enthiely different Tateny was clearly great at twisting her words


    pointless algements she still had over to thom


    ve a thousand andern waiting to be processed


    de initiuedairly yanked spent the rar door, trady to get in. There was no time for


    Buibore she could get in. Yatory cralded her wt, his anger builing over.


    And then you allowed Ale all the way to south without a word just so you could wear her


    sings people are saying about her nadine me? No wonder even your own little brother took


    side. How is he supposed to hold his head up in public


    dini for year, kang before Allor mei came into the pictu?o.


    Alize hatonly reformentis the Lambert family five years ago. Aralyet Liam deed on her unconditkamally now.

 Chapter 45

    Grace had mum Yancey since childhood. Even if most of those memories had faded, the ational pang of bitterness in her heart


    It had taken Allor only a short time to push her intoplete iztion.


    Withouta word, Grace yanked her hand free from Yancey''s grip and get into the car


    Yelp of frustration. Grace had never reared him this rally beina. Even if the wat


    ting on an art this time,


    "Grace" He stepped forward, intending to follow her into the car, but Alice''s voice ring out just then.


    "Yancey, what are you doing in south is ook?


    and then did Yancey remember why he hade and pointed to his cr


    bought you some food Mrs. Lambert made. She was worried you wouldc''t be insed to the food bece, to the specially asked me to bring them. It''s still warm. Do you want to have some? Carmen rath cooked her Alice''s eyes be up: "Really? Mam actualle cooked?


    "Yeah She''s been so worried about you these past few days that she has barely eaten anything".


    Alice nced at Grace. The car''s dim lighting made in hand to see her expression, but she could guess that Grace was feeling awful..


    be used to be so desperate for the Lambert family''s approval, willing to do anything for a single word of praise. Tel


    Carmen had almost never cooked for her.


    In their house, the household stati took care of everything, which only made these home-


    cooked meals all the more precious.


    Torace, you her been buny all day. Why don''t youe back and eat with us? I''m sure you miss Mom''s cooking too. ancey quickly stepped in "Mes: Lambert made the toad for you, not for Grace":


    "Yancey, don''t say that


    Grace didn''t respond she simply signaled the driver to start the cat


    Mandy, sitting healde het, was Juming Those two scumbags! They''ll get what''sing to them one day!"


    in Northbrook


    Guare closed


    her eyes, unwilling to waste another thought on them. Her mind was already preocupled with matters in


    Meanwhile, Alice''s eyes glowed with satisfaction as she watched Grace hurry awry,


    "Yancey,e eat with m


    Yancey nodded. For some reason, he felt a sense of salist. He hadn''t seen Grace''s expression clearly jest now, but she had to be hurting. And as long as she was hurt, it Alice happily took his atm and turned to courtyard. But she stopped in her tracks at the sight of someone sitting in the distance -


    it was Ethan.


    His presence was wverpowering. Even snared in a wheelcha, he was imposible to pre


    Alice had seen Erhan a few times before She had been awestruck back then.


    She used to fantasize about him. If a man like him ever fell for her, a


    (that make her the most distinguished woman in Druville?


    But after his ider, she had lost all interest. No matter how powerful he once was, he was just a cripple nos


    Besides, even when his legs had been perfectly fine, he had always treated her with indifference, which left a better taste in her mouth.


    When sheter heard about his injury, she had actually felt relieved. The perfect Ethan could belong to no one, so he was better off like this, crippled and alone for the rest of his Yancey quickly straightened up


    their intertwined hands. His tone was inutillerent. "Who


    told you to address m me like bat, Mu Lambert?


    Ador Bado'' experted him to be so blunt. Herexpression li oze, then her face Blushedcrimon


    But Brian was the current head of the Henderson family. Even if he was crippled,


    he remained at the very centre of power. He was someone no one could afford to offend


    Why? Why had he always be so cold ther? Why was like this


    Was the


    bestful enough to many men eder. Her family favored her above all else. Even Yay''s friend, Sloan, was obsessed with her, unable to state himself.


    In der expericiae, all it took was a leckoning hinger and a pariful nce andmen would tall over themselves to please het ¨C


    except Ethan.


    Prilipum was precisely that separ Ichallenge. The more distant and testained he was, the more she wanted to see him long control fog het, to see him unravel. sit was die day, she would have


    1. "Unde Estan, my eng


    ? Ln, my engagement


    with Grace nothing but an empty farmality now. She''s the ute clurgin to it, talusing to let gu Lately, Grace had lean berdatant, for installerant. And strangely, that made him pate MANY.


    Dikan bathed away, his mate even toki i. "When you neatly


    downed, it was Guare leave you back then, you printed everyone that you''d marry her.


    nedkert i mean clone, Inn He''d had been hissesi became share had saved his lite,


    truer tinm, he had singly assumed she would always ke re. Andn always had been


    ?Allor''s voice was delicate, pur soft enough for only the two of them balera. "Tatory Thule Khan has always well. Do yosi Halnik


    "That''s in possilde!" Tatery cut her off immediately, a strange pain thing in ckest


    His expression darkened. "Ation, don''t say things like that. Thicle Ethan has never been interested in women. The only reason he wasevej podia Grace was because of me " esestment: She refused to ept that Ethan had even shown even a third of kinhessta Grace. She wanted to take whatever race hat


    [was just saying," she murmured


    Her gaze lingered on Ethan''s setseating figure, her eyes filled with greed as if she could already see the day he would worship her.


    And when that day came, she would y with him before cruelly discarding him, making sure he u Just the thinicht of it sent a thuillthrough her


    uffered because of ben.

 Chapter 46

    Grace sat in


    the


    car and carefully cleaned the wound on her knee with a portable disinfectant spray. It would take two hours to get to Northcock. She didn''t have time to


    wait for it to heal Mandy handed her a bottle of mineral water, her voice filled with grievance. "Grace, don''t be sad. 11 I hear anyone talking bad about you. I''ll set the record straight when I get back to the


    office.


    Grace pre he wound another spritz and chuckled. "It doem''t matter. People have mouths, and they''ll say whatever they want. Let them."


    Mandy hesitated, then finally spoke up. "Actually, I have a friend in your department. No one there really likes you. But back then, you and Yancey got along pretty well. That was a few Tears ago, though. After t A few years ago? That must have been betone Alice returned to the Lambert family


    from the moment she came back, everything changed.


    "Grace, you and Yancey are engaged. It''s not like he didn''t like you before. How did things get to this point? Are


    you really never going back? Prople in your department told me that you''re willing to endure anything just to win him back."


    Grace rubbed her temples. Warthere ever a time when she and Vancey were close?


    She didn''t remember anything from before her memory loss, but the bitterness that surfaced whenever she saw Yancey on the Lambert family that couldn''t be fake. Maybe she really had cated once. But now, n Seving her stay ment, Mandy quickly shut up as well


    Two hourster, the cat pulled up at the entrance to Northbrook


    Even though it waste, the local farmers were still busy tending to their apple orchards. A few high school students who were home for the holidays were helping out by livestreaming the


    Most of the farmers were over 30 and had no clue about the livestreaming industry, Only a handful of young people were uying to figure it out.


    But the young ones didn''t understand the tform''s after-


    sales policies either. It was easy for them to get scammed and end up losing everything


    Grace nced at


    the makeshift tents around her and immediately knew they''d been streaming for a long time. But their live broadcast room waspletely empty.


    She quick walled over, but the


    students streaming caught sight of her and instantly became wary.


    Lately, Grace''s live stream has been featured on the tform''s homepage. Anyone using this app for streaming had heard of her. Besides, Northbrook and Southbrook were just two ends of the sume county, th but their tone was far from friendly. "What are you doing here? Get lost!"


    It was alreadyte. Grace could see apples hanging from the under the glow of the orchard lights scattered across the bilde


    Last night''s heavy rain had affected many areas. These apples would start falling to the ground in just a few days, and once that happened, they wouldn''t be fresh anymore. Southbrook had project leaders over Grace turned to the student. "How many apples are piled up here?"


    The student''s face flushed red angrily, and he shot up from his chair. "What do you mean by that? Did you seriously drive two hours jest to humiliate us? You Southbrook people have no


    even smeared


    Back then, we all agreed that Southbrook apples would be promoted first, then we''d sell them ingether. But the moment Southbrook apples got famous, you neglected us! You ev


    Grace had known that the rtionship between the two regions" farmers was strained, but she hadn''t realized just how bad it had gotten. Before she could say anything, the nearby farmers, who had been busy Gare only had two people with her. Mandy and the driver, both terrified, instinctively moved to shield her.


    But when Grace saw a rake swinging toward Mandy, the instinctively pulleder hind her.


    The take struck her back with a dull thad Pain shot through her, and the let out a muffled groun


    More and inter people gathered, their anger palpabile.


    "Get out of out nachard, Southbrook scum! We''d rather let our apples tot on the ground than ept your fake kindness!"


    The person who shouted this had a tremor in his walce


    The resentment between Noida ook and Southbook had been brewing for decades. Ever since Southbrook apples became famoa, Southbrook had prospered. while, horflbrook


    had been deliberately pushed aside. The authorities turned a bindeye to thurm Alter all, whoever brought in the profits muttered most


    Lan awkward, marginalfond position. They were even mocked on the interriet for trying to "broch oft" soutlibrook''s reputation


    Grace''s face had pone pale from the pain, and another middle-


    aged man was about to swing his take again when a low younger men hurtled to stop him. "Uncle, stop! You''ll kill someone!*


    of the crowd, strikingly out of ce with her delicate features and lune face. Despite her pablon, she remained rasposed, her pasture unwavering


    there to help you sell your apples. I''ve heard about the history beteren foutlock and Northbrook, and understand


    your anger. Just give me three days. If I can''t sell 400 tharsand pounds of apples in that time, jorandome after te tijen


    Over the years, manyparti


    But because Southbrook''s brand wanton ul public sympathy to boost les


    in sights on Nortnck''s teillend


    thesepanies hadonly met wanted to rebrand Northbrook apples as Southbrook''a, forcing the farmers to y the victions and exploit

 Chapter 47

    The people of Northbrook had long been hardened by.


    Even if the world forget about them, they knew how to fend for themselves. They''d hail the gods on makeshift carts to sell in the neighboring city


    It wasn''t enough to make them rich, but in kept food on the table. Hard work was just part of the deal.


    But this year, the relentless downpours had caught everyone off guard. No one had been prepared for the sheer force of the storms.


    dece kept her stance low-key, and even when


    she was injured, she didn''t make a fuss. The gathered fruit farmers exchanged nces, hesitating Then, a few younger ones finally booke the


    "Three days. Just three days, She''s a streamer. Maybe she really can help "


    The others still looked uneasy, but in the end, they nodded.


    Mandy red or tocheck Grace''s injuries, but she shook her head. "I''m fine."


    Fine? Not a chance. Her entire back was probably bruised


    The Grace had already pulled back the p of a tent belonging to some of the younger farmers and stepped inside, issing instructions as she went. Send a message to every single customer who ced


    an order," she told Mandy. "Tell them personally inspected the orchards and found that Northbrook apples are sweeter. We''re switching the shipment to Northbrook apples. If they''re okay with that, we''ll ship. If n Mandy frowned "Why send that message? We''ve got over to thousand orders lined up. If we just ship them out, no one will know the difference between Southbrook and Northbrook apples. We could sell over 2 Grace caught sight of the younger farmers, whose faces were burning with anger. She quickly cur Mandy off.


    "For the people of Northbrook, pping a "Southbrook"bel on their apples is an it. Back then, Southbrook treated them like outcasts, pushing them our of the circle of prosperity like a bunch of bandes. "And now if they let their apples ride on Southbrook''s reputation, it''s no different than groveling Like they said, they''d rather let their apples for on the ground."


    Some people in this would clung stubbornly to their principles, no matter the cost


    just liker the people of Northbrook. Their elders never bowed their heads. Naturally, neither would the younger generation. That unyielding pride ran through their veins.


    Some might call them foolish, but having a code to live by wasn''t such a bad thing. At least they weren''t like the people of Southbrook, who repaid kindness with betrayal. The young farmers beside them lit up at Grace''s words.


    "Exactly! My mom always said we should never ride on Southbrook''s cortails. You have no idea how disgusting they were decades ago. People died because of them. Even our most respected His voice choked up.


    "The chief was killed. My mom was only a teenager back then. She always said he was a highly educated man from a top university. But instead of chasing a cushy city job, he chose toe here, determined "It was his idea to start growing apples in the first ce. Back then, Brookfield wasn''t split to Southbrook and Northbrook yer. But then a Southbrook official took all the credit for the


    apple industry and kept getting promoted, rank after rank


    "Everyone was furious and wanted to set the record straight, but the chief told them to let it go. As long as people could make a living, that was all that mattered.


    "But soon after, Southbrookpletely shut us out. They cklisted our apples. The chief went to negotiate for our rights, but before the meeting even started, he was beaten to death with arake. Southbrook''s Three hundred dors. That was the price they put on a man''s life¡ª


    a man who had given up everything for his people.


    Only now did Grace truly understand how Northbrook hadendured all these years. How could the older generation ever let go of such a grudge!


    The young man wiped his eyes. "The chief was only in his 20s back then. With his background, he could''ve lived like a king in the city.


    wa rock and


    This nele, who was still in the city when she got the news, jumped in her car and drove straight to Southbrook, determined to take him home. Bet on the way, someone thera shattered her windshield. She cra Grace''s fingers curled tighter around the apple in her hand. Even her breathing felt heavy.


    Mandy couldn''t hold back anymore, and her face was red with rage. "e you kidding me? What kind of monsters are they? Did the murderer at least get the death penalty?" The young man lowered his eyes, pres Twelve years old. Achild that age was still


    was still too young to face real punishment. They would''ve just been sent to juvenile reform.


    Mandy trembled, her chest heaving with fury. Then, the suddenly realized she had suggested repackaging Northbrook apples as Southbrook''s just moments


    ago. Shame burned through her. "I''m sorry I didn''t know."

 Chapter 48

    Grace patted Mandy in the shoulder. "Send out the apologytter first and make it sincere. Oh, and I just tried an apple. It really is sweeter and crisper than the ones from Southbrook." Mandy quickly wiped bet eyes and straightened up "Gotin


    Orice turned to the young man beside


    her. ¡°How much are you selling them per poundi


    It has always been no cente".


    "Manly, make sure to mention in the letter that we send an extra pound for free aspensation."


    The original price was eight dors for five pounds, so adding one more pound would more than make up for to cents


    As soon as the apology letter was sent out, they anxiously watched the backend. A flood of order cancetions started rolling in within moments like a blizzard.


    Mandy clutched her head. "We''re doomed, we''re doomed! What it all so thousand onders get canceled? It''s all because of Alice running her mouth, saying we deceived customers. Now, with this apology letter, Grace gave her a reassuring pat. "Keep watching the backend," she said, then stood up and locked at the group of young workers.


    "There will still be a few thousand orders left. Get more people over here. We''is packing apples through the night."


    These young people had been stuck in the tent for days, struggling to sell just a few on orders de to low tall. Even so, over 20 people had volunteered to help with packaging With a


    surge of orders, the nearby fruit farmers quickly joined the ellot


    Some were in disbelief. "Did we really just sell a how thousand orders that fast


    Grace brief exinedthe situation to clear up any confusion


    No one objected, and as long as customers knew these apples were from Northbrook and


    had nothing to do with Southbrook, that was mough


    One person put their hands on their hips and called out, "What are you all standing around for? Grab a loudspeaker and announce it do from one end of the vige to the other and wake everyone up. We''re pa Immediately, a young man grabbed a loudspeaker and sprinted off, knocking on doors and rallying the viges:


    Nearly everyone over 15 years old had arrived within no time, seamlessly falling into the shythm of packing. They worked tirelessly for three straight hours until every single order was packed Just an Grace stifled a yawn, Mandy suddenly let out a shriek


    "Grace! It''s not just a few thousand orders left! I checked again, and only a few thousand people canceled. Over ten thousand customers have confirmed they''re keeping their der Grace was taken aback. That r than ten thousand confirmed orders were still waiting to be shipped.


    She had thought that keeping just a few thousand orders would already be a win.


    Mandy''s face flushed with excitement. ¡°Lasked around, and most people said they kept their orders simply because they trusted you."


    Grar had indeed handed herself well in front of the camera. She was confident andposed, patiently answering every question without the slightest irritation. It was clear at a nce that she came from a wel mannered background.


    Mandy finally had good news after holding in her frustration for so long. She jumped on the spot a few times in delight


    "There are still a lot of people who haven''t responded yet. We should get cleaner numbers by tomorrow, but with over ten thousand confirmed anders, we be packing until morning for sure.


    The weight on Grate''s shoulders eased considerably. Looking at all the eager faces in front of her, she raised a hand in a sweeping motion.


    "Well then, let''s push through tonight. It''s going to be an all-nighter."


    A collective cheer rang out before meryone lowered their heads and got back to work.


    Meanwhile, in Southbrook, Erhus sal with one arm resting on the desk. He was idly flipping through the documents before him.


    Beside him, Tim besitated for a mement before speaking up. "Mr Ethan, Mr. Yancey is staying in the same room as Aline tonight. Should we inism the Henderson family?" Though he disliked Grace, the fact ren


    In higi sorety, it was rare for a mistress to secure her ce, and when Lilly had done so, the wealthy sosialites had looked down on fire for years,


    people found out that her son, who was still bound by an engagement, had spent the night with his Haneda''s sister, it would be another juley gosip tople. And since Ethan was the one in


    Ithan turned another page,s tune calm "No need?


    Tun''s eyes faced with season, and he couldn''t reading. "Like madles, like ses


    watch who selensed her way into marriage would ally raise a


    Kanyone with a shredol inteligeier would protect Hair own reputation. They could have their fun in private, but to openly entangle themselves with thelenc¨¦e''s sister man a levetul


    than rikonstile tile in his hands and sizzled lilinmeli toward the dau


    Tim kavre le kadromused a line altfell silent, sing himself with tidying up the drament.


    with the nndy sandevaning to the


    Leaning back slightly in his wherkbait, die goed up at the muumi 11 was abrady past 1 ou am. The world attend him was quiet. Evetyatie was astery, with the nudy


    derkluis moved softly across the stone path, its talent widi ecluding in the stall nighu


    The stopped in front of a painting dayed on the wall. The brushmink was waspsicle and munt hava beri


    A gentle voice broke the silence.


    Alle stepped forward moving with deliberate grace. "I didn''t expect to run into you, Mr. Henderson. It''s a peaceful night, in''t it? The air is fresh, and even


    the moonssems to hang lower."


    Ag of satisfaction flickered in her eyes, and the was determined to leave a good impression on Ethan. After all, she firmly believed that with just a little effort, he would fall for her like all the other mendud


    Tesides, the had learned her lesson this time.


    Shecalled him "Mr. Bredenen" instead of "Uncle Liban".

 Chapter 49

    Ethan''s face remainedexpressionless as he maneuvered his wheelchair to leave.


    Alice quickly stepped behind him. "Mr. Henderson, let me walk you back."


    The words had barely left her muthahep?be heard a sing


    She thought she had misheard for a second. She stood frozen, unable to process what hadju


    It wasn''t until the sound of Ethan''s wheelchair hadpletely faded into the night that fury gradually overtook her features. Her hands clenched into fists, her chest rising and falling violently"Never in her life ha humiliated liker thin.


    Ich actually dared to twat her this way?


    He can into her on a quin night, and the two of them just stood before the same palding. Il shumtive felt like fate, shouldn''t it?


    Damn in This man refused to y by the rules!


    rant the door, a ma sulled hen into his arms, kissing her hungrily.


    Alice then summed back to her room. But the moment she opeand the does, a man pulled her into


    The frustration in her chest eased considerably as she thought about how indifferent he was toward orace yet so passionate with her.


    "Yancey, why aren''t you asleep yet?"


    "Irte What were youudung outsida ?"


    "I just thought the moon looked nice."


    Yancey kissed her again, then carried her back to the bl


    Ever since that drunken night a year ago, they had long stopped pretending to avoid what had already happened between them. In fact, they had just been together moments aga


    iking, her tone Lared with concern, "I took a walk around the western courtyard. It''s pretty far from here. Tancey, you should check in on Grace tomorrow. She came to Southbrook our of spite, probably because Yarwy''s expression turned impatient, but then he recalled what than had said earlier that night. It left him with a strange sense of unease.


    There had been a time when his rtionship with Grace was genuinely good. She had liked him, and he had biked her


    had even saned his life.


    He still remembered vividly the way she had nearly drowned as she tried to pull him to share, refusing to let even when she was on the verge of death herself. That was something he had fur Alice''s hardchips had been far worse. She had suffered so much outside before finally returning tive years ago, yet she was so understanding and mature.


    Gare had spent all these years enjoying a life of haury in the Lambert family. Besides, it was Alice who had helped her escape that day. If not, who knew which one of them would have been mafficked incread Alice''s fingers traced slow circles on his chest. "Vancey, I don''t want to make things ugly with my sister. I know she resents me, thinking I stole everything from her. I get it. And she really does love you Sometim Vanory pulled her into his arms. "I''ll go see her tomorrow, okay? And don''t say that about yourself, I was the one who drank too much that night I should take respondity. None of this is Alte uliporurk dinisa smirk


    duck turn, abe lud envied Grace for Buying such a perfect hanc¨¦.


    Kerrything had felt trips to her when r fiest aeturned to the Lambert


    residence Worse, Yancey had treated her coldly, and his eyes were filled only with Grace. Of course, she hadn


    Lardie by kirke, Yancey''s leait plifiedtomedian, but that wasn''t moougli-


    not nearly the seeded lilin in bathe Grace


    Oarepletely


    imbentartideier, she swoon to take care of everything Grace cared about


    statakag an the magnitis ad Vanery''s endeace and enjoying the feeling of being cherished, she feltely said. There was, the happies she became


    The suret dineding. Tatery dragged his feet as he made his way to Grace''s courpand its stoodoutside beri das, kes king


    and the toned, andy to timeam in ce the a puppet shame strings had been cut


    ? Thai unseling feeling from the inchis spe


    gesell into trouble again, deci abel Higared she''d be amendekoud with sa unang moderateduled. Theschi Ionstat ben a


    §±


    Alice Badelung to him, kissing him for agesst night.


    He looked embarrassed briefly, but he brushed it off just as quickly. "Grace already knows. It''s not like there''s any chance of us being together Then why are you here?"


    That single question caught him off guard.


    Yeah. Why was he here?


    Why did he still care if he had already decided to break off the engagement?


    Ethan tuned away, his toe indifferent. "Or maybe, alter metting around in bed with Alice, you still can''t quite let go of the woman who actually cared about you.¡±


    Grace had loved Yancey with everything she had. Any man would feel a sense of pride in having a stunning woman as his devoted admirer


    Yancey''s breath caught in his throat "Tjust_"


    "Stay away from her." Ethan''s voice was calm. "You don''t deserve to stand by her side


    Yancey''s Imgers twitched at his side.


    han had never been close to the rest of the Henderson


    family. He rarely spoke much, and ever since his ident, he had spent thest two years abroad without so much as a single phone call home


    Even now,


    he remained detached from all family affairs after returning


    Yancey had always been cautious in front of him. But this was the first time than had ever spoken to him like this.


    The words left an uneasy weight in his chest, and his hand slowly curled into a fist


    Who was unworthy of whom, exactly?


    After all, everyone knew just how desperate Grace had been redling to him.

 Chapter 50

    When Yancey returned to the room where Alice was staying, he arrived just in time to see her fully dressed and about to start her live stream.


    Alice hadn''t even bothered to check on the orchard. It was too remote, there was no air conditioning, and the ce was swarming with mosquitoes at night.


    She had no intention of subjecting herself to such misery. Instead, all her live streams were conducted from the most luxurious room in the guesthouse.


    Alice quickly asked, "Yancey, have you seen Grace? I heard the farmers refuse to work with her because she set the prices too high. She''s got over 20 thousand orders stuck with no way to ship them out. If she cancels, wouldn''t that affect Henderson Group too?"


    Yancey''s impatience red. "She only took on the Southbrook project to spite you. If things havee to this, she brought it on herself. Did she really think she had what it took to handle this?"


    Alice was already seated before the camera, though the live stream hadn''t started yet. "Yancey, do you think Uncle Ethan will fire her over this?"


    He didn''t have an answer to that. He just knew that the thought of Ethan and Grace staying across from each other left an ufortable knot in his chest.


    With so many rooms avable, what was the reason for that particr arrangement?


    His mind drifted back to Ethan''s ident, the one that left him crippled. It had been because of Grace. Would Ethan have let them off so easily if it had been anyone else?


    Yancey had never liked his cold and distant uncle, but now, his irritation deepened. Could he really be interested in Grace?


    The thought made Yancey''s stomach turn. If he didn''t want something, he''d rather throw it away than let it fall into the hands of someone he despised. His mind wandered, and he only half-registered Alice''s voice.


    "Yancey, Grace is really putting on a good act this time. If you go soft on her just because she blocked you, she''ll probably pull this trick again and again."


    "I won''t grovel." He scoffed. "I followed your advice and tried to show a little concern, but she wasn''t even there. She probably panicked over those 20 thousand orders and fled back to the capital overnight."


    "That''s just how she is. The tiniest setback can crush her. Honestly, I wish she''d stay here a few more days and toughen up. Otherwise, how will shemand any respect when she joins thepany?"


    Alice sounded like she was offering well-meaning advice, but every word was a thinly veiled jab at Grace.


    Yancey ced his hands on her shoulders. "You''re her little sister. No need to worry about her. You''re only three days away frompleting your assistance project for the farmers. Once you''re back in the capital, I''ll buy you a sports car." "Really? Thanks, Yancey!"


    While the two of them basked in their sweet moment, Grace had been working non-stop throughout the night.


    She had sprayed her aching knee with disinfectant spray countless times. The entire vige hade together, and after working tirelessly until 2:00 pm, they had finally packed up all the orders.


    It was a total of 20 thousand orders, which meant she had sold 450 thousand pounds of apples in just one night.


    Grace was starving, her head spinning from hunger.


    A group of young vigers approached her, their eyes filled with admiration. "Grace, you''re amazing! Selling 450 thousand pounds in one night. That''s incredible!"


    "You must be hungry, right? The food will be ready in just a moment!"


    Unlike Southbrook, where the apple stockpiles were massive, Northbrook only had around 800 thousand pounds in total. In just one night, she had practically cleared out half their supply.


    The farmers who had been wary of her at first now looked at her with much softer expressions, their skepticism reced with newfound respect.


    When the food was finally brought over, Grace noticed that fried chicken was served among the dishes while the vigers themselves were eating simple boxed meals.


    One of the young men ced some fried chicken on her and Mandy''s tes. "Thank you both for everything. You''ve worked so hard.


    "We started marinating the chickenst night. Eat up and regain your strength." Mandy was so touched she was on the verge of tears.


    They had done good work back in Southbrook, only to be ndered and nearly beaten. But here in Northbrook, despite the vigers'' initial distrust, they weed them as friends without hesitation once the misunderstanding was cleared up.


    She dug into her food enthusiastically.


    Grace ate a small portion of the rest of the food and finished her fried chicken. It was a heartfelt gesture, and she wouldn''t let it go to waste.


    Once she had eaten, she started her live stream.

 Chapter 51

    The same crowd of audience members from before was still around, but because of the thousands of canceled orders, the tform was hesitant to feature her on the homepage again. As a result, today''s traffic was noticeably limit.


    Lven so, Grace still managed to


    sell five thousand orders from noon until midnight. And best of all, she hadn''t rum ines that annoying Alice.


    By the time she ended the size


    "Grace"


    exhaustion had hit her like a tidal wave, and she nearly copsed on the spot, her vision flickering with ck spots.


    Mandy gmped in rm, only then realizing that Grace''s entice body was burning up.


    "We you okay?"


    Grace shook her head wealdy, her lipspletely drained of color. "I''m just a line dizzy"


    "You''re running a fever! Take something for it, quick!"


    The workers, busy packing orders, immediately stopped when they saw deace nearly a


    "Ms. Lambert, ane you alright? Don''t push yourself. Why don''t you best for the night? You''ve already pulled an all- nighter."


    "Yeah, there''s no need to rush. We can handle the rest."


    Grace''s throat burned from speaking so much. She took a sip of water before replying,


    "I''m fine. Keep packing. I just sleep for a few hours."


    Mandy''s heart ached at the sight of her, her eyes turning red. "Don''t overwork yourself. Get some rest. We can all see hour hard you''re working. Besides, you sold another hundred thousand pounds today. That''s already amazing"


    Grace managed a small smile, but exhaustion overtook her before she could say anything. She fell asleep instardly.


    The workers around her immediately softened their movements, careful not to make any noise that might disturb het. Someone even lira mosquito coll nearby to keep the bups away.


    Mandy originally wanted to put away Grace''s phone, but curiosity got the better of her. She tapped into Alice''s live streami..


    Compared to Grace''s exhaustion, Alice looked radiant. Yet despite her fresh and glowing appearance, she had only managed to sell three thond orders.


    The chat was filled with gossip about her personal life, and the forced smile on her face was starting to falter.


    Then, a man''s hand appeared in the video. It had to be Yancey''s. The two of them were in a room together in the middle


    of the night, making no effort to be discreet.


    So, Grace had been right. These two had already slept together. They were absolutely shameless!


    Mandy turned to nce at Grace''s exhausted face, her anger ring Without thinking, she ryped a message into the chat "Scumbag couple!"


    But herment was drowned out in the flood of other messages, and Alice didn''t see i


    She was too busy going about Grace. "My sister has always been like this. She''s probably gone home already. She didn''tmunicate with the farmers beforehand, so she can''t de trything abour in Honestly, her whole "supposing farmers thing was just a spur-of-


    the-moment whim."


    A few sharp-eyed viewers


    ediately called her out.


    ¡°Grace at ended her live stream not long ago Stop spreading lies, you take bitch"


    Alice now thement, and her brows lotted together.


    Grace hadn''t left yet? Was she still streaming?


    Mockery flickered through her eyes, but a momentter, she was smiling again.


    So, earn after failing to process those 20 thousand orders, she was still live streaming? Clearly, she was just trying topete with her.


    How typical of Grace-Impulsive and brandess


    Fice, then the wadd see how Grace would cash and in the end

 Chapter 52

    In the next three days, Grace was able to sell between four to five thousand orders each day, but her fever never went down.


    By the time shepleted thest order, she felt that the world in front of her was a blur. Her legs went weak, and she directly copsed onto the chair next to her.


    All the umted apples were sold, and the farmers gathered together to celebrate. When they saw Grace sleeping, they immediately fell silent.


    Her cheeks were red, and her lips cracked from dryness. She couldn''t even talk today; she had been replying to the questions on the screen by typing.


    The farmers all knew how exhausted and hardworking she had been these past few days, and they were very touched.


    Grace finally woke up when the sun set in the evening. Mandy immediately checked her forehead temperature. "You''re still running a fever. Let''s head back to the guesthouse in Southbrook. You need to rest well for a few days."


    Grace nodded, not forgetting to remind the few young people, "Something might happen in Southbrook tonight. Make sure to keep an eye on your people, and don''t post anyments online."


    Everyone was confused. "What will happen in Southbrook?"


    Grace nced at the horizon, where the sunset glow hung over the mountains. It was a rare and beautiful sight. She exined, "They didn''t filter the customers'' addresses, and now, it''s been four days since the first day people ced their orders.


    "People in remote areas should''ve received the apples by now, and there are probably a lot of spoiled apples. Although the temperature here has dropped, it''s still hot in the south, so the apples have probably all gone bad on the way there."


    The farmers exchanged nces and quickly spoke up after realizing the situation. "Ms. Lambert, please let us have your phone number. Once we get our payment, we''ll send you a gift. And you don''t have to go back to Southbrook tonight. We also have a guesthouse here, and the environment is quite good.


    "There''s a hot spring too. It''s not open to the public. It was built many years ago by the old vige chief with the funds he raised, and it''s only used to host distinguished guests involved in developmental projects.


    "However, there haven''t been many visitors in recent years."


    Hearing that there was a hot spring, Grace decided not to go back and nned to stay here for a few days. She dragged her weary body to the hot spring everyone had mentioned.


    After asking around, she found out that a big shot had arrived that evening, and the hot spring had already been reserved and disinfected.


    She thought she would have no chance to use the hot spring, but when she turned around, she saw Ethan. Several managers in suits were following behind him.


    Her eyes immediately lit up. "Mr. Henderson?"


    Ethan noticed the mud on her pant legs and her disheveled appearance.


    Grace quickly wiped the dirt off her cheek. "Mr. Henderson, what brings you to Northbrook?"


    "Inspection," Ethan replied indifferently. Tim was pushing the wheelchair behind Ethan.


    Grace quickly caught up with him. "Did you book the entire hot spring and the guesthouse? Can we stay here?"


    Mandy was still quite intimidated by Ethan and had been hiding at the back. When Mandy heard Grace''s request, Mandy was somewhat surprised by Grace''s boldness.


    "It''s up to you."


    Grace let out a sigh of relief. She was really tired now and couldn''t travel in a car anymore. She just wanted to go to the hot spring and then go to sleep as soon as possible.


    She hadn''t had any rest for several days.


    The other managers, respecting Ethan''s need for rest, quickly made excuses to leave. Tim also left.


    Grace immediately went behind the wheelchair, grabbed the handles, and gently pushed it. She could see Ethan''s hair from her angle.


    Ethan, dressed in a ck suit, asked faintly, "Are you exhausted?"


    Grace didn''t expect that he would take the initiative to ask about her, and she yawned. "A little. I haven''t rested for several days, but all the apples here have been sold. Does that mean I''vepleted the Farm Support Project?"


    "Yes. I had dinner with these managers tonight, and they praised you."


    Ever since Grace woke up from the ident, she hadn''t received anyone''s recognition, and everyone despised her.


    She stopped in her tracks when she heard Ethan''s words. She felt all her fatigue vanish, and her eyes reddened in an instant. "Really?"


    Turning around, Ethan saw her expression, and his brows furrowed together. "You did very well."


    Grace forced a smile. "When I was in Southbrook, I also thought that hard work would pay off, but the people there seemed to dislike me. I even wondered if I was born with a curse that makes people dislike me."


    "It''s their problem." Ethan nced at her messy hair, assuming that she had been too busy to wash her hair and take a shower in the past few days.


    Only then did Grace realize how miserable she looked now, and she quickly tidied her hair. "I haven''t had time to wash my hair. It looks very dirty, right? I''ll go take a bath and wash my hair right away."


    Was it her illusion that Ethan seemed to smile for a moment? When she tried to take a clearer look, all the emotions in his eyes had disappeared.


    It had to be an illusion. After all, Ethan never smiled. Even though he looked aloof, she still wanted to know why he didn''t kill her if she had caused him to end up in a wheelchair.


    She had inquired and found out that almost everyone who had offended Ethan had a terrible end. But now wasn''t the time to ask him that. They weren''t that close yet.


    Under the guidance of the staff, she went to her room. After taking a bath, she received a message from Mandy.


    "Good news, Grace! Good news! There are really problems with the apples from Southbrook. Many people online im to have received rotten apples."


    Grace had expected this as Alice had aimed for short-term results. The reputation of apples from Southbrook would definitely be ruined because of this incident. However, Grace was not a saint. Those people just got what they deserved.

 Chapter 53

    But Grace was too tired, and her whole body ached. Besides, she was still running a fever, and she couldn''t reply to messages at all.


    It was already the next day when she woke up, but her high fever had not gone down. The illness hit her suddenly and quickly.


    Fortunately, the apples were all sold. After washing up, she opened the door of her room and wanted to go out to grab something to eat.


    When she arrived at the restaurant, she saw that Ethan was also there, and his table was full of food.


    She was starving. After asking the staff nearby, she learned that she had slept through and missed both breakfast and lunchtime. Now, she could only mooch some food off Ethan shamelessly.


    "Mr. Henderson," Grace only called out once, and Ethan seemed to understand her intention immediately.


    He tapped the table lightly with his finger and said, "Have a seat."


    Grace let out a sigh of relief and smiled at him. "Then, I''ll dig in."


    She was really hungry, and she had no idea how weak she looked at the moment. Her lips were pale, and she had lost several pounds.


    When she finished thest sip of soup, arge hand suddenlynded on her forehead. She froze; it was Ethan''s hand.


    Even his fingers were cold, and he looked unapproachable. "You have a fever."


    He soon withdrew his hand. Grace came to her senses and raised her hand to check her forehead temperature too. "I took an antipyretic, but it didn''t work. I''ll be fine after going back to take another napter."


    Her voice was hoarse, and she spoke weakly.


    Ethan''s gaze fell on the side of her neck, where arge patch of bruise had spread from her back. "Are you injured?"


    Grace was indeed injured. She was hit by a rake on the first night she arrived in Northbrook. Her back had been stinging for the past few days.


    While showering at night, she took a look in the mirror and saw that her entire back was bruised. It was quite terrifying.


    "Grace, go back and rest after you''re done eating."


    "Okay." Grace looked at Ethan''s back and suddenly felt that he wasn''t as cold as he seemed.


    She hadn''t had time to go to the hot springst night. After resting for half an hour post-meal, she took the bathrobe and went to the hot spring rmended by the staff.


    It was said that one''s skin would be smoother after going to the hot spring here.


    The entire spring spanned over a thousand square feet, and it was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see anything clearly. When she entered, she could even smell a pleasant fragrance.


    She was surprised that such a great ce hadn''t been developed yet. If they turned this ce into a natural, publicly essible hot spring hotel, they would make a great fortune.


    She swam in the hot spring for about ten minutes and then rested against the edge of the spring. Her cheeks flushed red from the heat.


    She heard the sound of water and turned her head to take a look, only to find Ethan leaning beside her with his eyes closed. She had no idea when he had arrived.


    She instantly got up from the spring, then she remembered she wasn''t wearing anything. She quickly sat back down, her face burning red.


    She only wore a bathrobe before she came in. The staff told her that the water had been changed overnight and that no one had used it yet.


    They suggested going to the hot spring naked, but they didn''t tell her that there would be other people here. And from the looks of it, it was clear that Ethan hade in before her.


    She immediately wrapped her arms around her chest, feeling hot all over her body. She lowered her head, not daring to look at him.


    The mist in the pool was too thick, and it was obscure beyond 1.5 feet, so it was no wonder she hadn''t noticed Ethan.


    Ethan was also bare-chested, but he was wearing shorts. There were even a few bottles of premium alcohol and some fruits by the spring. He really knew how to enjoy life.


    If Grace weren''tpletely naked now, she would have probably greeted him with ease. She was a bit far from where she had gotten into the water. In order to go back to put on her bathrobe, she would have to pass by him.


    She didn''t dare to move around and sat quietly. Ethan''s hair was dripping with water, and he slowly opened his eyes.


    Grace shifted to the side, afraid of offending him.


    The distance between them was so close that she could even feel his breath. His face and physique were so perfect they seemed almost unreal. Especially in such a misty environment, it was hard for her to look away.


    She nced at him several times, and she only realized that she had been staring at him for a full minute after hearing him ask, "Have you seen enough?"


    There was probably nothing more embarrassing than her being naked, so she managed to calm down at this moment. "It''s just an appreciation of beauty. Mr. Henderson, you''re definitely the most handsome man I''ve ever seen."


    Afterplimenting him, she suddenly remembered that Ethan was also her superior. She immediately kept silent and lowered her head to look at the water in the spring.


    Then, she heard a softugh. It was low and gentle, making her ears tingle. She thought it was just her imagination, but when she turned her head, she saw that Ethan was indeed smiling.


    The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and his usually aloof eyes had curved into crescents. Grace looked at him in a daze until a bathrobe was draped over her head.


    "It''s mine. Put it on for now." Grace was covered by the bathrobe and could only hear his pleasant voice. It turned out that he had seen her without clothes.


    Indeed, she had swum past him earlier without realizing it. Her cheeks burned, and she hurriedly put on his bathrobe, tying it tightly with a knot.

 Chapter 54

    It was probably because Ethan was soposed that Grace, who had initially felt awkward, also calmed down at this moment.


    Perhaps her figure wasn''t anything special in his eyes since he wasn''t interested in women. Thinking of it this way, she felt much more at ease.


    The hot spring was toofortable, and she didn''t want to leave just yet, so she leaned back and let out a rxed sigh.


    Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside, and Tim''s voice followed. "Mr. Henderson, we''ve found out that the people who pursued us in Southbrook were sent by Andrew."


    Andrew Henderson? Wasn''t he Yancey''s father?


    Grace was afraid that Tim would see her. After all, his impression of her was already very poor, so she instinctively sank down and submerged herself in the spring.


    Tim hade to the edge of the spring and said respectfully, "Andrew, the fool left traces of his actions everywhere. Do we need to do something to retaliate?"


    Grace was underwater and couldn''t hear their conversation clearly, but she could see Tim standing by the spring through the refracted water surface.


    She definitely couldn''t surface at this moment. She was now in Ethan''s bathrobe, and on top of that, she was in the same hot spring with Ethan. If Tim found out, he would probably end her with a gunshot.


    He would certainly think that she had ulterior motives and was maliciously trying to seduce Ethan. She couldn''t bear such an usation.


    Ethan''s gaze shifted downward, and he could see a figure desperately trying to hide through the swirling water surface. But Tim couldn''t see it from where he stood.


    Ethan lowered his eyshes and said, "There''s no need."


    If Andrew weren''t so foolish, he wouldn''t have married his mistress, Lily, and had Yancey.


    Tim was about to leave when he heard Ethan ask, "Has the matter in Southbrook been settled?"


    Tim was a little confused. Didn''t they already settle it beforeing here? There weren''t many ces worth developing in Southbrook, but there were hot springs and uniquendscapes in Northbrook.


    Moreover, there was a protruding tform next to the highest cliff here, offering a panoramic view of the mountains. That location was worth developing as well.


    Although Tim felt doubtful, he still answered diligently, "Yes. There are only two scenic spots in Southbrook, but the government already sold the two spots to the local farmers several years ago. Now that the farmers know someone wants to develop the area, they''re all raising the price and asking for ten million dors."


    The fact that the farmers dared to demand ten million dors was beyond being greedy; it was simply a pipe dream. It was hard to imagine where these farmers got the courage to make such a demand.


    Grace, who was in the water, felt like she was out of breath.


    Ethan said to Tim, "You may leave."


    Tim was somewhat puzzled but left anyway. As soon as Tim left, Ethan turned his head away, looking uneasy.


    Seeing that Tim had left, Grace immediately surfaced and gasped for air. She wished she could disappear as she heard his breathing be rapid.


    She quickly grabbed the edge of the spring, trying to get out. But she was too nervous and embarrassed, and coupled with her fever, her hand slipped.


    Ethan grabbed her by her waist, and they both fell back into the water, creating a loud ssh.


    His voice rang in her ears. "Why are you in such a hurry?"


    She was wearing his bathrobe, and with them being so close, it was hard for her not to have improper thoughts. She quickly pushed him away, trying to keep a distance from him.


    But when her hand touched his hot skin, it felt like she was taking advantage of him.


    Ethan''s eyes darkened when he saw her hand resting on his chest. The space was instantly filled with pheromones.


    Ethan was very tall, and now with his arms around her waist, she looked very petite.


    At this moment, Grace suddenly understood that no matter how sexually abstinent Ethan was, he was still a man with normal physiological needs.


    If he was not responsive in such a situation, he would be impotent. But it turned out that he was quite a healthy man.


    She had a feeling that if she kept moving, she couldn''t be sure what would happen next. Thus, she instantly stayed still and stopped acting recklessly.


    Ethan gently tightened his grip on her waist, slowly leaned forward, and rested his chin on her shoulder. He said in a much softer tone, "Stop moving around."


    Hearing that, Grace froze and felt as if her entire body was enveloped by his breath. At this moment, he was dominant, gentle, aloof, and forceful-all at the same time.


    His breath seemed to weave into a cage that firmly trapped her.

 Chapter 55

    Ethan closed his eyes, his eyshes drooping as he calmed the restlessness in his body.


    Grace also stayed quiet and did nothing. She tilted her head slightly and caught sight of the side profile resting against her shoulder. It was hard not to be captivated by him.


    He was simply too good-looking, almost otherworldly. And now, they were actually so close to each other.


    His skin was wless, and his facial features were well-defined. God truly favored him. Her mind was racing with all sorts of thoughts.


    A few minutester, Ethan quickly let go of her waist.


    Grace hurriedly exined, "Mr. Henderson, I won''t overthink it. If anyone else were here today, you would''ve acted the same way. This atmosphere is indeed stimting."


    Just as she finished speaking, a sharp gaze fell upon her face. The warm atmosphere just moments ago turned extremely cold in an instant, the air transforming into sharp des as if they could pierce through her entire body.


    She immediately realized that her words had hit a sore point and swiftly changed the subject. "I''ll help you up."


    Ethan''s legs were still recovering. Soaking them in warm water helped, but they couldn''t withstand such an impact for now.


    Grace carefully helped him out from the spring and then escorted him to the nearby changing room. Her bathrobe was soaked, and water was dripping all the way.


    After he got changed, she pushed the wheelchair over and said, "Mr. Henderson, please sit."


    Ethan sat in the wheelchair and looked at her bathrobe, which was still dripping with water. "You may go back."


    It was only then that Grace felt the heavy burden over her shoulders lifting. She let out a sigh of relief. "Okay."


    She returned to her room and changed into dry clothes. Staring at her awkward reflection in the mirror, she froze. The earlier scene flooded back into her mind.


    She had no memory of the past and was unclear about her exact rtionship with Ethan. However, judging by his disdainful attitude toward her, it seemed like there was nothing between them.


    So, was Ethan the first man she had touched like that? She looked at her palm and broke intoughter after realizing what she was thinking.


    Suddenly, there was a rapid knock on the door. "Grace, things are getting serious in Southbrook. Did you see my messages? Many people are seekingpensation from the tform. The tform has no choice but to lower the price or offer the apples for free.


    "It''s said that after all this fuss, over 10,000 orders will have to bepensated. The farmers in Southbrook are not happy about it and are looking for the local person in charge."


    Grace opened the door and saw Mandy''s excited face. Thinking about how poorly the farmers in Southbrook had treated them, Mandy couldn''t help but mock them.


    "Everything went as you expected. Alice was supposed to return to Druville today, but it was dyed because of this matter.


    "Didn''t she bribe those farmers with a million dors? With a million dors split among them, they can only get a few tens of thousands of dors each. In addition to the fines they have to pay to the tform, they''ll end up losing money."


    The aggressive farmers in Southbrook definitely wouldn''t ept this loss. Now, they were stopping Alice from leaving and demanding that she pay for the tform''s fines.


    Mandy became increasingly pleased as she spoke, and then she sneered, "Those farmers are spoiled. Previously, the higher-ups listened to them in everything. They even excluded the people from Northbrook, acting like total tyrants.


    "Alice has finally met her match. Let''s see how much she''s willing to pay to settle this."


    Grace smirked.


    ...


    On the other hand, Alice sat in a luxury car with a displeased expression as she looked at the farmers surrounding the car.


    What did it have to do with her that the apples went bad during delivery? She had already given a million dors to these country bumpkins, and they still wanted her to pay the tform''s fines?


    The tform had received bad reviews from tens of thousands of customers this time and had to appease their anger, so the fines were particrly severe.


    The farmers had to bear the fines themselves. Otherwise, the apples from Brookfield couldn''t be sold on the tform again in the future.


    Even though Alice was wealthy, she didn''t want to be taken advantage of. Moreover, she had spent a long time livestreaming. These people not only failed to thank her, but they even dared to block her car.


    She sat still in the car.


    The farmers had initially trusted her. After all, she had given them a million dors.


    But humans were selfish by nature. Now that they had to pay the fines from their own pockets, they would end up with nothing but losses after a year of hard work. Thus, no matter how good-looking Alice was, they were no longer on her side.


    "Ms. Lambert, you caused this trouble, so you must give us an exnation." "We shipped out hundreds of thousands of pounds of apples and didn''t make a dime, and now, we have to pay the fines? Is this reasonable?"


    "You won''t be able to leave here until you give us an exnation."


    Alice and Yancey were in the car. Upon hearing that, Alice''s eyes instantly turned red as she leaned on Yancey''s shoulder.


    "Yancey, I worked hard livestreaming here for the past several days, yet they''re treating me like this. It''s really disheartening."


    Yancey saw her reddened eyes and got angry in an instant. "It''s just a few million dors in fines. I''ll pay it for you."


    "No, this isn''t about the fines. I just don''t want to be threatened by these unreasonable people. I''ll see what they dare to do!"


    Yancey raised his hand to pat her on the shoulder. "Alright, don''t be upset. There''s no need to argue with these brainless people."


    Alice''s phone rang at this moment. It was a call from Quentin. "Alice, what''s going on in Southbrook? My friend just informed me that you messed up the matter. I''m not ming you. Just tell me the details now so we can see if there''s any way to fix it."


    Alice''s eyes were burning with anger. She was really mad. "Dad, it seems like the farmers want to smash my car. They were angry at Grace before, and now, they''re taking all their frustration out on me. No matter how well I do, they won''t be satisfied. I''m fine. I''ll be back soon."


    It was Grace again! Quentin was furious. He thought the problem was caused by Alice''s incapability, but it turned out to be rted to Grace again.


    He suddenly remembered that Grace had also gone to Southbrook this time. She probably saw that Alice was doing well and wanted to stir up trouble, which ended up upsetting the farmers. Now, they were holding Alice ountable.


    Alice had sessfully pushed the me on Grace.

 Chapter 56

    Quentin used to not care about Grace''s matters, thinking it was just petty jealousy and minor squabbles between children.


    But since it involved thepany''s interests this time, he could no longer ignore it. He immediately made a phone call to Grace.


    Grace had previously blocked Carmen and Liam, but she forgot to block this nominal father of hers. Seeing the shing caller ID, she was a bit surprised.


    After pressing the answer button, Quentin''s voice came from the other end. "Grace, what are you doing?"


    He used a reprimanding tone.


    "Is anything wrong?" Grace asked.


    "Of course! Why did you have to stir up trouble in Southbrook? Now, Alice''s car is surrounded by those farmers. They can''t find you, so they''re taking it out on Alice. I don''t care how you messed around before, but Alice went there representing thepany this time. Only when the Farm Support Mission seeds can thepany have a chance in tourism development.


    "Do you want the whole Lambert family to pay the price for the tantrums you throw?" Quentin scolded.


    Grace suddenly found it funny. She didn''t bother exining and hung up the phone directly. But she couldn''t ignore the rising pain inside her. If she hadn''t lost her memory, she would probably be on the verge of breaking down and crying by


    now.


    Then, she blocked Quentin as well.


    Quentin tried calling again, but when he realized he couldn''t get through, he angrily threw his phone onto the coffee table.


    "She''s really going too far. She even blocked me now. Does she really want topletely cut ties with our family?"


    Liam, who was sitting nearby ying games, knew who Quentin was talking about and immediately chimed in, "Dad, did Grace block you too?"


    With a grim expression, Quentin instructed the person next to him, "Cancel her card."


    "Mr. Lambert, Ms. Lambert''s card has long been canceled."


    Quentin was stunned for a moment. Grace used to spend money extravagantly. If her card had been canceled a long time ago, why hadn''t shee back yet? Had Alice been secretly helping her again?


    He took a deep breath and rubbed between his brows. A trace of disgust flickered in his eyes. "Forget it, I''ll just take it as though I don''t have this daughter. We won''t take part in the tourism development in Southbrook anymore. Get Alice back. Her safety is the most important."


    But just as he finished speaking, someone called andplimented him, "Quentin, your daughter is impressive! Hundreds of thousands of pounds of apples were sold this time. I think this tourism development project will definitely be yours. You''d better secure this massive fortune."


    Quentin was a little surprised. Didn''t the previous person who called him tell him that it had failed? "Didn''t the Farm Support Project fail?"


    "Who said it failed? Now, the farmers are petitioning to give your daughter a que. It seems that women really are just as capable as men. I heard the que is already in the making, and all the farmers in the vige have signed it. It''s very meaningful."


    A que was just a token of appreciation, but a que signed by all the farmers in a vige did carry a lot of weight.


    Quentin''s eyes shed with a hint of pride.

 Chapter 57

    "Of course, my daughter is very outstanding. She was already very impressive during her internship at thepany a few years ago. I thought she messed up this time, but there was an unexpected twist."


    "Haha, Quentin, I''m just letting you know in secret. The higher-ups are very pleased with her abilities, and she even put the local apples on the map this time. You should give her a call and praise her."


    "Sure, sure."


    Quentin''s face was full of joy. After hanging up the phone, he sighed and said, "Liam, you should learn more from Alice. She''s only been in Southbrook for a week, and the higher-ups are already calling to praise her."


    Liam pouted. "That''s not surprising. I had always believed that Alice would seed in everything she does."


    Quentin smiled. With Alice and Liam managing thepany together in the future, he, as a father, could retire in peace. He transferred 800 thousand dors to Alice for her to buy something she liked.


    When Alice received the payment notification, she was a bit surprised, and then her lips curved into a smile. It seemed that Grace had taken the me for her again. Well, it served her right.


    She looked at the farmers outside with disdainful eyes. These country bumpkins would never earn 800 thousand dors even if they worked hard for a lifetime.


    What right did they have to stop her car? They were really pushing their luck. She directly called the security guards and had them drive those people away.


    However, the people of Southbrook were used to being arrogant and wouldn''t tolerate this kind of treatment. They immediately got into a scuffle with the security guards.


    Some even swung sticks toward the car, smashing the windows. Only then did Alice realize that they were a bunch of unreasonable barbarians.


    She screamed and instantly hid in Yancey''s arms. Yancey''s face was scratched by the shattered ss shards. As he held Alice in his arms, he recalled the night he had spent with Grace.


    That time, they had passed by arge piece of ss when it suddenly shattered. He had stood there at a loss, and it was Grace who had shielded him. Grace had always treated him very well, and she even protected him in times of danger.


    But now, Alice treated him as a shield. Yancey suddenly sensed the stark contrast, which made him feel displeased. Just then, he heard Alice crying. "Yancey, I think I''m hurt."


    She raised her scratched hand, instantly pulling Yancey back from his thoughts. The government officials soon came over to help and rescued the two of them.


    When they arrived at the hospital, the project coordinator in Southbrook had a grim expression and tactfully advised them, "Ms. Lambert, Mr. Henderson, you should return to Druville. Everyone is furious now. If you stay here, they might break in directly."


    Sometimes, when there were too many troublemakers, no one could do anything about them. The police could handle a dozen people but not a hundred.


    Yancey took a deep breath and asked, "What do you mean? Alice has been working hard to livestream for the past few days, and now, you start to me her when there''s a problem with the quality of the apples?"


    The project coordinator was also holding in his frustration. Wasn''t this mess caused by Alice and those farmers? Alice first spent a million dors to win over those people and had them kick Grace out.


    Now, things had gone wrong, and the two groups of people had started ming each other. On the other hand, Grace had gone to Northbrook and apparently sold all the apples there.


    Moreover, the online reviews of the apples from Northbrook had been nothing but good while the reputation of the apples from Southbrook had instantly plummeted to rock bottom.


    Recently, all the reviews were from those who had received their orders, and they were all about rotten apples.


    Previously, Alice had promised that she had a way to preserve the apples, but her so-called method turned out to be stuffing ice cubes into thermal bags.


    Not only did that increase the transportation costs, but it was alsopletely useless, making everyone work hard for nothing.

 Chapter 58

    The project coordinator took a deep breath and said, "Ms. Grace has sold hundreds of thousands of pounds of apples in Northbrook. The CEO of Henderson Group has also set his sights on several ces in Northbrook and decided to develop tourism there.


    "Ms. Alice, we initially had two spots in Southbrook that were shortlisted, but you''ve spoiled the farmers with the million dors you offered them. They thought Henderson Group was unimaginably rich, so they demanded ten million dors for the two spots.


    "Henderson Group rejected it, and now, the two spots in Southbrook have been excluded from the development zone."


    Alice could tell that the project coordinator was ming her, but she didn''t get angry. She just pretended to lean weakly against the side. "I''m sorry. I originally thought of using that sum of money to reduce everyone''s losses, not cause them to breach their agreement with Grace. I never thought this would fuel their greed."


    She sounded very innocent, but upon careful recollection, she had indeed never explicitly instructed those people to break their contract with Grace when she offered them a million dors.


    She was simply skilled at linguistic maniption and would never say anything that could be detrimental to herself. This way, she could easily disengage herself from the problems.


    The project coordinator was at a loss for words. Now, there were problems with the apples from Southbrook while the apples from Northbrook were getting better.


    Moreover, the CEO had taken an interest in Northbrook. It was hard for Southbrook to go and beg them to return, especially when the farmers wouldn''t budge without being offered ten million dors.


    "Ms. Lambert, please go back. The farmers have be even more agitated ever since you came. Our small ce can''t amodate such a big shot like you."


    This remark was quite blunt. Alice''s expression changed several times, but she still didn''t lose her cool. She just smiled apologetically.


    Seeing her like this, Yancey felt heartbroken and hugged her tightly. "It''s okay, Alice. We''ll head back to Druville now. No one would like toe to such a poor ce anyway."


    Alice had the same thought. Grace had taken the me for this failed mission while Alice had received pocket money of 800 thousand dors from her family. Yancey had also promised to buy her a luxury car.


    She had earned an extravagant sum after a few days out, so there was no need for her to get angry with a bunch of low-level people.


    Hearing Yancey''s words, the project coordinator''s face turned red with anger. "Mr. Lambert, you''re wrong. Do you think Alice is a good person? She incited the farmers to break the contract with Grace and keep it a secret, causing Grace to spend a whole day and night selling over 20,000 orders that couldn''t be shipped.


    "It''s this scheming woman who drove Grace away step by step. If you keep indulging her, you''ll regret it sooner orter just like me."


    He had finally seen through the bitch, Alice. She was just a rich girl who came to care about the people with an arrogant attitude the whole time.


    She even did her livestreams in a fancy guesthouse and never set foot in the orchards. Grace, on the other hand, went straight to the orchard on her first day and worked through the night in the rain.


    The project coordinator regretted it deeply, but he had also tacitly approved the farmers'' actions at that time. It was toote for him to regret it now; he could only watch as the people in Northbrook made money.


    Yancey was so angry that he immediately took Alice back to Druville.


    When Alice returned to the Lambert residence, the Lamberts were in a happy mood. She was a little surprised and asked, "Dad, Mom, what''s going on?"


    Quentin sat on the couch with a satisfied look, and Carmen also felt proud. "Alice, the higher-ups called your dad and said that the farmers came together to give you a que as a gift. We''ll probably hear the news of us winning the bid soon. Come, sit here. You''ve lost a lot of weight these days."


    Alice was a bit taken aback. When she departed, weren''t the farmers still seething with anger and hating her to the core? Could it be that they were trying to tter her because of the one million dors?


    A hint of disdain shed in her eyes. It was just a cheap que, which could be bought online for a few dozen bucks. She wasn''t interested in it at all.


    But seeing how happy her family was, she just epted thepliment without hesitation. "They were still very angry when I was there. I thought they were dissatisfied with me. They probably regretted it after learning that I had left, so they decided to gift me the que. Dad, it''s good that I can help thepany. I''m not tired at all."


    Carmen was all smiles. "When I was having coffee with a few richdies this evening, they even talked about you. Alice, you probably don''t know, but the Farm Support Mission isn''t that simple.


    "I heard there''s a very important project in Brookfield, and the tourism development is just an appetizer. Manypanies are eyeing it¡ªthe Henderson family, the Sidler family, and the Jensen family all want a piece of the pie.


    "The Farm Support Project is closely tied to this project. Your dad and I just found out about it, and those richdies are very envious of us."


    Alice really had no idea about this. It turned out that Brookfield was involved in other projects as well. No wonder Ethan had gone there himself.


    If the higher-ups really did call to praise her, would Ethan also be impressed by her? She smiled, believing that she could win him over.


    Soon, Quentin''s phone rang again. "Quentin, haven''t you gone to Brookfield yet? Several people from the higher-ups have already gone there. Your daughter is also on the invitation list. I saw her name. The reporters have been invited too, and the interview will be featured in the local newspapers.


    "Yourpany will definitely get some policy benefits. How can you be so rxed? Why haven''t you departed yet?"


    Quentin''s face lit up with excitement. He immediately got up and looked at Alice beside him. "Let''s go back to Brookfield for an interview. Alice, this is all thanks to you. Let''s go there together."


    Carmen hugged Alice excitedly and said, "I''m really blessed to have such a well- behaved daughter."


    "Congrattions, Alice," said Liam.


    Alice waspletely stunned. She had just returned from Brookfield, and now, she had to head there again. Though she was somewhat annoyed, the praise from those richdies made her feel it was all worthwhile.

 Chapter 59

    Grace had just woken up when she heard amotion outside. She still had a lingering fever, and she had lost 5.5 pounds.


    As soon as she stepped outside, Mandy came rushing toward her. She grabbed her hand and started pulling her along quickly.


    "Hurry, hurry! A bunch of farmers are out there looking for you. They said they want to hand you a que!" she said.


    Grace blinked in surprise. A que?


    Mandy led her to the guesthouse''s main entrance, where a lively crowd had gathered. At the front stood several young people she recognized.


    Their faces lit up like they were at a big celebration. Grace was still a little dazed when fireworks went off above her.


    "Grace, this is from all of us. You have to take it. We all signed it," one of them said.


    "Word is, a big-time investor is looking at thisnd and wants to build something on it. A lot of our families'' plots were picked. From now on, if you evere to Northbrook, you''re covered. All your expenses will be free for life!"


    "Yeah, my family''snd got picked too. We started negotiating the price this morning. The investor''s representatives said they looked into Northbrook because of you. You really are our lucky star!"


    Grace saw the wooden que and didn''t know what to say. It wasn''t until the young folks pressed it into her hands that a wave of warmth hit her.


    She was about to speak when the sound of car engines interrupted her. A luxury car pulled up behind the crowd, followed by several government vehicles. They were officials here to meet Grace and Ethan, the investor.


    About a dozen people in suits stepped out. One of them, the same person who had asked Quentin toe to Brookfield, hurried over with a broad grin.


    "Quentin, you got here fast. You really raised an impressive daughter," that guy said.


    Dressed in a suit, Quentin carried himself like a high-powered businessman meeting his peers. He gave Alice a slight nudge.


    "This is my daughter. I originally brought her here just to get some hands-on experience. I wasn''t expecting much, but she did pretty well," he said.


    The guyughed. "Come on, don''t be so modest. She did more than just ''pretty well.'' Let me tell you something on the down-low-Northbrook might be a poor ce, but someone remarkable came out of here years ago.


    "That person has always wanted to do something good for Northbrook, but Southbrook kept pushing back. The two sides have been at odds for ages. But now, with this big sess in Northbrook, the bnce of power haspletely shifted."


    Quentin and the guy were talking under their breath, making it impossible for Alice to catch what they were saying.


    Meanwhile, the government officials were all focused on her, showering her with attention. Standing in the spotlight, she couldn''t help but feel a surge of pride.


    Someone in the group suddenly asked, "Hey, what about that que?"


    Weren''t the farmers supposed to present one?


    One of the officials finally noticed Grace in the crowd, holding the que. Assuming she was a farmer''s daughter sent to deliver it, he reached over, took it from her hands, and ced it in Alice''s.


    But something about Grace-her posture and presence-made her seem more like a well-off young woman than someone from the local farm.


    "Here you go, Ms. Lambert. The farmers made this for you. Let''s wait for Mr. Henderson to arrive and then we''ll have you two take a photo together."


    Alice smiled, soaking up the praise without noticing anything was off.


    Feeling proud, Quentin patted her shoulder. "Once you''re back in Druville, I''m sure someone from the Henderson family will step up and call off Yancey and Grace''s engagement. You really pulled it off this time."


    "Thanks, Dad," Alice said.

 Chapter 60

    The reporters, spotting the que in Alice''s hands, immediately started snapping photos and gushing about how great she looked.


    On the other hand, the farmers weren''t used to a scene like this. After a brief moment of confusion, a few young people rushed forward and grabbed the que back.


    "Who the hell are you? Why are you holding our que? This is for Grace!"


    "Are you serious? How low can you get, trying to take credit for Grace''s work?"


    People in Northbrook were straight shooters-they couldn''t stand anyone trying to take credit for someone else''s work.


    The government officials stood there, momentarily stunned. They then turned to Alice.


    "Aren''t you Ms. Grace Lambert?" one of them asked.


    Alice''s smile stiffened.


    Beside her, Quentin quickly stepped in. "Grace? She''s nothing but trouble. Alice is the one who helped with the Farm Support Project. You must''ve written the wrong name."


    The farmers were furious.


    "That''s a load of crap! We saw Ms. Grace busting her ass for this with our own eyes. Wrong name? You''re just trying to steal what''s hers!"


    They shoved the que firmly back into Grace''s hands. A group of them immediately closed ranks around her, their expressions hard as they red at Quentin and Alice with open suspicion.


    One of the officials who knew Quentin leaned in and asked quietly, "Quentin, do you have two daughters working on the Farm Support Project?"


    Quentin felt uneasy, but he was certain they had gotten the names wrong. Instead of answering, however, he let out a grunt.


    "But the person we invited is Grace. The que is for her," the guy said. "As for Alice... Well, I heard she caused a huge mess in Southbrook. Word is, that whole fiasco was on her."


    Quentin had shown up with Alice in a hurry, expecting interviews and praise, only to find out all the recognition was for the daughter he looked down on the most- Grace. His expression darkened.


    He stared at Grace, who was standing in the middle of the crowd. She didn''t even acknowledge him, acting like he was just some stranger.


    Realizing their mistake, the reporters quickly rushed over to Grace for interviews. She answered a few questions with a smile before being whisked away by the government officials for photos.


    Just then, the sound of a wheelchair rolling cut through the crowd. Ethan had arrived, nked by another group. The reporters, mindful of protocol, immediately put their cameras away.


    People from both sides shook hands and began discussing ns to develop Northbrook, along with a ssified government project that had just been handed to Henderson Group.


    Someone couldn''t help but praise Grace out loud, "Ms. Grace has done an incredible job. Plenty of people havee through Northbrook over the years, but no one has ever gained this kind of support from everyone here. Mr. Henderson, you''ve got a top-notch employee."


    Originally, this ssified project was supposed to be split between severalpanies, but Grace had made real progress in just a week. The higher-ups were so impressed that they handed the entire project to Henderson Group.


    A crowd gathered around Grace to celebrate, making sure not to disturb Ethan. As the farmers stepped back to snap photos of Grace, one of them identally stepped on Alice''s designer shoes.


    Heat rushed to her face. She had never been this humiliated. And to make things worse, the farmers didn''t hold back.


    "Hey, could you move?" one of them said impatiently. "You''re in the way. We''re trying to take photos of Grace."

 Chapter 61

    Alice was so furious her chest heaved with every sharp breath. She shot a murderous re at Grace, who stood in the middle of the crowd.


    Ethan was right next to Grace. His presence was imposing and ice-cold. No one dared to stand in front of him, so they all lingered behind. With Grace at his side, they looked like the perfect pair.


    Alice''s hand, which was hanging at her side, slowly curled into a fist. She could taste blood in her mouth.


    She had once sworn to take away every ounce of happiness that belonged to Grace. But now, all anyone could do was sing Grace''s praises while she was nothing more than a bitter fool on the sidelines.


    Quentin stood beside her, keeping up his air of self-importance as he waited for Grace toe over and acknowledge him. But the photo session was nearly done, the reporters were packing up, and Grace still hadn''t spared him so much as a nce.


    Quentin was on the verge of losing his cool when someone asked, "Quentin, aren''t you going to say something to Grace? What is she doing here representing Henderson Group? If she hade on behalf of Lambert Group, you would''ve had this bid in the bag! You must be out of your mind for not valuing such a capable daughter and even letting her work for thepetition."


    Hearing that, Quentin was so furious he almost choked. He just couldn''t wrap his head around how Grace, who used to bepletely useless, had changed so much. And to make things worse, Alice-the daughter he had put all his faith in- had made aplete mess of things this time.


    He stepped forward, ready to say something to Grace and maybe get some face time with the officials. In business, politics sometimes yed a role. People had to show respect to the right people if they wanted theirpany to thrive.


    Brookfield might be a small ce, but it had produced some heavy hitters who now held high-ranking government positions. They weren''t people he could afford to ignore.


    But he had barely taken a step when Alice''s choked voice reached his ears. "Dad, am I just a stepping stone for Grace to climb even higher?"


    Quentin froze and turned around sharply. "What are you talking about?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? I was the one who thought of joining the Farm Support Project, and Grace just tagged along. I pulled the all-nighter on the live stream and came up with a way to keep the apples fresh. But in the end, all the credit goes to her. I... Never mind. I guess there''s no point trying topete with her."


    As she spoke, she turned away like she had lost all hope.


    Quentin rushed after her. "Are you saying Grace took credit for your work?"


    "So what if she did? She just threw money at these farmers to win them over. I gave her a million dors not too long ago. She has probably burned through all of it by now. But don''t say anything. Everyone sees her as a hero right now. If word got out that she bribed them, it would drag the entire Lambert family through the mud."


    Quentin was fuming. No wonder the farmers had weed Grace with open arms. She had used the Lambert family''s money to buy their support, all to benefit Henderson Group. She was nothing but a traitor to her own family, a disgrace of a daughter!


    The person who had first called Quentin over saw he was about to leave and asked, "Aren''t you going to say something to your daughter?"


    Quentin''s expression darkened with irritation. "I don''t have a daughter like that. She''s a shame to this family."


    The guy was stunned. How could Grace be a "shame to the family" when she had pulled everything off wlessly? He saw that Quentin and Alice were already in the car and found himself at a loss for words.


    As a father, Quentin hadn''t offered Grace so much as a word of congrattions. Instead, he treated her like she was beneath him. That had to sting.


    But Grace didn''t seem to care in the slightest. Once she confirmed that Henderson Group had secured the bid, she turned to Ethan and said, "Congrattions, Mr. Henderson."


    A flicker of amusement shed in Ethan''s eyes like a passing breeze, leaving ripples in its wake. "I''ll give you a raise when we get back."

 Chapter 62

    They spent another two hours mingling with the rest of the crowd before Grace finally got into Ethan''s car to head back to Druville. But the people of Northbrook were still gathered outside, not quite ready to say goodbye.


    "Grace, make sure you stop by when it''s all done!"


    "My family just got a huge relocation payment! It''s about a million dors! I''m buying a house in Druville so I cane see you!"


    "How''s your back, Grace? I''m really sorry I lost my temper and hit you with that rake before."


    Their voices drifted in through the open car window.


    The farmers had grown incredibly attached to Grace in just a few days. After all, no one else had ever managed to save Northbrook''s apples, let alone turn Northbrook into a future tourist destination.


    Decades of bitterness toward Southbrook had finally worn off. They no longer had to worry about the people of Southbrook.


    A better future was ahead-one where they could focus on growing apples and helping with development. Gideon Kline''s dream wasing true, and they could barely contain their gratitude.


    ncing in the rear-view mirror at the people still standing there, unwilling to leave, Grace felt a wave of emotions rush over her. Honestly, she didn''t think she had done all that much.


    From the oldest to the youngest, everyone in Northbrook had a straightforward honesty that stood in sharp contrast to the vibe in Southbrook. She took a deep breath and managed a small smile.


    "Mr. Henderson, maybe it''s a good thing the tourism project ended up here. The people are genuine, and they''ll take good care of visitors. If we had picked Southbrook, I''d be worried they''d start price-gouging tourists in no time."


    Ethan was flipping through a folder of documents. He gave a quiet hum.


    This was the first project that had gone so smoothly since Grace had regained consciousness in the hospital. The sess left her feeling a quiet sense of satisfaction.


    Neither of them spoke for the rest of the drive.


    Worn out, Grace drifted off in her seat. By the time she woke up, they were already back in Druville, parked outside her neighborhood.


    She quickly hopped out and gave a polite nod. "Thanks for the lift home, Mr. Henderson."


    She thought Ethan would leave right away, but he nced up from his papers and met her eyes. Just as she started wondering if something was on her face, he looked away and rolled up the window.


    Grace stood still, feeling somewhat awkward. She turned to head inside, only to find Carmen standing at the entrance.


    Carmen''s face was tight as she marched over. "What on earth happened this time, Grace? Your dad''s losing it at home, and Alice is upset too. Come back with me and apologize."


    Her tone was calmer this time, not as sharp as before. She thought Grace would give in ande home right away, but Grace barely looked at her before turning away.


    Carmen had assumed that as long as she spoke up, Grace would go back to being the obedient daughter she used to be. But now that she was being ignored, her temper red up right away.


    "What''s with the attitude?" she snapped. "The whole family is miserable because of you! Have you ever stopped to think about why Yancey doesn''t want you?"


    "Oh, I have, Mrs. Lambert," Grace said tly. "It''s because I have a sister who keeps throwing herself at him. Men are weak when temptation''s that obvious, so I''ve decided to leave him. Funny thing is, you were mad when I wanted him, and now, you''re mad when I don''t."


    Carmen shook with rage. "Have you lost your mind? How dare you say that about Alice?"


    Grace stepped into her neighborhood, her voice ice-cold. "Stop looking for me. I''ve already told you I''ve cut ties with all of you. And as for my engagement to Yancey, I''ll go to the Hendersons myself and call it off."


    After years of Grace constantly giving in, Carmen couldn''t handle the sudden change.


    She took a deep breath and muttered, "Don''te crying to meter. You always pull these stunts just to get our attention."

 Chapter 63

    Grace didn''t hesitate for a second. She headed straight home.


    Carmen scoffed. She figured it was only a matter of time before Grace crawled back to the Lamberts. She was eager to see how long Grace could keep the act going.


    The next morning, Grace showed up at Henderson Group. She had been away on a business trip for a week and had noticeably lost weight. The moment she stepped out of the elevator, she ran into Yancey.


    Yancey''s eyes flickered with disdain. He acted like he didn''t see her, striding past as if ignoring her would somehow break her heart.


    Grace, however, didn''t react. She simply gave her colleagues a brief rundown of the trip''s tasks and aplishments. The trip had been a sess, and she had even received an official email confirming her raise.


    When Jessica heard that Grace had gotten a raise just forpleting the Farm Support Project, she rolled her eyes. She couldn''t help but throw in a snide remark during the noon meeting.


    "I hope everyone in our department puts in a little more effort. Not all of us have certain connections. We could work ourselves to death pulling overtime and still not see an extra dime."


    Seated at the table, Grace heard this and nced at Yancey, who upied the main seat in the room. As the department head, he outranked Jessica, who was just a manager.


    Grace gave a slight smile, her gaze unwavering. "Ms. Hull must be talking about you, Mr. Henderson. So, she''s saying everyone in this department could work themselves into the ground and never see a raise. That sounds like you, the department head, aren''t doing your job. As far as I know, thepany has always had a solid overtime pay policy-unless, of course, someone''s been pocketing extra on the side."


    Jessica had nned to make a jab at Grace but was surprised when Grace turned it around on Yancey. The truth was, he had a far stronger backing than Grace.


    Jessica''s face went pale. "Mr. Henderson, that''s not what I meant."


    Yancey felt a wave of embarrassment. He knew Grace was using him as a shield. Since Jessica had already gone this far, he''d look weak if he didn''t respond.


    "You''re a manager, Jessica, for crying out loud. Do you not know when to keep your mouth shut?" he snapped.


    Jessica''s expression darkened even more, and she shot Grace a venomous re.


    Grace raised an eyebrow, lowered her head, and flipped through the documents, saying nothing more.


    Jessica had always disliked Grace, convinced she had used her connections tond the job. After this meeting, Jessica was set on turning Grace into her enemy.


    That evening, Grace was about to clock out when she was told there was a mandatory department dinner. She had no interest in going, but the group chat announcement made it clear that attendance wasn''t optional.


    She wasn''t exactly well-liked in the department, and thest thing she needed was to give anyone an excuse to use her of being difficult. So, she grabbed a cab and headed to the venue.


    Everyone was already seated by the time Grace arrived at the hotel''s private


    room.


    Jessica wasted no time with her snide remarks. "Some people sure walk in like they own the ce. You even showed upter than the department head. Anyone would think you''re the one running the department."


    Grace ignored her. She just nned to sit through a bit of it and leave. She didn''t fit in with this group and saw no point in trying. All that mattered was getting her paycheck.


    Henderson Group had booked a pretty upscale spot for the dinner-a five-star hotel suite with top-notch soundproofing and even a karaoke setup.


    Surprisingly, Yancey showed up too. He never bothered with these kinds of events in the past.


    Although Grace had lost all respect for Yancey, his status in the Henderson family still carried weight. Marrying into the Hendersons of Druville was a fast track to high society, so plenty of women would kill for that chance.


    Sure enough, someone pretended to have a little too much to drink and started cozying up to Yancey, murmuring drunken nonsense as she leaned against him.


    Yancey was good-looking, and the moment she touched him, his first instinct was to nce at Grace.


    Back then, Grace had been fiercely possessive. If another woman so much as got close to Yancey, Grace would shove her aside and start cussing her out.


    Yancey used to love how obsessed she was with him. He still did. So, he was convinced Grace would snap and step in any second now.


    The woman''s hand had been all over his chest for a while, but Grace didn''t seem


    to mind. Finally, Yancey lost his patience and shoved the woman away.


    He turned to Grace, who was calmly scrolling through her phone. His ego took a hit.


    "Grace! Are you blind? Didn''t you see her all over me?"

 Chapter 64

    Grace didn''t even look up from her phone.


    Yancey snatched her phone right out of her hand, his chest rising and falling angrily. "Who are you so wrapped up talking to? I''m standing right here asking you a question. Are you blind or deaf? Someone was practically all over me!"


    A flicker of annoyance crossed Grace''s face. She held out her hand. "Give me my phone."


    Her indifference only made Yancey feel worse, like he was the one running after her now. But he knew it had always been Grace chasing him. So, why did it feel so different this time?


    Panic red in his chest, but he brushed it off. Grace used to be so crazy about him that she was willing to throw herself into a river for his sake. Feelings like that didn''t just disappear overnight. She was just ying hard to get.


    Yancey smirked and held her phone just out of her reach. "I got to hand it to you, Grace. This new approach is solid. Who put you up to this? Because you''ve definitely gotten my attention."


    Grace felt like she was going to be sick. How could he be this full of himself? She snatched her phone back.


    A few women nearby watched the scene unfold, growing even more convinced that Grace had only gotten the job through connections.


    The woman who had just been throwing herself at Yancey scoffed. "I don''t even get just how is she better than me."


    Jessica sneered, "What do you think? You lost to her because her family''s loaded, and she''s known Mr. Henderson since they were kids. That''s why she keeps getting everything handed to her. Otherwise, she''d never stand a chance. Now that Mr. Henderson meets all sorts of women, it''s no surprise he''s over her."


    With that, Jessica got up and walked out of the private room. In the hallway, she ran right into Chester Reeves, a manager from anotherpany she had done business with.


    Grace caught Chester''s attention the minute she stepped into the private room earlier, and he''d been hanging around ever since.


    "Jessica, who''s the woman who just walked in wearing jeans and a white top? She''s stunning. Is she new in your department?" he asked.


    Jessica knew Chester''s type all too well. He went after beautiful women but tossed them aside once he got what he wanted. A sharp glint of malice shed in her eyes.


    "Oh, her? Yeah, she''s new. And she''s broke. Just wave some cash in front of her and she''ll do whatever you want. I''ll call her out for you in a minute," she said.


    Chester''s face brightened with excitement. The thought of Grace''s long, slender legs sent a rush of heat through his veins.


    "Perfect. I''ll wait by the restrooms at the far end. Tell her to meet me there," he said.


    Jessica stepped back into the private room and tapped her knuckles on Grace''s table. "Two of the Farm Support Project leads are outside. They''ve got a few questions for you. Head to the third room on the right when you step out."


    Grace couldn''t turn it down since it was work-rted. She got up and walked out. She had to pass the restrooms before getting to the third room on the right.


    Just as she reached the halfway point, Chester-reeking of alcohol-lurched forward and grabbed her by the arms, yanking her into a tight embrace.


    "You actually came! I thought I''d be waiting all night. Come on, give me a kiss. Name your price," he said.


    Grace smacked him in the forehead with her handbag.


    Chester stumbled back a few steps, his face twisting with rage. He let out a


    vicious snarl and grabbed a fistful of Grace''s hair, mming her head against the wall.


    "Cut the act. You''d do anything for the right price, wouldn''t you?" he yelled.


    "Let go of me!" Grace shouted.


    Something inside Chester snapped. He convinced himself she was into another man and looked down on him. He grabbed the vase nearby and swung it at her head. He might have stopped himself if he had been sober. But with the alcohol in his system, he didn''t care.


    The vase smashed against Grace''s skull. Everything went ck for her, and she felt a warm trickle running down her forehead.


    Chester muttered a string of curses, "Keep making this hard and you won''t live to see tomorrow. Damn it! Jessica never told me you''d be this much trouble."


    He felt a twinge of regret seeing Grace bleed. He could have any woman he wanted just by throwing money around. How had he ended up with someone this difficult to deal with?


    Grace slowly sank to the ground, barely holding on to consciousness.


    Chester wasn''t about to back down when things had already gone this far. He''d have to pay her off anyway, so he might as well get his money''s worth.


    He started unbuttoning Grace''s blouse, his voice thick with filth. "Rx. It''ll be over soon. Just let me have a taste."

 Chapter 65

    Grace was too weak to fight back. Blood from the gash on her forehead kept trickling down.


    Chester had already ripped open her blouse and was about to take it further when a sudden, brutal kick sent him flying. He crashed hard against a sharp corner, and blood spilled from his mouth.


    The next second, the men''s restroom door was closed. Julian, dressedpletely in ck, stood guard outside and lit a cigarette. Anyone who came up was turned away with the same line. "Go somewhere else. We''ve got business here."


    Julian had always been a force to be reckoned with, and now, with that half-lidded stare, he looked downright lethal. The moment someone saw who he was, they stepped back quickly.


    He took a slow drag, leaning against the wall as he called inside, "Your legs are still recovering. Don''t push it."


    Inside, Ethan was crouching beside Grace, his hand brushing against her forehead. Meanwhile, Chester-the guy who had just taken the hit-rolled his eyes and passed out cold.


    Grace''s head throbbed. She instinctively brushed against Ethan''s palm.


    "Can you stand?" he asked.


    She was too out of it to know who had saved her, but she could tell he smelled faintly of mountain snow-fresh and clean.


    Grace heard another guy''s voice when Ethan lifted her into his arms. "Do you have any idea how many more assassination attempts you''ll have to deal with if people find out your legs are healing?"


    Her head rested against a warm chest. With thest bit of rity she had, she realized her head was bleeding. She tried to pull away, not wanting to mess up his clothes.


    But a hand gently kept her in ce, and a voice-cold but surprisingly soft- murmured, "It''s fine. Just lean on me."


    After that, she gently drifted off, slipping into unconsciousness.


    ...


    When Yancey and his group came out, they found the hotel suddenly on lockdown. Several hallways were blocked off, supposedly because a "very important guest" had just arrived.


    Yancey was irritated. Wasn''t everyone supposed to be treated as important in a hotel like this?


    Sensing an opportunity, Jessica decided to tter him. "Mr. Henderson, do you think it could be someone from your family?"


    Yancey''s first thought was Ethan, but Ethan was notoriously aloof and rarely left home. It probably wasn''t him.


    He scoffed and looked around. "Where''s Grace?"


    A nasty glint shed in Jessica''s eyes. Grace still hadn''t returned. Could Chester have actually taken her to a room to spend some time with her on the bed?


    That would be perfect. Grace would be done for as no man would want her after that. She had always relied on her looks to hook guys, so this served her right.


    Jessica smirked. "She''s probably still busy chatting it up with the higher-ups. I mean, she did pull off a huge project this time."


    The other colleagues snickered one after another.


    Yancey said nothing and was about to look for Grace when Jessica grabbed his arm. "Mr. Henderson, don''t tell me you actually care about Grace?"


    Her question made him freeze. He was so used to Grace chasing after him. How could he be the one to show concern first, especially with her ying hard to get? Besides, he had always bragged to everyone that he''d never have feelings for Grace. He''d look like a fool if he backpedaled now.


    "I don''t care about her," Yancey said. "I just want to head home. This way''s blocked, right? I''ll take the path at the end. You guys should head back soon too."


    Jessica breathed a sigh of relief. It was a good thing he didn''t care. Grace was getting what she deserved. Even her fianc¨¦, who had grown up with her, didn''t give her a damn. How pathetic!

 Chapter 66

    When Grace woke up, she winced at the bright sunlight. The space around her felt foreign. She sat up and reached for her forehead. It ached, and she realized it was wrapped inyers of gauze.


    The bedroom was spacious, with a quiet kind of luxury. Suddenly, thest thing she saw before cking out came rushing back¡ªEthan.


    She looked up and saw him in the doorway. He was still in his wheelchair, holding a bowl of oatmeal. Slowly, he wheeled over and set it down on the bedside table. "Feeling any better?" he asked.


    Grace was flooded with gratitude. Last night, she had been sure Chester was going to force himself on her.


    "Much better, Mr. Henderson. How are your legs?"


    Her memories of the incident were fuzzy, but one thing was clear-Ethan''s kick had sent Chester flying. His legs were still healing. She''d never be able to forgive herself if she had made things worse for him.


    "They''re fine," Ethan said.


    He grabbed the oatmeal and handed it to her. Surprised by the gesture, Grace took it with both hands.


    Ethan turned away, his voice even. "Take it easy. You don''t have to go to the office today."


    It wasn''t until Grace nced outside and saw the daylight that she realized it was already the next day.


    The moment she remembered that Jessica was behind what happenedst night, her expression darkened. She wasn''t the type to sit back and let someone walk all over her.


    "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Henderson," she murmured, lowering her head as she ate the oatmeal.


    Grace saw Ethan head over to the couch from the corner of her eye.


    He wasn''t in one of his usual dark suits today. Instead, he wore light-colored loungewear. Unexpectedly, he seemed more approachable without thatyer of cold formality.


    Grace finished the oatmeal quickly and got out of bed. "Mr. Henderson, I think I learned some massage techniques before. Let me help with your legs."


    Ethan had risked making his injury worse by helping her outst night and even brought her to his ce. While she felt uneasy around him, she knew she owed him her thanks.


    He held a book in his hand and nced at her.


    Grace thought it was strange how distant and intimidating he seemed in suits, yet here at home, dressed casually, he felt almost disarmingly different-even mesmerizing. No wonder so many socialites in Druville secretly yearned for him.


    Ethan hummed in agreement.


    Grace pulled up a small stool, sat beside him, and ced her hands on his legs, working her fingers in gently. She wasn''t bluffing-she really had learned massage techniques before.


    Most of her memories were fuzzy, but she knew she had taken learning the craft seriously at some point. She just couldn''t remember who it had been for.


    A massage could sometimes feel a little too intimate. After a few repetitions, Ethan put his book aside and caught Grace''s wrist. She flinched and looked up.


    His expression was calm. The moment his fingers brushed against her skin, warmth flooded her face. She suddenly felt self-conscious and tried to pull back.


    "Does your massage have to go this deep?" Ethan asked.


    Worried he''d mistake her for a pervert, Grace quickly exined, "It''s better to work through the whole area-it makes a bigger difference."


    Ethan let go of her wrist and slid over on the couch, leaning on his side. Resting his head on one arm, he stared at her without blinking.


    Grace had never seen this side of him before. He was nothing like the distant, cold person she was used to. He gave off a dangerous allure as he reclined there.


    Her face burned, and she dropped her gaze, concentrating on the massage in silence. After a while, he let out a chuckle.


    Grace wished she could just vanish. She knew she probably looked silly now with her head pressed against the couch. She could feel her face turning beet red.


    Suddenly, she pulled her hands away, her voice edged with frustration. "Forget it. I''m done."

 Chapter 67

    Grace had just spoken those words when something felt wrong. Why did it sound like she was trying to be yful?


    The room went dead silent. The only sounds were her and Ethan''s breathing. It felt like the energy radiating from him was seeping into her skin.


    She didn''t really know Ethan, but it was impossible to miss how attractive he was to women. The thought startled her, and she quickly got up from the small stool.


    "I should get going, Mr. Henderson."


    Grace hurried toward the door, but just as she opened it, his voice stopped her. "I''ll have Tim drive you home."


    "Sure, thank you."


    But the moment she got in the car, regret crept in. Tim clearly wasn''t friendly toward her. She could tell by the way he looked her over. Even from the back seat, she could feel the contempt in his eyes.


    When they pulled up to her ce, she couldn''t keep it in any longer. "Mr. Bet, do you have something against me?"


    Tim kept both hands on the wheel, his tone even. "Ms. Lambert, I still don''t know what you''re after, but whatever it is, I''d be careful if I were you. Mr. Henderson might let it slide once, but you might not get a second chance. He''s not exactly the forgiving type."


    No one would be able to stop Ethan if she pushed him too far.


    Grace hadn''t expected a warning about Ethan''s temper from his own assistant. To her, Ethan didn''t seem as cold and distant as everyone made him out to be.


    She was about to open the door when Tim said again, "I mean it, Ms. Lambert. There''s no stopping him once he loses control."


    Grace figured he just wanted her to stay away from Ethan.


    She gave a faint smile. "I''ll keep that in mind."


    Tim could tell she wasn''t really listening to him. One day, she''d learn the hard way.


    ...


    Ethan was in the study by the time Tim made it back to the vi. The room held an


    air of subtle sophistication. He sat in a chair with a book in his hands.


    He sensed Tim walking in and asked, "You took her home?"


    Tim hummed in response.


    Ethan turned a page and rested a hand against his cheek, saying nothing. Tim waited about a minute before asking, "Do we need to handle Jessica?" Ethan''sshes fluttered slightly, but his tone stayed distant. "No."


    Even though Tim had been by Ethan''s side for years, he still couldn''t figure him out.


    At times, it seemed like he cared about Grace. After all, he hadn''t said a word back then even though she was the reason he had spent two years with injured legs. He just left the country without a word.


    But other times, it felt like he didn''t care at all. He rarely stepped in or interfered in Grace''s life. Most of the time, he just stayed on the sidelines, only showing the slightest flicker of emotion in his eyes when she was near.


    Meanwhile, Jessica called Chester, the man who had tried to assault Grace. She wanted to check if everything had gone as nned at the hotel and whether Grace waspletely ruined.


    But Chester''s line was unreachable. A flicker of excitement crossed Jessica''s face.


    Chester was known to mess with women for days. Was he ignoring her calls because he found Grace so irresistible that he wanted to keep her around longer?


    Jessica smiled, her mood soaring. Grace hadn''t shown up at the office today, which could only mean she had already been ruined.


    Jessica hurried into Yancey''s office and said hesitantly, "Mr. Henderson, I''m not sure if I should say this, but my friend saw Grace go into a hotelst night with someone we''ve worked with before."


    Yancey had been looking for an excuse to get closer to Grace, so he immediately looked up. "Are you sure? Who was she with?"


    "Chester Reeves. He used to work with Henderson Group."


    Yancey nearly snapped his pen in half. Everyone knew about the vile things Chester did. He loved drugging women, takingpromising photos, and using them for ckmail.


    If a victim refused to give in, he''d ruin her reputation with those photos and videos. No one in these circles ever felt sorry for them since Chester had enough money to buy their silence. And if that didn''t work, he could drive them to the brink.


    Yancey took a deep breath, his expression darkening.


    Sensing his anger, Jessica stoked the fire. "We all know what Chester''s like. Grace must be out of her mind to get mixed up with him. And she''s still your fianc¨¦e. If people find out..."


    If word got out that Grace was damaged goods, Yancey''s reputation would take a hit right along with hers.

 Chapter 68

    Given his personality, Yancey should''ve called off the engagement with Grace


    right then and there, but he didn''t. Instead, he tried calling Chester. When Chester didn''t pick up, Yancey sent someone to track him down.


    The night before, Ethan''s kick had knocked Chester out so fast that he never even saw who hit him. He figured it was just some random do-gooder.


    When he woke up in the hospital, fuming, he ordered Grace''s photos to be doctored. The end result was filthy, disgusting images that would make anyone sick just by looking at them. Looking at these, he curled his lips.


    Since Grace wanted to act all innocent with him while being a slut, Chester wanted everyone to think he had slept with her. He was about to post the photos online when the door to the ward swung open and Yancey walked in.


    "Did you take photos of Gracest night when you were with her?" Yancey asked.


    Chester didn''t actually know who Grace was. Even though gossip about her chasing after Yancey had made the rounds in high society, Chester and Yancey moved in different circles.


    "So what if I did? Isn''t she just after money? I took these photosst night, Mr. Henderson. I can have her keep youpany tonight if you like it."


    There had never been anything between Yancey and Grace except for a few hugs. Ever since Alice showed up five years ago, his heart had belonged to her.


    But the moment he saw Grace naked in Chester''s arms in those photos, a wave of rage crashed over him. How shameless could she be?


    He snatched Chester''s phone, his voice cold. "Name your price for deleting these photos. And Chester, don''t say I didn''t warn you-Grace is my fianc¨¦e."


    Chester froze. He really hadn''t expected Yancey to show up. He had done business with Henderson Group once before, but histest proposal had been shot down. Now, this looked like the perfect chance.


    "Mr. Henderson, I''m hoping we can work together again soon. I really hope Henderson Group doesn''t reject my proposal this time. I''ll delete these photos right now if you agree. Otherwise, everyone will see Grace as just another discarded toy once the photos are out."


    A wave of agitation rolled through Yancey. Part of him despised how cheap Grace was, throwing herself at a guy like Chester; another part burned with fury at Chester''s nerve.


    Henderson Group had already locked in a deal with a different partner, and Chester''s proposal had been scrapped ages ago. Changing course now would make things a mess, and Ethan would definitely catch on.


    Grace wasn''t worth starting a fight with Ethan. That was what Yancey told himself, but he couldn''t look away from the photos, his blood boiling.


    Lately, Grace''s indifference had only made him want her more. Why not sleep with him if she had no problem sleeping with someone else?


    Yancey''s grip on the phone tightened before he scoffed and set it aside.


    "I don''t make the calls on that project," he said. "If we switch partners, Ethan has to sign off on it. He''s been treating Grace pretty well, so if you''re looking to use those photos as leverage, you might want to take it up with him. As for me, she''s as good as gone."


    "You want me to talk to Ethan? Are you trying to get me killed?" Chester questioned.


    Everyone knew Ethan''s reputation. Crossing him could get someone run out of Druville-or worse, they might not live to see another day. Even Chester wasn''t dumb enough to take that risk without a solid reason.


    "Fortune favors the bold. This project is worth 300 million dors. If yound it, you''ll move up at least two ranks. The real question is-do you have the guts?"


    Greed was part of human nature.


    Just before Yancey walked out, he added, "If Ethan gets involved, it''ll be because of me. So, don''t stress about those photos setting him off. He doesn''t get worked up over small stuff."


    Chester''s nerves eased with his reassurance. Grace was just a woman, and a man like Ethan wouldn''t get worked up over her.


    As soon as Chester found out Ethan would be at Velvet Eclipse that evening, he headed straight there, ignoring his doctor''s advice to rest. On the way, he imagined all the sess thaty ahead. He had spent his whole life working for an opportunity like this, and now, it was almost within reach.


    A tight knot formed in Chester''s chest when he blocked Ethan''s car at the entrance. He pulled up the photos on his phone and saw that Ethan''s expression never shifted.


    Chester was about to pat himself on the back, thinking he had made the right move. However, two bodyguards rushed over and shoved him into a ck car parked nearby.


    ...


    When Chester came to, the sharp scent of blood filled the air. A ck cloth was tied tightly over his eyes, his limbs stretched in four directions and left hanging.


    The fear of not knowing what wasing gnawed at him like poison eating through his veins. Who had taken him? Ethan? No way! Ethan had been calm when he saw those photos. There wasn''t even a trace of anger on his face.


    "Who are you guys?" Chester asked.


    The moment the words left his mouth, Ethan''s voice floated over, calm and gentle. "We just saw each other, Mr. Reeves. And you don''t recognize me?"


    He was sitting nearby, holding a cup of coffee.

 Chapter 69

    Chester went pale in an instant, panic gripping him. "Mr. Henderson, what are you doing? I came here out of goodwill to warn you about Grace. How could you do this to me?"


    Without warning, a razor-sharp dagger chopped off three of his fingers in a sh. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, his whole body jerking uncontrobly.


    Ethan set down his cup, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Go on. Tell me. What kind of person is she?"


    That was when it hit Chester-Ethan was avenging Grace. This wasn''t anything like what Yancey had said would happen!


    His lips were bloodless, and he was just about to beg for mercy when he heard the sound of a gun being loaded. Fear hit him like a truck, and he pissed himself as cold sweat ran down his face.


    "Mr. Henderson, I was wrong! It''s all a misunderstanding, I swear! I faked those photos. I neverid a finger on Grace! It was Jessica. She made me do it. And Yancey-he''s just as bad!"


    Gunshots rang out, and four bullets tore into Chester''s legs. This time, not even a scream came out. Wracked with agony, his body convulsed and he couldn''t get a sound out of his throat.


    Ethan didn''t rush, but his movements flowed with an easy grace.


    "Go on," he said.


    But Chester couldn''t get a single word out. His legs trembled so badly he could barely stand, and a puddle formed beneath him. Only now did he fully grasp just how terrifying Ethan really was.


    Yancey had been right. Ethan rarely lost his temper, but the calmer he seemed, the more terrifying he became.


    By the time the 12 bullets were spent, a hint of blood had sttered across Ethan''s cheek. His longshes fluttered slightly as he reached up and wiped the stain away with his fingertips.


    Chester was nothing more than a bloodied pile,pletely still. Ethan handed his gun to the man beside him and rolled his wheelchair out of the secret room.


    Just as Ethan headed out, Julian''s voice rang out. "You would''ve kept firing if it weren''t for the gun''s 12-bullet capacity, right?"


    Julian stood with his arms crossed, his shirt hanging open halfway down his chest. He looked just as bold as always. As Ethan moved forward, Julian fell into step beside him.


    Julian continued, "Do you have any idea how long it took me to erase all that surveince footage after you saved her yesterday? So many people are keeping an eye on your legs. They''re convinced you''ll be crippled for life. And yet, you don''t even bother hiding your condition when you''re with her. Aren''t you worried she''ll spill?"


    It would be a massacre if word got out. But Grace herself didn''t seem to realize that Ethan had trusted her with his biggest secret.


    Ethan pulled out a clean handkerchief and wiped the blood off his fingers, his expressionposed. Then, he tossed the stained cloth into a nearby trash can.


    "I was wondering if she would," he said.


    Julian raised an eyebrow, then let out a shortugh. Neither of them said anything else.


    Meanwhile, Grace was in her room when a sudden chill ran down her spine. She couldn''t help but shiver. Later, she asked Mandy a few more questions about Jessica.


    Since returning from Southbrook, Mandy had been telling everyone how nice Grace was, though most people just scoffed and didn''t buy it.


    Now that Mandy could finally lend Grace a hand, she pounced at the chance.


    "Jessica? Yeah, I know her. She''s got a boyfriend, but she also has a kid she keeps a secret from him. Her boyfriend''s family has a decent amount of money. He has even swung by the office to pick her up."


    As for how Mandy knew about Jessica''s kid, Gary, she had run into him by ident while out shopping.


    He had been a troublemaker since he was little. Once, he was caught shoplifting and got chewed out by the store owner. Another time, he was pped for groping a woman. He was a straight-up delinquent, just like his loser of a father.


    Grace raised an eyebrow and gave a faint smile. She had a pretty good idea of how to handle Jessica.


    ...


    That evening, Jessica was meeting her boyfriend, Peter Atkins, at a restaurant.


    She always talked a big game about being independent, but deep down, she still wanted a man she could count on and wished for a family. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have fallen for all that sweet talk at 19 and ended up with Gary. Now, she had to make sure no one found out.


    Jessica had been with Peter for six months and wasn''t nning to tell him about Gary until after they were married and she was pregnant. By then, there''d be no way for him to back out.


    Whenever she went on a date, she would make Gary wait in the restaurant next door. She couldn''t stand him. All he ever did was ask for money and drain her dry.


    She would''ve gotten rid of him already if she weren''t afraid of getting caught. She hated having a deadweight like him dragging her down.


    Jessica and Gary didn''t get along. He definitely took after his father''s nasty streak. Even as a kid, he was always up to no good. He''d y nice if someone gave him money, so in a twisted way, that was how he and Jessica got by.


    Gary, who was sitting in the restaurant next door, noticed a woman slide into the seat beside him. His first instinct was to ssh his cup of hot water in her face just because he liked watching people suffer.


    But just as he made a move to do it, the woman who was stunning, by the way said, "Your mom''s keeping you a secret from her boyfriend. She''s nning to ship you off once they''re married and have his baby."


    Gary shot up from his seat. "What the hell, you bitch? Quit talking nonsense!"


    Then, he threw out the same filthy insults he had heard Jessica use on other women, "I''ll kill you, you slut!"


    Grace smiled at him. "Go ask her yourself if you don''t believe me."

 Chapter 70

    Without a second thought, Gary grabbed the cup of hot water and barged into the next restaurant.


    Jessica had told him over and over that once she locked Peter into marriage, the three of them would finally be a real family. She wouldn''t have any more kids, so he''d always be her one and only.


    "Mom!" Gary shouted, flinging the hot water straight at Peter''s head. "Mom, are you nning to ditch me once you marry Peter?"


    Jessica, who had been all dolled up and put together, started to get flustered.


    Peter shot up from his seat, dripping wet and furious. "Whose kid is this? Why the hell is he calling you ''Mom''?"


    Gary was no stranger to throwing fits. He clung to Jessica, refusing to let go.


    "Mom, answer me! Are you really cutting me loose? I''ll kill both of you if you do that!" he yelled.


    Panicked, Jessica shoved him off. "Get off me! Who the hell is your mom?"


    Right then, Peter''s phone buzzed with a text. The second he read it, his expression darkened. Without hesitation, he smacked Jessica across the face.


    "You''ve been lying to me, Jessica? Trying to con me into raising someone else''s kid, huh? In your dreams!" he snapped.


    Jessica had spent six months buttering him up. Peter''s family had a worth of a few million dors. He was the best catch she hade across.


    "Let me exin," she said.


    But Gary wouldn''t stop calling her "Mom". Everyone in the steakhouse turned to look. Humiliated, Peter walked off.


    Jessica rushed after him. "He''s not my kid, I swear!"


    "Mom, so you really are cutting me loose? Good thing I came prepared." Gary pulled out a handful of photos of the two of them together.


    Jessica''s face twisted with rage, and she pped him. "You little leech! Are you here to shake me down?"


    All hell broke loose. The sounds of crying and the sharp crack of ps filled the air. Someone pulled out their phone and started recording. The second Gary noticed, he flopped onto the floor and wailed even louder.


    Jessica''s palm keptnding across his face. She was losing it. She had almost locked in a wedding date, but this brat had just blown everything up.


    She wished she had dumped him years ago, or better yet, never had him at all. Damn it! Why had she ever slept with that ex of hers? It was the biggest mistake of her life.


    Jessica went at him for a full ten minutes. By the time Gary''s cheeks were swollen and the crowd was buzzing in shock, her anger finally simmered down.


    She dragged Gary outside and spotted Grace standing off in the distance. But she was too drained to throw out any insults about Grace "being forced into bed". She shoved Gary into the car and took off in disgrace.


    Jessica had seriously underestimated how bad the fallout would be. By the next morning, footage of her beating Gary had hit the inte and was already trending on social media.


    In the video, she was clearly worked up, pping him over and over while he bawled on the ground. Thement section exploded, especially with outrage from mothers.


    "How could anyone hit a kid like that? She''s downright evil. She''s got to be a stepmom."


    "She beat him until his face was swollen! Where were the people around them? Why didn''t anyone stop her?"


    "When I was a kid, my dad hit me once, and I lost hearing in one ear. People with short tempers have no business raising kids."


    "Somebody needs to call the cops for child abuse."


    It didn''t take long for people to realize Jessica worked for Henderson Group. Soon after that, they were swarming thepany''s official Facebook page, demanding she be fired.


    Jessica sat in her office, too antsy to sit still. She had seen thements too. These days, the moment a person''s face showed up online, someone was bound to dig up the rest of their story.


    Now that this mess had blown up at Henderson Group, she would be the one taking the fall. No excuse would change that not even ming Gary''s XYY syndrome or saying her ex had fooled her into thinking they could raise him right. Jessica''s face went as white as a sheet when someone from HR approached. "Ms. Hull, here''s the severance package thepany put together. We''ve gotten over 200int calls today. HR can''t handle it anymore."


    The bigger thepany, the more it cared about its reputation. Jessica stared at the termination papers in despair, then heard Grace chuckle.


    That was when it hit her. Gary would usually sit quietly in the restaurant next door while waiting for her date to be over, so why had he lost itst night? Someone must''ve said something to set him off.


    "It was you, wasn''t it?" Jessica snapped. "Grace, you bitch! You ruined me! Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get here? I won''t let you off!"

 Chapter 71

    Grace strolled up to Jessica, her tone even. "Jessica, I don''t start fights unless someone asks for one. The second you sent Chester after me, you should''ve known this day wasing. Go ahead and threaten me all you want, but let''s see if you even have the time for that.


    "After all this mess, whatpany will still hire you? And if I remember correctly, you''ve got some pretty hefty loans, don''t you?"


    Jessica went pale. She had taken out a huge loan to buy a car worth seven figures just to impress Peter, and her monthly payment was a gut-wrenching four thousand dors. Without a job, she was totally screwed.


    "Grace, I''ll kill you!" Jessica lunged at her.


    Grace pped her.


    Jessica staggered back, clutching her face in shock. She hadn''t thought Grace would actually hit her.


    Grace rubbed her wrist like it was nothing. "You still don''t think you did anything wrong, so there''s no point wasting my breath. Take care."


    "Grace! Grace!" Jessica''s eyes burned red, her whole body shaking with rage.


    Everyone else in the department who saw Grace p Jessica dropped their heads like clockwork. They had always thought of Grace as nothing more than a pretty face trailing after Yancey.


    But now, she had driven Jessica out of thepany and wrecked her career. This side of her was straight-up terrifying. No one dared talk behind her back anymore in the group chat.


    Grace was perfectly fine with the change in attitude. They had never liked her anyway, and she had no intention of trying to fit into their circle. It was even better if they wanted to keep their distance.


    Jessica was quickly fired. With her manager position suddenly up for grabs, everyone in the department started scrambling for it. Grace had only been there two weeks and wanted no part of it.


    Almost like Yancey was doing it just to mess with her, he went ahead and pped the manager title on her the very next day. For a rookie who was barely two weeks in, taking that job was like picking up a ticking time bomb. All it would do was stir up jealousy and bacsh.


    When Grace got to work that morning, she was ready to march straight to Yancey -only to find out he wasn''t in. Her colleagues were clearly unhappy, but with the kind of backing she had, none of them dared to say a word.


    After a deep breath, Grace unblocked Yancey''s number and called him. "Where are you?"


    He had promoted her on purpose to watch her struggle while the whole department turned against her. When he saw her name pop up on his phone, he smirked.


    "Well, well, Grace. Look who finally unblocked me. Never thought I''d see the day," Yancey quipped.


    Grace felt a headacheing on. "Yancey, do you actually think this is fun?"


    "Obviously. Watching you bite the bullet and call me just makes it even better," he said.


    She had already found him unbearable, but now, he was just downright disgusting.


    She hung up and headed straight to the CEO''s office on the top floor, only to find out Ethan was in a meeting. Fortunately, Tim wasn''t as cold toward her as before and let her wait inside.


    Two hourster, Ethan finally returned. He seemed to know exactly why she was there and didn''t wait for her to speak.


    As he rolled past in his wheelchair, he said, "You can join the team on this floor."


    There were positions up here that suited her. Before, she had kept her distance from Ethan because he made her uneasy. But now that he was offering, she figured she might as well take it.


    "Thanks, Mr. Henderson," Grace said. Then, realizing it sounded t, she added, "How about I buy you dinner?"


    But the second she said it, regret twisted in her stomach. Things with Ethan already felt weird enough.


    Sitting behind his desk, Ethan said tly, "I don''t feel like eating out."


    "Thene over to my ce. I''m actually a pretty good cook," Grace blurted out.


    Ethan paused, looking up with an unreadable expression.


    Her face heated under his gaze like he thought she had some kind of ulterior motive. "I just..."


    She had spoken too fast. Sure, she could cook, but would someone like him really want to go to an employee''s house?


    Before she could take it back, Ethan asked, "What''s on the menu?"


    Was that a yes?


    "Is there anything you don''t eat, Mr. Henderson?"


    "I don''t like anything too strong or overpowering."


    He probably meant things liketro or scallions. Grace let out a quiet sigh of relief.


    "When are you free?" she asked.


    "Tonight."


    Tonight? That was fast.


    Grace had no reason to turn it down, so she started nning tonight''s menu. She was still lost in thought when she got back to her desk downstairs.


    But her mood lifted when she spotted the official transfer notice. Finally, she was


    free from that walking disaster, Yancey. That alone was worth celebrating.


    Grace jotted down a few simple dishes, all on the milder side, and sent the list to Ethan.


    His reply was brief. "Noted."


    It suddenly struck her that he might have a bit of a prideful streak.

 Chapter 72

    That evening, Grace left work half an hour early, stopping by the supermarket to pick up fresh ingredients. Then, she rushed home.


    With two hours until Ethan''s arrival, she had more than enough time to prepare a small meal.


    She worked alone in the kitchen, moving swiftly. Just as she was finishing and with only 20 minutes left before the scheduled time, the doorbell rang. Assuming it was Ethan, she quickly went to open the door.


    "Eth-"


    Before she could finish speaking, she saw Carmen standing outside.


    Her mood instantly soured, and her expression turned cold.


    Carmen shoved the door open without hesitation, the aroma of freshly cooked food immediately hitting her.


    "Grace, you still have the heart to cook here?" Carmen snapped. "Do you even know that Alice and Liam have been craving your food? Alice is sick, and she keeps asking for your cooking. Get your things. You''reing home with me." Grace didn''t bother responding. She simply raised a hand to shut the door.


    Carmen, already in a foul mood, shoved it open with force.


    "You bought this ce with Alice''s money, didn''t you?" she sneered. "She''s sick now, and all she wants is a meal from you. Yet here you are, indifferent. You''re heartless!"


    She stormed into the dining area without invitation.


    Seeing the beautifully ted dishes arranged neatly on the table, Carmen''s fury spiked. Without a second thought, she grabbed the edge of the tablecloth and yanked.


    In an instant, the dishes toppled over. Food sttered across the floor, and tes shattered. Even the tableclothnded in a crumpled mess on the ground.


    "Alice and Liam haven''t had a single bite, but you''re here feasting alone?" Carmen spat.


    Grace stood still for several seconds, her chest rising and falling. Without a word, she pulled out her phone and called building management.


    The staff in the security office hesitated. "Ms. Lambert, we didn''t intentionally let her up. She said she was your mother, and just a few days ago, she bought a vi for her other daughter. One of our staff recognized her, so we let her through."


    "I don''t know her. Right now, she''s trespassing and causing a disturbance. Please remove her immediately," Grace said coolly.


    Carmen never thought she''d see the day when security threw her out. Standing outside theplex, she stomped her foot in frustration, shaking with rage.


    This was the second time she hade looking for Grace in such a short period. Her patience had run dry. If Alice didn''t love Grace''s cooking, she wouldn''t have bothered. From now on, she''d pretend this daughter never existed.


    Inside her house, Grace had crouched down to pick up the shattered porcin. Just then, she heard the sound of a wheelchair approaching.


    Ethan was at the entrance, dressed in a crisp, freshly tailored suit.


    Grace had thought she was already numb toward humiliation. But why did Ethan always show up at the worst possible moments?


    Her fingers tightened around the broken pieces of the dish. Her voice was hoarse when she finally said, "Mr. Henderson, I''m sorry. Maybe it''s best if you eat out tonight."


    Even with the memory loss that had caused her to forget everything about the Lambert family, something inside her still ached.


    She bent down, collecting the shattered porcin. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her fingers, and blood trickled from a fresh cut.


    The wheelchair rolled closer. Then, Ethan caught her hand.


    "Don''t move. I''ll have Tim clean it up."


    As his assistant, Tim handled almost everything for him. He had been standing outside the door all this time.


    Grace noticed the surprise shing across Tim''s face when Ethan said that. For some reason, it made her want tough.


    "That''s unnecessary," she muttered. "I can clean it myself."


    She tried to pull her hand away and continue picking up the pieces.


    "Tim," Ethan called out.


    Tim immediately stepped inside. "Ms. Lambert, just sit down. I''ll handle it."


    Tim had already headed toward the bathroom to retrieve the mop.


    Grace had no choice but to stand up, only to have Ethan take her wrist and lead her to the couch.


    The moment she sat down, a tissue was ced at her fingertips. Ethan then wiped away the grease stains left from cooking.


    She instinctively curled her fingers. Moments ago, her body had felt flushed from the surge of emotions, but now, wherever his skin brushed hers, it felt like ice. It was like she was touching fresh snow.


    A subtle stillness filled the space between them, and the air felt thick with something unspoken.


    Ethan wiped her fingers clean. Her palm was bleeding, but it wasn''t too serious.


    He tossed the tissue into the trash. "Do you have a first aid kit?"


    "Yes."


    Grace stood to retrieve it. But when she returned, her gazended on a small stain of red on the couch.


    Her heart dropped. Her palm hadn''t bled that much.


    Her face flushed red when she realized it had to be her period.


    From the looks of it, it had already seeped through her pants. This meant Ethan must have seen everything.


    No wonder she had been feeling off while cooking earlier.


    But that wasn''t the real problem. Right now, she couldn''t look up. She wished she could vanish on the spot.


    Why would such an awkward situation happen to her?


    Her whole body stiffened as heat rose to her cheeks. Just then, his voice broke


    the silence. "Does your stomach hurt?"


    Her skin burned from sheer embarrassment. She couldn''t even answer.


    Then, he reached over to touch her hand.


    "Does it hurt a lot?" he asked again.


    Her lips trembled slightly before she finally forced herself to reply, "A little."


    The aroma of freshly cooked food had faded. Tim had quietly cracked open the window before slipping away, leaving only the two of them in the room.


    Ethan stood


    and headed to the


    kitchen. Momentster, she heard


    the sound of water boiling. He returned with a hot water bag, having somehow found one in her cabs. He carefully filled it tested the temperature, and then handed it to her.


    Grace hesitated, frozen in ce, until he said, "Hold it against your stomach."


    Before she could thank him, a fresh wave of pain hit her. Her face turned pale, and even her fingers trembled.


    Ethan rummaged through the first aid kit and pulled out a pill bottle. He popped out an ibuprofen, but by now, Grace was in too much pain to focus.


    "Take it."


    She slumped against the couch, her body damp with sweat. For once, she was


    too miserable to care about embarrassment. The pain was unbearable.


    Ethan grabbed a ss of warm water and sat beside her. He tilted her chin up with one hand while pressing the pill lightly against her lips with the other.


    Grace instinctively tried to spit it out, but before she could, he tilted her head back


    slightly and brought the ss to her lips.


    "Drink."


    Maybe his tone was too firm, so Grace swallowed without any hesitation.

 Chapter 73

    The pill slid down her throat, but Grace barely had the strength to react. She slumped against the couch, drenched in sweat. She was exhausted.


    She wanted to tell Ethan that she wouldn''t be able to cook for him tonight or go out to eat. But no words came out. Faint, fragmented memories flickered through her mind. Her period had always been this painfully unbearable.


    The only difference was that back then, she endured it alone. She would curl up on the couch and quietly wait for the pain to pass.


    At this moment, she could feel just how much she was sweating.


    Then, something cool pressed against her forehead. It was a damp tissue. Her body, weak and exhausted, instinctively leaned into the cold touch.


    She reached up, her fingers brushing against his hand as it wiped her face. Slowly, she nestled into his palm.


    Ethan held the wet tissue in his hand but didn''t pull away.


    Her face was pale. Whenever she felt weak, she tended to cling to someone. But once she recovered, she always distanced herself again.


    He slowly uncurled his fingers, his palm cupping the side of her face.


    She stayed like that for five minutes, rubbing against his touch before finally retreating.


    Ethan stood to turn on the air conditioning, but her hand caught his wrist. Her consciousness was slipping, and even her fingertips were damp from sweat.


    He nced down and reassured her, "I''m not leaving."


    He gave her aforting pat before Grace loosened her grip. Then, she drifted off to sleep.


    Ethan closed the window, leaving only the curtains open to allow the faintest breeze in. The temperature in the room slowly dropped. He walked over to a cab, pulled out a nket, and draped it over her.


    Just as he was about to sit back down, someone knocked on the door. It was Tim.


    "Mr. Henderson, the meeting starts in 30 minutes."


    He had originally nned to have dinner here, but things had long since gone off schedule. Tonight''s meeting wasn''t just any meeting-it was with international executives.


    Ethan didn''t hesitate. "Bring myptop inside. And the Bluetooth headset."


    Tim quicklyplied, setting up theptop nearby. Ethan put on the headset and began the meeting right there.


    Tim waited outside just in case.


    The moment the meeting started, the overseas executives noticed something strange.


    Ethan''s voice was unusually low, almost a whisper. They had to hold their breath just to hear him, but no one dared to ask him to speak louder.


    The meeting was halfway through when another knock echoed through the apartment.


    This time, it was Yancey. He didn''t bother to be polite as he pounded on Grace''s door.


    Everyone in the meeting heard it, but no one dared question it. They all pretended to ignore it.


    Ethan''s brows were furrowed together. Then, he heard Yancey''s voice booming from the hallway.


    "Grace, who the hell allowed you to transfer departments? You didn''t even discuss it with me first? You''re really getting out of control!"


    He had thought that if he promoted Grace to the manager, she would beg for his approval. Instead, she had quit without a word. How the hell was he supposed to keep her under his thumb now?


    "Grace, get out here and exin yourself!"


    Ethan calmly reached for his phone and dialed Yancey''s number.


    "Get to the office now. You have work to do."


    Yancey froze for a moment, thinking he must have misheard. Ethan had never personally called him before-let alone about work.


    Although he was an arrogant man,


    he was fully aware that his position at Henderson Group had nothing to do with talent and everything to do with


    with hisst name. He never had to work at all.


    Yet here was Ethan, ordering him to stayte. He couldn''t help but feel upset.


    "Ethan, do you know that Grace transferred departments?" Yancey asked. "Yes. Anything else?"


    Yancey clenched his jaw, his hand slowly curling into a fist. "I don''t want her to transfer. Can you make here back?"


    Ethan kept one hand on the keyboard, his camera still on. The international executives on the call had a full view of his face. His expression wasposed, unreadable.


    "If that''s all, I''m hanging up."


    "Ethan!"


    The call ended before Yancey could finish, and he mmed his fist against the door. The noise was loud enough to startle Grace awake. She stirred, slowly pushing herself up from the couch. Her voice was thick with drowsiness. "What was that?"


    On the other side of the call, the overseas executives had seen everything. Although Ethan


    remained calm, the atmosphere had turned strangely intimate. They couldn''t believe Ethan was with a woman.


    Everyone on the call was brimming with curiosity. At this hour, it was impossible for the voice they heard to belong to an employee. This meant the woman had to be Ethan''s girlfriend.


    Ethan turned toward Grace and said softly, "It''s nothing. Go back to sleep."


    Grace was too drowsy to process anything. She slowly drifted off to sleep again.


    She didn''t wake up until the middle of the night. But this time, she wasn''t on the couch.


    She realized that she had changed out of her clothes. Her eyes instantly flew open as she grabbed her clothes and looked down at her pants. She was no longer wearing the dirtied pair.


    Her face turned red when she thought about Ethan.


    Panic jolted through her as she rushed toward the living room, but Ethan was already gone.


    The only thing left behind was a bowl of chicken noodle soup on the table. Other than that, the room was empty.


    Grace''s body burned from embarrassment. She realized she had taken a bath too.


    If Ethan had been the one to clean her up, that meant he had seen everything.


    Her head buzzed, her mind spiraling in every direction. She couldn''t believe that Ethan would actually bathe her and change her clothes.


    The thought alone made her skin prickle with embarrassment. She wanted to ask but felt too embarrassed to do so.

 Chapter 74

    Grace tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Finally, she grabbed her phone and started searching online. "My boss bathed me. Are we still in a purely professional rtionship?"


    "I passed out from period cramps and woke up to find out that my boss changed my pants and bathed me. What do I do?"


    She posted both questions in a forum, but even after hitting send, her body still felt unbearably hot.


    The thought of going to work tomorrow and facing Ethan made her nervous.


    It didn''t take long before replies flooded in.


    "Are you sure this is just your boss and not your boyfriend?"


    "My boyfriend doesn''t even treat me this well. Your boss definitely likes you."


    "Forget boyfriends, even my husband isn''t this considerate. You don''t seem to mind it that much. Why not just be with him?"


    "Your rtionship is definitely no longer just professional."


    Grace quickly replied, "He has absolutely no interest in me."


    Thatment was immediately met with disbelief.


    "How is that possible? You''re seriously slow when ites to rtionships. How does he treat otherspared to how he treats you?"


    "He''s cold to others. He''s cold to me too."


    "Yeah, because bathing you during your period is totally something a cold person would do."


    Grace felt speechless. She hesitated for a long time before opening Ethan''s contact. She finally sent a message.


    Mr. Henderson, are you still awake?"


    It took ten minutes before he replied, "No."


    "Thank you for tonight," she said.


    "Okay."


    Grace was confused by his reply. She stared at the screen,pletely puzzled. Ethan was impossible to read. Was it really him who changed her clothes and bathed her?


    She kept going back and forth. Another 30 minutes passed, and she still couldn''t bring herself to ask directly. But if she didn''t ask, how was she supposed to face him tomorrow?


    On the other side of the city, Ethan sat in his study, resting his head on one hand as he stared at his phone.


    It wasn''t hard to tell that Grace was anxious, even through the screen.


    He hadn''t touched the documents in front of him for a while. When his phone buzzed again, he nced at it but didn''t pick it up.


    Grace stayed restless until dawn. The next morning, she was immediately led to her new workstation by Tim upon arriving on the top floor of the office building.


    Her desk wasn''t in a particrly special location, but anyone heading into Ethan''s office would have to pass by her.


    By lunchtime, even while focusing on work, she couldn''t stop thinking about how she would handle seeing Ethan. But he never showed up.


    He didn''te to work for the next two days either.


    The moment she realized he wasn''ting, the tension she had been holding onto finally eased, and she could finally focus on her work.


    ...


    Meanwhile, across the city, Yancey sat in a dimly lit bar, drunkenly scrolling through his phone.


    Grace had transferred to a different department without consulting him, and she wasn''t taking his calls. He had a feeling that Grace wasn''t bluffing this time and that she really wasn''ting back to him.


    The realization irritated him.


    Just as he reached for another drink, a hand pressed down on his wrist.


    "Yancey, Sloan said you''ve been drinking a lot tonight. Is something bothering you?"


    Yancey wasn''t sure why, but ever since that incident in Southbrook, he had been paying far more attention to Grace than before. She wasn''t as weak and useless as he had once thought.


    Grace was a beautiful woman, and she used to treat him well too.


    "You''re not drinking because of my sister, are you?" Alice asked, her tone light but probing. "She messaged me earlier. She said she''s sure you''d change your mind this time."


    Alice knew Yancey too well. In his rtionship with Grace, he had always been the one in control. There was no way he would ept being yed by her.


    If he believed this was just another one of Grace''s games, any trace of hesitation he felt would harden into resentment.


    Sure enough, Yancey immediately straightened up. "She really messaged you?"


    Alice''s gaze darkened. So, Grace had managed to get under Yancey''s skin. That wouldn''t do. She needed to get him back in her palm.


    "Yeah, she''s probably just trying to get under my skin since she knows I''ve been feeling downtely," Alice sighed.


    "That bitch," Yancey spat, but there was a flicker of smugness in his eyes. As he had expected, Grace was still thinking about him.


    Alice helped him out of the bar and into her car.


    She had been the one to call Sloan earlier. Sloan had been infatuated with her for a long time, and she had never outright rejected him. He was still useful, after all.


    Besides, as the heir to the Sidler family, he had status. She wanted every man in this circle to give her all their attention.


    After helping Yancey into the car, Sloan lingered, his eyes locked onto Alice. Men often didn''t need words to express themselves. However,


    Alice only offered him a small,


    sorrowful smile.


    "I didn''t expect my sister to put on such a convincing act this time. It almost feels


    like Yancey is slipping away from me," she murmured.


    "That''s impossible! Alice, you''re amazing. Yancey would be blind to let you go!" Sloan immediately said.


    Alice''s eyes glistened with unshed


    tears. "It''s not him. It''s my sister. Never mind: I already suffered a huge loss because of her recently, and my family has been cold


    ever since. There''s no point in


    tome


    talking about it."


    "Alice, if you need anything, just tell me. If Yancey won''t help you, I will," Sloan offered earnestly.


    "It''s nothing. I just don''t like the thought of her and Yancey working at the samepany. But I''ll get over it. Thank you, Sloan," she replied softly.


    With that, she turned and got into the car, looking dejected.


    Sloan felt a deep pang of sympathy, and his hatred for Grace grew deeper.


    Yancey clearly hated her. He couldn''t understand why she was still clinging to


    him.


    Unfortunately, Julian had been keeping an eye on himtely, so he couldn''t act recklessly. But then he thought about Hendricks.


    Right now, Hendricks probably hated Grace just as much as he did.


    Without wasting another second, Sloan pulled out his phone and dialed Hendricks'' number.


    Hendricks was in a unique position. He was Yancey''s uncle. If anything happened, Yancey''s overly protective mother would definitely step in And when that happened, the only one left to suffer would be Grace.

 Chapter 75

    Grace had been working peacefully on the top floor for a week. The atmosphere was professional, the employees were efficient, and best of all, no one cared about the gossip surrounding her.


    She nned to stop by a dealership after work to buy a car. Now that she had her own ce, it was time to get some transportation.


    At the dealership, she was greeted by a young salesman in his early 20s. He seemed reserved but spoke earnestly as he introduced her to the various models and their features. A few other salespeople nearby watched with indifferent expressions, clearly looking down on him.


    Grace furrowed her brows slightly. Just as she was about to ask him to arrange a test drive, a group of young men strolled in.


    She recognized the leader immediately. It was Liam.


    Liam had been spoiled his whole life, a typical rich boy who had never been told no. He looked arrogant, dressed in trendy streetwear with a pair of headphones hanging around his neck.


    The trust fund kids behind him immediately zeroed in on the young salesman.


    "Well, well, if it isn''t our little schrship kid. Still working part-time, huh?" one of them sneered.


    Another shoved the salesman''s shoulder.


    "Liam''s girl took a liking to you. Must feel pretty good, huh?"


    "Didn''t you call us flunkiesst time? Got real high standards for a guy who has to work for a living."


    Liam had been scrolling through his phone, uninterested. He was good-looking, the kind of guy who was probably popr at the university.


    Just as he was about to pull up a game, his gazended on Grace, and his eyes lit up.


    "Grace? You came to see me?"


    Grace watched the young salesman being shoved around, and none of the senior staff seemed surprised. They had seen this happen before.


    The rich kids acted like they owned the ce. Maybe one of their families actually did, so no one dared to step in.


    "Grace, are you finally here to apologize? I knew it. You wouldn''tst." Liam smirked, slipping his gaming console back into his pocket.


    He ruffled his already messy hair and leaned in. "But I won''t be so easily won over this time. You''ll have to cook for me every day for the next two years. And you have to bring the food to my university."


    Grace watched closely as he approached her happily.


    Meanwhile, the salesman didn''t make a sound. He had clearly been through this before.


    Grace''s voice was cold when she finally asked, "You bully people at your university?"


    Liam''s expression darkened instantly. "Bully? He deserves it. He knew I liked that girl and still got close to her."


    The words had barely left his mouth when a sharp pnded across his face.


    She hit him so hard that his head turned. It wasn''t the first time Grace had hit him.


    Liam clutched his cheek and stood frozen for several seconds before finally speaking, "You hit me again?"


    "Liam, you''re 19. You''re in university now. Yet you use your status to harass people, and you''re proud of it?"


    The guys surrounding them immediately went quiet. Then, as if snapping out of their shock, they rushed to Liam''s side.


    "Liam, you good?"


    "Who the hell is this? Let''s teach her a lesson!"


    Liam''s temper red.


    "Yeah, I''m bullying him. So what? What''s it got to do with you? You won''t even make me food, you''ve


    ignored me for months, and you


    don''t answer my calls. You''re really cutting ties with the family, huh? You don''t want me as your brother


    anymore, so why should listen to


    you?" he snapped at the end.


    Snatching his headphones, he put them on and gestured toward his group of followers.


    "Why did you stop? Keep going. Teach him a lesson."


    Grace saw that the salesman''s face was already bruised, but he remained silent, only ncing at her briefly before looking away. There was no plea for help or resistance.


    Without hesitation, she strode forward and shoved the bullies away. "Enough! Stop!"


    The group hesitated, their eyes darting toward Liam. They were waiting for his order.


    Liam pressed his lips together. For someone his age, he carried an air of authority. "Grace, you''re really taking his side over mine?"


    She positioned herself between the young man and Liam, her expression turning colder.


    "Liam, it''s one thing to mess around at home, but now, you''re pulling this gang mentality nonsense in university? Strip away the Lambert family name and what do you even have left?"


    Besides, it was obvious hisckeys weren''t good people, yet he had chosen to mix with them.


    Liam''s face flushed red. For some reason, seeing Grace defend someone else, especially someone he despised, felt like a betrayal. His gaze flickered to the salesman behind her, and his lips trembled with anger.


    After a long silence, he abruptly turned away.


    "Grace, I swear I''m done with you. Go ahead, take him as your brother. I''m just some stranger to you now, right? Fine. Don''t evere back to the Lambert family."


    With that, he stormed out. Hisckeys, suddenly lost without their leader, scrambled to follow.


    Only then did Grace turn to face the young salesman. Moments ago, when he had been exining the cars to her, he had seemed so


    professional. Now, he wouldn''teet


    look her in the eye. Maybe he had figured out her connection to Liam and found it repulsive.


    "If I buy this car, you''ll get themission, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "I won''t need a test drive. I''ll pay now."


    This was his first sale. The dealership treated him well-on the surface. But he


    knew it was to make it convenient for Liam to have an easy target nearby


    whenever he felt like picking a fight.


    The Lambert family was wealthy.


    Liam''s little entourage might not have been able to break into the elite


    social circles, but in the eyes of


    ordinary people, they were


    privileged with family businesses


    and money to burn.


    They clung to Liam because they wanted ess to the Lambert family''s influence.


    ...


    Liam stormed into the Lambert residence with a handprint on his cheek. The first


    person he saw was his ever-gentle second sister, Alice.


    She widened her eyes in surprise. "Liam, what happened to your face?"


    He slumped dramatically into a chair and yelled, "Grace hit me!"


    Carmen, who had been watering the nts, immediately mmed the watering


    can down. "Is she out of her damn mind? She''s out of control!"


    An idea formed in Alice''s mind as a smile crept onto her lips. "Didn''t Grace used


    to listen to Mrs. Henderson? Maybe we should have Mrs. Henderson invite her over for a little chat?"


    Mrs. Henderson was Lily, Yancey''s mother.

 Chapter 76

    There was a time when Grace practically worshipped Lily. If Lily was even slightly displeased, Grace would be on edge and do everything she could to make things right.


    But since Grace had be so unruly, it was time to remind her who was in charge.


    When Grate received Lily''s call, she recalled the information Ethan had given her. That was when she finally put a face to the name.


    When she answered the call, a warm, almost gentle voice came through the line.


    "Grace, are you free tonight? Come have dinner with Yancey and me. It''s been a while since you twost visited.''


    Lily no longer lived at Henderson Residence. The ce was now upied only by Yancey''s grandparents while the rest of the family had their own ces and only gathered for asional Grace luid no memory of how she used to beat this woman. But since Lily''s tone seemed


    "Alight, Mrs. Henderson," she replied.


    Altre ending the call, Lily turned to her son, tapping his forehead lightly with her finge


    cable, she considered using this opportunity to bring up the engagement.


    ¡ú See? She still listens well enough. Yancey, don''t take this the wrong way, but if you really like Alice, then just end the engagement and be with her properly.


    Yancey had thought the same way before. But now, something about it didn''t air right


    "Grace wasn''t making a scene. She wasn''t begging, crying, or threatening to throw herself into a river like she used to. It deli off


    Maybe if she caused a fuss-if the showed how much she cared-


    he''d consider daging the engagement out a little longer.


    tam. I''ve been trying to end it for ages, but she''s the one rating. You have no idea how annoying she is," he grumbled.


    Lily wasive when it came to her brother''s affairs, but otherwise, she was sharp. After all, she wouldn''t have secured her position in the Henderson family as a mistress otherwise. Yancey grabbed his car keys, hi Lily chuckled. "You and your attitude


    Yancey drove off, his mood


    unexpectedly lighter when he arrived


    at Henderson Group. Dat it was


    short lived as he was told that Grace had left just five minutes ago.


    Turious, he rushed to catch


    finally spotted her in the


    underground parking lot,


    He had nned to scold her and demand to know why she left without waiting for him. But when he now her delicate features and how the light illuminated her skin, the words died in his "Grace, I''m here to pick you up. Don''t make things difficult


    The moment she heard his voice, her body tensed with instinctive diagur She reached for her car door, ready to get in, but Yanceybbed in before she could clic


    "Are you done yet? I came all the


    way here to pick you up. What more


    P.n


    do you want? I''m telling you now, my mom likes you, so don''t throw a tantam in front of herter," he snapped. Before the could react, he putted her away from her car and


    stamped the door shut. "You''re


    riding with ma,¡±


    Grace had just raised her hand to shove him off when a voice called out from a short distance away.


    Yancey and Grace were standing too


    close together for her king. His hand


    was still loosely resting on her waist, making it look as if they were embracing. Yancey inched like a guilty man caught in the act and immediately stepped away from Grace.


    "Alice? What are you doing here?"


    Alice cast a cautious nce at Grace, "Lescause of Crane.


    She didn''t even have to finish. Yancey''s mind filled in the nka.


    He was certain Graced texted Alice on purpose, serting up this exact moment to make her witnou a misunderstanding


    Grace was curing as always


    Yaborgshot her adisapproving ne.


    "Why are you like this? I thought you had changed."


    i had a good-


    looking face. He inherited Henderson genes, after all. And with his height and postate, he always carried himself with a sense of superiority


    Alice''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as if she had just won some invitilde battle. Looping her arm through Yancey


    s, Alice smiled sweetly.


    "Mas Henderson invited me to dinner too. I thought I''drome pick up Yancey on the way. Grace, why


    don''t you tide with?"


    Come had no intention


    of doing so She turned back to her car and traced for the door, only to notice some deep pashes sliced agross the tires, Someone had deliberately shed them.


    Alice''s lipoverledenes in slightly "ons, links like you tes die ruined Curss you''ll have to cons with us, fast in Vainey''s asistat, Eliku situation yed out endurely differently after all.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 77

    Yancey''s lips curled slightly before he pulled Alice into his arms like he was showing off.


    "Alice, get in first."


    Alice slid into the front passenger seat, and Yancey even leaned in to fasten her seatbelt for her.


    After shutting the door, he turned to Grace and jerked his chin toward the back seat. "Get in already. Don''t keep my mom waiting."


    Grace didn''t even acknowledge him. She pulled out her phone, called a car repair service, and requested a tire recement. Then, without a word, she walked off toward the main road to hail a cab.


    Yancey stiffened when he saw her ignore his car, and he attempted to chase after her. But before he could say anything, Alice rolled down the window.


    "Yancey..." she called softly.


    That single word stopped him in his tracks.


    He hesitated, then suddenly realized that Grace was throwing a fit. She must have been upset because Alice was sitting in the front passenger seat.


    Grace had once said that only she could sit in the front passenger seat. But after Alice came into the picture, that rule had beenpletely erased.


    Yancey clenched his jaw, got into the car, and mmed the door shut. Frustration burned in his chest as he floored the gas pedal.


    As he sped past, his gaze involuntarily flickered to the side, catching sight of Grace standing at the curb, waiting for a cab. He couldn''t help but stare at her as his grip tightened on the phone.


    Beside him, Alice''s face twisted with irritation. She pressed her lips together and hesitated for a moment before speaking.


    "Yancey, maybe we should pick her up. Otherwise, it might be hard to exin things to your momter."


    Her words gave him the excuse he had been looking for. He had wanted to say something to Grace but had been too proud to admit it. Now that Alice had suggested it, he reached for the window controls, ready to call out to her.


    But Alice let out a small sigh and said, "But she did message me today. I don''t know if it was just to make sure I''d see you two together..."


    With that, Yancey stepped on the gas and sped away.


    Alice was right. There was no way Grace didn''t care about him. She was even willing to jump off a building for him. She couldn''t possibly stop loving him just like that.


    He couldn''t fall for her tricks.


    Alice nced into the side mirror, watching Grace''s figure recede into the distance. But even as the car sped away, she felt restless. Her hands curled into fists, and she pulled out her phone to send Sloan a quick message.


    "Sloan, I think Yancey really has feelings for Grace. What should I do?"


    The message was crafted perfectly for an egotistical man like Sloan. It was as if she were a damsel in distress waiting for a hero to save her.


    He had been in contact with Hendricks. Without hesitation, he called him up.


    "Hendricks, Grace is going to your sister''s ce for dinner tonight. What are you waiting for?"


    Hendricks had already been stewing in frustration. Hearing this, he immediately grabbed his keys and headed out.


    Lily had always sided with him. Even if he stirred up trouble, she would protect him.


    Last time, Grace had made a fool out of him. This time, he was going to make sure she paid for it.


    Grace stood in front of the mansion, staring at it with a int sense of familiarity. She stepped forward and rang the doorbell. A housekeeper answered the door.


    From inside, she could already hear Alice speaking sweetly to Lily.


    "Mrs. Henderson, it''s been two months, and you look even younger. I brought you some tea. Yancey said it''s your favorite."


    "Alice, you''ve always been so sweet."


    The two of them went back and forth, chatting as if they were already family.


    Grace stood at the door and handed her gift to the housekeeper.


    The housekeeper rolled her eyes, took the box, and immediately started


    rummaging through it.


    "Ms. Grace, you missed out on something this time. Where''s that scented candle I like?"


    Grace blinked, thinking she had misheard.


    The housekeeper continued searching for another two minutes. When she confirmed it wasn''t there, her expression darkened.


    "You''d always buy one for me. You haven''t been here for months, and I''ve used up myst candle. Did you forget? That scent has to be pre-ordered. You''re getting careless."


    Her upset and dissatisfied tone made Grace chuckle. "Are you seriously talking to me?"


    The housekeeper frowned, then casually set the box aside. "Who else? Never mind, I can''t be bothered. You can''t even remember something so small. Just go in already."


    Grace slowly walked inside and then turned to Lily with a polite smile.


    "Mrs. Henderson, did I really used to bring gifts for the housekeeper? I had a car ident and hit my head, so I don''t remember. But I wasn''t expecting to get scolded the moment I arrived."


    Lily finally seemed to notice her and quickly responded, "You were always thoughtful. You did bring something every time. But what''s this about a car ident? Was it serious? Come here, let me take a look."


    Grace''s gaze darkened. She had meant for Lily to reprimand the housekeeper. After all, outright demanding gifts from a guest was beyond rude.


    But Lily brushed past it so casually without the slightest intention of standing up for her.


    Grace sat down, deliberately choosing a seat that wasn''t too close but wasn''t too far either.


    Lily raised an eyebrow, surprised. Grace used to sit as close as possible, eager to gain her favor. This time, there was a clear distance between them.


    Grace, who was sitting with the perfect posture, suddenly lost interest in making conversation. She had already figured out where she stood with Lily.


    Sensing the awkwardness, Lily quickly turned to the housekeeper. "What are you standing around for? Go bring some tea."


    The housekeeper grabbed Grace''s wrist without hesitation.


    "Ms. Grace,e with me. You know better than anyone how Yancey likes his


    tea. And Mrs. Henderson prefers it when you brew it."

 Chapter 78

    Grace nced at Yancey, then at Lily.


    Lily smiled. "Grace, you''ve always spoiled Yancey. You used to make tea for him all the time."


    Yancey scoffed and turned his head away.


    Grace hadn''t made him tea in a long time. Ever since she woke up from her ident, they hadn''t even shared a peaceful meal together. Thinking about it now, it made him uneasy. They had never been in a fight for this long.


    Without a word, Grace stood up and followed the housekeeper to the tea room.


    Now that they were out of Lily''s sight, the housekeeper''s demeanor changed instantly. She lifted her chin and spoke with an air of authority.


    "Mr. Henderson''s favorite teas are over there, and Ms. Alice''s as well. Since you used to do this in the Lambert residence anyway, you might as well make them all at once. Don''t worry, I''ll be sure to put in a good word for you with Mrs. Henderson."


    Grace looked down, grabbed a handful of tea leaves, and dumped them into a cup filled with tap water.


    She repeated the process for the other two cups, then carried them back to the living room, ignoring the housekeeper''s attitude.


    The housekeeper, unaware of anything unusual, only thought Grace had brewed the tea unusually fast.


    Grace set the three cups down on the coffee table. "Drink up."


    Yancey was the first to pick up a cup, but the moment he touched it, he frowned. The cup was cold, and the tea leaves hadn''t even steeped properly.


    He shot Grace a questioning look, but she simply sat on the couch, looking unusually quiet. His heart softened in an instant.


    For once, she wasn''t snapping back at him. Without thinking too much, he took a big sip. It was definitely cold water, and the unsteeped tea leaves got stuck all over his mouth. Setting the cup down, he nced at Grace again.


    Seeing that Yancey hadn''tined, Alice and Lily each picked up their own cups.


    Lily, everposed, took a sip and calmly set her cup down. Her expression didn''t change, but inside, she was seething. She knew Grace had done this on purpose.


    She was quite irritated. Grace used to be so eager to please, always bringing expensive gifts and buttering her up. Today, she was distant, indifferent.


    No matter how strained her rtionship with Yancey was, Grace shouldn''t be taking it out on her.


    In this regard, Alice was much more considerate than Grace.


    Just then, Grace asked, "Yancey, how do you find the tea?"


    Before Yancey could respond, Alice let out a dramatic gasp. She quickly set down her cup and started coughing exaggeratedly.


    "Why is this cold?" she eximed. "Grace, it''s one thing to be stubborn at home, but Mrs. Henderson is here. You can''t just throw a tantrum like this. If you act this way after you marry Yancey, who will be able to control you? No matter what issues you have with him, you shouldn''t deliberately upset his family."


    She immediately grabbed Lily''s cup and dumped all the tea into the trash.


    "Mrs. Henderson, Yancey, I''ll go brew you a fresh cup. Grace is probably just in a bad mood today. Please don''t hold it against her."


    Lily''s expression softened at once. She waved a hand dismissively. "It''s fine. Everyone has bad days. Grace just has a straightforward nature."


    Alice''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Grace wasn''t straightforward; she was a fool. Who in their right mind would serve cold tea to their elders? This had to be the final nail in the coffin for her engagement to Yancey.


    It served her right!


    Feeling victorious, Alice turned to head for the tea room, but before she could take a step, Grace spoke.


    "Mrs. Henderson, I want to break off the engagement with Yancey. That''s the reason I came today. I''m not satisfied with him, and frankly, I''m not satisfied with you either."


    The forced smile on Lily''s face vanished instantly.


    Yancey, too, thought he must have misheard. Grace had never dared to act this way in front of Lily before.


    He took a sharp breath, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Grace, have you lost your mind? Do you even know where you are? Do you realize what you just said?"


    He shot to his feet, agitation radiating off of him. He wasn''t sure if he was furious


    at Grace for being so ungrateful or if it was because of the unsettling panic creeping into his chest.


    Lily snapped, "Yancey, sit down!"


    Yancey flinched but clenched his jaw. Biting his lip hard, he urged, "Mom, say something!"


    Lily tugged at his sleeve. "Sit first. Don''t lose your temper."


    Yancey inhaled deeply, forcing himself back into his seat. His re bore into Grace as if he were ready to tear her apart.


    Grace ignored him. At that moment, her phone buzzed with a message from Ethan.


    "What are you doing?"


    She was in a good mood, so she immediately responded.


    "I''m discussing the cancetion of my engagement."


    "Good luck."


    Grace smiled when she read his message. When she looked up, her gaze met Yancey''s burning stare.

 Chapter 79

    The smile in Grace''s eyes seemed to light up the roam


    Yanory shot to his feet in anger and walked right to her. "Who are you chatting with? You''re smiling so happily. Have you forgotten your identity?


    He reached for Grace''s phone and attempted to snatch it away,


    Grace dodged him, and her expression became emotionless again.


    "Mrs. Benderson, just look at how your son is acting. He''s emotionally unstable,


    and I don''t want my future husband to be like this. So, this engagement must be called off. I won''t be tra for the


    meal today. I hope he and Alice are happy together." Grace sakl


    She gripped her phone as she spoke.


    Yancey suddenly pushed her shoulder down. "Grace, look me in the eyes


    and say that again!"


    The force of his grip hurt her shoulder, which was a clear indication of how much force he was


    putting into it.


    Grace frowned and shoved him away, "Yancey, why don''t you take a look at your dear Alice''s expresom?


    That seemed to strike a nerve within Yancey as he turned to look at Alice


    Alice was standing not fat away with a few cups in her hands. There was a dark expression on her face, but she forced herself to smile when she felt Yancey''s gaze on her. "Yancey, don'' worry about me, I''ll support you no matter what you choose."


    Yancey''s expression soured as he took a feesteps back


    At that moment. Lily took a deep breath "Yancey, what exactly do you want? Are you choosing race or Alice?"


    Hestone was sharp. The first reason was because Yancey seemed to like both of them, and the second was because of Grace''s attitude today.


    There was a flicker of darkness in her eyes. Yancey was the son she cherished and had raised with great care. There was no way the would let Yancey suffer in matters of the heart


    A few days ago, Yancey would have chosen Alice without any hesitation. Yet right now, looking at Grace''s expression that seemed to be one of relief, he felt strangely ufortable. "1" Yancey was suddenly at As the standoff continued, a voice was heard from the doorway.


    "Lily, Yancey, what''s going on?" Hendricks was dressed up nicely today, but the moment his gazended on Grace, he couldn''t look away.


    Grace was truly stunning. He looks were impossible for any man to ignore.


    Lily loved to dote un her brother to begin with. The moment she saw Hendricks there, she hurriedly got up. "Hendrick, what brings you here?"


    Her face it up with delight as she hurried over to wee him in "Come in and sit down."


    Then, she quickly


    turned to Grace and Yancey. "Grace, Yanery, let''s discuss thister. Let''s eat for now!


    Grace merely smiled ¡°Mrs. Henderson, I don''t want to dy thin any longer. Let''s settle things today."


    Lily''s expression immediately soured. Grace had repeatedly embarrassed her today.


    Hendricks tugged at Lily''s sleeve. "Lily, what''s going on? Are they fighting?"


    Lily didn''t want to drag Hendricks into this and held back her anger. "It''s past a minor lovers'' quarrel. It''s nothing serious."


    Hendricka hurriedly whispered into her ear, "Lily, Grace seems to be going out of control. It''s like she''s possessed or something. I don''t think you can keep her in check anymore. Just look a Yasoey''s eyes, I thin Hendrico added, "Why don''t you match her with me? If she can''t be your daughter-


    inw, then she can at least be your


    ir sister-inw. I can handle her."


    Lily had already lost her patience with Grace today, and she really doned on her younger


    brother. Since Henricks said he was interested in Grace, the made her decision in an instant. "You


    "I like her a lot. Yancey doesn''t even want her anyway, so why don''t you let me have her?" Hendricks said


    Lily replied, "Alright, I''ll talk to barster.!!

 Chapter 80

    As soon as Lily said that, Aliceughed out loud and immediately raised her ss. "Wow, congrattions, Grace. Doesn''t that mean you''ll be even closer to Mrs. Henderson now? Once you have a baby, I''ll be sure to shower your child with gifts."


    Her eyes were practically sparkling with amusement. She never expected the troublemaker, Hendricks, to take an interest in Grace.


    Everyone knew that Hendricks had dropped out of middle school and was addicted to gambling. If it weren''t for Lily protecting him, Hendricks would have been behind bars a long time ago.


    The only reason he could mix around with people like Yancey was purely because he had Lily as a sister. Otherwise, someone of his status would never have gotten close to these social circles.


    Alice was beyond delighted. She felt that Grace deserved this kind of scumbag. Everyone present seemed to be delighted, except for Grace.


    Grace picked up a ss of wine on the table and sshed the wine right on Lily. It was something no one expected.


    Lily definitely didn''t expect it. It took her several seconds to even realize that wine was dripping down her face.


    Grace sneered, "Mrs. Henderson, is your head clear now? What do you take me for? Your brother isn''t even fit to wipe my shoes, and you think I''d marry him? Goodbye!"


    She added, "As for my engagement with Yancey, I''ll end it whenever I want. Looks like I don''t need your approval at all. Do you really think you matter that much?"


    She turned to leave, but Lily mmed her hand on the table. "Grace!"


    Lily had been humiliated like this before, but that was when she was just a mistress. It had already been years since she seeded in climbing to the top. The fact that she was being humiliated like that again caused her to snap and lose all rationality. "Stop her!"


    Several bodyguards immediately moved to block Grace.


    "Grace, you should be grateful that my brother is willing to marry you. You were never wee in the Lambert family to begin with. Do you really think of yourself as an heiress of the Lambert family?


    "If you don''t have shares, then you''re nothing! Now, take this opportunity to bond with Hendricks. He''s far better than you are."


    Two bodyguards stepped forward and blocked Grace''s path.


    Grace frowned and turned to look at Lily. "Are you trying to force me now?"


    Lily did not bother putting up an act anymore. After Grace sshed that drink on her, she lost all affection for Grace.


    Shepletely ignored Grace and turned to Hendricks. "Hendricks, take her to your usual ce. You should have a good talk with her. Sometimes, you just need to be a bit more forceful with women."


    Hendricks hadn''t expected Lily to be so helpful. There was instantly a grin on his face. "Lily, don''t worry. I''ll make sure we have a really nice conversation!"


    He walked toward Grace with a confident expression.


    Grace never expected Lily to resort to something like this. Her fingers brushed against something inside her purse, and she only let out a sigh of relief when she saw that the call had already gone through.


    She found the situation utterly ridiculous. She couldn''t even rely on her parents for this, and the only person she could think of was Ethan.


    Hendricks continued to move toward her, but before he could get any further, he realized there was someone else in front of him.


    He looked up to notice it was Yancey.


    Yancey had a strange expression on his face. "Uncle, what are you trying to do?"


    Hendricks put a hand on Yancey''s shoulder. "Come on, you''ve never even liked Grace. Didn''t you once tell me and Sloan we could do anything we wanted with her?"


    Those were just drunken words at the time, and Yancey never thought that Hendricks would take them seriously.


    He clenched his fists. No matter how much he disliked Grace, he would never let Hendricks touch her.


    But Hendricks whispered to him, "Yancey, I won''t actually do anything to her. If you want to y the hero, juste to the room in an hour. I''ll give you the chance to do something. Haven''t you noticed how cold she''s been to youtely?" Suddenly, Yancey felt all his anger cool down as he hesitated.


    It was true that Grace was actingpletely differently today. When she sshed the wine on Lily, Yancey had felt incredibly panicked.


    Yancey lowered his gaze and asked, "Are you sure you won''t do anything to her?"


    Hendricks mocked Yancey internally. How could he not do anything with such a beautiful woman in front of him? He would make Grace submit. He would make her cry and make sure she knew who her man was.


    An hour was more than enough for that.


    "Come on, Yancey. Don''t you trust your own uncle? I guarantee it," Hendricks said.


    Yancey immediately gave way. "Hendricks, if you lie to me, I won''t let you off."


    The two of them were quite close, and Yancey never really referred to Hendricks as his uncle. In Yancey''s eyes, Hendricks was just ackey of his. There was no way Hendricks would dare to deceive him.


    Hendricks didn''t hesitate as he motioned to the bodyguards. "Take her upstairs!" Grace''s gazended on Yancey, causing Yancey to feel guilty.


    After all, she was his fianc¨¦e in name, but he was allowing her to be taken away by another man. He pursed his lips and forced himself to look up at her again.


    If she really didn''t want anything to happen with Hendricks, then Grace should be asking him for help. As long as she asked him for help, Yancey would definitely...


    Yet when he looked at her again, Grace had already turned away coldly. That cold indifference nearly made him lose hisposure. This wasn''t how it was supposed to be.


    Suddenly, Alice slipped her arm through his and leaned against him as she said sweetly, "Yancey, don''t worry. He''ll definitely treat Grace well."


    As she spoke, her eyes were filled with obvious delight.


    However, Yancey felt as if his soul had been ripped away from his body. The dread inside him only grew stronger as he felt like he was about to lose something very important.


    He barely even registered what Alice said. His eyes were just focused on Grace, who was heading upstairs.


    He took a step forward, but Lily said, "Yancey, you should trust your uncle. Besides, you saw how Grace acted today. Shepletely disrespected me. If she behaves like that in front of the others from the family, you''d be aughingstock. Do you really want to live in Ethan''s shadow forever?"

 Chapter 81

    Yancey felt like he was frozen in ce. The most powerful person in the entire Henderson family was Ethan.


    But thankfully, even fate didn''t allow Ethan to be too perfect. The fact that his legs were crippled allowed everyone else to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Ever since they were young, everyone in the family had been living under Ethan''s shadow.


    They were all of a simr age, so why was Ethan just better at everything? Why did everyone feel like they were of a lower status than Ethan?


    Lily was right. If Grace was already acting this arrogantly now, then wouldn''t he bepletely embarrassed by her after she married into the family?


    Yancey couldn''t allow Ethan to use that against him. At the very least, he should fix Grace''s attitude first.


    He looked up and noticed that Grace was already gone.


    Beside him, Alice was practically beaming with joy. Hendricks was not a good person. Even back in school, Hendricks had gotten some female ssmates pregnant. How could he possibly behave himself when he was in the same room as Grace?


    Grace was about to be ruined.


    It served her right.


    Alice was trembling with excitement. If Yancey and Lily weren''t nearby, she would have rushed upstairs to eavesdrop. She needed to confirm that Grace had been defiled before she would dare to spread the news everywhere. She would make sure that bitch''s reputation waspletely destroyed.


    Upstairs, Grace didn''t bother calling for help when she was dragged into the room. She knew that no one would save her.


    The moment the bodyguards shoved her inside, Hendricks immediately locked the door behind her.


    There was a wicked grin on his face. "Grace, I bet you didn''t expect this. Yancey actually stood and watched as another man took you away. It really serves you right. I told you not to be such a suck-up."


    Hendricks lunged at Grace impatiently as his face lit up with excitement.


    Grace dodged to the side.


    He missed her, but it only caused him to feel like she was ying hard to get. "You should stop struggling. Didn''t you hear my sister? It''s not too bad to be her sister-inw. Hurry up and strip."


    Grace was slowly inching toward the window. She had nowhere else to escape. She nced at a nearby vase, but after she smashed one on Hendricksst time, he was already on guard around her.


    Hendricks lunged over. "Grace, if I don''t sleep with you tonight, then I can''t call myself a man!"


    But before he could reach her, Grace stepped onto the windowsill. They were on the third floor, so it would be no small matter if she jumped.


    "Grace, you..." But before Hendricks could finish, Grace shot him a cold look and jumped.


    There was a thick hedge below. The branches scratched her face, and she twisted her ankle on impact.


    But she didn''t have the time to dwell on it. With how Lily was acting today, there would be peopleing after her very soon.


    She limped as she made her way toward a side path. She heard Hendricks shout, "Lily! She ran! Get people to go after her now!"


    Grace was right. After what she did to Lily, there was no way Lily would let her off. The bodyguards were quickly mobilized and headed toward her.


    She scrambled up a tree and climbed over the wall before she jumped to the other side.


    She was already outside the Lambert residence, but her ankle was swollen beyond recognition and her face was covered in scratches. She heard footsteps from behind her, and she thought she was done for.


    Hendricks had already suffered at her hands before, so there was no way he would let her off easily.


    Lily adored her brother, and Yancey waspletely spineless. As for Alice, Grace would be lucky if Alice didn''t personally drug her.


    Grace''s forehead was full of sweat. After that jump, her ankle had be even more swollen.


    The moment she walked out from under the tree, she heard the honk of a car in the distance.


    When she saw the familiar license te, her eyes lit up. There was a surge of relief as the tension eased in her body, but the pain in her ankle intensified.


    The ck car stopped next to her. The moment she opened the door, she saw Ethan sitting inside.


    He sat with his head propped against the seat''s armrest as he quietly read a book. The sunset seemed to cast a gentle glow on him through the window. She shut the car door and rubbed her nose as she curled up into a corner.


    Outside, the bodyguards had already arrived, but they couldn''t tell whose car it was. One of them knocked on the window. "Excuse me, is there someone inside?"


    For a brief moment, Grace was worried that Ethan would hand her over. After all, she still didn''t fully understand what Ethan thought of her. In fact, he was Yancey''s family.


    But Ethan didn''t even nce outside. Instead, he looked toward the front seat and said to Tim, "Drive."


    The car sped off instantly, leaving the bodyguards behind.


    Grace let out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the seat.


    As she looked down at her swollen ankle, Ethan asked, "How did things end up like this?"


    Well, even Grace didn''t know the answer to that.


    Maybe Lily thought she could do whatever she wanted because Grace didn''t have anyone behind her.


    Her nose stung, and when she lifted her head, she realized that her whole face was wet.


    Ethan put down his book and asked after a few minutes, "Was it because you called off the engagement?"


    If she was going to cry so hard over it, then maybe she shouldn''t have broken off the engagement. So, she was still the same Grace who was hopelessly in love with Yancey.


    Ethan''s fingers curled slightly as his grip on the book tightened.

 Chapter 82

    Grace let out a bitterugh at that.


    But she was just too exhausted to exin things. The red scratches on her cheeks were still bleeding.


    Everyone in Druville believed she couldn''t live without Yancey. It seemed like Ethan thought so as well.


    Just how many ridiculous things had she done in the past?


    She leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes.


    Before too long, she felt a presence approaching. Suddenly, a gentle touch pressed against her cheek. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Ethan''s face right in front of her. In his hand was a cotton swab, and he was carefully disinfecting her wounds.


    Grace''s back stiffened. She felt like she had been electrocuted, and she immediately sat up straight.


    But that only caused her to move closer to Ethan.


    His face really was handsome. Even at this distance, she couldn''t see a single pore. His long eyshes drooped slightly, giving him an irresistible look.


    For a moment, she was frozen in ce, but Ethan didn''t pull away. Instead, he continued to disinfect her with the cotton swab.


    After tossing away one used swab, he picked up a fresh one. Then, he dipped it in disinfectant before he moved to another cut.


    For some reason, Grace felt her face heating up, and she tried to move back.


    But his hand was faster as he pressed down on the back of her head. The gentleness from before disappeared as he became more forceful. "Don''t move."


    She didn''t dare to move again until he finished disinfecting her wounds.


    Then, he tore open a bandage and carefully ced it over where she was injured. Grace let out a sigh of relief when he put the disinfectant away.


    The two of them had been far too close just now. There was no way she could ignore it. On top of that, Ethan was just impossible to ignore.


    Just as she thought it was all over, his fingers suddenly brushed against her ankle. He lifted her foot and rested it on his knee.


    "Mr. Henderson!" Grace nearly screamed as she gripped the armrest for bnce.


    Ethan looked down and said nothing. Instead, he gently pressed his finger against the swollen area of her ankle. "Does it hurt?"


    Rather than the pain, Grace was more concerned about their current position. She wasn''t worthy of resting her leg on Ethan''sp!


    "Mr. Henderson, you can put my leg down. I''ll apply some cream when I get hometer and I''ll be fine," Grace said.


    Ethan bent down and rummaged through the medical kit beside him before he picked out a tub of cream. "Bear with it."


    The next second, he spooned some cream and started to rub it onto her swollen ankle.


    Grace didn''t find it painful, but she couldn''t stop the blush that was creeping up her face. She avoided looking at him as she moved her face away.


    She feltpletely out of ce, especially since she hadn''t confirmed whether he was the one who helped her change out of her clothes.


    Of course, she didn''t dare to assume Ethan had any feelings for her. After all, the situation with his legs wasn''t as bad as the rumors seemed to im.


    He was someone who stood at the pinnacle of power while she was nothing more than a disgraced woman with a horrible reputation. They weren''t a part of the same world.


    She was lost in thought when he finally set her foot down. The swelling had eased, but her back was now covered in a thinyer of sweat.


    At that moment, the car stopped at her apartment.


    The car door was opened by Tim, who didn''t look up at her. Instead, he merely gestured for her to exit.


    Grace quickly got out, and after thinking about it, she turned to face Ethan, who was still sitting inside. "Mr. Henderson, thank you."


    Ethan was wiping his palms with a wet tissue. His movements were slow and deliberate, like he was performing some elegant art form. His fingers were obviously incredibly attractive too. Yet those fingers had been massaging her ankle just moments ago.


    He didn''t even nce up as he let out a grunt of acknowledgment. He seemed so distant with his response despite how intimately he had acted earlier.


    The car door shut immediately after that.


    Grace stood outside, watching as the car drove away. She felt like Ethan seemed


    to always fluctuate between being distant and intimate with her.


    She took a deep breath before heading toward her apartment.


    Before she reached the entrance, she spotted Joanne standing under a nearby tree with a bunch of gifts in hand.


    "Joanne?" Grace called out.


    Joanne had been hiding behind the tree, and she fidgeted awkwardly when she was caught. "Grace, I knocked on your door earlier, but you weren''t home. I was just about to leave."


    For some reason, Grace felt like something was off about her. "Did youe to see me?"


    "Yeah, I work at Velvet Eclipse. They gave us employee benefit vouchers, so I used them to buy some food for you," Joanne said.


    Since Joanne was the first person to help her after she lost her memory, a smile immediately appeared on Grace''s face. "Come on. Let''s go up together."


    Joanne watched the departing car before she followed behind Grace.


    As they walked, Joanne suddenly asked, "The person who dropped you off just now... Was it Yancey''s uncle?"


    "Yes. Do you know him?" Grace asked.


    "I''ve been working at Velvet Eclipse for three years. I saw him a few times back when his legs were still fine," Joanne exined.


    When it came to a man like Ethan, it was impossible to forget his face once you saw him.


    "Grace, are you nning on pursuing him? You haven''t mentioned Yancey muchtely. Have you moved on from him?" Joanne asked.


    Grace unlocked her apartment door and took the bags from Joanne''s hands.


    "How could I pursue him? But I''m working at Henderson Group now. It''s unavoidable that I''ll meet him. As for Yancey, let''s not talk about him. I must''ve been blind before," Grace said.


    Joanne''s face paled a bit as her fingers trembled slightly. She quickly changed the subject. "Grace, it looks like you hurt your leg. You should rest. I''ll make you something to eat."


    "Alright. Thank you, Joanne," Grace said.


    Joanne seemed a bit distracted. When she picked up the bags, some snacks spilled out.


    Grace crouched down to help, but Joanne quickly knelt to gather them first. "I''ll do it. You should rest."


    Grace was a bit confused, but she didn''t say much about it.

 Chapter 83

    Lily and the others were furious when they couldn''t find Grace.


    Hendricks hadn''t expected that Grace would escape again when she was right in front of him. He raised his hand and pped a bodyguard hard across the face. "Useless! You can''t even find one woman! Look into who was in that car. What was the license te?"


    The bodyguard reported the te number and also emphasized, "That car had a small g in the front that wasn''t too noticeable."


    Yancey immediately jumped up in shock. "That''s impossible!"


    In all of Druville, the only person who was allowed to disy a small g at the front of the car was Ethan, but Ethan hadn''t been here in years.


    Back then, Ethan''s legs had been crippled because of Grace. He probably hated her to the core, so why would he pick Grace up?


    The bodyguards must have been mistaken.


    Yancey felt a growing sense of unease and turned to Lily. "Mom, just look at what happened to the rotten n you came up with!"


    Lily took a deep breath and patted him on the shoulder. "Yancey, why do you get so worked up whenever Grace is mentioned?"


    It seemed like Lily had struck a nerve because Yancey hurriedly exined, "That''s not it. I just want her to be humiliated and beg for my forgiveness."


    Lily grabbed Alice''s hand and ced it in his palm. "That''s enough. Just focus on treating Alice well in the future. I''ll personally discuss the engagement with the Lambert family. Since Hendricks likes Grace, we might as well host two weddings at once."


    She was suggesting that Yancey marry Alice while Hendricks married Grace. As for Grace''s personal opinion, it wasn''t important at all. The Lambert family would agree to it anyway.


    Yancey felt like something was choking his throat. He wanted to object to it, but no words came out.


    On the other hand, Alice smiled and squeezed Yancey''s hand. "Mrs. Henderson, my parents happen to be free right now. Why don''t we go pay them a visit? Grace has definitely made a lot of mistakes recently.


    If she marries Mr. Parker, he can keep her in check. At least then, my parents won''t need to worry about her future anymore."


    "That''s a good idea. I haven''t seen your parents in a while," Lily agreed just like that.


    Yancey felt like his soul had been sucked out of him. He didn''t even know how he ended up meeting the Lambert family.


    Carmen and Quentin agreed wholeheartedly to Lily''s idea.


    Carmen looked absolutely delighted.


    She said, "Lily, this is a wonderful idea. Lately, I''ve been so stressed about Grace that I''m losing my appetite. She has done so many disgraceful things that I''ve been worried she''ll never find a husband. I didn''t expect your brother to fancy her. This will definitely make us much closer."


    Carmen and Lily had a very close rtionship. Back when Lily was just a mistress, everyone else scorned her, and Carmen was the only one who helped her.


    Lily had been certain that the Lamberts would agree. She immediately turned to look at Quentin.


    Quentin looked a bit hesitant. After all, Grace and Yancey''s engagement had been publicly announced. It would definitely attract a lot of gossip if they suddenly switched things around.


    Liam, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly said, "Dad, if you''re worried about public opinion, then just give Grace some shares. She''s the only one in the family who doesn''t have any."


    The moment those words fell, the whole ce went silent.


    Alice''s expression soured. She never expected Liam to have those thoughts.


    In her mind, the Lambert family belonged to her. Even Liam was apetitor.

 Chapter 84

    And now, they wanted to give shares to Grace? On what grounds?


    Luckily, Carmen pushed Liam aside. "What nonsense are you talking about? After everything Grace has done, how could we trust her with thepany shares? Aren''t you worried she''ll be sweet-talked by some man and give them all away? Grace ispletely brainless."


    Liam despised Grace as well since she had pped him before. But wasn''t she entitled to a portion of the shares too? She was still a part of the Lambert family, after all.


    Liam said, "Mom, Grace is¡ª"


    But before he could finish, Alice interrupted him, saying, "Mom, Mrs. Henderson, if Grace marries Mr. Parker, then it won''t just be a double celebration. It''d be a triple celebration. I actually have another announcement to make today."


    She lowered her head and gently touched her stomach with a radiant smile on her face. "I''m pregnant with Yancey''s child."


    Yancey, who was still in a daze, was suddenly jolted awake by that statement. "Alice, what did you say?"


    Alice''s eyes reddened, and she wiped them with her hand. "Yancey, I just found


    out a few days ago too. I was just hesitant to tell you because I was afraid you still liked Grace. I only dare to reveal it now after knowing you chose me wholeheartedly."


    Yancey should have felt happy about it, but he just felt like he was in a dream when he looked at everyone else''s happy expressions.


    Lily and Carmen immediately gathered around Alice excitedly.


    Alice had a satisfied smile on her face.


    She said, "Mom, now that I''m pregnant, we can''t dy my wedding with Yancey any longer. We''ll be ridiculed if my belly starts showing before the wedding. But there''s still Grace. She should get married before me as the eldest sibling. Otherwise, all those high-societydies will gossip about it."


    Carmen made a quick decision. "Lily, let''s set Grace and Hendricks'' wedding for the end of this month. We''ll notify everyone now. Once her wedding is done, I can focus on Alice''s."


    Lily beamed as she grabbed Alice''s hand. "You silly girl. How could you keep something like your pregnancy a secret?"


    Alice lowered her head and smiled shyly. "I just didn''t want to be an emotional burden. After all, my rtionship with Yancey is a littleplicated."


    "What''s soplicated about it? Yancey has always liked you. You two are a match made in heaven! Just start preparing for the wedding," Lily said.


    She then tugged on Yancey''s sleeve. "What are you standing there for? Say something to Alice! Also, go prepare the wedding dress and the rings. Make sure everything is grand. You''ll be having your first child soon."


    Yancey opened his mouth to speak, but he kept feeling like something was stuck in his throat.


    He had always taken strict precautions every time he was with Alice. How could she be pregnant?


    It was only now that he realized that it wasn''t a pleasant surprise. It was actually quite a horrible shock.


    Alice''s eyes grew even redder. "Yancey, are you not happy? If you don''t want this child, I can go get rid of it."


    Yancey immediately pulled Alice into his arms, but the words that came out of his mouth were something even he couldn''t believe. "Alice, I''ll take care of you and the baby."


    Alice''s lips curled up slightly as her eyes filled with satisfaction. "Alright. Then from now on, my sister will probably be your aunt."


    Yancey''s body stiffened as he felt his mind cloud over with confusion.

 Chapter 85

    The Lambert family and Lily moved fast.


    Grace was still recovering at home when she received a call from Joanne. "Grace, are you marrying Hendricks?"


    Grace''s hand froze as she frowned. "Who told you that?"


    Joanne replied, "Hendricks got drunk at Velvet Eclipse today and told everyone you were his future wife. He even said that the Lambert family has acknowledged


    it and that your wedding is at the end of the month. Other people were there too. They said that the Lambert family invited them to it."


    Grace immediately felt an uneasy feeling in her heart. She pulled out her phone to call Yancey, but he didn''t pick up. She had a bad feeling in her heart, so she called Liam instead.


    Liam answered with a cheerful tone. "Grace, didn''t Hendricks say he was picking you up for your wedding dress fitting? The housekeeper is going to book the venue today."


    He added, "You''re about to get married, so why aren''t you back yet? I saw the dresses this afternoon and thought you already tried them."


    So, everyone knew she was getting married-except her.


    Grace felt that the situation waspletely ridiculous.


    She took a deep breath. After she hung up, she still felt a suffocating feeling in her chest. Not a single person had asked her about this. It was as if she had no rights. They just needed to drag her to the venue at the right time.


    Anger flooded her mind.


    She took out the documents that Ethan had given her and meticulously reviewed each name. Her gaze finally settled on Lily''s name.


    She wouldn''t just sit there and let them make a joke out of her. She would make sure she humiliated Lily first.


    Grace immediately thought of Yelena. Grace had only interacted with Yelena once, but it was obvious how greedy Yelena was. Yelena probably resented Lily for marrying into wealth, and jealousy was the deadliest poison for women.


    Grace had Yelena''s number. After work, she went to look for Yelena.


    Yelena was delighted to receive Grace''s all. Every time Grace reached out, it meant a windfall for her. In her eyes, Grace was nothing more than a walking fortune.


    Yelena was still bitter about the handbag fromst time, but Yancey had probably already scolded Grace for it. Grace was definitely calling to make amends.


    Three hundred thousand dors. That was all she would ask for this time.


    It was a drop in the ocean for a rich heiress like Grace.


    Yelena got more excited the more she thought about it. She didn''t even feel like ying poker anymore and started packing up to leave.


    But her poker friends weren''t happy about it. "Yelena, are you going to leave now? You still owe all of us five thousand dors. Shouldn''t you settle that first?"


    Yelena scoffed and shed the bangle on her wrist. "Five thousand dors? What''s the rush? This bracelet is worth a hundred thousand dors, but I just don''t feel like selling it right now. I''m about to get 300 thousand dors soon, so you''ll get your money back."


    The three women exchanged disdainful looks. If it weren''t for the fact that they knew of Yelena''s source of ie, they wouldn''t have bothered ying poker with her.


    Yelena was getting older and was still unmarried, which attracted a lot of gossip. She felt humiliated under all those judgmental stares. "Five thousand dors is nothing to me! Just wait, I''ll be back soon to keep ying. Unlike all of you, I don''t have a useless husband dragging me down at home."


    They weren''t close friends in the first ce, and they instantly exploded.


    "Excuse me, Yelena, what is that supposed to mean? You think you''re better than us just because you''re single? It''s just because no man wants you. If you were as capable as your sister, you''d already be married."


    "Exactly. Your sister married into such a rich family, and you''re just a broke, washed-up woman with no real job. You don''t even know how my husband described you-fat, ugly, and not even worthy of licking his shoes. You should wake up to reality."


    Men were Yelena''s sore spot. When she was younger, she had been decent- looking, but her standards were too high. She turned down anyone who pursued her.


    Then, she watched Lily marry into wealth, which only made her even more bitter. Yelena felt incredibly humiliated, but there was nothing she could say about it.


    In this neighborhood, being unmarried was enough to get people talking.


    She put her hands on her hips and said, "I''ll marry a better man than Lily did." Everyone there erupted inughter.


    After all, Lily had married into the Henderson family, which was one of the wealthiest families around. Everyone knew that Yelena was being delusional.


    Due to this, Yelena went to see Grace in an incredibly bad mood. She had a sour look on her face as she sat down.


    Grace wasn''t wearing makeup today, but her beauty was still breathtaking.


    Yelena''s expression soured even further. If she had a face like that, men would be lining up for her.


    Grace ordered two cups of coffee and ordered a dessert for Yelena as well.


    But the dessert was cheap, so Yelena wasn''t impressed. "Grace, if you want me


    to forgive you, bring out 300 thousand dors. Otherwise, forget it."


    "Yelena, do you want to marry into the Henderson family? Compared to 300 thousand dors, bing a wealthy wife is a far better deal. Otherwise, no matter how much you make, people will still attack you for being single." Grace immediately attacked Yelena''s sore spot.


    Yelena''s expression immediately changed as she clenched her fists.


    Then, Grace dropped the bait. "I can help you. If Lily can do it, so can you. After all, you''re her older sister, and you''re not any less attractive than her. I met Lily recently, and she didn''t seem to regard you highly at all. Are you just going to live in her shadow your whole life?"


    Yelena''s face turned red with fury as her hands trembled. "Can you really help me?"


    Grace leaned in and whispered, "I can help you snatch away Lily''s husband. If he cheated on his marriage once with Lily, why can''t he cheat again with you?"

 Chapter 86

    That had always been a thought that was buried deep in Yelena''s heart, but she never dared to act on it.


    Every time Lily unted her expensive jewelry, the idea would float around wildly in Yelena''s mind.


    Now that Grace had mentioned it, it was as if Pandora''s box had been opened. "Grace, how can you be sure Andrew will fall for it?"


    Andrew was Lily''s husband and Yancey''s father.


    Grace pulled out a small bottle of pills from her bag. "Have you ever heard of a honey trap? People in the elite circles like going to some ce called Velvet Eclipse. I can get you inside. You just need to make sure Andrew drinks this. It''ll be toote for him when he wakes up and sees you beside him."


    Grace added, "Of course, you could always skip that and just sleep with him outright. It''s not like Andrew has ever been a faithful man. He has a few lovers outside behind Lily''s back."


    The only reason Lily tolerated it was because she knew when to hold back from exposing things.


    A man who cheated once would always cheat again.


    Lily understood that, which was what allowed her to keep her position secure.


    After all, their son, Yancey, was a grown man. Andrew''s father, Jordan, was always keeping an eye on things too, so Andrew wouldn''t dare to let his affairs get out of hand.


    It might have been the allure of Grace''s voice, but Yelena felt a rush of


    excitement. She grabbed the bottle and slipped it into her purse. "Grace, you have to keep your word."


    Grace smirked and stood up. "We can act tonight."


    Yelena suppressed the tremors of excitement that were going through her body and took a deep breath. "Alright, I''ll be waiting for your call."


    Yelena left first.


    Grace sat there for about half an hour before she got up to leave. When she was about to, she stumbled into Lily at the entrance.


    Lily''s expression instantly darkened. "Grace?"


    They had already given up on acting civilly, so Grace couldn''t be bothered to put on an act and turned to leave.


    Lily was furious. "Grace, you''re about to get married to Hendricks. Don''t you know how to respect your elders?"


    Grace turned around and asked calmly, "Did that ss of cold wine not wake you up? What makes you think you have any say in my marriage?"


    Thest time anyone talked to Lily that way, she was still a mistress.


    People who had climbed their way to the top never wanted to remember the filth they crawled through to get there, especially when that filth was disgraceful.


    But Grace happened to strike at those wounds that Lily hated the most.


    Lily spat out, "You''ll see whether I have a say in your marriage or not in a few days."


    Grace''s lips curled into a faint smile. "You won''t even have the time to meddle in my marriage in a few days."


    Lily didn''t understand the meaning behind Grace''s words. She scoffed coldly and didn''t bother responding.


    Once Grace left, Lily immediately gave Hendricks a call. "Hendricks, on the first day Grace marries you, make sure she learns her ce."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure she''spletely obedient." Hendricks had bragged to everyone about how Grace was going to be his wife. He had even extended an invitation to Sloan to join in on his moments with Grace in the future.


    "Once I get tired of her, you can have your turn anytime," Hendricks had said. But Sloan only had eyes on Alice. He didn''t care about Grace at all.


    That night, Grace originally nned to ask Joanne for help to sneak Yelena into Velvet Eclipse.


    Velvet Eclipse was a high-end establishment with strict security. She didn''t know who else to ask if not Joanne.


    Joanne sounded very hesitant through the phone, and Grace didn''t want to make things hard for her. After she hung up, Grace had no idea who to call. As she scrolled on her phone, she happened tond on Ethan''s name.


    Coincidentally, Ethan happened to send her a message at that moment. It was a location pin.


    It happened to be right at Velvet Eclipse.


    Grace''s eyes lit up, and she immediately replied, "Got it."


    She guessed that Ethan had likely been drinking here for business and was already drunk. Tim was probably not around, so it made sense for her to pick him up with her current employment status.


    She called Yelena to go with her.


    Velvet Eclipse had a strict membership policy. Grace was technically a member, but her reputation was terrible there since she would make a scene because of Yancey every time she showed up. So, she wasn''t allowed to bring any guests in. The security at the door had just stopped her when someone nearby spoke up.

 Chapter 87

    "Let her in."


    Grace looked up and saw Julian.


    She had run into Julian a few times before. Just like Tim, Julian didn''t really like her. He was probably only here because of Ethan.


    Julian was arrogant and aloof. He rarely bothered with anyone other than Ethan.


    Just as Grace was about to take Yelena inside, Julian spoke again, "Top floor,st private room on the right. Make sure to pick him up."


    By "him", he was clearly referring to Ethan.


    Grace immediately responded obediently, "Okay."


    Julian gave her a once-over, his gaze carrying an air of superiority. After a cold scoff, he left.


    Grace sessfully managed to bring Yelena inside. She had already looked into which room Andrew was in beforehand.


    Andrew was a man who liked to indulge. He would always get himself drunk before bringing a beautiful woman with him upstairs. It wasn''t hard to create an opportunity.


    "Yelena, this is his room number. In a bit, a woman will be sent inside to keep himpany. Stop her and go in yourself," Grace said.


    Even Yelena''s fingers were trembling. She obviously knew what sort of ce Velvet Eclipse was. Someone like her had no business being here, and she couldn''t believe she sessfully made it in. She had to seize the chance.


    Grace watched as Yelena''s determined figure left before she raised an eyebrow slightly. Then, she turned toward Ethan''s room.


    Before she opened the door, she had expected to see a scene of indulgence. Yet when she stepped inside, only Ethan was there.


    The entire floor was eerily quiet. It was so quiet that she even suspected if Velvet Eclipse actually belonged to Ethan.


    "Mr. Henderson?" she called out. As she walked closer, she realized that he was on the phone, thanking someone.


    "She''s here. Thanks." Ethan ended the call when he saw her.


    Grace stood there obediently, tilting her head slightly to peek at his phone screen. "Is that about the Farm Support Project in Northbrook?"


    "Yes," Ethan said.


    The project in Northbrook had already begun and was progressing smoothly.


    Grace hadn''t expected Ethan to be working here. She had thought that he was drunk. Since he wasn''t, why did he ask her toe?


    Ethan closed the file in his hands and looked up at her. His gaze was cold, carrying an innate sense of authority.


    She straightened her posture instinctively, feeling like an employee being scrutinized by a superior.


    Whenever Grace was alone with Ethan, the atmosphere always felt incredibly strange.


    As countless thoughts raced through her mind, she saw him press his hand against the table, preparing to get up and move into his wheelchair. She hadn''t forgotten that Ethan''s legs were still in recovery.


    Grace reached out to support him, and Ethan said, "Tim''s busy tonight."


    That meant that he had called her to take him home.


    "Are you ready to leave now? I''ll send you back," Grace said as she helped him into the wheelchair.


    Ethan leaned against the armrest and rested his head on his hand. He looked tired. "Okay."


    Grace started pushing him toward the exit, but just as she cracked the door open, she heard Yancey''s voice.


    Her hand froze, and she instinctively shut the door again.


    Ethan nced up at her, which made her feel guilty for some reason.


    Yet Yancey stopped at the door right at that moment, seemingly talking to Alice on the phone. "Alice, I understand. I''ll be right back. Make sure you take care of yourself. This is my first child. My parents are really concerned, and even my grandpa knows about it."


    Grace''s grip on the wheelchair tightened, and she even identally pushed the wheelchair forward.


    Ethan''s leg bumped against the door with a thud.


    The sound brought Grace back to her senses.

 Chapter 88

    Grace hurriedly pulled the wheelchair back, crouched down, and ced her hands on Ethan''s legs.


    "Mr. Henderson, did I hurt you?" Grace looked up to check on Ethan, only to get lost in his dark eyes.


    Ethan rested his hands on the armrests. He merely nced at her before looking away with indifference.


    Grace felt a jolt of unease, wondering what she did wrong.


    She wanted to apologize, but Ethan had already opened the room door and wheeled himself out before she could.


    Grace stood frozen for several seconds as she tried to process what she had just heard. Alice was pregnant? If she still had her memories, she would probably be crying herself silly right now.


    She took a deep breath and walked after Ethan.


    She had no clue which elevator she should take. As she stood, lost in her thoughts, she heard footsteps behind her.


    "Grace?"


    It was Yancey. He had finished his call, and when he saw her, he instinctively hid his phone behind his back.


    Grace couldn''t be bothered to even look at him and pressed the elevator button.


    This time, Yancey wasn''t as hostile as before. He slowly approached her. "Are you here for me?"


    Staring at Grace''s back, Yancey felt an unfamiliar sense of reluctance. But Alice was pregnant. He couldn''t just abandon Alice. He raised his hand, hesitating as he almost ced it on her back.


    Since the elevator was not there yet, Grace had no way of leaving.


    After a long silence, Yancey took a deep breath. "It doesn''t matter how much you try to hold on. It''s already impossible between the two of us. After you get married to my uncle, remember to be obedient to him."


    As he said that, he felt his voice stop for a moment. It was as if he had said something he shouldn''t have.


    If Grace had turned around at that moment, she would have seen the regret in his eyes. But to her, Yancey was just scum. It would not have made a difference even if she had seen it.


    Hearing what Yancey said merely amused Grace. She was about to turn around to mock him, but the elevator opened at that moment, and Ethan was inside.


    A strange sense of guilt surfaced in Grace''s heart as she straightened her back.


    Yancey didn''t expect to see Ethan here. He lowered his head and called out respectfully, "Uncle Ethan."


    Ethan rested his fingertips on the elevator button as he asked indifferently, "Aren''t youing in?"


    It wasn''t clear if he was addressing Yancey or Grace.


    But Yancey definitely wasn''t getting in. He even took a step back, but when he looked up, he noticed that Grace was already inside.


    He had a look ofplete shock. In his eyes, Ethan had only spared Grace back then because of him. Wasn''t Grace afraid of being killed stepping into the same space with Ethan like that?


    He hurried forward and said urgently, "Grace, you..."


    It had been a very long time since he hadst called out to her with such concern. Back when the two of them were close, it was amon urrence. Even Yancey was stunned at his tone.


    But before he could finish, the elevator doors closed.


    Yancey was so panicked that he rushed to push the button, but it was already toote.


    He frantically tried to use the elevator at the side to catch up to them. He feared that Grace would actually be killed by Ethan.


    Inside the descending elevator, Grace felt like Ethan was in a rather bad mood. She was just about to say something when the elevator suddenly jolted.


    Her first thought was Ethan''s legs, and she immediately grabbed onto his wheelchair. "Mr. Henderson!"


    The lights flickered before going outpletely.


    She quickly pulled out her phone and turned on the shlight to check on him. Ethan had his head lowered, and his expression was unreadable.


    "Mr. Henderson, are you okay?" Grace asked as she crouched and cautiously looked up at him with her hand on his knee.


    In the dim light, his gaze was even harder to decipher. The next moment, he reached out and grabbed her chin.


    Grace was surprised. She was so overwhelmed that she didn''t even have the time to react. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if a deep abyss had opened up behind Ethan and was pulling her in.


    She tried to speak, but she suddenly felt the grip on her chin tighten. She frowned in pain, but just as quickly, the pressure vanished. If her chin wasn''t aching, she would have thought that she had imagined thest few seconds.


    She turned to look at Ethan again, but his intimidating look was gone. Instead, he was back to his usual quiet and calm.


    Grace rubbed her chin, but she still asked, "Mr. Henderson?"


    "I''m fine." His voice was hoarse as if he was suppressing something.


    She sighed in relief and steadied his wheelchair. "Good. The elevator should stop shaking now."


    "Yes." His cold tone made it hard for her to continue the conversation.


    After a while, Grace noticed that he was trying to stand up and quickly reached out to support him. But the elevator suddenly lurched again, causing Grace to lose her bnce and fall backward.


    Ethan grabbed her, but in the process, he tumbled back into his wheelchair.


    Grace ended up sitting on hisp. And in that instant, their lips brushed together. She could clearly feel his warmth.


    Her eyes widened in shock, but before she could react, she was pushed away by Ethan and hit the floor. A momentter, she reached out and touched her lips.


    Her phone had been thrown to the corner of the elevator, and the atmosphere between them grew incredibly awkward.


    Grace wished she could just disappear into a crack in the floor.


    She had barely touched him before he pushed her away. It was clear that he really hated women.


    She had heard about the rumors that Ethan was never around women, and there had never been any news of him dating either.


    Considering her reputation, it was obvious Ethan wouldn''t want anything to do with her.


    She quickly snapped out of her daze before she scrambled to her feet and grabbed her phone. "Sorry, Mr. Henderson. I didn''t mean to."


    Ethan remained silent, but the air around him still seemed suffocatingly heavy.

 Chapter 89

    Grace''s palms were sweating from the nervousness. She even thought she might not live to see another day.


    Every second that followed felt agonizingly long. She had never experienced time moving so slow until she finally heard a voice from outside. "Grace! Grace, are you alright?"


    It was Yancey''s voice.


    For the first time ever, Yancey''s voice actually felt pleasing to Grace''s ears. It had been 20 minutes since Ethan talked, and she hadn''t made a peep either. The atmosphere was incredibly awkward.


    Grace immediately responded, "I''m fine. When can we get out?"


    Yancey had nned on chasing after Grace and Ethan, but he never expected the elevator to malfunction.


    He even started to believe that Grace might have actually lost her memories. Otherwise, why would she willingly get close to Ethan?


    Back then, Grace absolutely hated Ethan. She would try her best to avoid Ethan whenever he was around.


    Two years ago, it was Yancey who urged Grace to approach Ethan. In the end, Ethan''s legs ended up in their current state.


    Yancey was frantic as he shouted into the elevator, "Ethan, Grace was in a car ident before, and there are a lot of things she doesn''t remember. Please don''t hold anything against her. You know how reckless she''s always been."


    Grace had been relieved to hear his voice earlier, but now, she just wished he would lose the ability to speak.


    Yet Yancey kept going, "Ethan, if Grace has offended you in any way, please let it slide for my sake."


    Grace just felt incredibly awkward. She had definitely offended Ethan just now. No one in all of Druville would have dared to sit on Ethan''sp and kiss him.


    Her face waspletely red.


    Yancey knocked on the elevator doors again. "Grace, are you listening? Don''t do anything inappropriate in front of Ethan."


    Grace took a deep breath. All that relief she felt just now hadpletely disappeared. "Shut up!"


    She might as well have said nothing because her words only made Yancey even more anxious. He shouted at the rescue team, "Hurry up! What are you all standing around for?"


    Grace just felt that the atmosphere in the elevator was as strange as it could be, but she didn''t have the courage to talk to Ethan either.


    Ethan''s fingers lightly tapped on the wheelchair''s armrest. To Grace, each tap sounded like the Grim Reaper''s death knell.


    She took a deep breath and discreetly wiped her sweaty palms.


    Finally, the elevator doors were pried open. Even the manager of Velvet Eclipse was standing outside. The moment he saw Ethan, he immediately pulled out a tissue to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Mr. Henderson, I sincerely apologize."


    Ethan said nothing as his gaze brieflynded on Grace.


    Grace still had the task of sending Ethan back, so she didn''t dare to run off at that moment.


    After hesitating for a moment, she walked behind his wheelchair and gave it a gentle push. She breathed a sigh of relief when he didn''t reject her.


    The two of them had just walked out of the elevator when Yancey rushed over and checked on her carefully. After he was sure she was fine, he said, "You used to hate being near Ethan, and now, you''re willing to ride the same elevator as him? Did you really lose your memory, Grace?"


    Grace felt like Yancey was bringing up all the worst topics possible.


    She hurriedly pushed Yancey away. "Since Alice is pregnant, you should be focusing on treating her well."


    Yancey suddenly hesitated. He was trying to find something in her eyes.


    Since Grace knew that Alice was pregnant, why didn''t she seem jealous at all?


    If Grace still loved Yancey, she would probably be crying her heart out right now.


    Grace''s words sounded heartless, but her hands trembled slightly as she pushed the wheelchair forward. Fragments of her past with Yance suddenly surfaced in her mind.


    She and Yancey had grown up together. Anyone would have developed some feelings for the other person.


    Grace continued pushing Ethan''s wheelchair. The manager of Velvet Eclipse was so nervous that he rushed over to help. "Ms. Lambert, allow me."


    Grace figured that Ethan probably didn''t want to see her at that moment. After all, things had been so incredibly awkward in the elevator.


    She took a step back and instructed the manager, "Mr. Bet isn''t here tonight. Please make sure Mr. Henderson gets home safely."


    The manager wiped his forehead again and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. Of course."


    Grace remained where she was. Yancey assumed she had something to say to him and hurriedly exined, "Alice''s pregnancy was an ident."


    Grace felt those words wereughable.


    "Did she force you into bed? Yancey, do you not have any sense of responsibility? That''s your child," Grace said.


    Yancey felt ashamed, but he still refused to let Grace go. "Are you really not upset at all?"


    At that moment, they were standing so close together that it looked like they were hugging from Ethan''s angle.


    He averted his gaze. When the manager pushed him outside, Ethan raised his hand slightly. "Get back to work."


    The manager had been under immense pressure. Normally, he didn''t even have the courage to talk to Ethan. Today felt like a monumental effort, which caused him to sweat profusely.


    Hearing that, he felt like he had been granted amnesty. "Yes, of course. Have a safe trip, Mr. Henderson."


    He lowered his head and backed away. He only straightened his posture when he returned to the lobby.


    Ethan''s wheelchair stopped beside a sleek ck car. A staff member opened the door, and Julian stepped out.


    Julian exuded an air of arrogance. As always, his shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his chest. Yet he was always incredibly careful in front of Ethan.


    He unfolded the car''s wheelchair ramp and pushed Ethan up before he turned to nce at the lobby.


    From his angle, he could see Grace standing close to Yancey. He sneered at them but said nothing. Then, he climbed into the car and mmed the door shut.

 Chapter 90

    Grace''s wrist was being held tightly by Yancey. She tried to break free several times but failed. It was as if Yancey had an obsession at that moment. He would only be satisfied if he saw sorrow in Grace''s eyes.


    "Let go!" Grace lifted her leg and kicked him right in his most vulnerable spot.


    Yancey immediately bent over as he turned pale from the pain. "Grace!"


    She took several steps back, but instead of leaving, she headed toward the private room where Ethan had been. She hadn''t forgotten the reason she came here tonight. Since Yelena still hadn''t called her, it was likely that the n had seeded.


    She waited nearby for about an hour. When she saw Yelena supporting Andrew as they left, she finally returned home.


    ...


    As soon as she woke up the next morning, she used an anonymous number to send a message to Lily, telling her Andrew was having an affair.


    Lily had received plenty of taunting messages like this over the years, but she never paid them any mind.


    Andrew could mess with whoever he wanted to outside as long as she maintained her position in the Henderson family.


    She had been nning on ignoring it as usual, but the number sent her a photo. The person supporting Andrew was her sister, Yelena!


    Lily was so shocked that she stood up from the couch.


    She never cared about Andrew messing around with other women, but how could he possibly sleep with her own sister?


    Besides, Yelena had never really taken care of her figure over the years. How did Andrew manage to bring himself to do it with her?


    Lily was trembling with rage as she immediately called Andrew, but the person who answered was Yelena.


    Yelena''s tone was incredibly smug, which suited her short-sighted personality. "Lily, I''m so sorry. Last night, I ended up sleeping with your man."


    Lily was momentarily speechless. She was furious as she drove straight to Velvet Eclipse.


    The upper floors of Velvet Eclipse had private rooms that were reserved for VIP clients to rest in.


    Lily stormed to Andrew''s room, but the strict rules there meant that staff couldn''t just open a guest''s door without permission. So, Lily stood outside and frantically banged on the door, which quickly attracted a lot of attention.


    Soon, people began stepping out of their rooms to watch. Most of the people there were from the same social circles, and many of the men there were not with their wives.


    When it came to the rich, there were very few couples that were truly devoted to each other. Most men just maintained an image of stability at home while keeping multiple lovers outside.


    Lily had always been obsessed with maintaining her image and had a strong sense of pride, but today was just too much. "Yelena, open up!"


    Inside, Yelena was already fully awake.


    She had already made up her mind to do thisst night, so she wasn''t afraid of the consequences. At that moment, Andrew had woken up as well.


    Andrew had many lovers outside, and it wasn''t unusual for him to wake up in such a blur. However, his expression immediately changed when he put on his sses and saw who was beside him. "Yelena?"


    By then, Yelena had already climbed out of bed and opened the door. She immediately started fighting with Lily. On top of that, there was a crowd gathered around, watching and taking photos.


    It was the first time Andrew faced a situation like this. It wasplete chaos.


    Grace had chosen the right person. Yelena wasn''t someone who shied away from drama. As she looked at the onlookers, she loudly proimed that she was Andrew''s lover and also Lily''s biological sister.


    The news was just too shocking. This was something rare even among the rich elite.


    It was impossible for the news not to reach Jordan''s ears. Especially after Jordan learned about Alice''s pregnancy, he had been paying close attention to Andrew''s family.


    When Jordan first got the news, he even confirmed it with his butler. "You''re saying Andrew was caught by Lily after sleeping with her sister?"


    "Yes, word has already spread. There are even photos."


    The rules in the Henderson family were very strict, especially under Jordan''s watch. When he heard that, he mmed the table in fury. "Was this a setup? Who nned it?"


    Anyone who dared to scheme against the Henderson family would be exposed no matter what.

 Chapter 91

    The butler nodded his head slightly and lowered his voice. "The surveince we got from Velvet Eclipse is iplete. No one was caught on camera."


    No one in Druville knew who the owner of Velvet Eclipse was. The mysterious owner had never revealed themselves, but everyone knew that Velvet Eclipse raked in money on the daily. No one dared to cause any trouble there because it was the favorite haunt of the rich elite.


    Jordan had the means to pressure Velvet Eclipse and potentially uncover the mastermind behind everything, but it would be embarrassing if he had to personally handle it. After all, it was just petty drama between the younger generation, and it was over something so disgraceful at that.


    He took a deep breath and suppressed his rage. "Move up Yancey and Alice''s wedding. Bury this matter."


    The marriage between Yancey and Alice had already been in the works anyway. It was just that the Lambert family needed to handle Grace''s marriage first. Now, with just onemand from Jordan, Alice and Yancey''s wedding was moved forward to the end of the month.


    That had originally been Grace''s wedding date.


    Alice was overjoyed as she rested her hand on her stomach. "Mom, then what about Grace and Hendricks?"


    Grace was supposed to marry that scumbag, Hendricks, but Alice''s own marriage ended up getting pulled forward.


    Alice wouldn''t feel satisfied if Grace managed to avoid the disaster because of that. "Why not just send her straight to the Henderson family? Grace has probably been so disobedienttely because she doesn''t have a man looking after her."


    Carmen doted on Alice, so she immediately agreed, "Don''t worry. I''ll send Grace over once your wedding is settled."


    Only then did Alice feel at ease. Just the thought of Grace spending the rest of her life with a scumbag like Hendricks made her lips curl into a satisfied smile.


    She immediately sent a message to Grace. "You absolutely have toe to my wedding with Yancey, Grace. Thank you for picking out such a wonderful husband for me. I''m very satisfied with him."


    When Grace received the message, she replied with only one word.


    "Congrattions."


    Alice stared at that cold, emotionless word and felt like Grace wasn''t sad at all. That didn''t seem right to her.


    She immediately called, but Grace didn''t pick up.


    Alice sat on the couch, seething as she clutched her phone tightly. After that, she sent another message.


    "The day I returned to the Lambert family and saw you in that dress, standing beside Yancey, I knew you wouldn''t have a bright future. Grace, you''ll never be better than me. The people around you will always like me better. Everyone will abandon you."


    Grace blocked the number without hesitation. After she confirmed that the couple''s wedding had been moved up, Grace rxed. She would finally be rid of the two of them.


    But her relief didn''tst too long before Yancey showed up at her door.


    Last night, he had kept an eye on Grace and knew that Grace had stayed at Velvet Eclipse for a long time. After that, the incident with his father happened. "Grace, was my father''s incident your doing?"


    Yancey didn''t know why he thought that way, but when the chaos broke out at home that morning, he suddenly thought about Grace the night before.


    He had rushed over in a hurry just to ask her in person.


    Grace didn''t open the door. Her voice remained calm as she replied, "Do you think I have that kind of power?"


    "Grace!" Yancey was so furious that he punched the door. He stood outside and panted.


    Logic told him there was no proof. If it had really been Grace''s doing, Jordan would not let her off.


    After all, it was a matter of the Henderson family''s honor. An hour ago, Jordan had been so angry that he threw a cup at Andrew, which drew blood.


    Yancey took a deep breath. "You''d better pray you had nothing to do with this. I don''t care how ruthless you were before, but you shouldn''t have dragged my family into it."


    Grace didn''t bother responding.


    Since it was the weekend, Grace didn''t need to work. She had just been about to head over to her bedroom to take a nap when Yancey suddenly blurted out, "That night at my house-was it Ethan who came to pick you up?"


    His heart was incredibly anxious. Ever since he noticed how Grace acted around Ethanst night, he hadn''t been able to sleep at all.

 Chapter 92

    That day, Lily had invited Grace for a meal and intended to lock Grace up with Hendricks, but Grace escaped.


    When the bodyguard reported the license te number back then, Yancey thought it was impossible. Ethan hated Grace, so how could he have helped her escape?


    But the more he thought about it, the more he felt something was off¡ªespecially when Grace willingly stepped into the same elevator as Ethan.


    Yancey couldn''t get an answer from Grace, but he didn''t dare to ask Ethan either.


    In the end, he had no choice but to look for Sloan.


    Sloan was Julian''s cousin, and Julian happened to be a close friend of Ethan''s. It was possible that Julian had mentioned something to Sloan. "Sloan, has your cousin ever said anything about whether Ethan has liked a woman in the past two years?"


    Ethan had not contacted anyone during the two years he was abroad, but Julian had definitely gone to see him.


    By the time men in their social ss reached Ethan''s age, they had usually yed around with countless women. Yet there had never been any rumors about Ethan.


    Sloan squinted. He was still sulking about the fact that Alice was getting married. When he heard the question, he answered half-heartedly, "Ethan? I think he has liked someone for many years."


    Yancey''s eyes lit up as he grabbed Sloan''s shoulders. "Are you sure? Who told you that? Was it your cousin?"


    If Julian said it, then it had to be true.


    Sloan scoffed. He wasn''t willing to admit that Julian didn''t really trust him. The only reason he knew was because he had overheard it by ident.


    Sloan said, "Yes, he said it himself. His exact words were, ''Ethan, are you really going to stay pure just for the sake of that woman? It''s been so many years, and you''re not even going to give anyone else a chance?""


    Yancey could feel his heart pounding. Ethan had been in love with someone for many years?


    But there hadn''t been any women around him all this time. Could it be that the woman was dead and Ethan couldn''t let go? Was that why he refused to be with anyone else?


    Feeling like he had uncovered the truth, Yancey''s heart started to beat wildly.


    The living could neverpete with the dead.


    His mind immediately jumped to the Yule family.


    Simon Yule was a good friend of Ethan''s. Years ago, the Yule family''s eldest daughter was kidnapped and killed. Yancey heard that Ethan had been close to her because of Simon. After that, he even went to her grave several times with Simon.


    The tragedy had caused a huge uproar back then, but he never expected that woman to be Ethan''s true love.


    Yancey felt like a weight on his chest had been lifted. He hurriedly searched for old news reports. Sure enough, there were reports of Ethan visiting the cemetery for a whole week after the incident.


    This was a man who was distant even with his own family. There was no doubt that Ethan only did that because he liked her.


    Yancey had a triumphant feeling when he forwarded the news to Grace.


    "Did you know about my uncle''s lover? The whole city knew about her kidnapping back then. Uncle Ethan visited her grave for a week straight. Oh, and she even wrote love poems for him. My grandfather even passed them around at home."


    Grace was curious about Ethan, so she clicked on the article to take a look.


    The media had captured a photo of him holding a bouquet, with his back appearing incredibly lonely.


    She had heard about this kidnapping before. It was something that had happened seven years ago when Ethan had juste of age. Yet his influence had already been immense back then. Other than that photo, the media didn''t even dare to mention who he was mourning.


    After that, there were fewer and fewer reports about Ethan. So, it was because his lover had already passed away.


    It caused Grace to think about that idental kiss in the elevator and his extreme reaction. He had probably been disgusted.


    Grace felt a chill down her spine. Just then, Yancey sent another message. "Come to think of it, the Yule family''s daughter''s kidnapping was kind of rted to you. The kidnappers were initially meant to take you, but you sent a message to her asking her to meet you at that ce. In the end, they identally took her instead."


    Grace had lost her memories and didn''t recall any of that, but a few faint, fragmented images flickered through her mind when Yancey mentioned it. Yet she couldn''t make anything out of them.

 Chapter 93

    Grace still hadn''t figured out how she was responsible for the condition of Ethan''s legs, and now, anotherplication surfaced. If she really was the reason behind the death of Ethan''s beloved, how had she managed to survive until now?


    Was it sheer luck?


    Grace finished reading the article and tried hard to recall the incident. Yet nothing came to mind.


    She searched online for news from back then, but there was very little information about the Yule family''s eldest daughter.


    Just as she was considering if she should ask someone about it, an unfamiliar number called her.


    She answered, and it was Hendricks. "Grace, you little bitch! I heard you nned what happened to my sister! Just you wait. I won''t let you off once you''re married to me! Your mom already said that I''m taking you straight home after Alice''s wedding is over!


    "Bitch, let''s see how arrogant you''ll be then. You''ll be lying under me just like you should."


    There was a cold glint in Grace''s eyes at his disgusting words. She had thought that keeping Lily upied would make them leave her alone, but it seemed like Hendricks was still delusional.


    She hung up immediately and frowned. Her phone vibrated again at that moment.


    It was another message from Yancey.


    "Do you know what the Yule family''s eldest daughter looked like? Grace, no matter what your background or abilities are, you''ll neverpare to her. So, stop dreaming about getting Uncle Ethan to like you."


    Grace was speechless. She had never fantasized about Ethan liking her. Instead, she would be relieved if he didn''t hate her.


    She didn''t understand why Yancey was sending a message like this.


    She thought for a moment before she replied, "Why are you so concerned about me and your uncle? What''s the matter? Do you regret letting me go?"


    Yancey had been drinking with Sloan at that moment. He was a bit surprised when he saw that Grace had replied to him.


    She had been particrly cold toward him recently, not even wanting to say a few words to him. Yet here she was, replying to his message.


    He quickly set his ss down and read the message carefully, but it only infuriated him. "She must be dreaming! I''d never regret letting her go!"


    When Sloan heard that, he looked up at Yancey. "Let who go?"


    Yancey realized he had reacted too strongly and quickly tried to cover it up. "Who else? Grace actually said that I still want her. How shameless can she be? She''s the one clinging to me all these years. She really knows how to make herself seem important.


    As Yancey said that, he poured himself another drink.


    Sloan narrowed his eyes as his hand clenched slightly.


    Men knew other men best. He had always thought of Yancey as a spoiled little child. Yancey was so pampered that he was a bit of an idiot.


    Judging by Yancey''s reaction now, he clearly wasn''t over Grace.


    Sloan had liked Alice for years. Even though he was just a lovesick fool, he still wanted Alice to be happy. But Yancey was clearly still attached to Grace. If Alice married him, she wouldn''t have a happy life.


    His grip on his ss tightened as he pursed his lips. Then, he made a decision. He would destroy Grace and get rid of any lingering feelings Yancey had. Since he had made up his mind, he would act.


    After that, he got Yancey drunk before he used Yancey''s phone to send Grace a message.


    "I have some evidence about what happened between you and the Yule family''s eldest daughter back then. Come meet me so that we can clear things up in person."


    He attached the location of a bar. It was not as high-end as Velvet Eclipse, and the ce was full of all sorts of people. Beautiful women who walked in were always at risk.


    Grace thought about it for a few seconds and actually went. In her eyes, Yancey was just an airheaded who was no real threat.


    She got into her car and drove over. But just as she pulled up to the bar, she spotted Ethan''s car outside.


    What was he doing at a bar like this?


    She sat in the car and didn''t get out, watching as his gaze passed over. Even though he was in a wheelchair, he was positioned on a set of steps and still had thatmanding presence about him.


    Grace had just seen the news about the kidnapping. Her hands gripped the steering wheel uneasily.


    She didn''t know if Ethan saw her, so she didn''t dare to get out of the car in case she bumped into him.


    She had wanted to wait until Ethan entered before she got out, but Ethan seemed to be talking about something with the people around him. Ethan seemed to be calm, and Grace didn''t know the people he was with.


    She waited for ten minutes and only got out of the car when she saw that no one was on the steps anymore.


    But after she got past the steps, she realized that Ethan and his group hadn''t left at all. They were behind a pir. Now, there was no way to avoid Ethan.


    Their eyes met.


    Grace''s heart skipped a bit, and she hurriedly looked away. She never expected the person in front of Ethan to greet her, "Well, if it isn''t Grace?"

 Chapter 94

    The man who spoke seemed to be very refined. It was very different from how


    cold Ethan was and how intimidating Julian seemed. He seemed to have an air of careless arrogance that came from privilege and status. It was a dangerous line to toe-the smallest slip-up and he could be a fool like Yancey.


    But this man seemed to have a firm grip on himself.


    Grace had no choice but to respond even though she had no idea who he was. She merely shot him an awkward smile.


    The man looked to be around six feet and one inch tall. He quickly walked over and bent slightly toward her. "Grace, what are you doing at a ce like this? Is it because of Yancey again?"


    Simon had just returned to Druville that night, so he was still jetgged. He had one hand casually tucked into his pocket and looked veryid back.


    Grace took two steps back. "And you are?"


    Simon raised an eyebrow as the amusement in his eyes turned cold. "What are you ying at this time?"


    He had just spoken when Ethan called out, "Simon."


    That was when Grace realized he was Simon Yule.


    Simon was a central figure among the elites. Three years ago, he ran away after his family forcibly arranged a marriage for him and skipped his own wedding. However, the Yule family had been determined to see the marriage through, so the bride still married into the family anyway.


    Now that Simon was back in Druville, he was probably about to meet his legally wedded wife who he waspletely unfamiliar with.


    Grace had heard the gossip back then. Rumor had it that Simon was a notorious yboy who hated his marriage partner. He had been overseas for three years, and he had probablye back to finalize a divorce.


    Grace steadied her expression before she said calmly, "So, you''re Mr. Yule."


    Simon had already returned to Ethan''s side. He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Have you lost your mind?"


    It wasn''t the first time someone said that to Grace.


    She was a bit confused. Did she do something to Simon before she lost her memories?


    Simon continued, "You used to hold your head so high when you were around us like aplete fool. You''re not trying to avoid us anymore? Aren''t you afraid that Ethan will eat you alive?"


    For a moment, Grace wondered if she had misheard the vaguely suggestive way he said "eat".


    She nced at Ethan, but he was looking toward the bar. He looked incredibly unapproachable at that moment.


    Simon lost his interest in Grace and asked, "Ethan, is the person you''re waiting for here? Should we go in now?"


    Seated in his wheelchair, Ethan seemed almost divine. "They''re here."


    Simon was a bit surprised as he looked around. "They''re here? Where?"


    But Ethan said nothing as he maneuvered his wheelchair forward, and Simon immediately followed.


    Grace trailed behind them, catching Simon''s words. "You shoulde with me to the cemetery tomorrow."


    Ethan''s wheelchair came to a sudden stop as he seemed to turn silent and subdued.


    Grace realized they were probably talking about Simon''s sister.


    Just as she was thinking about it, she felt the people in front of her stop. Simon suddenly asked coldly, "Grace, how long are you nning to follow us?"


    Simon''s hostility wasn''t an act. Grace even suspected that Simon would have attacked her if Ethan wasn''t there.


    He turned around with an expression full of hatred. "I let you off this time without mocking you, but do you really think the Yule family has forgotten what you did back then?"

 Chapter 95

    Simon was definitely referring to when his sister was kidnapped. But Grace had no memory of it and had no way to defend herself.


    Simon seemed like he wanted to say more, but he quickly followed Ethan when he noticed Ethan''s wheelchair was already moving away.


    Grace stood frozen in ce, feeling a chill creeping over her.


    It was only after their figures disappeared that she came back to her senses and walked inside. She really needed to get to the bottom of this matter.


    However, she didn''t find Yancey. Instead, she ran into a group of drunk men at the corner. They were all tall and burly, and they blocked her way in an instant.


    "What is such a beautiful woman doing all alone? Why don''t youe have some fun with us?"


    Two other men started tough as they reached out toward her. It was obvious what they were trying to do.


    Grace frowned as she took a few steps back.


    Yet she quickly heard some more footsteps behind her. There were even more unfamiliar men. Now, a total of six men were staring at her intently.


    She quickly opened the nearest door. It led to a private room, and there was another door beyond that.


    She sprinted forward, only to stop when she realized that there was no one chasing her. She was a bit confused, but she heard Julian''s voice right after that.


    How strange. Ethan, Julian, and Simon actually came to a bar like this tonight.


    Julian''s voice seemed cold and mocking. "It''s been years, Ethan, and you''re still clinging to the past? I think it''s time you tried looking for another woman. What do you expect to get from waiting like this?"


    Grace''s ears perked up as she curiously waited for Ethan''s response.


    Ethan''s fingertips gently tapped on the armrest of his wheelchair as he lowered his gaze slightly. "She''s worth it."


    Julian let out an exasperatedugh. "I think she''s incredibly average. She''s foolish and cruel. What''s so worth it about her?"


    "It''s enough that I know what''s good about her," Ethan replied calmly. There seemed to be a stubbornness in his tone that no one else could understand.


    Grace was hiding behind a nearby screen, and she felt like she was frozen in ce.


    She had always thought Ethan was a cold and rational person. She never expected him to be so deeply in love that he would wait for a woman who had been gone for seven years. Judging by his tone, he would continue waiting as well.


    She realized that she had heard too much and was about to turn around to find another way out. But just as she turned to leave, the door was suddenly pushed open.


    She bumped right into Simon.


    He was dressed in a suit, and he was obviously in a bad mood. When he saw her, he had a look of disgust on his face. "What are you doing here?"


    He dusted off his suit as if he had been tainted by something dirty. Then, without a warning, he grabbed Grace by the cor and dragged her toward Ethan.


    Turning past the screen, they arrived in front of Ethan and Julian, who were seated on a ck couch.


    Grace was tossed right onto an empty couch by Simon.


    Simon lowered his gaze and lit a cigarette before mocking, "She was hiding behind the screen and eavesdropping on your conversation. Didn''t either of you notice it?"


    The room was different from the others in the bar. Simon liked this ce because it was chaotic and filled with all sorts of people. The Yule family wouldn''t think to look for him here, or they would definitely drag him back to meet that wife of his whom he had never even seen before.


    He had no interest in that, so he would rather hide in a ce like this.

 Chapter 96

    Grace''s back ached from the impact, but she quicklyposed herself. "Mr. Henderson, Mr. Sidler, I identally got lost."


    Right after she said that, Simon retorted, "It definitely didn''t look like you were lost with how sneaky you were acting. You definitely looked like you were hiding to eavesdrop. Grace, didn''t I tell you before to stay far away if you see me?


    Otherwise, I can''t guarantee I won''ty a hand on you."


    Right as he finished speaking, he actually pulled out a gun and loaded the chamber.


    Grace felt a chill go down her spine. Simon had to be insane to bring a gun here.


    She immediately moved behind the couch where Ethan was sitting.


    Ethan held a ss of alcohol in his hand. "Simon, put the gun down."


    Simon frowned and clicked his tongue before he set the gun aside. However, he wasn''t done venting. "Grace, get the hell out of here!"


    Grace wasn''t an idiot. She could tell by now that Julian and Simon didn''t like her. But at least Julian wasn''t going to kill her on sight like Simon. Just how many terrible things did she do in the past?


    Shouldn''t Ethan hate her too? Why did he stop Simon?


    Her mind raced, and she soon realized it was all probably because of Yancey.


    She gulped. "I''ll leave right away."


    Right as she got up to go, Ethan said, "Those men outside are waiting for you."


    She froze in ce. Right, there were still those men outside waiting to cause trouble.


    The only reason they hadn''te in here was because of the three powerful figures in here. If she left right now, wouldn''t she be walking right into their trap?


    But staying here felt even more suffocating. Just Simon''s gaze alone could have killed her a hundred times over.


    She took a deep breath and scanned the room, trying to look for another way out.


    But there were only two exits in this private room, and there was no telling if someone was waiting outside either of them.


    After thinking for a few minutes, Grace finally resigned herself and sat on the couch that Ethan was on.


    It was a three-seater, and Ethan was sitting right in the middle. She sat in the farthest corner and tried to make herself as small as possible.


    Simon had wanted to throw a few more mocking words in, but he stopped himself when he saw Ethan''s expression. Instead, he started with his own affairs. "Ethan, once you two leave, don''t mention that you''ve seen me."


    He had taken Ethan''s private jet back this time, and almost no one knew he was back.


    He had been hiding abroad for three years, thinking that the Yule family would have already kicked out the woman he was forced to marry. Yet she actually remained for all three years and even had a marital home that was prepared just for them.


    Even though Simon had never stepped into that marital home, being legally married still made him very ufortable.


    He had returned for the sake of getting a divorce. And he wanted the help of his two friends to figure out a way.


    Ethan had spent two years abroad as well, but unlike Simon, he had actually met the woman Simon was married to. "She''s actually not bad. You could try getting to know her."


    "You''re joking, right? She''s just a woman from a tiny household. If her parents hadn''t used their so-called debt of gratitude to pressure my grandfather, do you think she could''ve married into my family? What''s the difference between that and selling their daughter to the Yule family?" Simon retorted.


    Simon''s eyes were full of resentment as he twirled the ss in his hand.


    He said, "That woman is quite stubborn, though. In these three years, no one other than Grandpa has sought her out, but she''s still staying in the marital home all this while without causing any trouble. It looks like she''s dead set on clinging to her position."


    That woman was so low-profile that almost no one knew what she looked like. All people heard was that she was very obedient and well-behaved.

 Chapter 97

    But Simon didn''t want an obedient puppet for a wife. He would choose his own wife.


    Grace listened from the side for ten minutes. It was all just Simonining about this wife he didn''t know. He didn''t even know what she looked like.


    She nced at Ethan. He had to be very close to Simon if he had personallye to a ce like this just for this matter.


    After about half an hour, Simon finally came up with a n. He would have an affair and openly mess around with other women. He would wait for that wife of his to lose her patience and break off the marriage herself.


    Once he settled on this idea, he seemed to be in a much better mood. However, he still looked at Grace with hatred.


    Grace didn''t dare to be alone with him at all. When she saw Ethan leaving, she immediately followed.


    She had intended to help push his wheelchair attentively, but she withdrew her hands when she thought about Simon''s sister.


    Ethan moved ahead in his wheelchair, and she quietly followed. Soon, they arrived at a secluded corner.


    The men who had tried to harass her just now were all kneeling under the dim light. Each of them was trapped in a bup sack.


    There was a flicker of surprise in Grace''s eyes. She was just about to ask who did this when Ethan said, "They were sent by Sloan."


    Sloan, that devoted follower of Alice''s. In the end, it was Alice causing trouble again.


    Grace didn''t know why Ethan had helped her, but she quickly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Henderson."


    Ethan didn''t ask if she needed any more help. Instead, he maneuvered his wheelchair down a different path.


    But there was a step ahead, and his wheelchair came to a stop. It seemed he couldn''t go up.


    Grace was about to leave when she saw that scene. She hurried over and helped


    him up.


    "Grace," he suddenly called her name. Grace even thought she was hearing things as her fingers trembled slightly.


    "Yes?" she asked.


    "Did youe here because of Yancey?" Ethan asked.


    Grace didn''t know how to answer at that moment because she hade here for Yancey.


    But in the end, the real reason she was here was to find out about the Yule family''s daughter. That was something she absolutely couldn''t let Ethan know. After all, it was a sore spot for Ethan.


    "Yes," she said.


    That one word caused the air around them to turn much quieter. Then, she heard him chuckle coldly. She thought he was about to say something else, but he just left.


    Grace stood there in a daze. Then, she suddenly realized that Ethan probably thought she still hadn''t given up on Yancey. He probably didn''t want her to marry into the Henderson family, believing that she wasn''t worthy of their name.


    She took a deep breath and felt like she waspletely misunderstood.


    But it wasn''t the time to dwell on it. She had to deal with Sloan, or what happened tonight would just keep happening.


    Just then, Quentin called.


    In Grace''s memories, she rarely spoke to her father.


    Quentinmanded, "Alice is getting married. How much longer do you intend to fool around outside? She''s pregnant now and not feeling well. She wants to eat your cooking, so hurry up ande home."

 Chapter 98

    Grace almostughed from the sheer anger she was feeling. This family just wouldn''t give up.


    But the next second, Quentin said in a heavy tone, "If Alice loses her child, it''ll bepletely your fault."


    Grace''s eyes narrowed. Alice needed to keep her child.


    She immediately returned to the household. Before she even stepped inside, she heard Carmen murmuring, "Alice, eat a little something. Yancey is already on his way back."


    Alice, who was sitting on the couch, shook her head. When she saw Grace enter, there was a glint in her eyes. "Grace, why are you back?"


    Grace''s gaze fell on Alice''s stomach. It was still early on in the pregnancy, so she wasn''t showing yet.


    Alice seemed frightened by her look and instinctively moved closer to Carmen.


    Carmen shielded Alice behind her and asked righteously, "Grace, what kind of look is that? Alice is your sister. If you dare to do anything to the child in her belly, I''ll make you pay."


    There was a chill in Grace''s heart when she saw the wariness and malice in Carmen''s eyes. Was she really a part of the Lambert family? How could parents treat their own daughter like this?


    She stepped forward and noticed Liam sitting nearby.


    Liam let out a cold snort and quickly turned his head away, but he still tried to sound reassuring to Grace.


    He said, "Grace, you see it now. Alice is pregnant, so there''s no way you and Yancey can be together anymore. You should just ept it and marry Hendricks. Mom has already agreed to the engagement. It''ll be your turn after Alice''s wedding."


    Grace sat down with a calm and indifferent expression. She asked Liam, "Do you want Hendricks as your brother-inw?"


    Liam was stumped. Everyone knew that Hendricks was just a thug with a terrible reputation.


    His gaze met Grace''s, and after hesitating for a moment, he lowered his eyes. "Grace, I think you''ve been very unrulytely. You might really need a man to keep you in check."


    The moment he said that, Gracended a p right on his face.


    Liam clutched his cheek and shot up from the couch furiously. "You''re always hitting me for no reason! I really think something is wrong with you. Have you gone insane because Yancey doesn''t want you anymore?"


    Alice''s eyes lit up at those words. She immediately leaned closer to Carmen. "Mom, that might be it. Grace has been acting really strangetely. Should she see a doctor? I''m pregnant, so I''m afraid she''ll do something extreme."


    Her tone wasced with fear, and she even ced her hands protectively over her belly as her eyes reddened.


    Carmen was swayed by that. Could Grace''s strange behavior really be because she had gone crazy?


    She motioned for the bodyguards toe in before she looked at Grace with suspicion. "Grace, are you really mentally unwell?"


    Grace didn''t even know how to answer that. She met Alice''s gaze, and as Alice hid in the corner where no one could see, her eyes curled into a smirk of triumph.


    With the whole Lambert family on her side, she had nothing to fear.


    Grace felt her heart shattering at that moment.


    But she still quicklyposed herself. If she hadn''t lost her memories, she would have probably lost her mind by now.


    "Didn''t you call me back to cook?" Grace said calmly.


    Alice shrank back and pretended to be afraid. "Grace, I wouldn''t dare to eat your food. What if you poison it? You must hate that I have Yancey''s child."

 Chapter 99

    Even standing there meant Grace was at fault.


    Yancey happened to arrive at that moment. When he saw the tense standoff in the living room, he quickly rushed over and pulled Alice into his arms. "Grace, what did you do this time?"


    He had been doubting whether or not Grace still had feelings for him, but Grace had juste looking for Alice, and it seemed like Grace wanted to harm the child. It was obvious that Grace was blinded by jealousy.


    Yancey didn''t want to admit it, but he was quite pleased at that moment. "No matter how angry you are, you shouldn''ty a hand on mine and Alice''s child."


    Grace stood there and looked at their faces. She felt likemunicating with them was impossible.


    She didn''t even say a word, but she was already condemned as the viin.


    She turned around to leave, but Carmen shouted out, "Where are the bodyguards? Grab her! Liam is right. She must be mentally ill. Lock her up first!" Liam was stunned and quickly protested, "Mom, I was just joking."


    But as he spoke, his voice gradually went weaker until he finally lowered his head.


    Grace was dragged away by a few bodyguards and thrown into the punishment


    room.


    It was a space Alice had specifically set up after moving in. She said it was to punish disobedient maids.


    There were no decorations inside. There was just a single wooden stool that was too short to reach the window and a door.


    Grace sat on the stool calmly.


    When night fell, she heard some footsteps outside.


    She tentatively called out, "Liam?"


    Liam felt uneasy. After all, Grace was locked up because of what he said.


    The rest of the family had gone out for a dinner party, and he had faked feeling unwell to stay behind. He didn''t even realize it as he walked over here.


    But thinking about how Grace had pped him multiple times and even helped an outsider, he felt a little bitter. He deliberately remained silent when Grace called out to him.


    Grace leaned against the door. She had figured out that Liam wasn''t as heartless as the rest of the family. He was just spoiled and couldn''t tell right from wrong.


    "You''re not talking, but I know it''s you. Out of everyone in this family, you''ve always treated me the best," Grace said.


    The moment she said that, Liam''s lips twitched as he tried to hold back a smile. He didn''t want to seem too easy to please.


    He crossed his arms and snorted. "Grace, if you know I treat you the best, then why do you keep hitting me? That time outside, you even embarrassed me in public."


    That day, she had pped him in front of his gang. They had been looking at him weirdly since then. What mattered most for a man was obviously his dignity.


    "I hit you because I don''t want you to turn out rotten. It''s all out of concern for you," Grace exined.


    Liam frowned and hesitated for a few seconds before he asked, "Really?"


    Grace rubbed her temples. How did everyone else in the Lambert family have such devious minds while Liam''s was as nk as a piece of paper? He was even dumber than Yancey. "Of course, it''s true. Do you have the key? Let me out."


    "Grace, you''re just trying to trick me into letting you go!" Liam used.


    "Liam, I''m your sister. I''ve cooked countless meals for you. What has Alice ever done for you? Don''t just listen to what people say watch what they do. Anyone can talk sweetly, but the truth is difficult to hear. Do you understand?" Grace said.


    Liam waspletely stunned by her words. "The key isn''t with me. It''s with Mom." "Isn''t there a spare? Go look for it," Grace urged.


    Liam retorted, "Why should I listen to you?"


    Grace snapped back, "I''ve cooked so many meals for you, but what have you ever done for me?"


    Liam instantly fell silent and felt a little guilty.

 Chapter 100

    Liam returned to the hall and searched for a key with his head down. After a while, he actually found one in a drawer.


    Standing in front of Grace''s locked door again, he started to feel uneasy. He felt like he was too easy to manipte.


    Grace had already heard his footsteps and urged, "Hurry up and open the door. Why are you just standing there?"


    "Grace, swear that you''ll never p me again," Liam said.


    Grace was speechless but went along with it, saying, "I swear I won''t ever p you again."


    Only then did Liam unlock the door. The moment he saw her, he took a step back.


    Grace walked past him and started to head outside. She couldn''t stand staying in this house for another second.


    Liam followed closely behind her as he asked a bit urgently, "You''re leaving already? Can''t you at least make me a meal before you go? You''re just nning on tossing me aside after using me, aren''t you?"


    At the doorway, Grace''s expression was cold.


    Liam felt hurt. There was a dull ache in his chest as he turned his face away. "Whatever. Just get lost. It''s not like I have to eat your cooking. I knew you never cared about me."


    Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw that she really got into the car. He stood there feeling a bit lost. In the past, he could still feel that Grace cared about him, but at that moment, he couldn''t feel anything at all.


    He wanted to call out to her, but because he had spent his whole life ordering Grace around, he couldn''t bring himself to lower his pride. So, he merely watched as Grace drove the car away.


    Liam stood alone in the front yard for a long time, all the way until Carmen and the others returned from dinner.


    Alice was in a good mood that night, and it was finally time to deal with Grace.


    Yet when she checked the room where Grace was supposed to be locked up, it waspletely empty.


    She returned to the living room and immediately turned to Liam. "Did you let her go?"


    Liam was feeling a bit deted. He finally realized that he had been used by Grace.


    He felt even worse at Alice''s usatory tone. "What else? That room is for locking up maids. Since when was Grace one?"


    Alice felt her heart skip a beat. Liam had always sided with her, but now, he had willingly let Grace go. It meant he was starting to side with Grace.


    A chill ran down her spine as she clenched her fists. This couldn''t go on. She needed to get rid of that bitch, Grace, for good.


    Her eyes reddened as if she had suffered greatly. "Liam, your tone is so harsh. Do you think I''m a viin now?"


    Seeing Alice''s pitiful expression, Liam immediately softened his stance. "Alice, I didn''t mean it like that. I''m always on your side."


    Alice didn''t say a thing as she silently went upstairs.


    Her reaction made Liam feel even worse. Carmen immediately patted his arm. "How could you talk to your sister like that? She''s pregnant, so can''t you be a bit more considerate?"


    Inside her room, Alice refused to open the door. Her face was full of resentment. She lowered her head and patted her belly as a sinister idea formed in her mind.


    ...


    Grace had originally nned to wait until Yancey and Alice got married.


    Lately, she had been extra cautious about her own safety, worried that Alice would make a move. She still couldn''t figure out a way to deal with Alice.


    But during work hours, when she pushed open the door to the top-floor CEO''s office, she unexpectedly ran into Yancey.


    Standing next to Ethan, Yancey looked incredibly out of ce. But he still mocked her when she entered, "Why do you always appear when I''m here to make my reports? Grace, are you that obsessed with me?"


    Yancey was so pleased that he was grinning smugly.


    Grace really wanted to p that face of his.


    She ced the document in her hand on Ethan''s desk. As he reached out to take


    it, their fingertips identally touched.


    Grace quickly withdrew her hand, remembering the Yule family''s heiress.


    For the past few days, she had been avoiding Ethan, doing everything she could


    to minimize her presence around him. She was even considering transferring back to her original department.


    Just as her thoughts were racing wildly in her mind, Ethan suddenly grabbed her hand.

 Chapter 101

    "Come on. Let''s step outside. There''s something I need to talk to you about," Ethan said.


    Grace jerked her hand away from his.


    Yancey''s brow twitched, then his mouth curled into a smirk. "Liam filled me in. He said you''ve been all messed up over my wedding and that I should keep an eye on you. Grace, you''re a grown adult. Can''t you deal with this like everyone else?"


    Grace drew a slow breath. Somehow, she could sense Ethan''s eyes on her. They were not warm, just piercing-like he was studying her.


    "Are you done? Don''t tter yourself. You think I''d lose it just because you''re getting married? What kind of delusion is that?"


    But Yancey was sure her recent behavior was just her being overwhelmed. Before she could react, he pulled her close by the waist.


    "That''s it. After your shift, we''re going to see a psychiatrist," he said.


    Grace snapped. She kneed him right where it hurt most.


    Yancey hunched over in agony, his face going pale as he cried out, "Grace!"


    Grace felt the tension drain from her body, only to freeze when her gaze met Ethan''s. She had just made a scene with Yancey in front of the Hendersons. There was no way Ethan was fine with that.


    "Mr. Henderson, it wasn''t intentional. I just..."


    Ethan had a presence like no one else. Any excuse would sound flimsy under his stare.


    He finally broke eye contact, his gaze lowering as he said, "Go clean the records room for the day."


    That was her sentence, but at least it was just the records room. She bobbed her head. "I''m on it. Right away."


    After stepping out of the office, Grace headed straight for Henderson Group''s records room.


    Once she was gone, only Ethan and Yancey remained in the office. Yancey, his face pale, pushed himself upright, still grasping for a way to take a jab at her. "Ethan, I''ll take her to a psychiatristter. She might actually be losing it," he said.


    Ethan kept his eyes on the documents before him and asked tly, "You really think you''re the reason?"


    That same ridiculous thought surfaced again in Yancey''s mind. Something in the question must have triggered it. Before he could stop himself, the words were out. "I slept with Grace."


    Silence dropped over the room, absolute and suffocating, like someone had hit the mute button on the world.


    Yancey couldn''t bring himself to look at Ethan, whose presence felt crushing. But his pride wouldn''t let him back down.


    "We were childhood sweethearts, and things got intense between us. I failed her." He added, his fists clenching and his fingers trembling, "Ethan, you''re visiting Eleanor today, aren''t you?"


    The question served as a pointed reminder that Ethan had best keep the Yule family''s heiress, Eleanor, in mind.


    Yancey''s heart hammered inexplicably in his chest. Ethan was Druville''s most distinguished man. There was no way he''d settle for Grace now that she was ruined.


    Yancey didn''t mean to speak of Grace so crudely, but the bitter thoughts spilled out before he could stop them.


    The silence stretched between them until Ethan finally broke it. "A man who respected her wouldn''t use those words."


    The simple statement spoke volumes about their differing character.


    Yancey struggled to meet Ethan''s gaze but clenched his jaw and held his ground.


    "Just making things clear, Ethan. Grace was mine once."


    "Get out," Ethan muttered.


    He didn''t even look up from his paperwork as he spoke in a t tone. He was unfazed as if nothing Yancey had said mattered.


    For a moment, Yancey wondered if he had read too much into things. Ethan and Grace? Impossible. But once outside, a sick feeling twisted in his gut, and his face went ashen.


    A bitter idea took root-maybe Grace ending up with Hendricks was for the best.

 Chapter 102

    Henderson Group''s records room was huge, with a good 3,200 square feet of filing space.


    Grace walked in carrying a broom, figuring she''d be stuck cleaning for hours, but the ce was obviously professionally maintained. There was not a speck of dust in sight, so there was no need for cleaning.


    She grabbed a random book, plopped it over her face, and settled for a nice, guilt- free nap. She had lost track of time when the book was suddenly lifted from her face.


    Grace blinked the sleep from her eyes, looked up, and nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of Ethan standing there.


    Ethan lifted the book, eyeing the cover before reading aloud in his rich, deep voice. "Sharing a Home With My Boss?"


    Seriously? Since when did the records room stock this kind of trash?


    Grace had just needed something to shade her eyes. She hadn''t even looked at what she was grabbing! It must''ve belonged to one of the cleaning staff. Heat flooded her cheeks, and her whole body grew tense.


    "That''s someone else''s," she rushed to exin.


    The door was closed, and Ethan was standing beside her, no longer in his wheelchair. The afternoon sunlight draped over them like a warm nket. He turned to the first page with a graceful flick of his finger.


    Grace wanted to disappear. That title alone promised way more than she ever wanted Ethan to see. She lunged for the book, yanking it away and tossing it across the room.


    "Mr. Henderson, trust me. You don''t want that filth in your head."


    Ethan, d in a ck suit, took in her flushed face before turning away. "You were supposed to be cleaning, not napping."


    "Sorry," Grace said instantly, dropping her gaze.


    Slowly, he sank into the wheelchair with an almost unreal presence. In a detached tone, he said, "We''re going somewhere."


    "Right now?"


    "Yeah."


    Grace hurried to grip the handles. "Okay."


    It was the middle of the workday, but when the boss gave an order, she didn''t question it.


    And honestly, getting on Ethan''s good side could only work in her favor. He had standards. At least he wasn''t like Simon, always ready to tear into her.


    When they arrived at the underground garage, Grace looked for Tim, but the driver''s seat was empty.


    "I''m driving?" she asked, confused.


    Already in the back seat, Ethan narrowed his eyes. "You''d rather I drive you?"


    No way in hell was she letting her boss y chauffeur. She practically threw herself into the driver''s seat. "No, I''ve got it. Where are we headed, Mr. Henderson?"


    "Westridge Cemetery."


    Grace''s grip on the wheel faltered, a cold wave washing over her.


    Westridge Cemetery...


    She had been piecing together the story about Eleanor. Rumor had it Eleanor was buried at Westridge Cemetery-an ultra-exclusive resting ce where wealth meant nothing but connections meant everything.


    Every headstone belonged to someone with a name that mattered. The security was beyond excessive, requiring face scans just to visit.


    Sweat coated Grace''s palms. Had she really yed a part in Eleanor''s death? Was Ethan bringing her to the cemetery alone to finally settle the score for Eleanor''s sake?


    She swallowed hard, her gaze flicking to the rearview mirror and, unexpectedly, straight into his stare. There was no denying Ethan had hit the gic jackpot. But when that wless face turned stormy? It was downright terrifying.


    Forcing an uneasy smile, she pushed through the heavy silence. "Are you visiting someone there, Mr. Henderson?"


    Ethan usually had files spread across hisp during car rides, but his hands were empty today.

 Chapter 103

    Ethan was clearly in a bad mood today, wrapped in a heavy, unshakable darkness. He answered with only a vague hum.


    Grace was sharp enough to pick up on the shift and didn''t dare ask more.


    But then, after ten minutes of silence, he spoke up. "Why''d you stop asking me about it?"


    The question loomed over her like a guillotine de, poised to drop without warning.


    Grace''s throat tightened. "Was it someone who mattered to you?"


    Ethan let out another hum.


    Resting his chin in his hand, he stared out the window before murmuring, "Yeah. It wrecked me when she left."


    Grace felt unsettled by Ethan right now, but even she couldn''t deny that he loved with everything he had. People liked to say that devotion only came from old money, but that wasn''t entirely true.


    In her world of luxury and indulgence, most trust-fund kids were just in it for the thrill. Guys like Ethan, who loved this deeply, were rare. His beloved had been gone for seven years, yet he still visited her grave every year without fail. Even the look on his face bore the weight of it.


    Eleanor must have been something special to be loved and still longed for by him.


    Grace kept her mouth shut after that. She didn''t say another word until the car pulled up to Westridge Cemetery.


    A solemn, imposing structure stood outside the cemetery. Armed guards were stationed at the gates. Maybe they recognized the car because the heavy iron doors swung open without hesitation. Beyond the gates were nothing but endless rows of steps. Grace had no idea which path led to Eleanor''s grave.


    Grace had barely pulled into the spot when someone appeared beside the car, politely opening the door.


    Ethan sat slumped in his wheelchair, lookingpletely drained. His voice was t as he gave the order. "Stay here."


    Grace didn''t have the nerve to go after him.


    "Got it," she answered quickly.


    His eyes lifted to hers, weighed with something heavy and unreadable. She dropped her gaze instantly, her shoulders tensing as unease settled in.


    Without another word, Ethan slowly turned his wheelchair and headed toward one of the buildings.


    Grace didn''t let out a breath until he was out of sight, exhaling sharply. She stayed by the car, watching the minutes crawl by.


    Half an hour passed before another car pulled up, and Simon stepped out. There was nowhere to run, and his eyesnded on her instantly. He strolled over, his brow arching with a cold edge. "What brings you here? Finally realized you should''ve been dead a long time ago?"


    Grace took a few steps back, wasting no time in name-dropping Ethan. "I''m here with Mr. Henderson. He''s inside."


    The message was clear-back off.


    Simon let out a sharp snort, giving her a once-over. "What happened to that backbone of yours? You used to have a mouth on you. Look at you now. Terrified, huh?"


    Grace furrowed her brows. Plenty of people had hinted at her past-how she had been reckless, flirting with death like it was some kind of game. Honestly, it was a miracle she was still breathing.


    Simon closed the gap between them, his shadow looming over her. "You''d better pray I never get my hands on you."


    And just like that, he was gone, vanishing into the building.


    The threat lingered, thick in the air. But Simon was the Yule heir. The Yules were untouchable, and Grace was in way over her head. She could barely handle Alice.


    The constant fear of being one wrong move away from the grave left her feelingpletely powerless.

 Chapter 104

    Grace had expected Ethan toe out soon, but by the time she saw him again, three hours had slipped by. He looked awful. His face was so pale that it made his lips seem unnaturally red.


    Simon hovered beside him, frantic. "Where are your meds? The meds!"


    Ethan waved him off weakly, his nose beaded with sweat.


    Grace took in the scene, her mind nking. She rushed to the car, fumbling to find his medication, except she had no idea what she was even looking for.


    Before she could search any further, Simon shoved her aside. "Move! You''re just wasting time."


    He sounded harsh. He searched the car and quickly pulled out a white pill bottle. He tapped out a pill and held it to Ethan''s lips.


    Anyone could see how close they were. Simon''s hands trembled, his fear so raw it looked like he''d go down if Ethan did. But Ethan only turned his head to the side, his eyes hollow with exhaustion.


    Simon snapped. "Just take it! What are you waiting for?"


    Grace''s stomach lurched. If Ethan crashed on her watch, the Hendersons would have her head. She''d disappear without a trace.


    "Mr. Henderson, what else do you need? Just say the word, and I''ll get it right now!"


    She stepped closer, finally meeting his gaze. His eyes were bloodshot-the kind that came from too many sleepless nights. Desperation took hold of her as she grabbed his wrist.


    "Mr. Henderson, you look like hell!"


    Ethan froze, his gaze locked on where their hands met. Grace hadn''t even noticed in her panic, but Simon sure had.


    He exploded. "Get your damn hands off him! Who the hell do you think you are? You don''t get to touch him!"


    Simon shoved Grace back so hard she nearly hit the ground. Only then did she realize she had crossed a line.


    Simon stepped between her and Ethan, his expression thunderous. "Grace, cut the act. Just because Yancey dumped you doesn''t mean you can slither your way to Ethan. What, you think marrying him and bing Yancey''s aunt would be some kind of payback?


    "Not happening! A woman like you-trash, through and through doesn''t even deserve to breathe the same air as Ethan!"


    The hatred in his eyes was unmistakable. But the moment the words left his mouth, he turned back to Ethan, his anger giving way to worry.


    Ethan''s eyes stayed shut, sweat beading at his temples. He looked strong yet frighteningly fragile.


    Simon started pushing his wheelchair toward the car. "Let''s get you home."


    Grace hurried after them.


    Simon looked like he was about to tear into her again, but Ethan stopped him. "Let here along."


    Simon had no choice but to hold his tongue. He took the wheel, leaving Grace in the back with Ethan. The pill bottle was set aside, untouched. Ethan hadn''t taken his medication.


    Grace grabbed a water bottle and tapped out two more pills. "Mr. Henderson, you really should take these."


    Simon nearly made a snide remark-something about how if Ethan wouldn''t take the pills from him, there was no way in hell he''d take them from her. But just as he was about to snap, he caught sight of Ethan leaning back with his eyes shut and his lips barely parted.


    Grace''s heart leaped. Carefully, she slipped the pills into his mouth.


    Suddenly, the car lurched to a screeching stop, mming her forward. She would''ve smashed her head against the seat if Ethan hadn''t caught her just in time.


    His eyes snapped up, locking on Simon''s stunned reflection in the mirror. "Do you even know how to drive?"


    Simon''s grip tightened on the wheel. "It''s not my fault she can''t be bothered to wear a seatbelt," he shot back after a beat, though even he knew it was a weak excuse.


    He stepped on the gas again, unease crawling up his spine. Since when did Ethan give a damn about Grace?


    The moment Grace realized Ethan''s hand was still on her face, she jerked away. Grabbing a tissue, she all but scrubbed his palm raw like she was disinfecting it.


    Ethan said nothing, letting her.

 Chapter 105

    Grace sighed in relief after making sure she had cleaned Ethan''s hand and that he wasn''t upset. She gently lowered his hand, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked, "Mr. Henderson, are you alright?"


    Ethan nced down at where her fingers still rested against his wrist. Her hand was delicate, its warmth seeping into his skin.


    Needing to be sure he was okay, Grace asked again, "Mr. Henderson, did the medicine help at all?"


    This time, he lifted his eyes and hummed in response, flexing his wrist slightly in her grasp. Grace let go right away, not wanting to push her luck.


    "Sorry about that. I guess I got carried away. I''m d you''re fine," she said quickly.


    The back seat of the car fell into silence.


    Grace couldn''t tell what he was thinking. Was he upset or not? She straightened


    in her seat and, this time, made sure to buckle her seatbelt.


    Ethan kept his gaze on the window, a fleeting smile passing over his lips.


    As soon as the car rolled to a stop at Palm Bay, Simon jumped out and yanked open the back door, ready to help Ethan-only to find him fast asleep, his head resting against Grace''s arm.


    Simon had driven with unusual care the whole way. For a guy who used to have a lead foot, it must have been torture to go this slow. But because he did, the trip stretched to 40 minutes-long enough for Grace to nod off too.


    She hadn''t leaned into Ethan. She had stayed on her side, her head resting against the window. Yet somehow, he had ended up slumped against her shoulder, dead to the world.


    The creak of the door woke her. She opened her eyes, about to say something, but Simon stopped her.


    His voice was quiet, the sharpness from earlier gone. "Let him sleep. He''s been dealing with insomnia for a long time."


    Insomnia?


    That exined the red streaks in Ethan''s eyes. He looked like he hadn''t had a decent night''s sleep in weeks.


    Grace stayed perfectly still. In her periphery, she could make out the tousled strands of his hair and the faint shadow of his eyshes against his skin. It was strange to see someone as unshakable as Ethan looking so at peace.


    She tensed, about to shift her shoulder, when Simon muttered a low warning, "Wake him up, and you''re dead."


    Grace''s throat went dry. Simon was seriously the worst. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to rx. Time blurred. Maybe it was the oddly soothing silence, but she started nodding off again.


    The next time she stirred, she heard the crisp sound of a page turning. She wasn''t in the car anymore. She was sprawled out on an expensive-looking couch in the living room of Palm Bay.


    Grace jolted upright and scanned the room, only to hear Simon scoff. "What are you, a bear? Hibernating or something?"


    She checked her phone. When she saw it was already 9:00 pm, heat crept up her cheeks. Ignoring Simon, she turned to Ethan instead. That short nap must have helped. He looked more alert now.


    "Mr. Yule told me you''ve been dealing with insomnia, Mr. Henderson. Have you thought about trying alternative medicine?" Grace asked.


    It might help, and typically without any unpleasant side effects.


    Ethan paused. "Can''t say I have."


    "I''ll look into a good alternative medicine practitioner and have something prepared for you. It might be worth giving it a shot."


    This wasn''t about winning favor. She had assumed Ethan took her to the cemetery to make things difficult for her, only to realize she had gotten him all wrong. Now, she just wanted to do something decent in return.


    Ethan''s brow lifted slightly, his lips tightening as he let out a quiet hum.


    Grace stood, keeping her tone polite. "If that''s all, I should get going."


    She had barely turned when Simon cut in, "What''s the rush? If he actually sleeps when you''re around, maybe you should stick around and be his personal sleep aid."

 Chapter 106

    Grace froze, reeling a cold prickle crawl down her neck. Had she heard Simon right?


    But then he stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, menacing murmur meant only for her. "You''re not leaving. If you try, I''ll make your life a living hell. Even Ethan won''t be able to save you."


    His eyes were pure ice. Grace knew anyone connected to Ethan wasn''t someone to mess with. She stiffened, her mouth filling with the bitter taste of bile.


    "Simon, you need to leave," Ethan cut in mercifully.


    Simon leaned in, his words a quiet hiss against her ear. "Stay. If I find out you run,


    I swear those legs won''t hold you up the next time I see you."


    Damn! He was a full-blown psycho!


    Grace wanted to cuss him out and flip him off, but instinct kept her still. Instead, she forced a brittle smile and scrambled toward Ethan. "Mr. Henderson, please, let me stay and help. I''m great at waiting on people!"


    Pride wasn''t worth dying over.


    Simon seemed pleased with her quick submission and gave a wave. "Ethan, I''m out. Got to go find myself a side piece tonight."


    Otherwise, the Yules would drag him back to y breeding stallion. His father had been on his case for months.


    Ethan remained silent, only turning after Simon was out of sight. "You can go too."


    Grace wasn''t about to take the risk and put on her most sycophantic grin. "Mr. Henderson, I swear I''m really good with people. Please, let me stick around."


    She wanted to crawl into a hole the moment the words left her mouth. Damn Simon to hell!


    Ethan stopped pushing his wheelchair before ncing back at her. "He put you up to this?"


    "Nope. It''s my idea."


    By now, she was past the point of embarrassment. So, she might as well go all in. Besides, Ethan wasn''t so bad.


    She crouched, ced his hands on his knees, and added, "Also, I give a pretty mean head massage. It might knock you out cold. Just throw in a little extra when you pay meter. I''ve got bills to pay."


    Unexpectedly, he chuckled, his chest heaving slightly. That smile of his could melt anyone.


    Embarrassed, Grace pressed her lips together, unable to meet his gaze.


    He wheeled himself into the elevator, a faint chuckle slipping out. "Fine. You can stay."


    A wave of relief washed over Grace as she followed him.


    He stuck to his usual routine. The first stop was the study, where he immersed himself in paperwork. Grace stayed silent and barely made a sound, only stepping in to refill his water.


    By 11:00 pm, she was done. She sank into a chair and struggled to stay awake, her head nodding before the rustle of papers pulled her back.


    Ethan closed the folder in his hands. "If you''re that tired, go lie down."


    But where? She hadn''t expected to end up at Palm Bay. The rumors said Ethan hadn''t let any woman this close in years, yet here she was, slipping in without even trying.


    "Mr. Henderson, I''m fine. Really."


    Ethan nced up, his eyes lingering on the exhaustion in her face before he turned and rolled toward the hallway.


    Grace hurried after him. "Are you turning in?"


    He gave a nomittal grunt.


    His master bedroom was done in dark, moody tones, the atmosphere heavy and intimidating. She knew a shower was next when he grabbed his sleepwear and headed for the bathroom.


    Her thoughts went to his leg injury, but she respected the boundaries. No way was she walking in on him.


    Instead, she offered, "Be careful. I''ll go warm up some milk."


    Ethan leaned against the bathroom doorway, the harsh light behind him casting his figure in a golden halo.


    Grace put on a smile. "Everything okay?"


    He didn''t answer and stepped inside without a word.


    Down in the kitchen, Grace had just filled a mug with milk when a voice suddenly made her jump.


    "Who''s there?" she asked, turning around to find Susie Gaskin, the housekeeper, watching her with open curiosity. Then, Susie''s eyes brightened. "Ms. Lambert?"


    Grace blinked in surprise. Since when did the housekeeper of Palm Bay know her?


    "Yeah, I didn''t think you''d recognize me."


    Susie''s expression softened. "How could I forget? But it''s been forever since you were here. I was starting to think you weren''ting back."


    Grace froze, her mouth slightly agape in shock. Had she been here before? Susie must have confused her with someone else, but Grace didn''t feel like correcting her.


    The microwave beeped. Grace picked up the mug of warm milk and began making her way upstairs.


    Just then, Susie spoke up. "Mr. Henderson''s not much for conversation, but he really does care about you, Ms. Lambert. Don''t be upset with him."


    Grace felt awkward, more certain than ever that Susie had mistaken her for someone else. The person who had been here before was likely Eleanor.


    She simply nodded. "Right."

 Chapter 107

    Susie opened her mouth to speak, but when she looked up, Ethan was standing at the top of the stairs. His hair was damp, and he stood there silently.


    She immediately shut her mouth, suddenly realizing she had said too much. She quickly turned to busy herself elsewhere.


    Grace came up the stairs while holding a warm mug of milk and noticed water droplets still clinging to Ethan''s skin, his hair dripping.


    "Mr. Henderson, you''ll get sick like this," she said.


    Ethan turned, moving slowly toward the bedroom door, where he leaned against the doorframe for support.


    Grace set the milk on the table inside and rushed back to steady him. He didn''t pull away as she helped him inside, and together, they stepped into the room.


    He was about to take a sip of the warm milk when Grace''s phone rang. It was Yancey.


    Yancey had been on edge all day after leaving Henderson Group, unsettled by Ethan''s strange behavior. Unable to shake the feeling, he found himself calling Grace''s number almost without thinking.


    Grace fumbled with the phone and identally put the call on speaker.


    Yancey''s voice rang out. "Grace, if Alice and I don''t end up getting married, would you..."


    Her chest tightened sharply. What was he thinking? Alice was pregnant, and now, he was talking about backing out? Fat chance!


    Fearing she might lose herposure before Ethan, Grace quickly left the room with her phone in hand. Her voice was edged with urgency. "What are you talking about?"


    Ethan watched her leave, his grip tightening on the mug just slightly. He looked down at the milk, saying nothing.


    Grace walked down the hallway and only snapped once she was sure Ethan couldn''t hear her. "What the hell is going on with you? Alice is carrying your child, and now, you''re backing out?"


    Yancey had been nursing his drinks all night as Ethan''s strange behavior gnawed at him. He hated the dark thoughts creeping in, but he needed some kind of confirmation.


    "Grace, do you still care about me? You''ve been distanttely. I''m not in a good headspace and had a few drinks. Where are you?"


    Grace gritted her teeth, panic rising as the thought of him actually sabotaging his own wedding took hold. She ended the call abruptly, then unblocked Alice''s number and pressed dial.


    "Alice, Yancey''s drunk. You need to get him."


    Alice''s response was quick andced with venom. "How do you know he''s drunk, Grace? Been all over Yancey again? Are you really that much of a bitch?"


    Her voice cracked with fury, her lips trembling. Liam''s newfound softness toward Grace had already set her on edge, and now, it seemed like Yancey was paying her attention too.


    She was losing control. She wasn''t even pregnant, for heaven''s sake. The whole thing was a scheme to get Yancey to marry her. Once everything was in ce, she''d hand Grace over to Hendricks, and her job would be done.


    But Yancey''s recent behavior was raising red gs. Even when they were eating together, it was clear his mind was somewhere else.


    Suddenly, Alice''s face twisted into something menacing. She nced at her reflection in the mirror and let out a dry, bitterugh.


    Grace had done this to herself!


    Alice inhaled sharply before saying, "You''re the reason Ethan''s legs got ruined. Do you have any idea how much the Hendersons loathe you? Grace, no matter what you do, they''ll never ept you. Even if Yancey doesn''t end up with me, you''ll never be the one he picks!"

 Chapter 108

    Grace ended the call abruptly. Only a fool like Alice would look at a guy like Yancey and think he was worth anything.


    She turned to head back to Ethan''s bedroom, but the lights were off. For a moment, she considered leaving and finding some other ce to crash for the night, but then the breeze from the balcony swept in.


    That was when she realized Ethan wasn''t in bed. He was out there, standing in the dark. She didn''t have to get close to smell the cigarette smoke.


    "Mr. Henderson, isn''t smoking bad for your recovery?"


    Wasn''t his injury still healing?


    The faint glow from the yard made it hard to read his expression, but Grace could still see the intensity in his eyes-something raw and expectant, something that got to her. Maybe visiting Eleanor''s grave had put him in a somber mood.


    She stayed beside him, unsure of what to say.


    Ethan carried himself like a breeze-there one moment, gone the next, but leaving an impression that stuck.


    Grace caught the glow of the cigarette just before it reached his fingers.


    "You''re going to burn yourself," she said quickly.


    Ethan slowly flicked the cigarette into the ashtray, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. But the damage was done. A red welt marked his skin.


    Without thinking, Grace grabbed his wrist and blew gently on the burn. "Is there a first aid kit around? Do you have burn ointment? I''ll go get it."


    Due to the difference in their height, she had to tilt her head up to meet Ethan''s gaze. He swallowed hard and tried to pull away, but she didn''t let go.


    "Mr. Henderson, I don''t know what''s going through your head, but you can''t keep neglecting your health like this. As for your insomnia, I''ll get in touch with an alternative medicine practitioner and find something that might help. I hope that''s okay with you."


    No sooner had the words left her mouth than he asked, "Do you treat everyone this well?"


    Grace froze, unsure how to respond. Ever since she had regained consciousness, Ethan''s behavior toward her had beenplicated. It wasn''t exactly resentment.


    He had his principles, though. He never asserted his rank over her as long as she kept things respectful. He had even cared for her when she got her period, which was more than most people would.


    Before she coulde up with a response, he had already pulled his hand away. "Get some rest," Ethan said before heading back to his room.


    She watched him turn on the nightstandmp and climb into bed without a nce in her direction. She stood awkwardly for a moment before it hit her-she had been in Ethan''s room this whole time without being kicked out!


    But she had no idea where she was supposed to sleep now. With no better choice, she sank onto the nearby couch.


    Simon had asked her to stay and help Ethan with his sleep. She didn''t mind sticking around if her presence could ease his insomnia.


    When Grace quietly approached ten minutester to check on Ethan, he was already fast asleep. She couldn''t help but wonder if his insomnia had ever been real in the first ce.


    She went back to the couch. It was more than spacious enough as she curled up to sleep.


    It wasn''t until her breathing slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep that Ethan finally turned over, his eyesnding on her from the bed. He studied her for what seemed like hours before finally closing his eyes and falling asleep.

 Chapter 109

    Grace woke up feeling warm all over. It took a moment before she realized she was in bed. She scrambled out, dashing into the bathroom to rinse her face.


    The red marks on her neck caught her eye. She leaned closer to the mirror and tried scrubbing them, but they wouldn''te off.


    "Guess even fancy houses aren''t safe from mosquitoes," she thought.


    A new toothbrush was neatly ced by the sink. She quickly brushed her teeth and headed downstairs.


    The clock read 6:00 am, but breakfast was alreadyid out. Ethan stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his phone pressed to his ear. Grace kept her distance, nning to let Susie know she was leaving when Susie called out to her.


    "Ms. Lambert, you should have breakfast before you go. Mr. Henderson''s orders."


    Grace felt a sudden warmth spread through her. Ethan mighte across as cold on the outside, but deep down, he was all heart.


    "Did he already eat?" Grace asked.


    "Nope. He said he''d wait for you," Susie answered.


    Grace sat at the table, figuring it would be a while before he was ready. But the moment she settled in, Ethan hung up the phone. He wheeled himself over and began eating his breakfast without saying a word.


    Grace wanted to wish him a good morning, but he didn''t seem like he was in the mood for conversation. Her hand, raised in greeting, slowly fell back to herp.


    She couldn''t tell if her eyes were deceiving her, but his ears were bright red. It didn''t make any sense. He was always soposed with his pale skin, looking almost as if he''d stepped out of a ssic painting. So why in the world were his ears so flushed?


    Grace pushed the thought aside and focused on her food, eating quickly until Susie''s voice cut in. "Ms. Lambert, what''s that on your neck?"


    Ethan paused, his fork suspended in mid-air. After a moment, he calmly resumed slicing his bread.


    Grace ran her fingers over the marks, barely registering them. "No idea. Must''ve been a swarm of mosquitoesst night."


    Susie handed her a small bottle of cream. "You should put some of this on the marks."


    "Thanks," Grace replied, applying a little of the cream.


    Once she finished her breakfast, she started to head out, only to find Ethan getting ready to leave too.


    They were both headed to the office, so making a scene about avoiding him would''ve seemed unnecessary. She stayed by the door until he caught up, then quietly took the handles of his wheelchair.


    When they reached the car, Grace started toward the driver''s side, but as she leaned in, she noticed Tim was already there. With no other choice, she slid into the back seat.


    The car rolled to a stop in Henderson Group''s underground parking garage, and Grace was the first to get out. She started moving toward Ethan''s door, but Tim beat her to it. His tone was clipped as he said, "Ms. Lambert, you go ahead."


    So, they were keeping their distance from her to avoid sending the wrong message. She caught on and made her way up alone. Tim had never been fond of her, and she wasn''t about to let his attitude bother her.


    Grace had barely stepped off the elevator when she spotted Yancey. He had dark circles under his eyes and let out a mocking, cold snort as soon as he saw her.


    What a joke, she thought. She brushed him off and went straight to her desk.


    It didn''t take long for Yancey to give in. He walked over and tapped her desk.


    "Liam''s in the hospital after breaking his leg during a street race at midnight. Mrs. Lambert says you''reing with me to check on him," he said.


    What was wrong with Liam this time? Racing in the middle of the night? He definitely got what he deserved.


    Grace fumed inwardly, but a trace of irrational concern for her reckless brother still lingered. Liam wasn''t all bad. Maybe she didn''t need to be so hard on him.


    "Not happening. I don''t need the rumors. I''ll go alone," she said.


    Yancey closed the gap between them, catching a faint, natural scent that clung to her. Unlike most women, Grace never drenched herself in perfume. Her scent was something else entirely.


    He inhaled before he could stop himself, feeling like it might be hard to get enough. Grace was halfway to deciding whether to smack him when the sound of a wheelchair rolling her way stopped her.


    The two looked almost like they were tangled up from Ethan''s angle.


    Feeling Ethan''s gaze, Yancey leaned in closer, his face just a hair''s breadth from Grace''s. She scowled, ready to push him away, but his words froze her. "You spentst night at Palm Bay?"


    Grace''s spine stiffened. How the hell did he know? He must have had her tailed! "You got people to follow me?" she demanded.


    Yancey''s face contorted as he seized her wrist. "You really think I did that?"


    He hadn''t set up any surveince. He had just been unlucky enough to see her riding with Ethan-a sight that had knocked the wind out of him. Against his better judgment, he had followed, watching the car take Grace straight to Palm Bay. Grace had always despised Ethan and would never have set foot in Palm Bay. But she had and even stayed the entire night.


    Yancey had sat in his car until morning, and now, his keen eyesnded on the marks around her neck. Like a scalded cat, he wed at her cor.


    "What are these, Grace? What the hell did you two get up to?" She jerked back, her hands instinctively shielding her neck.


    Yancey trembled with rage, his face turning an ugly shade of red. "Did you sleep with him? Why do you have to be such a bitch? Are you that fucking desperate?"


    Grace pped him hard across the face, her fingers leaving a ming imprint on his cheek.


    At that moment, Ethan''s wheelchair rolled to a halt behind them. He pretended not to be watching, though he was positioned perfectly to see everything.

 Chapter 110

    Yancey was mortified. His throat tightened as if a hand had wrapped around it, and a wave of frustration hit him like a punch.


    There was no denying it. Those were hickeys. Grace had been at Ethan''s vi all night, and now this? It didn''t take a genius to figure out what had happened.


    He should be furious, but right now, all he could feel was panic. His lips trembled, and his breathing became shallow and erratic.


    Grace pressed a hand to her neck, her voice t. "They''re just mosquito bites. Why are you freaking out over nothing?"


    She looked genuinely confused as if she had no idea what was setting him off.


    "Oh,e on! Who the hell do you think you''re fooling?" Yancey snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    He could''ve bought her story if he had never been with a woman. But did she honestly think he wouldn''t recognize hickeys after all the times he had slept with Alice? The marks were still faintly pink, meaning the guy had not even kissed that hard!


    Yancey snapped his head toward Ethan, shooting him a re, but Ethan just sat there, as calm as ever. The sight made Yancey''s vision blur. "Ethan..."


    Ethan nced up, his face unreadable. "What?"


    Yancey''s voice caught, his teeth pressing down on his lip. He couldn''t bring himself to confront Ethan. Instead, he turned to Grace. "You''ve got no shame, Grace. None!"


    Her patience snapped. "Are you out of your mind? What is wrong with you? I told you¡ªthey''re just mosquito bites! A perverted mind sees filth in everything!"


    Then, it hit her. Yancey actually thought she and Ethan had hooked up? Oh, for crying out loud...


    Just then, a soft chuckle sliced through the tension. It was light but somehow incredibly pleasant to hear.


    Grace froze, realizing it was Ethan. He was usually serious, but now, his eyes were slightly squinted in amusement.


    And then he spoke. "Yeah. You''re right. A perverted mind sees filth in everything."


    Grace felt a sudden wave of embarrassment, especially when her gaze met Ethan''s and she caught the faint hint of amusement in his eyes. The awkwardness quickly spiraled into mortification as Yancey seemed certain she was involved with Ethan.


    Without a word, Ethan wheeled himself toward his office. It wasn''t until the door clicked shut behind him that the rest of the top-floor employees felt brave enough to eavesdrop again.


    Yancey had already been seething over the way the two had looked at each other, and now that Ethan was out of the picture, hepletely lost it.


    "Grace! You really think I don''t see what''s going on? You''re such a bitch!"


    Nobody in the room realized the man Yancey was using was their CEO. All they heard was him throwing around usations of Grace cheating.


    Grace wasn''t interested in wasting any more energy on him and simply sat at her desk. "Unless you''ve got something else to say, get out. I have work to do."


    Her icy tone hit him like a p, and panic spread across Yancey''s face. Without thinking, he lunged forward, trying to kiss her.


    Grace recoiled, so quickly she nearly toppled over. She managed to steady herself, grabbed the nearest file, and swung it at him.


    "Yancey, if you''re losing it, go get checked out! Don''t bring your meltdown in here!" she snapped.


    The file smacked him hard in the face, leaving his cheek throbbing and his eyes starting to water.

 Chapter 111

    Yancey had always taken pride in his image. But ever since the incident with Lily, he couldn''t walk out the door without feeling the weight of people''s judgment.


    And now, because of Grace, he was standing in the top-floor office with everyone''s eyes on him. It was all because of her. She had never been so cold toward him before.


    Yancey''s chest tightened as if a fist had gripped his heart. The pain was so intense it drained the color from his face. But Grace''s expression was unnervingly calm, making him question if he was imagining things.


    He rubbed the throbbing spot on his cheek, and his voice was hoarse when he said, "Swear to me-tell me a man didn''t do this!"


    Grace almost found itughable, but she wasn''t about to give anyone a show. With azy raise of her hand, she said, "I swear. They''re just mosquito bites."


    Yancey''s frustration subsided, but only for a moment. He had a lot on his mind, but the look in her eyes told him she was beyond fed up.


    "Yancey, just because you can''t control yourself doesn''t mean everyone else is like you."


    His face burned with embarrassment. He wanted to defend himself, to exin that his first time with Alice had been a drunken mistake. But that excuse didn''t hold up.


    Every time after that, he had been sober whenever he slept with Alice, going through the motions absentmindedly while secretly hoping Grace would catch them in bed. But she never did.


    Without saying another word, Yancey turned and walked away.


    Grace felt like the world had finally calmed down. She couldn''t help but wish today was Yancey and Alice''s wedding day!


    She was about to rx when someone nearby asked, "What''s up with the sudden cold shoulder toward Mr. Henderson? You used to be all over him."


    Grace didn''t even know where to start. That was exactly why she wanted Yancey and Alice to get married as soon as possible-so they''d be bound to each other for life!


    After her shift, Grace drove straight to the hospital where Liam was being treated. She had just pulled into the parking lot when she spotted Sloan outside. He was smoking, and the moment he saw her, his eyes narrowed with obvious disdain.


    If Sloan were here, Alice had to be too. He was a sad excuse for a man. Even now, with her carrying someone else''s child, he was still following her around.


    Grace couldn''t help but wonder if Yancey knew just how badly Sloan was pining for his fianc¨¦e. She walked past him without saying a word and made her way to Liam''s hospital ward.


    But just before she could enter, Alice''s voice floated out. "Sloan didn''t mean it, Liam. I''ll make sure he apologizes to you."


    Liam couldn''t shake the bitterness coiling inside him. The identst night never should''ve happened if Sloan hadn''t barreled into him out of nowhere like a lunatic. If Liam hadn''t swerved when he did, he''d be in critical condition now. But Sloan was Yancey''s friend, and Alice got along with him just fine.


    Liam wasn''t in a ce to speak up, so he just forced out a response. "It''s whatever."


    Alice ran a hand through his hair. "How about calling Grace? She can make whatever you''re craving. It''s only one night in the hospital, and you''re already looking gaunt. You need to eat. I can''t bear seeing you like this."


    A strange unease settled in Liam''s gut. Grace''s words echoed in his mind, telling him not to pay attention to Alice''s words but to her actions.


    "Why don''t you cook for me, Alice?"


    Alice''s hand stilled, her smile faltering. "I''m pregnant, remember?"


    "You didn''t cook for me back then either."

 Chapter 112

    Alice''s smile faded. There was a time when her sweet words could convince Liam


    to do anything. But now, he wasn''t so easily swayed.


    Grace couldn''t hold back augh at their exchange from the doorway.


    At the sound of her voice, Liam stirred as though ready to get up. But then, something seemed to click, and he settled back down, deliberately turning his


    face away.


    "What are you doing here? My leg''s been broken for 18 hours. You could''ve waited until I was dead before showing up."


    He scowled, too furious to look in her direction. Then, he noticed Grace''s empty hands. Even strangers knew to bring flowers, but his own sister came with nothing like she couldn''t even be bothered.


    And that was when it hit him-how she had used him and tossed him aside. His anger red even hotter.


    "Grace, just leave. I don''t want you here."


    Grace knew Liam like the back of her hand. He''d be the first to swear he didn''t want it if he really wanted something. She eased into the chair beside him, plucked a piece of fruit from the nightstand, and started peeling it.


    Liam watched, his irritation easing almost immediately. She had the apple peeled in no time. Just as he reached for it, she took a bite from it.


    "Grace!" He nearly blew a gasket, his chest heaving with frustration. He would''ve stormed out on the spot if his leg weren''t all bandaged up!


    Grace grinned, sliced off a piece, and held it to his mouth. "Alright, I''ll quit messing with you. Here, eat."


    The insults backed up in Liam''s throat. He wanted to snap at her but couldn''t quite bring himself to do it. She had him figured out, in and simple. Still, he did want that fruit.


    After a few seconds of sulking, he caved and took the bite. "Meh. Too tart."


    Their easy banter unfolded like a private show, and Alice found it painfully irritating to watch. She knew Liam was spoiled through and through.


    If he truly didn''t care about someone, he wouldn''t waste a word on them. The more he cared, the more he''d talk trash like some kid acting out just to get attention.


    Grace was the only one he ever unloaded all those ridiculous demands on. Alice''s hand clenched at her side, the color draining from her face.


    It finally dawned on Liam that he''d been ignoring her, and he scrambled to fix it. "Alice, Grace is here too. Can we just call a truce today? For me, please."


    Alice got to her feet, her smile tight and brittle. "I think I''ll step out for some air. Actually, there are a few things I need to go over with Grace anyway."


    Liam nodded, then immediately turned his full attention back to Grace. "And you. Can you try not to stir up drama with the family today? I''m in rough shape here. You don''t even know how terrified I wasst night. Sloan''s car came out of nowhere. I seriously thought I was done for."


    He was itching to spill everyst detail of what he had gone through as he had been simmering with helpless frustration. This was all Sloan''s fault, but there wasn''t a damn thing he could do about it.


    Grace raised her hand to ruffle his hair.


    Liam instantly threw up a hand to block her. "Hands off! Guys'' heads are off-limits, just like girls'' waists!"


    She pulled back, asking, "So, you and Sloan nned that race on purpose?"


    "I didn''t n anything. He just barged in. This is all on you. You used me and tossed me aside, so I went out driving to blow off steam, and there he was. Just my luck. Even Mom and Dad told me to let it go."


    Grace went nk, fumbling for some empty reassurance. Liam saw right through it, and it only pissed him off more.


    She stuck around for barely half an hour before getting ready to leave. Liam, never the type to ask anyone to stay, just made her promise toe back tomorrow.


    Grace spotted Alice lingering by the stairs on her way out of the hospital.

 Chapter 113

    "Grace, I need to talk to you," Alice said.


    Grace had no interest in listening and started to walk past her.


    Suddenly, Alice threw out an arm to stop her. Without thinking, Grace brushed the hand aside, sending Alice sprawling down the steps.


    She raised a brow, barely having time to react before Liam''s voice cut through the air behind her. "Grace!"


    He was hobbling toward her, his face ashen with fear.


    "I told you not to start something with Alice! Gosh! Now look at what you''ve done! You actually pushed her? She told me you two were fighting, but I didn''t want to believe it. You never think! Now, Mom and Dad are going to be all over you!"


    Liam hurried down to help Alice, but Sloan beat him to it. Blood was already pooling on the floor, dripping from Alice''s legs.


    Alice''s face was ghostly pale. She buried herself against Sloan''s chest, trembling uncontrobly. "Sloan, where''s Yancey?"


    Sloan''s head snapped up, his sharp and venomous eyes locking on Grace.


    Grace stood frozen at the top of the stairs, furious at herself for walking into such an obvious trap.


    "My stomach''s killing me. Get me inside. I can''t stand it," Alice gasped, clutching her stomach.


    Sloan swept her into his arms, carrying her straight through the hospital doors. As he passed Grace, the sheer hatred in his eyes was impossible to miss.


    Liam lingered beside her, clearly torn. "Grace, you''d better get out of the country while you still can. If Alice loses this baby, you''re done for. The Hendersons will destroy you."


    "I didn''t push her," Grace protested, but Liam shut her down, furious.


    "I was standing right there! Don''t even try to deny it! I let plenty of your drama slide before, but this? This is a baby''s life! How can you act like it''s nothing?"


    His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was ragged. The rift between Grace and the Lamberts had just shattered beyond repair.


    Liam wiped his tears and rushed after Sloan. Grace followed them inside and sat in the hallway, steeling herself for the doctor''s news. About 20 minutester, Yancey and Carmen arrived.


    Just then, the doctor stepped out, pulling down his mask. "She''s stable, but we lost the baby."


    Carmen flinched like she had been struck by lightning. "What are you talking about? How did this happen?"


    Sloan stood off to the side, his hands still streaked with blood. "Funny you should ask. Maybe check with your other daughter. She''s the one who pushed Alice down the stairs."


    Carmen''s eyes turned murderous. Before Grace could react, Carmen''s palmnded hard across her face.


    "Grace! What the hell is your problem?! Are you happy now? Alice lost her baby. Is that what you wanted? She''s your sister! When you two got taken, she made sure you got away! And what did you do? You didn''t call the cops, you didn''t tell anyone, and you left her to rot for years! Do you even know what kind of people her adoptive parents are?"


    Her whole body shook, her voice raw with anger.


    Grace took the p square on, her skin stinging. Yancey stared at her. She''d been expecting some snidement, but for once, he said nothing.

 Chapter 114

    Just then, a nurse wheeled Alice out. Alice looked as pale as a ghost. The moment she spotted Carmen, tears spilled down her cheeks.


    "Mom..."


    Carmen''s heart broke as she pulled Alice into her arms. "Alice, you can try for another babyter."


    Alice gave a faint smile. "Yeah, there''ll be other chances. Stop being mad at Grace. I just slipped. It wasn''t her fault."


    Carmen''s blood boiled at how Alice was still defending Grace, even now. "Enough! Quit covering for her! She turned out like this because you''ve always let her get away with everything!"


    She held Alice close, shooting Grace a look of pure disgust. "Grace, you''repletely out of your mind. I was going to lock you up at the Lambert residence, but you''ve outdone yourself this time. I''m having youmitted to a psychiatric hospital. Maybe that''ll finally knock some sense into you!"


    Grace locked eyes with Alice, who was slumped against Carmen''s shoulder. The corners of Alice''s mouth twitched ever so slightly.


    Alice had bribed the doctors to fake the miscarriage. Every move had been carefully staged for this exact moment. Grace was done for, and as far as Alice was concerned, it served her right.


    Her tears flowed harder as she gazed up at Yancey. "I''m so sorry, Yancey. I couldn''t protect our baby."


    Yancey stood there, stunned. The pregnancy had blindsided him, and now, the loss left him hollow. Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms. Her sobs twisted something inside him, but it was not enough.


    A brutal idea took shape-if all of Druville believed Grace was responsible for losing the baby, the Hendersons would never let her marry into their family. It didn''t matter how serious she and Ethan were. Once word got out, their grandfather would shut it down.


    Like always, Yancey said nothing. He just kept patting Alice''s back, offering emptyfort.


    Grace had to act fast. If the Lamberts'' bodyguards showed up, she was done for. Without hesitation, she spun on her heel and tore down the hallway.


    Carmen was seeing red and nearly fainted from fury as she called the family''s bodyguards to go after Grace.


    Grace reached her car faster than she ever had, but as she sped away from the hospital, a chilling realization hit-she had nowhere to go.


    Carmen knew where she lived. The bodyguards would be lying in wait the second she stepped through the door.


    Grace couldn''t crash at Joanne''s either. Joanne was the only real friend she had left, and there was no way she''d drag her into this mess.


    So, she pulled off onto a deserted back road and waited until nightfall. By 10:00 pm, the rain was pounding in sheets, but she still hadn''t figured out where to stay.


    The downpour hammered the roof like gunfire.


    Grace shifted the car into gear and rolled forward. She hadn''t gone two blocks when a deafening crash jolted the car.


    The moment Grace saw the men stepping out of the ck car, she knew they were the Lamberts'' bodyguards. She immediately bailed from her car and melted into the rush-hour chaos.


    With traffic flowing non-stop, there was no way for them to give chase. Stuck across the street, the guards could only watch as she disappeared.


    Soaked to the bone, Grace gged down a cab.


    "Where to?" the driver asked.


    She crossed her arms, realizing she had nowhere to go. Pulling out her phone, she hesitated before tapping on Ethan''s number.


    Since regaining consciousness, there had only been two who had shown her any kindness-Joanne and Ethan.


    The call connected, but it was Tim''s voice that came through. "Ms. Lambert, what can I do for you?"


    His voice was t and cold, his disdain bleeding through every word.


    It was always the same with Ethan''s inner circle. They treated Grace like some kind of disease that might infect their golden boy. Her throat tightened, and she hung up without saying a word.


    She ended up at Velvet Eclipse, a ce with enough clout that no one dared to cause trouble. But soaked to the bone, she couldn''t talk her way past the bouncer.


    Just as the standoff reached its breaking point, Ethan showed up, nked by his men. Even in a wheelchair, he carried more authority than any man on two feet.


    Their eyes met, and something sparked in Grace''s eyes.


    Ethan noticed her. One quiet word to his men and they retreated. He rolled past her without so much as a nce.


    The hope in her eyes snuffed out like a candle in the wind, stabbing her straight through the heart. Still, she knew this ce was packed with eyes and ears. Maybe Ethan couldn''t afford to be seen with her.


    She lowered her head and was ready to leave when his voice rang out. "Youing or what?"


    Grace''s head snapped up, hope flickering in her eyes as she stared at his back.


    Ethan had stopped and was looking back over his shoulder. "Nowhere else to run?"


    He read her like an open book.


    Her mouth tugged into a wry smile. "Nowhere else to run and hunters on my tail. Mr. Henderson, mind if Iy low at your ce for a few days?"


    Ethan kept his eyes ahead, replying with nothing more than a grunt.


    Grace hurried after him, her voice thick with gratitude. "Thank you. I mean it, more than you know."


    She climbed into the car, carefully shutting the door behind her. The luxury car''s leather seats only made her more conscious of how drenched she was. While she hovered with uncertainty, a towel appeared in her line of sight.


    Grace looked as fragile as ss with that delicate face and those longshes. But anyone who mistook her for a helpless damsel didn''t know the first thing about her. There was titanium in her spine.


    She gave her hair a couple of rough swipes with the towel and exhaled hard. The car eased forward, slipping past the Lamberts'' bodyguards who were busy grilling bystanders outside Velvet Eclipse.


    Grace''s face went pale, and she instinctively leaned toward Ethan. He caught her faint scent. Then, his gaze fell,nding on the faint marks. They were still there, like his medal.


    Right now, she looked like a stray kitten out in the storm.

 Chapter 115

    Grace sighed. She couldn''t just keep hiding like this.


    She dropped the towel and heard Ethan ask, "What happened this time?"


    Honestly, she did want someone to talk to right now.


    She said, "Alice set me up. She said I pushed her and caused her to miscarry. Now, my mom wants to lock me up in a psych ward."


    She leaned back against the seat, her eyes clouded with uncertainty. She wasn''t heartless. Even after she lost her memory, thinking about it still made her chest ache.


    Ethan reached out his hand. His fingers were curled slightly, and the shape of his nails was somehow elegant.


    And just like that, Grace''s thoughts veered wildly off-track. How the hell could someone be this perfect in every damn way?


    While her mind was drifting, Ethan''s hand suddenly opened. He had a piece of candy sitting in the center of his palm.


    With a deadpan look on his face, the whole thing was just weirdly funny.


    Her bad mood vanished instantly. She took the candy and cracked a small smile. "I''m not a kid, you know."


    Her fingertips brushed against his palm-it was damp.


    Ethan was a man of few words. He simply gave Grace a quick nce before looking away.


    She unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth. As the sweetness spread across her tongue, the heaviness in her chest started to ease.


    However, her phone wouldn''t stop buzzing. Upon checking, she saw call after call from Carmen, Quentin, and, of course, Alice. They were probably trying to kick her while she was down.


    She didn''t answer any of them.


    The car eventually stopped in front of Palm Bay. Showing up here again, in this wreck of a state... She felt pretty embarrassed.


    Following Ethan into the living room, she spotted Simon waiting there. He was lounging with one leg propped over the other, his head tilted slightly. As soon as he heard the sound of wheels, he stood up.


    Simon''s shirt was unbuttoned at the top, exposing the hickeys on his neck- clearly from a woman. He had saidst night he was going to find a side piece. Apparently, he meant it.


    Simon had been smiling, but the moment heid eyes on Grace, his expression dropped. Realizing it had been his own idea to let Grace y Ethan''s human sleeping aid, he let out a cold, mocking snort.


    She didn''t say a word. There was nothing left to say to someone who wanted her dead.


    Ethan rolled straight into the elevator, and she followed him inside. The fact that Ethanpletely ignored Simon gave her a weird sense of satisfaction.


    Simon clearly knew he''d been shut out. He pressed his lips together and flopped back onto the couch in the living room, waiting for Ethan toe back down.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Ethan made it to the second floor and opened the door to his bedroom. Grace kept close behind him, her soaked pants still dripping water as she walked.


    "There are clean towels inside. Go ahead," he said tly. Sitting in his wheelchair, he didn''t even look toward the bathroom.


    Grace really needed that shower, so she went in and shut the door behind her. Only when she saw the lineup of men''s toiletries on the counter did it hit her. The vi at Palm Bay was huge. There had to be a number of guest rooms, so why did Ethan bring her here?


    Someone like him probably had a thing about cleanliness¡ªespecially when it came to personal stuff like this. But it was toote to bring it up now. She was already inside, andining would just make her seem whiny.


    She turned on the shower, and as the hot water poured over her, her body finally started to warm up.


    But since it was Ethan''s bathroom, she didn''t dare linger. She finished showering in ten minutes and wrapped herself in a towel.


    That was when it hit her-she didn''t have anything to wear underneath. Grace sure as hell wasn''t about to walk out like this.


    Gripping the edge of the towel tightly, she stood frozen at the door, debating for


    ten minutes before she even dared to crack it open.


    Just then, Ethan''s voice came through. "Why are you still inside?"


    The water had been off for a while, but she hadn''t moved from the door.


    Eventually, she cracked the door open a little.


    "Mr. Henderson, where will I be sleeping tonight?" Grace asked.


    Her cheeks were flushed from the steam, and her eyes were glossy. Her hair was


    only half-dried and still damp around the edges.


    Ethan didn''t look directly at her. He just flicked his eyes over for a second, then turned away.


    She thought maybe he hadn''t heard her, so she repeated herself, "Where am I sleeping?"


    With his back turned to her, he pointed at the couch.


    Grace clutched the towel and wanted to ask why she couldn''t just use a guest room but didn''t have the guts for it. She started to wonder if maybe Ethan really took that whole "human sleeping aid" thing seriously. If that was the case, she couldn''t exactly say no. After all, he was helping her right now.


    But the problem was that she wasn''t wearing anything underneath. So, she sat down on the oversized couch while shifting ufortably-awkward and hesitant.


    She quickly grabbed the nket beside her and pulled it over herself. Only then did she feel the slightest sense of security.


    At that moment, Ethan stood up from his wheelchair, picked up a set of pajamas, and walked into the bathroom.


    As the sound of running water came from inside, Grace couldn''t help but feel like


    the whole thing was surreal. How did she end up sharing a room with Ethan again?


    It was just the two of them, a man and a woman, alone in a room. If anyone found


    out, it wouldn''t be a good look on them.


    But when it came to Ethan, she instinctively lost her nerve.


    She wrapped the towel tighter around herself. And maybe it was just her imagination, but it felt like Ethan had been in the bathroom forever. She knew how long it usually took him to shower, and guys generally didn''t take long. But that night, he''d been in there for over an hour.


    It had been long enough that she started to wonder if something had happened.


    Wrapped in her towel, Grace walked over to the bathroom door. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door opened from the inside.


    A faint flush crept over Ethan''s handsome face, and his damp hair fell messily around his face, giving him a surprisingly seductive edge.


    Her hand had been halfway up, and before she could take it back, it ended up pressed right against the middle of his chest.


    Normally, when he wore a suit, his shirt was always buttoned right up to the top, giving him a reserved and untouchable vibe. But now, the loose pajama shirt hung open all the way down past his chest, giving him an edge. He looked like someone entirely different.


    Her fingers identally pressed harder against his chest. The firm muscles under her palm made her panic, and she quickly pulled her hand back.


    Ethan ran a hand through his wet hair, slicking it back. The messy strands somehow made him look even hotter.


    Any woman faced with this kind of sight would find it impossible to stay calm.


    Grace stumbled back several steps and hit the wall behind her like she had just seen something scary.

 Chapter 116

    Grace''s reaction was a bit too dramatic. Ethan instinctively reached out to steady her, but she dodged him.


    Pressed t against the wall, she said seriously, "Mr. Henderson, with how you look right now... you might wanna stay away from any women. It''s kinda hard not to blush just looking at you."


    Ethan froze for a few seconds, then let out a quietugh. Without saying anything, he turned and walked to his bed. He sat down, picked up a book from the nightstand, and said calmly, "Come here."


    Grace was still standing by the wall outside the bathroom, looking rattled and unsure. It took her a moment to calm herself down. When she finally did, she slowly walked over and sat on the couch.


    There was a small throw pillow on the couch that was decent enough for a pillow. Shey back, shutting her eyes, but she could still hear the crisp sound of Ethan turning the pages of his book.


    It was way too early to sleep. But besides lying there, she really didn''t have anything else to do.


    Suddenly, she remembered-wasn''t Simon still downstairs?


    "Mr. Henderson, aren''t you gonna go talk to Mr. Yule?" she asked. "I think he''s still waiting for you."


    Ethan''s fingers froze as he turned a page. "Maybeter," he replied tly.


    He was totally ghosting Simon!


    Grace was about to smile when her phone lit up again. This time, it was Liam calling. She let out a sigh, sat up a little, and leaned against the couch before answering the call.


    "Grace, seriously? Alice''s been in the hospital all day, and you haven''t even apologized? She''s been crying non-stop. Even Yancey can''t calm her down. It''s unbelievable how you can be this heartless. Even if you hate her, how can you " Grace pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to stay calm. "I already said that I didn''t push her."


    Liam''s eyes welled up on the other end. He had seen it with his own eyes.


    Carmen had been right-Grace had changed. She was cold now. Ruthless, even. Otherwise, how could she have done something like that?


    His chest was tight with frustration. He grabbed his jacket and was ready to storm out when Carmen stopped him.


    "Where do you think you''re going? Alice is crying her heart out, and you can''t even say something to make her feel better?"


    Liam felt just as frustrated. "I just need some air," he replied.


    Carmen felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Ever since Grace came into their lives, this entire


    household had been in constantmet


    turmoil She was more determined than ever that Grace had to be sent to a psychiatric hospital.


    She turned and rushed back to Alice''s hospital ward. Meanwhile, Alice was on the


    phone with Yancey''s younger sister, Jodie Henderson.


    Jodie and Alice had always been close. Jodie was still in university and didn''t


    show up much, but when she heard about Alice''s pregnancy, she had even bought a few baby gifts.


    Now, she was being told the baby


    was gone because of Grace, the evil witch". Jodie was furious. She-


    wanted nothing more than to leave


    campus right that second and p


    Grace across the face.


    And because of Grace, she could hardly face anyone in public anymore. Everyone who saw her would ask about Grace-whether it was true that she was obsessively chasing after Yancey or if she really jumped into a river to keep the engagement from being called off.


    Jodie had gone from irritated to sick of it to full-on bitter. Every day, she pushed Yancey to cut Grace offpletely. But she never imagined Grace would actually do something like this.


    "Alice, I''m done with sses for the day. I''ming to see you. Is Yancey with you?" she asked.


    Alice went quiet for a few seconds, then sighed. "Jodie, sometimes, I wonder if Yancey even loves me anymore. He''s been distant... and it''s always because of Grace."


    Jodie had already been feeling bad for Alice, and now, she was downright pissed after hearing what Alice said.

 Chapter 117

    "That bitch! I swear, I''m not letting her get away with this!"


    As soon as Jodie hung up, she jumped into all her group chats and started sting Grace''s name-painting her as some evil, maniptive monster while praising Alice like she was a saint.


    She was part of the Henderson family and, being naturally social, was in several group chats.


    It took less than half an hour for the rumor of Grace pushing Alice down the stairs out of jealousy and making her lose the baby to blow up across her entire social circle.


    The Lambert and Henderson families had been deep in wedding ns, but now, they''d be the talk of the town-a punchline in every whispered conversation. Of course, they were furious.


    "Damn it!" Jordan growled. He hurled the cup in his hand furiously, and it struck Andrew square in the forehead.


    Not long ago, Andrew''s scandal with Lily had be public knowledge. And Yelena was no easy one to deal with either. She''d been showing up at Henderson Residence day after day, crying andining, driving Jordan to the brink.


    He had been so fed up he shut the doors to guests for an entire week. And now,


    to top it all off, Yancey''s first child was gone. His chest heaved with rage, his face going pale with fury.


    "That Grace is nothing but a curse. Handle it. I want her taken care of," he ordered.


    First, she had been the reason Ethan ended up in a wheelchair, and now, she had caused the death of his great-grandchild. He was done showing mercy.


    When Jordan gave the order, nobody in Druville could defy it. But the people he sent to deal with Grace returned with bad news-she had holed up in Ethan''s vi in Palm Bay.


    Jordan had always been most proud of Ethan. He had been brilliant from a young age and had never made a single mistake in his life. Even after moving abroad to recover from his injury, he had made a name for himself on Varnell Street.


    The Henderson family practically considered him a gift from the heavens. Someone like him couldn''t be dragged down by a jinx like Grace.


    But Jordan had his pride. As the family patriarch, stooping to deal with a young woman like Grace himself would be beneath him. So, instead, he had someone quietly look into where the Lambert family stood on the matter.


    Ultimately, he went along with their suggestion-lock that jinx away in a psychiatric hospital for the time being.


    He wasn''t going to deal with Ethan himself. Instead, he assigned that task to Jodie because she had always been bubbly and got along well with Ethan.


    The moment she heard that Grace had the nerve to hide out at Palm Bay, she nearly lost it. Everyone knew it was Grace who caused that car ident two years ago.


    It had been Grace''s graduation. No


    one understood why Ethan even showed up that day. She rode in his car, and they ended up in that wreck together. Grace walked away without a scratch, but Ethan had been stuck in a wheelchair ever since.


    How could that bitch be this shameless?


    Jodie stormed off to Palm Bay in a hurry, all flustered and fuming. It was early morning, and Ethan had already left for work. Grace didn''t dare to step outside.


    When the doorbell rang, she went to answer it herself, only to be greeted by an angry young woman practically vibrating with rage.


    The second Jodie saw her, she raised her hand, ready to deliver a p. But Grace caught her wrist in mid-air.


    "Who are you?"


    "Grace Lambert! Get the hell out of here! Who the hell said you could be here? Get out!"


    Grace assumed this was just


    another woman with a crush on


    Ethan. She let go of Jodie''s hand,


    frowned, and came up with the most


    professional excuse she could


    manage. "I''m here to help MO


    Henderson with his treatment."


    Jodie was stunned-she had never met anyone so shameless. She was shaking with rage, and in the next second, she lunged straight at Grace.


    Caught off guard, Grace was tackled to the ground.


    Jodie grabbed a nearby vase and, without hesitation, brought it crashing down toward Grace''s face.


    Grace hadn''t expected her to be so vicious. She threw up a hand to block, but the vase shattered on impact, and the sharp porcin sliced deep into her palm.


    Jodie was breathing heavily, her eyes bloodshot with fury. She growled, "I''m not letting you get anywhere near Uncle Ethan. You''re going to pay for what happened to Alice''s baby. Grace, even if I kill you, the Henderson family will still cover for me."

 Chapter 118

    Jodie, barely in her 20s, was already ying this dirty.


    Grace kicked out hard, sending Jodie stumbling to the side. But Jodie wasn''t done. Fueled by fury, she went for another vase without hesitation.


    "Go to hell, Grace!" she snarled.


    Before she could swing it, a voice cut through the room.


    "What the hell are you doing?"


    Jodie froze. She looked up toward the doorway and saw Ethan sitting in his wheelchair.


    "Uncle Ethan," she greeted.


    Wasn''t Ethan supposed to be at work?


    Ethan''s brows furrowed when he saw Grace clutching her bleeding hand. His voice turned cold. "What are you doing?"


    Jodie quickly set the vase down and rushed to his side. "Uncle Ethan, how could you let this bitch into Palm Bay? Did you forget she''s the reason you ended up in a wheelchair? She even made Yancey lose his baby. I hate her! I wish she were gone for good."


    The more she spoke, the more worked up she got. She dropped to a crouch in front of Ethan, her entire face flushed red with rage.


    Ethan shifted away from her, clearly not liking the close contact. "Who told you toe here?"


    "I came on my own! You can''t stop me. She needs to pay for what she did to Yancey''s baby!"


    Ethan didn''t even blink. Turning to Tim, he said, "Show her out."


    A flicker of shock crossed Jodie''s eyes. It took her a long moment to collect herself before she stood up, her face drained of all color. "Uncle Ethan..."


    But the bodyguards were already behind her.


    She red at Grace with pure hatred, stomped her foot, and finally stormed off unwillingly.


    Grace wasn''t sure if it was just her imagination, but something about Jodie''s attitude toward Ethan felt off. That look in her eyes didn''t seem like the way a niece looked at her uncle.


    Grace dropped her gaze and quietly pressed her bleeding palm.


    Ethan wheeled himself to her and took her wrist to inspect the wound.


    Out of nowhere, Grace asked, "Is Jodie adopted?"


    She didn''t remember the past, so she couldn''t bepletely sure. But she knew all too well how a woman looked at a man when she had feelings for him. And when Jodie looked at Ethan, it was pure possessiveness.


    Not to mention the look in her eyes when he showed up just now-surprise, hope, and excessive adoration.


    Ethan was already maneuvering his wheelchair into the living room. Grace followed behind him slowly, a strange difort creeping into her chest, but she couldn''t quite exin why.


    After grabbing the first aid kit, Ethan finally replied to her, "I found her on the street when she was a kid. I didn''t want to raise children, so I let someone else do it."


    That "someone else" was Lily and her family. And that was how Jodie ended up as Yancey''s little sister.


    Grace pressed her lips together, wanting to ask if he even realized Jodie''s possessiveness toward him. But this was, after all, a Henderson family matter and something personal to Ethan. It was none of her concern.


    Ethan didn''t bring it up again. He just silently finished wrapping her hand and then shut the kit.


    Grace flexed her fingers slightly. "Mr. Henderson, I''m nning to leave soon. I can''t hide out here forever."


    She still wasn''t sure whether he had taken her in out of pity or kindness, but either way, she knew when to stop pushing her luck. But the whole mess with Alice''s baby hade out of nowhere, and she still hadn''t figured out how to handle it.


    And if things got worse, the Henderson family definitely wouldn''t tolerate her existence. She needed to find a w in Alice''s story-fast.


    She was deep in thought when Ethan suddenly said, "Go check the hospital."


    She looked up, confused. "Huh?"


    Then, it clicked-he was giving her a lead.


    The hospital? Could there be surveince footage?


    But knowing Alice, with the way she yed the game, even if there was surveince footage, it had probably already been erased.


    Her thoughts moved fast, and another possibility came to her. What if Alice had never been pregnant? What if she had faked the whole thing from the beginning?


    Ethan''s next words confirmed her suspicion. "The Hendersons don''t risk having kids before marriage."


    That would be a huge scandal-especially considering theplicated rtionship between Yancey and Alice. Technically, he was still Grace''s fianc¨¦.


    Even if Yancey was clueless, there was no way he wouldn''t have used protection. It shouldn''t have been that easy for Alice to get pregnant.


    Grace''s eyes lit up. She grabbed Ethan''s hand in excitement and said, "I''m going to look into it right now. Mr. Henderson, thank you so much."


    He didn''t say anything but just stared down at the hand she was holding. She had such tiny hands.


    Grace didn''t notice Ethan''s gaze. She let go of his hand quickly and practically bounced toward the door. Just as she reached the doorway, she heard Ethan say, "You''re always like this."


    His voice was soft, almost like he was talking to himself.


    She paused and turned back. "What?"


    "Nothing."


    Grace smiled at him. "If I manage to get this solved, I''ll keep helping you sleep. I asked Susie this morning. She said you''ve had insomnia for years But you''ve been sleeping greattely. I guess I''m still useful, huh?"


    Her smile was so genuine. It gave off this easy,forting warmth. But Ethan didn''t look at her. He just let out a low hum in response.


    Grace sighed. Ethan really was the serious type. It was hard to believe someone like him ever had a crush-or that he was still hung up on his first love years after she died. He was probably the most loyal man on the.


    She hadn''t known about how bad his insomnia was until she asked Susie. No wonder he looked so much bettertely. Having a good sleep made all the difference.


    And now, she understood why even Simon, who clearly couldn''t stand her, still put


    up with her because Ethan could actually sleep when she was around.


    But seriously, what kind of weird energy did she have that knocked people out like this? Thinking about it, she couldn''t help feeling a little proud.

 Chapter 119

    On her way to the hospital, Grace made sure to disguise herself from head to toe. The Lambert family had bodyguards out looking for her, and if they got their hands on her, she''d be locked in a psychiatric hospital with no oneing to her rescue anytime soon.


    Once she got to the hospital, she followed a nurse into the changing room and threw on a nurse uniform, a surgical mask, and sses.


    She wandered the halls for a while before finally spotting Alice stepping out of her ward.


    Alice walked straight to a doctor''s office and pushed the door open. The doctor''s name was Sidney Tanner.


    Sidney greeted her politely, "Ms. Lambert, have a seat."


    Alice didn''t look too happy. "Didn''t I tell you to quit?"


    Now that the whole baby situation had caught the Henderson family''s attention, she needed to clean up every loose end. Anyone involved including Sidney-


    had to go.


    Sidney looked torn. "But I''m up for promotion next month. I swear I won''t say a word to anyone."


    Alice narrowed her eyes, sneering, "What, is 300 thousand dors not enough to buy your silence?"


    Sidney started sweating. He grabbed a tissue from the desk and wiped his face.


    Alice had zero patience for anyone outside her inner circle. She always liked throwing her weight around. She said, "You''ve got three days to resign from this hospital."


    With that, she turned and left, heading back to her ward.


    The moment she was gone, Grace slipped into the office. Sidney remained seated


    in his chair and let out a long sigh. Grace nced at the que near the door, which read out "Dr. Sidney Tanner".


    Just then, Sidney''s phone rang with a call from his family.


    "I''ve already transferred the money. Tell the kid to be careful with his spending while he''s abroad. I''ve gotta resign. I don''t want to, but I have no choice."


    He hung up the phone, exhaustion written all over his face.


    Grace casually spoke up while pretending to organize a tray of medicine nearby. "Dr. Tanner, with your skills, why would you suddenly quit? Are you moving to a bigger hospital?"


    Sidney rubbed his forehead and said, "It''splicated. My kid is overseas and got into some trouble. I needed the money... but forget it. Let''s not talk about it."


    Grace understood right away-Alice had threatened him. She never left loose ends. Anyone involved in her schemes always got silenced.


    She added, "Dr. Tanner, I heard something about Ms. Lambert from a rtive of mine. She used to work as a maid for the Lambert family. Ms. Lambert had her frame someone for stealing jewelry.


    "And when it worked, she promised to pay my rtive 200 thousand dors if she kept quiet. The money barely hit her ount before she got hit by a car. She''s in aa now and hasn''t woken up since. I guess only a person in aa or a corpse can keep a secret. These rich kids... They''re terrifying."


    Sidney''s expression changed instantly. The shame of being threatened was already eating at him, and this just pushed him further.


    Grace calmly finished stacking the medicine and ced the bottles on a tray. Sidney jumped up. "Wait... What you said just now... Is it true?" Grace nodded.


    He wiped the sweat off his forehead again, his lips trembling as he said, "You should leave."


    She had done exactly what she came to do nt fear. Sidney was already on edge for being part of the cover-up, and Alice''s attitude had only made it worse. Now that Grace had nudged his guilt, it wouldn''t take much more to make him crack. C¨®ntent


    That night, at around 10:00 pm, Sidney got off work and headed home. But as he crossed an


    intersection, a truck came barreling straight at him. He mmed on the gas in a panic, causing his car to swerve hard and smash into a guardrail.


    He got out of the car, staring at the massive truck that hadn''t slowed down one bit and was now long gone in the distance. A chill ran down his spine, and all at once,


    he remembered what Grace had said earlier that day.


    Alice had to be behind it. She wanted to shut him up for good.


    As panic set in, a soft, clear voice spoke behind him. It was Grace.


    Earlier at the hospital, she had deliberately spoken in a deeper tone of voice, disguising herself. Now, she sounded like herself again.


    "Are you okay, sir?" she asked.


    Her car was pulled over nearby like she had just stopped to help.


    Sidney saw her face and froze. He recognized her as Alice''s older sister. He fumbled with his sses, his lips trembling as panic crept in. "I-I''m fine. Thanks for checking."


    Grace nodded with her brows furrowed, ncing toward the direction the truck had gone. "Truck drivers like that are dangerous as hell. If you hadn''t swerved in time, that could''ve been a fatal crash. You''re lucky."


    Sidney was already a nervous wreck, and her words only made it worse.


    She added gently, "Do you want me to drive you to the hospital? You don''t look so good."


    "No need. I''m a doctor myself," Sidney replied.


    He didn''t want to see Grace. After all, she was the one who had been wronged in the whole mess.


    Grace gave him a warm, sincere smile. "Alright. Just be careful. Wait here for the traffic officers. I''m sure that truck driver will get what he deserves."


    Sidney couldn''t even meet her eyes. His guilt was eating him alive.


    Grace drove away without another word. She didn''t have to do anything more as Sidney would figure out on his own that this had Alice''s fingerprints all over it.


    Sidney waited a long while. Eventually, the traffic police arrived and brought both him and the truck driver in for questioning. When he saw the trucker, his knees nearly gave out.


    His name was Duncan Fiy, and he was big and burly. Everything about him screamed bad news.


    There was no doubt in Sidney''s mind that Alice had sent him. He didn''t dare look directly at Duncan, but Duncan stared him down with eyes like a predator locked


    on its prey.


    Sidney had always been a


    straightced, by-the-book kind of


    guy. The only reason he got involved this time was out of desperation. But now, faced with a life-or-death situation, he was totally unraveling. He couldn''t even process what the officers were saying.


    When they finally let him go, he heard footsteps behind him-it was Duncan


    following him out.


    Sidney thought Duncan was going to murder him. Panicking, he waved down a cab, dove in, and vanished into the traffic.


    Duncan stood there a while longer before dropping his menacing expression. Just then, Grace stepped out from behind a tree nearby with a grin on her face. "You


    nailed it."


    Dunwan was an actor she had hired at thest minute. He was massive and had


    a gnarly scar on his cheek. He looked perfect for the role.


    He scratched his buzzed head. "I don''t get it. Why was he so freaked out?" Graceughed out loud. She watched the direction Sidney had fled, pretty sure he wouldn''t be getting any sleep that night.

 Chapter 120

    Indeed, Sidney didn''t sleep a wink that night.


    When he got up the next morning, dark circles ringed his eyes, and he feltpletely out of it the whole drive to the hospital. He didn''t fully snap back to reality until he sat at his desk, only to look up and see Alice walking in.


    She still had that smug, entitled look on her face as she eyed him like he was a nobody.


    "Didn''t I tell you to quit already?"


    Sidney flinched and stepped back, his lips trembling. "Ms. Lambert, I got dragged into this. You can''t just use me and throw me out. We live in awful society."


    Disgust flickered in her eyes. Sidney talked too much.


    "Dr. Tanner, the money''s already in your hands. It''s toote to back out now. You can''t afford the consequences of crossing me, so you''d better do exactly as I say. Or else..."


    The threat was clear as day.


    After she left, Sidney slumped into his chair, drenched in sweat. He couldn''t shake the fear that someone might try to run him off the road again. He had gotten lucky once, but would he be that lucky a second time?


    He couldn''t die. He had to stay alive.


    Just then, he heard that familiar voice fromst night-Grace.


    She was standing outside Alice''s ward.


    The second Alice saw her, her face twisted with shock and rage. "Grace?"


    Wasn''t the Lambert family''s bodyguards out hunting her down? How the hell was she bold enough to show up here in broad daylight?


    Alice''s expression changed instantly. Her eyes welled up, and her fury was reced with a carefully crafted look of fragile innocence.


    "Grace, I already begged Mom not to send you to a psychiatric hospital. Why did you have toe all the way to the hospital just to mock me? I already lost my baby. Isn''t that enough for you?"


    Grace nced over her shoulder. Sure enough, Carmen and Yancey were right there.


    Carmen lunged forward with her arm raised, ready to deliver a p, but Grace caught her wrist mid-swing. "Mrs. Lambert, is it just your thing to always greet me with a p?"


    Carmen was shaking with rage. "How dare you show your face?"


    Grace let go of her wrist, calm as ever. "I didn''t do anything wrong. I''ve got


    nothing to feel guilty about. Why wouldn''t I show up?"


    "Oh please, you think you''re innocent? Do you even hear what people are saying about you? Heartless, ruthless, a walking curse!"


    The words had barely left her mouth when a hundred-dor bill came flying at her face, smacking her right on the cheek.


    Grace''s smile didn''t fade. "If you really hate me that much, then take this hundred- dor bill and go back to the night you slept with Quentin. Just make sure to use protection this time."


    Carmen stared at her in disbelief.


    And a secondter, she was so furious that she passed out cold. Grace''s words hit so hard that even passersby froze in shock. A couple of nurses rushed over, caught Carmen, and helped her into a nearby ward.


    Grace didn''t even blink. She lowered her gaze and started walking away, but Yancey stepped in front of her and said, "Is that really how you talk to your own mother?"


    She looked up, her innocent eyes brimming with tears as she asked, "What do you expect me to say? I''ve actually been meaning to ask you-would you really risk having a kid out of wedlock?"


    She lowered her head and wiped the tears from her cheek.


    Then, she continued, "Sure, you''ve been messing around with Alice. But you''re still technically my fianc¨¦. And I don''t believe you''d be stupid enough to let a woman you have such a jeopardizing rtionship with end up pregnant."


    Yancey had been gearing up to tear into her, but looking at her teary eyes and hearing her trembling voice, he suddenly couldn''t say a word.


    Until now, Grace had alwayse at him full-force, never once backing down.


    She had gone out of her way to insult and belittle him every chance she got.


    But at that moment, she looked shattered¡ªas if she were begging for him to save her.


    "Grace, what... What are you trying to say?"


    "You really don''t get it? Alice was never pregnant. This whole thing-every bit of it-was staged. But no one in the Lambert family or in the entire Druville is willing to believe me. I came here today to set the record straight. The truth doesn''t need defending.


    "You all want to throw me in a psychiatric hospital? Fine. Go ahead. I won''t fight it anymore."


    Grace had switched tactics. Yancey was the kind of man who''d rather break than bend. Pressing him too hard would only feed the resentment brewing inside him.


    All it took was a little weakness on her part, and his macho pride woulde rushing to the surface.


    The reason she chose to say all this right now was simple-the argument was happening just outside Sidney''s office, and he could hear every word loud and clear.


    If Sidney wanted a way out, he needed someone powerful totch onto, and Yancey was exactly that person.


    Yancey slowly reached out, wanting tofort Grace. But just then, Alice stepped out of her ward.


    She looked deathly pale and was barely able to stay on her feet. "Grace, I don''t know why you''d nder me like this. You''re clearly not in your right mind right now."

 Chapter 121

    Alice clutched her stomach, cold sweat covering her cheeks as she bit down hard on her lip. Right after she spoke, she swayed like she was about to faint.


    Yancey instinctively moved to catch her. "Alice..."


    She copsed into his arms while sobbing, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Yancey, losing the baby already broke me. I can''t handle seeing Grace right now."


    She shut her eyes, ying the perfect image of a woman falling apart.


    Grace watched the whole scene unfold from the side, and even she had to admit that Alice''s acting was impressive. No wonder she managed to manipte everyone so easily all these years.


    But Grace wasn''t about to back down. She turned her gaze to Yancey and said, "Yancey, go ahead and have me sent to a psychiatric hospital. That''s how it''s always been. The moment Alice puts on that pitiful little act, all of you believe her. I''m done."


    She looked down, a sharp, bitter smile ying at her mouth. She added, "But let''s be clear-the loss of the baby had nothing to do with me. Not that anyone cares to investigate. You all just decided I was guilty before even asking questions. What else is there for me to say?"


    Yancey parted his lips to speak, but nothing came out. Alice was in his arms, yet his gaze was locked on Grace. For a brief second, he waspletely lost.


    His silence made Alice uneasy because Grace''s words had struck too close to home.


    "Yancey, can you help me back to my ward?"


    But Yancey didn''t move and kept looking at Grace.


    Alice''s eyes burned with resentment. Her jaw tightened so hard it looked like she might snap a mr. She bit her tongue until blood welled up, then gave a soft cough. She held out her hand to show her red-streaked palm.


    Upon seeing her palm, Yancey immediately snapped out of it and helped her back into the ward.


    "Alice, are you okay?"


    Alice shook her head and clutched her chest as she said, "It''s just that the whole thing with the baby has hit me too hard. I''ll be fine after some time. Yancey, you know I''m not that heartless. I wouldn''t really let Mom send Grace to a psychiatric hospital.


    "Didn''t we already agree to have her marry Hendricks? Just send her to him. Let him keep an eye on her. At the very least, make sure she doesn''t show up again before you and I get married."


    With Hendricks involved, Grace was as good as ruined.


    Yancey hesitated.


    Alice''s face turned even paler with anger, but she took a step back, deciding to y the long game. She said, "Yancey, I need some time to myself. Can you step outside for now?"


    She thought that would make Yancey stay, but to her surprise, he actually stood up. "Get some rest," he simply said.


    Alice was left speechless, staring helplessly at his back as he walked away. He even closed the door behind him as he stepped out of the ward.


    Outside, Grace was still standing there.


    Things between him and Grace had been nothing but cold stares and harsh wordstely, but that brief moment of vulnerability from her earlier had softened something in his chest.


    Grace saw him walk out and gave a faint tug at the corner of her mouth. "So... are


    you here to have me sent to a psychiatric hospital?"


    Yancey frowned. "Is that the kind of man you think I am?"


    She gave a dryugh. She''d already be locked up if she hadn''t broken down earlier.


    He stepped closer, scanning her face. "Grace, do you have any proof?"


    "Nope. Which is why I''m not resisting. Go ahead-send me off."


    "You-"


    His voice rose, but she cut him off, her eyes Suddenly ssy. "Do you remember the Farm Support Project in Northbrook? You were there too. Tell me-did Alice really handle that well?"


    His chest tightened. That damn project had been a thorn in his side for a long time. It was also the moment his view of Grace started to shift.


    She kept going. "If she were just some stranger and you weren''t in love with her, how would you rate the way she handled it?"


    Yancey''s expression turned sour. He didn''t want to admit it, but he hadn''t liked how Alice acted back then.


    Grace, on the other hand, had stepped up. She had done a good job. She even made the local news.


    Yancey wasn''t an idiot. Thatparison had always been stuck in his head, screwing with how he viewed Grace and Alice.


    The truth was, he had never really understood Grace.


    She wasn''t done. "I used to love you. But after the ident, I genuinely don''t remember a thing. And none of you believed me. Ethan was the only one who showed me an ounce of kindness. The world feels O


    Grace knew exactly where to hit.


    First, she zeroed in on the thorn he kept buried deep inside him, and then she went straight for the nerve he was most sensitive about.


    Yancey''s expression changed instantly. "Grace! You''re supposed to hate him!"


    "That''s enough, Yancey! At least he''s not trying to toss me into a psychiatric hospital without a single question!"


    Yancey''s chest heaved. The way her expression softened when she mentioned Ethan looked genuine.


    His lips pressed into a tight line when he asked, "Are you still faking it?" Grace suddenly looked exhausted. She gave a small shrug and turned to leave.


    But Yancey reached out and grabbed her wrist. He said, "I''ll look into this. And if you really were framed... I won''t hold you responsible."

 Chapter 122

    With her back still to Yancey, Grace arched a brow ever so slightly, her voice gentler than before.


    "You swear? No matter what the truth is, you won''t take Alice''s side?" she asked.


    Seeing how much she clearly still cared what he thought, Yancey felt smug, and his mood visibly lifted. "I swear."


    He stepped forward, turned her gently to face him, and ced both hands on her shoulders. He asked, "Do you still have feelings for me?".


    That question actually mattered to him.


    Grace knew she had already gotten through to him, so saying something she didn''t truly mean didn''t matter at this point. "Maybe I do. Even if I''ve forgotten everything, the way you treat me still hurts."


    Feeling pleased, Yancey lifted his hand and gently squeezed her cheek. "I won''t let them send you to a psychiatric hospital-not until we know the truth."


    Grace rolled her eyes internally, but her face showed nothing but grateful emotion. She replied, "Okay."


    She turned and walked down the hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of what looked like the corner of Ethan''s coat.


    She picked up her pace, but when she reached the end of the hall, there was no one there. It was probably just her imagination. Ethan was likely at work. There was no reason for him to be at the hospital.


    But inside the hospital ward behind her, Alice had seen and heard everything. Her expression twisted into something almost monstrous.


    She had to get Sidney out of the way immediately. She couldn''t afford to leave behind any loose ends.


    She saw Yancey heading straight toward Sidney''s office through the little window in the door, and her stomach dropped.


    Inside, Yancey now sat across from Sidney¡ªthe same doctor who had announced Alice''s "miscarriage".


    Sidney had heard every word from the hallway. His forehead was drenched in sweat, and his whole posture screamed panic. After a sleepless night, he was barely functioning.


    Yancey might''ve been an airhead, but he was still a member of the Hendersons, and whether it was his name or his face, both were enough to intimidate people.


    "Dr. Tanner, are you sure the baby''s gone?" Yancey asked.


    Sidney wiped his face with a trembling hand, his lips twitching as he opened his mouth. However, he was interrupted by a knock at the door. The next moment, a nurse peeked in. "Dr. Tanner, Ms. Lambert just threw up. You should go check on her."


    A chill ran down Sidney''s spine, and he immediately jumped to his feet. He stood immediately. "Sorry, Mr. Henderson. I need to check on her."


    Yancey followed him to Alice''s ward.


    Alice was swishing bottled water in her mouth, her whole body trembling as if she could barely hold herself upright.


    Sidney rushed over, and the moment their eyes met, he froze. There was no mistaking the threat in Alice''s gaze. It was cold and terrifying, hitting him like ice in his chest.


    He suddenly thought of the massive truck from the night before and Duncan, who looked more like a hired thug than anything else. He gave her a quick, half- hearted check-up, then made up an excuse to leave.


    Yancey hadn''t finished questioning him earlier and was just about to follow him out, but Alice grabbed his wrist. "Yancey, you once told me you''d always protect me... that you wouldn''t let Grace bully me."


    Back then, Alice had just moved


    back to live with the Lambert family. Every time Yancey went over to the Lambert residence to see Grace, he''d find Alice sitting alone in a corner, crying. She always said the same thing, that she was being bullied. No matter how hard she


    tried to please Grace, it only ended with insults and cold treatment.


    Her vulnerability hit Yancey right in the heart, and little by little, his bias began to take root.


    "You promised," she whispered again, her voice breaking.


    Yancey slowly sat back down and said, "I''ll stay with you."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Sidney staggered out of


    the ward, drenched in cold sweat. He headed to the restroom to ssh water on his face, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a fall, muscr figure. He flinched hard like he had been zapped with el¨¦ctricity.


    It was Duncan. He hade to the hospital.


    Was he about to make a move? Was he going to pull a knife and kill Sidney?


    Sidney had spent the entire night trapped in nightmares-every one of them ending with Duncan brutally murdering him. Now, seeing him in person, whatever sense he had left vanished.


    The first names that came to mind were Grace and Yancey.


    He rushed back to his office and grabbed the recording of his conversation with


    Alice. It was his safety in case she ever turned on him.


    But this time, it felt like more than just a threat. It felt like his life might actually be at risk. He needed someone he could trust.


    Remembering how kind Grace had been the night before, he didn''t even hesitate.


    Without wasting a second, he ran downstairs to catch up with her.


    ...


    Back in the ward, Alice was spiraling. She needed Sidney gone tonight-but she couldn''t let Yancey out of her sight either. If he got to Sidney, everything would fall apart.


    Her eyes darkened with desperation. She should''ve had Sidney taken care of while she still had the chance.


    "Yancey, don''t you remember what you told me when we slept together the first time?"


    She started ying the emotional card. After all, a woman''s virginity meant a lot. Whatever softness Yancey had just felt for Grace vanished in an instant. What Alice said was right. He had taken her virginity.


    He held her tightly, then let out a long sigh. He said, "I''ll go ahead and have Grace sent to a psychiatric hospital. Once our wedding is over, we can let her out."


    Deep down, he had no intention of handing Grace over to Hendricks. He no longer wanted Grace, but that didn''t mean Hendricks could have her. Alice''s lips curled into a satisfied smile as she nestled sweetly into his arms. "Okay, I''ll do whatever you say," she whispered.

 Chapter 123

    Grace had barely made it out of the hospital when Sidney came running after her. Sidney, visibly shaken, reached out and clutched her clothes in a panic. "Grace, I have something for you!"


    Grace raised an eyebrow slightly when she saw the recorder.


    Sidney wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "It''s a long story, but promise me something. Once you clear your name, help me keep my job here."


    A small smile flickered in her eyes. He was clearly shaken, probably still rattled by that massive truck driver she had nted in his path. He must''ve thought Alice was about to have him taken out inside the hospital.


    She had expected him to turn to Yancey with the evidence. Instead, he chose her. It was fine by her.


    "And what''s this, Dr. Tanner?"


    "It''s proof Alice lied! She was never pregnant. This is a recording of our conversation. Grace, you''re a good person. I know you''ll help me."


    Grace took the recorder, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.


    "Thanks, Dr. Tanner. Go home andy low for now. Alice''s a little too good at ying dirty. Hiding out for a few days is your safest bet."


    "Yes, of course. It''s all up to you now, Grace."


    After he left, Grace looked down at the recorder in her hand. She transferred the file immediately, but before she could do anything else, a car screeched to a halt in front of her. Four or five bodyguards from the Lambert family stepped out of the vehicle.


    They were here to haul her off to a psychiatric hospital.


    Grace sent the recording straight to Ethan without hesitation.


    She wasn''t even sure why she did it-maybe it was like she had told Yancey. Ethan might be cold, distant, and hard to please, but at least he didn''t treat her like trash. And she was still his so-called human sleeping aid. He needed her. C¨®ntent


    Wasn''t that exactly why people had been able to maintain good rtionships? Because they needed each other.


    She fired off a message right after. "Mr. Henderson, your human sleeping aid is counting on you."


    Just as the message was sent, the bodyguards surrounded her. She didn''t resist as she was afraid of suffering the consequences.


    Two of them shoved her into the car, and inside sat Liam. His face was tight with guilt. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but forced himself to stay quiet. Alfhe told the bodyguards was, "Take her. Everything''s arranged."


    He didn''t dare look her in the eye. His eyes were red like he had been crying.


    Grace didn''t say a word. When they transferred her into a different car, she simply closed her eyes and went to sleep.


    Two of the Lambert family''s bodyguards rode with her, scoffing at how calm she


    was.


    "People as mean as her always get what''sing to them."


    "She can still sleep soundly after making Ms. Alice lose her baby. It''s unbelievable. It''s hard to believe two daughters from the same mother could turn out so different."


    Grace opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow slightly when she caught the way they practically worshipped Alice. "Alice really raised herself two loyal littlepdogs," she said.


    Alice had always been obsessed


    with herself. Around men, she dialed up the charm like crazy. But around women prettier than her? She turned paranoid, terrified someone else might steal the spotlight.


    But not every woman was out there trying to be some man''s fantasy.

 Chapter 124

    Grace had just finished speaking when one of the bodyguards, red with rage,


    lifted his hand and pped her hard across the face. She hadn''t expected him to actually hit her, so she hadn''t dodged in time. The sting exploded across her cheek.


    His eyes were bloodshot. "Ms. Alice is a thousand times better than you ever were. Back at the Lambert residence, you treated all of us like crap. If it weren''t for Ms. Alice, we would''ve quit a long time ago."


    Grace held her cheek, the pain throbbing deep. She couldn''t help but wonder- was she really that awful before? Had she truly been so ruthless?


    The second bodyguard didn''t stop the p. He had wanted to do the same thing for a while. In his eyes, Grace was trash-vicious and toxic. She deserved to be treated like dirt.


    Grace let out a softugh but said nothing. She made a mental note to remember that p.


    The car rolled to a stop in front of the psychiatric hospital. They dragged her out, only for her to unexpectedlye face-to-face with Quentin and the hospital director, Noah Houghton.


    Quentin rarely got involved in the household drama. At work, he always carried himself with power and control.


    Seeing Grace now, he let out a sigh. "You should take this time to reflect. Everything''s been arranged. When you''re back to normal, we''ll bring you home."


    Grace felt a deep ache in her chest, but all she could do wasugh.


    "Mr. Lambert, when I get out of here, I want you to publicly announce that I''ve cut all ties with the Lambert family," she said.


    Quentin''s face clouded over in an instant. He had that ssic chiseled, square- jawed look. He questioned, "Are you still acting like a child? Do you seriously not think you''re in the wrong?"


    Frowning, he sighed again and added, "Grace, I don''t know what happened to you. You weren''t like this before... Anyway, after Alice''s wedding, I''lle get you. I''ll move you to a vi outside the city. The environment''s better out there. But you made her lose her baby, so there has to be consequences."


    Grace didn''t say another word. She just turned her back and walked away.


    Quentin returned to the car, rubbing his forehead with a tired hand. He was torn. After all, both daughters were his blood.


    Someone beside him leaned in and offered a suggestion. "Mr. Lambert, don''t let this wear you down. Let Mrs. Lambert handle it. It''s better if she takes charge over family matters like this."


    Quentin didn''t speak much at home. Most of the time, he just echoed whatever Carmen said. And even now, he didn''t hate Grace enough to lock her up in a psychiatric hospital.


    Seeing that distant look in Grace''s eyes hit a sore spot, and he couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness.


    "You''re right. Let Carmen handle it," he said.


    "Mrs. Lambert has already made all the arrangements. And you''ve seen the facility yourself. The room''s clean and the employees are professional. Ms. Grace won''t be mistreated."


    Quentin was actually busy that day, but he still personally came to check out the psychiatric hospital. It Carmen''s pick, but he couldn''t


    blindly trust it. He hated admit.


    it,


    but Carmen clearly favored Alice and had neglected Grace to a certain extent.


    But when the eldest daughter was always disobedient and the younger one was sweet and considerate, it was hard not to y favorites.


    He stared nkly out the window, a sinking feeling in his chest. That little girl who


    used to look at him with those bright, sparkling eyes was gone.


    He asked the person next to him, "I''ve been siding with Alice for years. Do you think I was wrong?"


    The person beside him answered,


    "It''s not your fault, sir. Ms. Grace has made a lot of mistakes. Meanwhile Ms. Alice has suffered so much. As her sister, Ms. Grace should''ve protected her, but she just kept hurting her."


    "Yeah. I don''t know when she''ll ever learn," Quentin agreed.


    And he thought to leave it as it was for now. He didn''t want to think about it anymore. Maybe someday, they''d figure it out.

 Chapter 125

    Grace was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, and Noah personally led her to a ward. She was locked inside a spacious room.


    "Grace, you''ll be staying here for a while," Noah said.


    She nced around. Surprisingly, the ce wasn''t bad.


    Her phone had been taken away by the Lamberts'' bodyguards back in the car and


    had probably been handed over to Quentin by now, so there was no way to


    contact anyone.


    Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, the faint sound of a door creaking open broke the silence.


    "Grace! I''m here, baby!"


    Grace''s eyes snapped open, and she saw Hendricks standing in the bathroom doorway. He''d been hiding in there the whole time.


    Her expression shifted instantly as she asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"


    Hendricks'' face was gleaming with sleaze and smugness.


    "What do you think? Your loving mother sent me to keep youpany.


    Thoughtful, huh? Haven''t you noticed the weird scent in the room? It''s part of her wedding gift to us!"


    Now that he mentioned it, the air did smell strange. She had assumed it was disinfectant.


    Hendricks stepped forward slowly, cracking his knuckles with a sick grin.


    "Don''t worry, I already took the antidote. That stuff in the room is pure knockout gas. You''ll pass out soon. And when you wake up, well... We''ll be official. I''ll be gentle. You''ll enjoy it."


    After what had happened between them before, he''d been itching for another shot. And now, with no one around to stop him, he thought he could do whatever he wanted.


    Grace dodged his first lunge, but the drug was already kicking in, and her limbs were growing weak. She grabbed a chair and shattered the window with one hard swing.


    Bending down, she picked up a jagged shard and stabbed it into her thigh. Blood poured out instantly.


    Hendricks hadn''t expected her to be so ruthless-even toward herself. It caught himpletely off guard.


    "What the hell? Are you insane?" He lunged again, but she raised the shard to her throat.


    "Back off!"


    He went stiff, his features contorting into an ugly mess.


    Grace swallowed hard, her eyes steady and calm. There wasn''t a flicker of emotion in them as she looked at him. She asked, "Hendricks, you don''t want this turning into a murder scene, do you?"


    Hendricks was so frustrated he nearly lost it. She was right there in front of him, gorgeous as ever, and he still couldn''t touch her. It was driving him insane.


    "Grace! Don''t be like this! Jesus, are you really that disgusted by me? It''s just sex. What''s the big deal? We''re gonna get married anyway! I''ll treat you right, better than any other woman! You bitch-don''t tell me you''re still hung up on Yancey. You''re mine!"


    He cussed her out as he stepped forward again. But Grace pressed the ss shard deeper into her neck, and blood started trailing down her skin.


    Hendricks froze.


    The pain cleared her vision. Her body was weak, but her mind was focused. "I''m warning you. Come one step closer, and I''ll slit my own throat." Hendricks was losing it. Fine. He''d just wait her out. No way she could stay standing long. The sedative in this room was strong, and no one could fight it for long. He wanted to see if Grace would still be standing after about ten minutes or


    So.


    Grace gripped the shard of ss tightly. She was exhausted, and her legs were giving out. Sleep was pulling at her hard, but her mind stayed sharp. She couldn''t let herself pass out.


    Her fingers slowly clenched tighter and tighter until the jagged ss pierced into her palm. Blood trickled down her hand.


    She looked terrifying now, with blood trailing down her legs, pooling in her palm, and staining her neck.


    Every time the haze of sleep crept in, she would squeeze the shard again, forcing the pain to keep her awake.


    Hendricks had figured she''dst ten minutes, tops. But half an hour had passed, and she was still standing tall.


    Damn it. How could Grace be so ruthless?


    He took a deep breath and immediately called Carmen.


    "Mrs. Lambert, Grace''s putting up a serious fight. What do you want me to do? I''m afraid she might actually die."


    He didn''t bother lowering his voice as he wanted Grace to hear every word. She needed to know that this was all Carmen''s idea.


    Meanwhile, Carmen was still at Alice''s bedside and hadn''t been able to leave. Alice had cried herself hoarse, thrown up several times, and waspletely drained.


    When she heard what was happening with Grace, her anxiety spiked. She stood by the window, swaying like she might copse.


    "Mom, I really don''t want to hear anything about Grace. I''ll jump from here and end my life."


    Panicked, Carmen snapped back at Hendricks, "Alice''s not doing well. As for Grace, handle her however you want. If she dies, she dies. I can''t care less about her."


    She hung up quickly and rushed to grab Alice''s wrist.


    "Alice, don''t do anything stupid. I''ve already sent Hendricks to see Grace. Don''t you want them to get married? It''s happening in no time."


    Alice''s eyes shed with satisfaction. Her effort to put on such a show and y the victim had worked.


    Carmen let out a breath of relief and sat her down gently at the edge of the bed. She said, "Don''t worry about a thing. Mr. Henderson Senior himself approved your marriage with Yancey."


    At the mention of Jordan, Alice couldn''t help but think of Ethan-the golden child of the Henderson family.


    A flush of heat rose in her chest. She


    would never forget how, not long after joining the Lambert family, she had been invited to a banquet at Henderson Residence. The moment she stepped in, her eyes hadnded on Ethan.


    He had been surrounded by looks of admiration, appearing as radiant as a star.


    He was so perfect he didn''t even seem real.


    He had even spoken to her. She''d been so nervous that she didn''t know what to


    do with herself.


    Her feelings toward Yancey were possessive-more about taking him away from someone else. But with Ethan, it was different. She dreamed that even a man as wless as him would fall at her feet.


    Even though he was in a wheelchair now and was no longer seen as the perfect


    man, he was still far above everyone else.


    With her wedding approaching, she couldn''t resist asking about Ethan. "Mom, has Mr. Henderson Senior ever mentioned anything about Ethan getting married?" Carmen knew exactly who Ethan was. Frankly, everyone in Druville knew.


    Even after vanishing for two years, his name still appeared in international financial newspapers.


    Alice might be good enough for Yancey, but no one dared to set their sights on Ethan.


    "I''m not sure about this. But all these


    years, I haven''t heard about any


    woman around him. Still, his business has nothing to do with us. And from now on, don''t bring him up again. The Henderson family still resents Grace because of what


    happened to him."


    Alice feltpletely at ease. After all, the Henderson family had epted her


    while openly despising Grace.


    In her eyes, that alone meant she had alreadye out on top.

 Chapter 126

    As soon as Hendricks hung up the phone, he lunged toward Grace again.


    "You heard her yourself, Grace. Your own mother doesn''t give a damn if you live or die. So why would I? I swear, if you kill yourself, I''ll film everything I do to your corpse and make sure the whole damn inte sees it. You won''t even be able to rest in peace."


    Grace''s hand trembled. She tried to back away, but there was nowhere left to go. The window had iron bars. She couldn''t make an escape.


    Now that Hendricks had the green light from Carmen, he feltpletely untouchable. Even if this ended in murder, he figured he''d walk away clean.


    Grace was already barely hanging on and didn''t have the strength to dodge him this time. He tackled her onto the bed, pinning her down.


    Blood from her wounded hand smeared across the sheets.


    Hendricks'' face twisted into a grotesque grin. "Finally got you under me, baby. Don''t worry, I''ll take real good care of you."


    "Get off me!" Grace shouted. She thrashed under him, her neck wound tearing open, but Hendricks didn''t care. His hand slid down, grabbing the waistband of


    her pants.


    Her brain went nk. She fought harder, but he smacked her hard across the face. "Stop moving, bitch! Do you really want me to get rough?"


    Grace''s hope started to drain, and her gaze went nk.


    Right then, the door burst open with a violent crash. Before she could even process what was happening, Hendricks was yanked off her. He opened his mouth to curse, but the barrel of a gun pressed to his temple shut him up fast. The weapon looked ready to fire any second.


    He froze, paralyzed with fear.


    "W-Who the hell are you?" he stammered.


    His voice turned shaky like he was terrified to breathe wrong. Whoever had the authority to bring a gun into a high-security facility in Druville wasn''t ordinary.


    Grace was still on the bed when someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a solid embrace.


    Her face was buried in the person''s chest, and she didn''t even care who it was¡ª until a suit jacket dropped onto her shoulders. The scent hit her immediately, calming the panic boiling in her chest.


    It was Ethan.


    She looked up and saw Hendricks kneeling by the wall, pale and shaking. Two bodyguards stood on either side of him, each holding a gun to his head.


    She clung tightly to the suit jacket as Ethan leaned in from behind, wrapping her gently in his arms.


    That was when she realized he had slipped something into her hand.


    Ethan''s chin rested on her shoulder, his voice low and calm. "Do you remember how to use it?"


    Her eyes blinked in confusion. Then, she noticed she had a gun in her hand. He was still holding her from behind, guiding her hand as if showing her how to load the weapon. Grace''s mind was nk, but fury boiled just beneath the surface.


    "I can learn," she said tly.


    Ethan''s hand wrapped over hers, guiding each movement. "This is how you chamber a round. That''s the trigger. Line up your shot."


    His chin was still resting on her shoulder as he held the gun. The two bodyguards pointing their guns at Hendricks nearly lost their grip when they saw the scene. Was this really Ethan?


    From where the bodyguards stood, it looked like Ethan hadpletely enveloped Grace, shielding her in his arms.


    But Grace was still reeling from the shock and hadn''t noticed.


    Once Ethan finished guiding her, he let go of her hands. The message was clear


    ¡ªit was entirely up to Grace whether she wanted to pull the trigger.


    Grace gripped the gun tightly with both hands. She could hear Hendricks panicked pleading. "Grace, don''t do anything crazy! This is illegal! You''ll go to jail for this! And don''t forget who I am-I''m Yancey''s uncle! You love him so much... How are you going to exin this to him?"


    The words had barely left his mouth when the gunshot rang out.


    Hendricks let out a blood-curdling scream, clutching his thigh in agony. But before


    he could react further, another shot was fired, then followed by another.


    Grace then turned to look at Ethan.


    His chin was still resting on her


    shoulder. As she turned, her lips


    brushed his cheek. Only then did she


    realize how close they were. Her


    eyes widened in shock, and her grip


    ??


    the gun slipped.


    Startled, her finger slipped, and the gun fired. The bullet struck Hendricks square


    in the chest. He didn''t even have the strength to scream; he just copsed to the ground.


    Grace''s expression shifted, and she instinctively stepped away from Ethan. The first words out of her mouth were, "Mr. Henderson... did I screw up?"


    One of the bodyguards quickly


    kneeled down beside Hendricks to


    check on him and then said, "Ms.


    Lambert, he''s still breathing, but he''s


    probably going to end up in a


    vegetative state."


    Grace let out a breath of relief. As long as he was still breathing, that was good enough. Honestly, ending up in aa was probably the best fate Hendricks could ask for.


    She looked down at the gun in her hand, which had blood smeared across it. Even Ethan''s fingertips were stained. She quickly got to her feet to look for a napkin.


    Ethan had always looked like a man above the chaos-too cold, too perfect. Blood didn''t belong anywhere near him.


    But the way she pulled away from him so quickly made something dark flicker in Ethan''s eyes.


    He slowly straightened, steadying himself against the wall. Just moments ago, he''d beenmanding and unshakable. Now, he looked fragile, like someone in need of protection.


    The shift startled her. Forgetting her own injuries, she rushed back over to him. "Mr. Henderson, are you okay?"


    He shook his head, and his expression was calm as he said, "I''m just a little shaken, that''s all."


    Guilt crashed over her. She felt awful. She was covered in blood, and what if it wasn''t just the scene that unsettled him?


    What if the car ident that had changed his life had left him traumatized, unable


    to face blood? She gently pulled his suit jacket tighter around him and helped him with care.


    Then, she said, "Let me help you back to your wheelchair. I''m so sorry. I''ll go clean up right away."


    His face was pale. He hesitated for a few seconds, then reached out and held her


    wrist.


    She looked at him in surprise, but he avoided her gaze. He said, "Let''s head back


    to Palm Bay. You can handle it there."


    Grace replied, "Oh, okay. Are you feeling sleepy, Mr. Henderson?"


    She hadn''t forgotten that she was his so-called "human sleeping aid".


    Ethan pressed his lips together tightly and gave a quiet, almost sullen grunt of acknowledgment in response.

 Chapter 127

    Grace wheeled Ethan back to the car, neither of them sparing a nce at Hendricks, who was still lying on the ground. The two bodyguards left behind handled it.


    The two bodyguards had been serving Ethan for a long time, and eventually, they just couldn''t hold their tongues anymore.


    "Did you hear that?" one of them asked. "Mr. Henderson said he was a little shaken?"


    "Yeah... and he was holding onto her," the other replied.


    "Exactly."


    They exchanged a look, totally baffled, then turned and kicked Hendricks hard to vent their anger.


    ...


    Back in Palm Bay, the family doctor was already waiting. He quickly tended to Grace''s injuries, carefully bandaging her wounds. Meanwhile, Ethan kept a tight grip on her free hand.


    She wanted to ask if he had forgotten to let go, but around Ethan, she always felt like she was walking on eggshells. Maybe it was because of his legs. Or maybe it was because she still didn''t know the full truth about what happened years ago. She made up her mind to be the best human sleeping aid he ever had.


    Once the doctor finished up, he quickly made himself scarce, sensing he was intruding on something personal.


    That was when Grace remembered she had sent Ethan the recording, but she was unsure if he saw her message.


    "Mr. Henderson... about the recording..."


    "It''s been sent out," he said simply.


    She didn''t know who he had sent it to.


    Grace wasn''t in the best shape. She leaned back against the couch, her eyelids growing heavy. After asking the question, she yawned. "Okay... I''ll deal with it after I wake up."


    She had no idea what Ethan meant when he said "It''s been sent out" until she woke up.


    The recording had blown up. It was on the front page of the news and number one on the trending list. Everyone was talking about it.


    The audio had been edited to protect Sidney''s identity but not Alice''s.


    "I just want everyone to think she made me lose the baby. Get me a bag of blood.


    "Make sure to wipe the hospital''s surveince footage. I want her to have no way to defend herself. The stairwell is the perfect location. And you''ll be the one to announce the miscarriage.


    "Ha, everyone will hate her. She''s a vicious bitch anyway. She deserves this."


    In between her rants, Sidney''s voice cut in. "Are you sure about this, Ms. Alice? Ms. Grace is your sister..."


    "I''ve never thought of her as my sister. She''s just in my way. This is my chance to get her kicked out of the Lambert family. You don''t need to worry about that. Just do what I say."


    The headline read, "Behind the Mask-How a Fake Innocent Sister Framed Her Older Sister in a Wealthy Family Scandal."


    Thanks to Jodie''s influence, everyone in their circle already knew the story- Grace had supposedly pushed Alice down the stairs, causing her to miscarry.


    Now that the news was out-and with Alice''s name tantly included-people in their circle started gossiping almost immediately.


    But Alice didn''t know any of this. She had been sent home earlier that day. She was in a foul mood, so the entire Lambert family tiptoed around her. Even Yancey had been forced to stay by her side.


    "Yancey, you seem distracted... Are you still upset about the baby?" Alice leaned weakly against Yancey''s chest, looking utterly fragile.


    In truth, Yancey''s mind was on Grace. But Alice had clung to him all afternoon, leaving him no energy to dig into the so-called truth.


    Other members of the Lambert family were there too, and it was Liam who spoke up first to offerfort.


    "Don''t worry, Alice. You''ll have other children. And Grace is paying the price now. Stop saying you''re gonna end your life. We''re all worried about you."


    Even Carmen was peeling fruit for her. "Exactly! You scared me to death today, Alice. If something''s bothering you, don''t keep it bottled up. We''re all here for you."


    Alice looked touched, but deep down, she was smug. Liam had finally taken her side without reservation. And Carmen had even sent Hendricks to handle Grace. By now, Grace was probably nothing more than a used-up ragdoll.


    Everything was perfect.


    Soon, she''d be married to Yancey. And maybe just maybe she''d have the chance to see Ethan again. She wouldn''t admit it out loud, but she still dreamed about him.


    Everyone was gathered around Alice,forting her. She was soaking it in, basking in the attention like the spotlight was on her.


    But then Yancey nced at his phone, and his entire expression changed.


    Alice, thinking he''d just found out what happened to Grace, quickly put on a concerned look. She asked, "What''s wrong, Yancey? Did something happen to Grace?"


    Yancey sat frozen like someone had pulled the plug. He was motionless.


    The others were starting to get worried too.


    "Yancey, what happened? You look awful."


    He clenched his phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The message was from a friend about the recording, along with a teasing remark about the news going viral. And then, to twist the knife, the friend said that the Lambert sisters


    were something else.


    Yancey had always cared about his reputation. Now that he was being made into


    aughingstock, how could he not be furious?


    His mind shed back to Grace''s desperate sobbing in the hospital, how she had said that all Alice had to do was act pitiful and everyone would believe her.


    The realization mmed into him. He shoved Alice away the moment she leaned in toward him. He shoved her with so much force that Alice nearly fell to the floor.


    She was on the verge of tears as she called out, "Yancey, what''s going on? What are you doing? That hurt!"


    Yancey took a deep breath, trying to steady himself before asking, "Alice, let me ask you one more time. Were you really pregnant?"


    Alice''s heart skipped a beat.


    Had he found out the truth?


    That couldn''t be. Sidney wasn''t even at the hospital today, and she''d been clinging to Yancey the entire time. He couldn''t have had a chance to look into it.


    She quickly forced out a couple of tears. "What are you trying to say, Yancey? Are you doubting me just because of what Grace said?"


    The moment she started crying, the mood in the room shifted, and everyone else bristled.


    Carmen was the first to rush to help Alice up. She cast a disapproving look at Yancey and then said,


    "Yancey, if you have something et


    say, just be straightforward about it. Alice just had a miscarriage, and her body''s still incredibly weak


    Liam chimed in as well, "Yeah, Alice''s been throwing up all day. Just seeing her


    like this makes my heart ache."

 Chapter 128

    Yancey gripped his phone tightly, feelingpletely humiliated.


    He then took a deep breath and said, "Check the news yourselves! The audio recording between Alice and the doctor is all over the inte. Do you have any idea how many people areughing at me right now? Calling me a fool who got yed by a devious woman who''s been putting on an innocent front!"


    He spun around, furious, and stormed toward the door.


    It was the first time Alice had ever seen him like this. He had never gotten mad at her before. Panic surged through her, and she ran after him while pulling out her phone.


    "Yancey, what news are you talking about? I don''t know anything about this. I swear, I don''t know!"


    She tapped open the trending recording, and the moment the audio started ying, her face went pale.


    Carmen and Liam were frozen in ce too,pletely stunned and unable to believe what they were hearing.


    Alice''s eyes filled with panic as she quickly tried to deny it. "It''s fake! It''s been doctored! It''s all Grace! She faked it! She''s framing me!"


    She burst into tears.


    Carmen didn''t hesitate to believe her. The voice in the recording sounded too vicious. It didn''t sound anything like the sweet, gentle Alice she knew.


    Yancey didn''t move. Watching her cry used to make his heart ache. But now, all he felt was irritation. How could someone have so many tears onmand? Why didn''t Grace ever cry like this?


    He turned to leave again, but Alice lunged for his sleeve.


    "Yancey, I swear to God, this isn''t me. Technology these days can fake anything. I swear on my life, that''s not my voice in the recording."


    Yancey''s brows stayed furrowed, his head spinning. "I need to go home and calm down. Take care of yourself."


    Alice broke down again, her eyes swollen from crying. Carmen pulled her into her arms, trying to soothe her. "God knows who faked that video," she murmured, shaking her head.


    Alice sobbed into her hands. "Who else? It''s definitely Grace. She''s


    getting back at us for putting her in the psychiatric hospital. But if everyone believes that video''s feal, how am I supposed to face anyone ever again?"


    Exactly. If society believed that voice was hers, how could she ever marry into the Hendersons?


    Carmen''s nerves started fraying. If Grace really did this, they''d have to find her and make her clear Alice''s name immediately.


    "Don''t worry, Alice. I''ll go look for Grace."


    But Alice was already spiraling. Her wedding was around the corner. If this scandal ruined everything, then everything she had schemed for


    had sacrificed-would go up in smoke.


    everything she


    No. She couldn''t let that happen. She had to find Grace. She needed to make her


    retract everything and say the recording was fake and edited.


    Alice still believed deep down that she had control. After all, Grace used to treat her so well, giving her everything and always putting her first. But Alice had never once Seen it as kindness. She saw it as showing off. So, she pretended to be pitiful, painting herself as the bullied one.


    And the more generous Grace was, the more people assumed she was maniptive.


    Now, Alice knew she couldn''t confront Grace head-on anymore. She had to y


    nice. She had to win her back and then find another opening.


    She suddenly thought of Sloan and hurried to call him in secret beforeunching into a tearful rant. She cried, "It wasn''t me. I don''t know even


    how that audio recording Know ne


    exists. If everyone turns on me... I''m done."


    Sloan waspletely wrapped around her finger, so he believed every word she said. And just like that, he was full of pity.


    "Don''t worry, Alice. I''ll figure something out. Worst-case scenario, I''ll abduct Grace and make her confess. Then, we''ll make her disappear."


    Alice''s eyes lit up. She sniffled and whispered, "Sloan... You''re the only one who truly cares about me."

 Chapter 129

    Sloan smiled sweetly, his voice full of longing. "If Yancey ever turns you away, I''ll be here."


    But Alice didn''t take that to heart. She knew exactly where Sloan stood, and he was nowhere near Yancey''s level.


    Not to mention, being part of the Henderson family meant she had chances to bump into the mysterious and untouchable Ethan. As long as she kept pushing, maybe just maybe she could win him over someday.


    Meanwhile, after storming out of the Lambert residence, Yancey couldn''t get any peace.


    Before he realized it, he had driven all the way to the psychiatric hospital where Grace was being held, but he couldn''t bring himself to go inside.


    Instead, he sat in the car and yed the leaked recording over and over again. The more he listened, the colder he felt. He recognized the doctor''s voice. He knew who it was.


    He took a deep breath and clenched the steering wheel, white-knuckled. He quickly pulled up the doctor''s home address and drove straight there.


    Sidney had been a nervous wreck all day, waiting anxiously to hear from Grace.


    But instead of Grace, a group of bodyguards showed up at his door. Before he could say a word, they handed him a check for 30 million dors and told him he was being sent abroad.


    Sidney''s eyes lit up. He thought it was Grace who had arranged it and instantly packed his things, dragging his wife along with him.


    So, by the time Yancey arrived, the ce was empty. He checked the hospital next, but Sidney was gone.


    The fact that he couldn''t find him made Yancey uneasy again. A sliver of doubt crept back in. Was the audio recording real? Or was it faked?


    He handed the recording over to a voice forensics expert, and the answer came quickly.


    "There''s no sign of voice synthesis. Alice''s voice is clean. If you''re still unsure, just track down the doctor."


    Yancey ended the call and


    immediately tried calling Grace. He wanted to hear her voice. The call rang, but Grace was still in the bathroom, showering. Her clothes had been soaked in blood, soshe needed to clean up.


    Ethan sat in the bedroom and nced at the phone buzzing on the bed. Seeing


    the name on the screen, he shut it off without a word.


    Yancey made several calls in a row, but no one picked up.


    Ten minutester, Grace stepped out of the bathroom, limping slightly.


    Her legs, arms, and hands were all bandaged. She couldn''t get them wet, and she


    couldn''t stay in the steam for too long either.


    This wasn''t her first time using


    Ethan''s bathroom. She had already


    epted that she was just his


    human sleeping aid, and oddly


    enough, that realization gave her peace.


    She picked up her phone and saw the missed calls from Yancey. Her brows furrowed slightly.


    She almost called him back until she heard Ethan''s voice. "I want to sleep," he said.


    She quickly put the phone down. "Got it, Mr. Henderson. Your human sleeping aid is clocking in."


    Ethan had already showered. At this


    moment, he looked up at her face e


    e''


    and his Adam''s apple bobbed slightly. The next moment, he looked


    away.  looked


    She barely caught his low, quiet murmur, "You''re not a human sleeping aid."


    Huh? Then what was she? She didn''t know but didn''t dare to ask.

 Chapter 130

    Ethany in bed while Grace, still too sore to fall asleep, noticed him reading a book. She quietly sat down at the edge of the bed.


    "Mr. Henderson, I noticed you''re walking a bit stiffer than usual. Do you want me to massage your legs a little?"


    "Okay."


    Grace had been looking for something to do anyway. Since he agreed, she scooted closer without hesitation. But the second her hands touched his legs, a voice called out from outside the door.


    "Uncle Ethan, are you asleep?"


    It was Jodie.


    Grace froze and yanked her hands back, panicking as she jumped up to find a ce to hide.


    Jodie''s possessiveness toward Ethan was no secret. If she saw Grace in the same room as him, she might actually lose her mind.


    Grace had asked Susie about her before. Jodie was one of the few women who had unrestricted ess to Palm Bay, and she was known to be on especially good terms with Ethan.


    Just as Grace stood up, a hand grabbed her wrist. She instinctively jerked away, hard enough to hurt herself.


    Ethan gently steadied her, his voice calm and reassuring. "It''s fine."


    She let out a breath and sat back down, realizing her reaction had been a little too dramatic.


    Outside, Jodie''s voice was still soft and hesitant. "Uncle Ethan?"


    Ethan flipped another page in his book and responded evenly, "What is it?"


    "I just... I''m sorry," she said quickly. "I shouldn''t have acted like that before. I shouldn''t have lost it here in Palm Bay. Please don''t be mad at me, okay? I haven''t seen you in so long..."


    Her tone grew more pitiful with each word.


    "And everyone knows that Grace woman is toxic. I know you only brought her here for my brother''s sake, but she doesn''t belong here. She''s not worthy. Aren''t you worried she''ll ruin the ce? Uncle Ethan, don''t be mad, okay? I brought you a gift."


    Grace could hear everything from inside. The moment her name came up, a flicker of embarrassment crept in.


    If Jodie found out the so-called toxic woman was currently in the same room with the man she clearly worshiped, she might actually light the ce on fire.


    Grace sighed quietly. Then, Ethan asked her softly, "What''s wrong?"


    Grace looked down, embarrassed. "I was just wondering when you''re gonna get a girlfriend."


    It was more of a passing thought,


    not something she meant to say out


    loud. She quickly tried to walk it back "No, I mean, I just think.. Maybe if you got married, Jodie wouldn''t cling to you so much."


    Her fingers scratched nervously at her neck, clearly flustered. But Ethan caught her wrist again. "You''re injured. Don''t scratch."


    "Oh... Okay."


    She immediately lowered her hand, but the warmth of his palm made her quickly pull it back.


    Her thoughts were still scrambled when she heard him ask, "Do you really care that much about when I''m going to have a girlfriend?"


    The question made her heart skip. It almost sounded like he thought she was into him. "No! I don''t care. I''m just... curious."


    As soon as she said she didn''t care, Ethan let go of her wrist and returned to reading.


    Another knock came from the door, and Jodie''s voice sounded even more cautious now.


    "Uncle Ethan... I brought you a gift. Can you open the door, please?"


    Ethan raised a hand to his temple, rubbing it slowly. Then, he got out of bed and walked to the door.


    Grace noticed something odd. Right


    before he opened it, he adjusted bis


    robe, pulling it tight and buttoning it


    all the way to the cor. It was a


    stark contrast to how he had been just moments ago.


    She was a little surprised. Was Ethan worried about Jodie seeing him like that?


    Then... why wasn''t he worried about Grace seeing him like that?


    Something about it just felt off.


    Ethan stood by the door, which he had only opened a crack.

 Chapter 131

    Jodie''s eyes lit up as she looked up shyly at Ethan. "Uncle Ethan, I brought you a gift."


    He took it without much reaction. His face remained expressionless as he said, "It''ste. You should head home."


    She stomped her foot, frustration bubbling up inside her. She protested, "But I want to stay. I haven''t seen you in so long... Don''t you miss me at all?"


    Ethan''s brows knitted together slightly, and he moved to shut the door. But Jodie suddenly reached out and blocked it. Her sharp eyes caught a single long strand of hair stuck to the edge of the doorway. It was obvious that it belonged to a


    woman.


    Her face went pale, and she shoved the door open hard. "There''s a woman in your room, isn''t there? You swore that you''d never marry anyone in this life!" she snapped.


    As the door flew open, she stormed in and turned toward the room, but it was empty. Even so, she wasn''t convinced. She yanked back the curtains and even walked out onto the balcony, checking every corner. But she found nothing.


    That hair definitely belonged to a woman.


    Ethan stood calmly near the bathroom door, his voice as steady as ever. "Jodie, you need to grow up."


    Her eyes welled with tears again. Then, she realized she hadn''t checked the bathroom.


    "You brought me home, remember? You told me I only needed to focus on being happy. Uncle Ethan, did you forget everything you promised me? Everything?" She choked back a sob. "I''m checking the bathroom!"


    She rushed past him before he could stop her.


    Ethan extended an arm in front of her, his expression finally turning stern. "Enough."


    "No! I''m checking the bathroom."


    Her spoiled stubbornness was exhausting, but Ethan didn''t say anything more.


    Jodie darted forward and flung open the bathroom door.


    Ethan had already braced for the worst, but the bathroom was empty.


    Jodie exhaled in relief and stepped


    out, now acting coy and sweet. "Sorry, Uncle Ethan. I guess I


    overreacted. That hair must''ve


    from the cleaningdy. She shee


    be more careful. You''re such a neat freak, after all."


    He said curtly, "Get out."


    Realizing she had pushed too far, she stuck out her tongue yfully and backed toward the door. She tossed onest reminder before she left "Okay, I''m going. Don''t forget to open the gift, though!"


    She seemed content again, practically skipping out of the room.


    Ethan closed the door behind her, his eyes scanning the room. However, there was no sign of


    Grace. He stepped onto the ball 2


    but he didn''t see her there. He made his way downstairs, and just as he expected, he found her under the balcony. She was curled up in the corner, looking helpless and alone.


    The moment she heard Jodie shouting in the hallway, she panicked and jumped. Her legs were already injured, and the impact had clearly worsened them. She couldn''t walk and could only sit there.


    She was still hugging her legs when she looked up and saw Ethan walking toward


    her.


    This time, he wasn''t even in his wheelchair. She wasn''t sure if she was imagining


    it, but she thought she caught a flicker of anger on his face.


    Her heart sank with a sudden jolt.


    Ethan quickly walked over to her but didn''t offer a hand to help her up. He simply asked, "Can you stand?"


    The question sent a chill through her. She shivered slightly and forced a reply. "Yeah."

 Chapter 132

    "Then stand up on your own," Ethan said.


    Grace braced herself against the wall, slowly pushing to her feet. Her thigh was wrapped in gauze, and now, the bandage was clearly stained with fresh blood.


    Ethan''s eyes lingered on the red spot for a few seconds before he slowly extended a hand. She carefully took it and steadied herself, muttering softly, "Thanks."


    He paused for half a minute, letting the silence hang in the air before he exhaled softly.


    By the time Grace was back in the bedroom, her face had gone pale.


    Ethan retrieved the first aid kit and gently unwrapped the gauze around her leg. The injury was on her upper thigh, so she had no choice but to roll her skirt all the way up, revealing her long legs.


    At first, she felt awkward, but Ethan didn''t so much as nce at her legs. He quickly cleaned and rewrapped the wound, then turned away without a word.


    Grace had wanted to say something, or maybe ask something, but Ethan was already walking off. He ced the kit aside and flipped off the light switch.


    Darkness filled the room, and she couldn''t read his expression anymore. Something about him seemed angry-maybe even avoidant-but she was too bad at reading people to be sure. She leaned back on the couch with a sigh. "Goodnight, Mr. Henderson."


    Ethan responded with a low hum.


    That was it¡ªshort and clipped, just like always.


    The room was quiet, but outside, the firestorm caused by the leaked recording was still raging. The entire social circle was abuzz with gossip, trying to figure out whether the audio recording was legit.


    Then, the Lambert family finally issued a statement-the recording had been faked by Grace herself. They imed she''d be making a public apology in a few days.


    People had heard stories of Grace''s so-called cruelty for years. Everyone knew she had never been warm to Alice.


    "I knew it. It didn''t sound like the Alice I know. She''s so sweet."


    "The Lambert family has incredible patience. After all the crap she''s pulled, they still won''t kick her out."


    "But I know someone in audio engineering. They said the voice wasn''t faked, so what''s the truth?"


    "We''ll see what Grace says in a few days."


    Everyone stood around like spectators at a drama, waiting to see how it would all y out.


    But Alice was spiraling. She tried calling Grace, hoping to get her to admit that the video was fake, but Grace had already blocked her. She tried calling Yancey again, ready to pour out more tears, but he didn''t answer.


    Her face twisted with frustration.


    She had no choice but to urge Sloan to act faster. The n was


    clear-abduct Grace, force her ton et


    admit she pushed Alice, confess to


    faking the audio recording, and then make her disappear forever.


    ...


    Grace shamelessly stayed at Palm Bay for three more days, and finally, she could


    walk normally again.


    At dinner, she stole a nce at Ethan before finally speaking. "Mr. Henderson, I''m heading out tonight. I''ve got to deal with Sloan. He''s basically Alice''spdog. She cries, he acts. He''s definitely nning something against me. I''d rather handle it before it happens."


    "Okay."


    Ethan never said more than necessary, andtely, she couldn''t shake the feeling


    that he was holding a grudge.


    The angrier he got, the quieter he became.


    His face rarely showed much


    emotion to begin with, so most people couldn''t tell when he was


    Vol


    upset. But Grace was more observant than most, so she noticed that whenever he was sulking, the corners of his mouth would turn down just slightly.


    His emotions were hard to read. But there was one thing she was sure of-he was a good man.


    Grace anxiously pushed her food around with her fork.


    "Once I deal with Sloan, I''ll make time toe back and... be your human sleeping aid again. I hope you won''t mind."


    She felt ridiculous saying it out loud, but she couldn''t think of any other way to repay him. Ethan didn''tck for anything except sleep. And that, she could help with.


    He looked up at her, and for the first time in days, the faint downturn at the corner of his lips lifted-just a little.


    "Alright," he replied.


    For reasons she couldn''t exin, Grace''s mood had suddenly improved-a lot. She ate more than usual.


    After leaving Palm Bay, she headed straight home. But the moment she stepped out of the car, she spotted another vehicle already waiting for her. It was a luxury car easily worth millions of dors.


    Her heart skipped a beat. A few well-trained bodyguards stepped out, their sharp movements and demeanor making it clear they weren''t ordinary security.


    They didn''t touch her. Instead, one of them gave a slight bow.


    "Ms. Lambert, Mr. Henderson Senior wants to see you."

 Chapter 133

    Jordan wanted to see Grace.


    Grace instinctively reached for her phone, wanting to call Ethan. But the moment she pulled it out, one of the bodyguards gently pushed her hand down.


    His tone remained polite as he said, "Mr. Henderson Senior won''t harm you. He just wants to have a few words with you."


    She had no choice but to put her phone away. Even as she got into the car, her mind was racing. She had a good idea why Jordan wanted to see her.


    Jordan was a man who had weathered countless storms. Back when he still held power, his reputation alonemanded deep respect. Even now, in retirement, plenty of people still jumped at the chance to see him.


    But in this circle, there were still many who''d never had the privilege of meeting him face-to-face.


    ...


    Grace stepped into the Henderson Residence, a ce that was rich with old- world charm. The property had been in the family for ages. Locals liked to say that back in the day, even prominent politicians used to drop by on their way to the capitol.


    In Druville, no amount of money could buy a house here. Every property in this neighborhood was owned by influential figures.


    As the heavy iron gates swung open, Grace caught sight of multiple guards patrolling the grounds.


    The car continued down the private road for another ten minutes before finally stopping in front of the main house.


    "Ms. Lambert, this way, please," the bodyguard said, still perfectly polite. He never looked down on her as if he hadn''t heard any of the gossip circting about her.


    After stepping out of the car, Grace was led through the grand front hall and up to a study on the second floor.


    The study spanned nearly two thousand square feet, and rich dark rosewood was used throughout, filling the space with a subtle, earthy fragrance. At its center stood a desk crafted from a rare type of wood that was priceless and impossible to find on the market.


    It was an intimidating space. But when Grace saw Jordan standing behind the desk, calmly painting, she oddly felt moreposed.


    The door shut quietly behind her, leaving only the two of them in the room.


    Jordan, dressed in a suit, slowly set down his brush and rinsed his hands in a basin on the desk.


    Grace gave a respectful nod and greeted, "Mr. Henderson Senior."


    Jordan''s face remained unreadable as he took his time, meticulously wiping his fingers with the towel.


    She didn''t rush to ask why she had been summoned. She simply stood there, calm andposed as if silently engaging in a battle of patience.


    Her poise caught Jordan slightly off guard. He slowly set the towel aside and got straight to the point. "Ethan is the son I value most."


    None of the younger generations of the Hendersons, even collectively, came close to how important Ethan was to Jordan.


    Grace''s expression shifted, bing even more respectful. She replied, "Indeed. Mr. Henderson truly is exceptional-a powerhouse in the business world."


    Jordan''s eyes narrowed slightly as he gave her a slow once-over before saying, "There''s no need for ttery, Grace. Not with me."


    She felt her palms grow damp with sweat and quickly raised her head. "Mr. Henderson Senior, I understand what you''re getting at. But I can assure you-I''ve never dared to harbor any romantic thoughts about Mr. Henderson. You''ve likely misunderstood."


    After a pause, she added, "I''m staying in Palm Bay on Mr. Yule''s instruction. Mr. Henderson''s insomnia was bing a real issue; it was affecting his health. I happen to have a unique physical condition that seems to help him sleep, like a natural sedative.


    "That''s all it''s ever been. There''s never been anything inappropriate between us. You''re wee to ask him yourself."


    Her tone was polite, her words clear and unflinching.


    Jordan slowly sat down, lifted the cup from the side table, and gently brushed away the foam on top before taking a sip. He then said, "T believein Ethan. He once told me he''d never marry because the person he truly cares about..."


    He paused, took a slow sip of tea, then gently set the cup down before he continued, "If he hadn''t chosen to let go of what happened two years ago, I wouldn''t have spared you."


    Jordan was clearly referring to the car ident.


    A chill crept down Grace''s spine. She froze slightly, forcing herself to stay calm. Without knowing the full truth, she didn''t dare say anything reckless.


    Jordan added, "Ethan isn''t someone you can climb your way up to. He''ll never love you. His heart already belongs to someone else. In our family, he''s the only one who''s ever loved like that."


    So, it was true. The entire


    Henderson family knew Ethan loved Eleanor. And Eleanor''s death was tied to Grace. It spoke volumes.


    about Ethan''s upbringing-thare


    with what happened, he had never onceshed out.


    She drew in a quiet breath and then said, "Mr. Henderson Senior, I understand. If I ever cross a line with Mr. Henderson, I''ll ept whatever consequencese."


    Someone like Jordan could make someone disappear without a trace. For the sake of survival, she added a lie she knew he''d want to hear.


    "Besides, the entire Druville knows I''m already in love with someone else. I may have been distant with himtely, but the truth is... I''ve always hoped he''de back to me.


    "Mr. Henderson is undeniably exceptional. He''s elegant and powerful, but he''s not the one for me. He''s way too good for me. And I don''t deserve him."


    Jordan was a little surprised to see how well Grace understood the situation.


    He studied her in silence for several seconds before finally looking away and saying, "If you help with his insomnia, then stay put-and stay quiet."


    Grace let out a sharp breath of relief. Only then did she realize her back was drenched in sweat.


    Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door behind her. She turned and saw Ethan in his wheelchair.


    He must have just arrived. She couldn''t be sure how much he had heard, but in the end, it didn''t matter. She had meant every word.


    Ethan was the dream man for countless women. Even without the use of his legs, he still topped the lists of ideal partners. Some socialites had even pursued him


    willing


    publicly, iming they were to amodate him in any position.


    That kind of boldness was almost ridiculous.


    And yet, for some reason, Grace''s mind wandered. If his condition was permanent, what kind of positions would he use in bed?


    The sound of the wheelchair rolling forward snapped her back to reality.


    Ethan rolled up beside her and greeted Jordan respectfully, "Dad."


    Jordan gave him a rare look of concern. "How''s the physical therapy going?"


    "It''s fine," Ethan replied.


    "Good. Grace, you can go now," Jordan said.


    She nodded quickly and left the study without hesitation. But the door remained open. No one told her to leavepletely, so she naturally just lingered just outside, listening as the conversation continued.


    The first few lines were just polite small talk. It was surprisingly formal, given it was a conversation between father and son.


    Then came a sudden shift.


    "Ethan, are you still waiting for her?"


    Grace''s ears instantly perked up, and a flicker of light sparked in her eyes.


    Ethan was quiet for several seconds before answering with a single word. "...


    Yeah."

 Chapter 134

    Jordan sighed softly. "Fine, make your own decisions. But don''t wait so long that Yancey''s already got a kid while you''re still on your own. When you''re ready to move on, let me know. There''s no shortage of smart, capable women in Druville who''d line up to wait for you."


    He raised a hand and rubbed his brow, clearly frustrated. "You''ve never needed my help with anything else. Why is it that love is where you fall t?"


    Ethan answered calmly, "I''m fine with things the way they are, Dad."


    Grace stood outside the study, listening. Her chest tightened.


    Ethan really was that perfect-brilliant, elegant, andposed. Yet this man was still waiting for someone who would nevere back. Was fate punishing him?


    She swallowed hard.


    Just then, the door opened, and Ethan came out in his wheelchair. As he passed her, he said, "Let''s go."


    She hurried after him.


    When she pushed the wheelchair out from Henderson Residence, there was no car in sight. The main gate was at least a 30-minute walk from where they were.


    With no other option, she ced both hands on the handles of the wheelchair, and the two of them slowly made their way toward the massive iron gates.


    Seriously! How could a family as wealthy as the Hendersons not have a car waiting at the entrance?


    Her gaze drifted down,nding on his back. It was going to be a long 30-minute walk, and sooner orter, she''d have to fill the silence.


    "Mr. Henderson, I think Mr. Henderson Senior had a point. You shouldn''t keep waiting forever. Having someone by your side might actually make life a little better."


    "So, you think I''m a cripple; someone who needs to be taken care of, huh?"


    "No! No, not at all. I just... I just don''t want you to be alone."


    That only made it worse, and she rushed to fix it. "Not that you''re not used to it. I mean, someone like you is probably already used to being alone."


    The weight of those words hit her square in the chest, like her heart had been squeezed by a fist. She opened her mouth, wanting tofort him, but everything she could think of sounded weak.


    His loneliness wasn''t something she-or anyone else could fix. The only person who could was long gone. And he was still waiting... for someone who would nevere back.


    Grace tightened her grip on the wheelchair handles. She couldn''t help but say, "Honestly, there are so many amazing women in Druville. You could easily find someone incredible. Maybe even through a marriage alliance. One of those partnerships could eventually turn into real love. You''d have someone to walk with, read, travel with "


    She would''ve kept going, but Ethan cut her off. "How does the moon look tonight? Does it look good?"


    Her steps faltered, and she looked up almost automatically. "Uh... Yeah, it''s not bad."


    Ethan responded with a casual hum.


    What... What was that supposed to mean?


    Grace held her tongue, unsure of what to say. The silence dragged on until the


    That was when she finally spoke. "The moon''s nice, sure... but you definitely look better, Mr. Henderson. When I''m around you, I don''t even notice the moon. It honestly feels like a waste that no one''s appreciating how good you look." C¨®ntent


    She knew she was rambling at this point, but she couldn''t help it. The heavy silence that always hung around Ethan got to her, giving her the impression that his emotions were buried too deep to reach.


    He gave a low chuckle as soon as the words left her mouth.


    Grace let out a breath, instantly feeling like all her babbling had been worth it.


    He chuckled for several seconds before asking, "So, you''ve been admiring me this whole time?"


    He meant had she really been checking him out?


    Well, it was toote to be shy now. She had already gone to that point.


    "Of course! I can''t help sneaking a few nces. Mr. Henderson, you''re ridiculously


    good-looking, no doubt about it."


    Ethan merely replied with a hum.


    Oh god... Now, she didn''t know what to say next.


    Because the truth was, she had never dared to think beyond that. She had never dared to cross a line. So even if she had been admiring his face and his presence, it had nevere with desire. Anything more would''ve felt wrong on every level.


    "Mr. Henderson, I really do think you''re a genuinely good person."


    He was well-mannered and disciplined, and he actually stood for something.


    Maybe it was just human nature to be drawn to beauty, but seeing someone like him smile made her want to try harder.


    Ethan''s lips curved ever so slightly, but he didn''t look at her. His gaze drifted out the window instead. "Do you have a daily quota to meet tonight? Like a KPI forplimenting me?"


    Grace froze, her eyes going wide. She could hardly believe Ethan had actually said those words. So, he knew how to crack a joke.

 Chapter 135

    "Not at all. I just felt likeplimenting you."


    Grace gave a shy smile as she scratched her cheek. That was when she realized the car was already heading toward her apartmentplex.


    When it stopped, she stepped out and bent slightly to knock on the window politely. "Well, I''m heading in. Thanks for the ride."


    "Okay."


    She turned and walked into the building but couldn''t resist ncing back. Ethan''s car was still parked there.


    As soon as she reached her floor, she ran into Selene.


    Selene was the kind of woman who turned heads wherever she went. She was confident and striking. That night, she looked like she had just gotten home too. Her wine-red curls framed her pale skin perfectly, and her whole vibe screamed domineering.


    Though they lived on the same floor, Grace didn''t know her well. But Selene was the first to speak.


    "I noticed a sketchy car circling the block earlier. I think it''s parked right below your unit."


    Grace''s heart sank. That had to be Sloan.


    "Thanks," she said quickly.


    Selene''s hair was styled in soft, voluminous waves, now dyed a rich burgundy that brought out the brightness in herplexion.


    She leaned against her doorframe with her arms folded, her eyes sharp as she studied Grace. Then, she asked casually, "So, that audio recording online is it really fake?"


    "Huh?"


    Grace''s brows drew together. She hadn''t heard what the Lambert family was spinning.


    Selene took a step closer, clearly intrigued.


    "That recording of Alice. It was a pretty big blow-up, yeah? But this afternoon, the Lambert family made a statement. They said you faked the whole thing and you''d be clearing it up soon."


    Grace gave a dry smile. No wonder. Aside from Quentin, she had blocked every member of the Lambert family.


    Selene jingled her car keys in front of her with a smirk. "I think that car outside is here for you. I''m in a good mood tonight. Do you want me to drive you somewhere? I''m a former MMA champ."


    The wild, unbothered energy Selene radiated made her instantly maic-the kind of older-sister energy that made younger guys swoon. And oddly enough, Grace didn''t feel any distance between them even though they barely knew each other.


    She had just spent time talking with the most emotionally repressed man on the, who, for once, had cracked a joke. Her mood was already light. "Sure. Let''s go."


    It felt strange-how someone so unfamiliar could feel so easy to be around. They reached the parking lot, and Grace eyed the car lurking in the shadows.


    "Do you recognize Sloan''s ride? I''m guessing it''s him."


    Selene yawned, a subtle floral perfume fingering as she stretched. "Yup. It''s him. He brought two goons with him. I''ve actually hired those guys before. They''ll do anything for cash. They''re real scumbags."


    Grace shot her a weird nce. She was hiring thugs like it was no big deal.


    Selene smiled and said, "When I run into a really difficult client, I just have people rough them up a little, and they usually calm down after that.


    Then, Dswoop in to y the


    ven


    She said it like it was just business as usual, not the least bit ashamed.


    Grace couldn''t help butugh. This woman was seriously her kind of crazy.


    "So, what you''re saying is... you could pay off those two and turn them on Sloan?" "In theory? Yes."


    That was all Grace needed to hear.


    The two of them exchanged a look and high-fived. Selene immediately pulled out her phone and made a call.


    Meanwhile, Sloan was sitting in the back seat of his car with his two hired thugs. He was impatient and irritable. He''d been waiting for Grace to show up. His n was simple-grab her, force her to admit the audio recording was fake, and make her disappear. He''ebdo whatever it took to make Alice happy.


    But Grace never showed.


    He leaned back, ready to groan¡ªonly for a chloroform-soaked rag to p over


    his mouth and nose. He didn''t even have time to react. Within seconds, he was


    out cold.


    The car doors opened. Grace and Selene stood outside, staring down at the unconscious Sloan.


    The two hired goons-now standing beside the car-immediately straightened up when they saw Selene.


    "Ms. Jensen!" they respectfully greeted her in unison.

 Chapter 136

    Selene was no doubt a VIP client. She waved the guys off and climbed into the car with Grace, curious to see how she nned to handle it.


    Grace grabbed Sloan''s phone, unlocked it using his fingerprint, and immediately pulled up his chat with Alice.


    She had to admit that Sloan was a total simp. Every other word out of his mouth was praise for Alice. It was like he couldn''t wait to treat her like some kind of princess. And he didn''t hold back when it came to Grace either. The things he said were far from kind.


    What a waste of a perfectly good bootlicker. But it was time to let the fool see the truth for himself.


    Grace typed a message on his phone. "Alice, I''ve got Grace. Do you want toe see her? You can do whatever you want to her tonight. I just want to show you that I''ll do anything for you."


    For Alice, that message was pure gold. She responded almost instantly with gushing praise and said she was on her way.


    Grace chose a remote and half-abandoned construction site on the edge of town. Inside one of the small site shacks, a single light glowed overhead.


    Alice pulled up, giddy as hell, practically skipping toward the shack. She had already fantasized about how to end Grace once and for all.


    But the moment she flung the door open, she froze. Inside the room was a tied-up Sloan and two unfamiliar, shady-looking men in odd disguises.


    Her stomach dropped. She immediately turned to bolt, but the door mmed shut behind her.


    A bucket of ice-cold water was dumped on Sloan, jerking him awake. He blinked through the wet strands of hair stered to his face, just in time to see Alice standing there, a knife held to her by one of the men.


    Panicked, he tried to jump up, only to realize he was tied tight.


    Meanwhile, Alice was already in full panic mode. She yelled, "Sloan! What the hell is going on? Didn''t you say you caught Grace?"


    Sloan was just as lost. Thest thing he remembered was chilling in his car. Then bam, he was knocked out. He had no clue who had taken him or how.


    The two goons in the room were now wearing wigs and face masks. Sloan didn''t recognize them at all even though they were the same guys he hired.


    Then, the door opened again.


    Two more people walked in-Grace and Selene, both dressed in full disguise. Selene, naturally, refused to miss the fun, so Grace just rolled with it.


    Grace walked up to Alice, snatched the knife from one of the goons. Without hesitation, she shed Alice''s arm.


    Alice shrieked.


    Sloan nearly lost it and snapped, "What the hell are you doing? Come after me if you''ve got a problem! What kind of coward hurts a woman?"


    Alice was sobbing in pain, frozen stiff. She didn''t dare make a move, terrified she might actually die tonight. She wasn''t ready to die-not yet. Not before she got her ws into the Lambert family fortune and not before she watched Grace get chewed up and spit out by the world.


    But just as she opened her mouth to beg, Grace cut her other arm. Both wounds were about the length of a finger. And honestly, they look pretty terrifying. Alice nearly passed out from the sight.


    Sloan''s face had gonepletely white, and he screamed himself hoarse. "Come after me! Leave her out of it! Come after me!"


    Grace smirked under her hood and shoved the knife into Alice''s trembling hands. Her voice dropped to a cold rasp.


    "Fine. Your Prince Charming said so himself. If you stab him a few times, maybe you won''t suffer as much tonight."


    Alice sobbed as she shook her head. "No... I don''t want to... I don''t..."


    Watching her fall apart only made Sloan more determined. "Do it, Alice. Stab me. I can take it. I love you. I''ll prove I love you more than Yancey ever could!"


    "Sloan..." Alice whimpered, crocodile tears flowing, but inside, she was seething. Her arms throbbed in agony. She wanted Grace dead, now more than ever. But she knew if she stabbed Sloan right now and they somehow made it out alive, she''d lose herst loyalpdog


    Lucky for her, she was damn good at maniption. So, she clutched the knife tighter and sobbed louder as she started slowly walking toward Sloan step by step.

 Chapter 137

    Selene watched Alice''s exaggerated behavior and then nced at the calm andposed Grace beside her. She muttered, "Are you a devil or something?"


    How could Alicee up with such a nasty trick?


    Selene and Grace were on the same page, and it was clear that Alice knew what she wanted. Alice had already moved toward Sloan with the knife.


    Sloan saw her tears and felt everything was worth it. He even shut his eyes.


    "Alice, I know you''re doing this because you have no choice. I won''t scream because I know you''re hurting inside too!"


    Alice pressed her lips together, her eyes red from crying. "Sloan, I''m so sorry. I really am."


    "You haven''t wronged me at all. It''s all my choice! Please don''t cry! It breaks my heart seeing you cry!"


    Alice''s eyes shed with a ruthless glint, and she drove the knife forward. But it didn''t hit any vital spots.


    Sloan let out a low grunt but managed to hold back from screaming in pain. He didn''t want to embarrass himself in front of his crush. As long as he survived tonight, he''d feel like he and Alice had been through a life-or-death trial together. Maybe after that, Alice would leave Yancey for him. He didn''t feel any pain at all with that thought in mind. In fact, he felt strangely pleased.


    Alice, sobbing, pulled the knife out and looked toward Grace. "Is this enough? You devils!"


    Grace pulled a bottle of mineral water from behind her, a faint smile curling her lips as she lowered her voice again. "We''re just getting started. This bottle of water isced with poison, and by the end of the night, only one of you can survive."


    She nced at the two goons, signaling them to grab Alice.


    Alice''s face was instantly drained of all color, and she struggled desperately. "No, please, I beg you. Please don''t do this!"


    She had been putting on airs just moments ago, trying to y the part. But now, all that bravado vanished after realizing her life was on the line. She broke down, crying violently and without restraint.


    Grace slowly approached with the bottle of mineral water, her tone cold and cruel. "Ms. Lambert, you brought this on yourself by crossing the wrong person."


    With that, she twisted open the bottle cap and made a motion as if she were going to pour the water into Alice''s mouth.


    Alice''s eyes were wide with terror, and she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die! I won''t drink it. Why won''t you let Sloan drink it? I really don''t want to die! Didn''t he say he''d do anything for me?"


    Sloan''s eyes shot open immediately once she said this as if he couldn''t believe his ears.


    Grace''s movements froze as well.


    Upon seeing that her plea was having an effect, Alice''s voice became even more desperate. "You can let Sloan drink it! He said he''d do anything for me. I don''t want to die!"


    Grace motioned for the bodyguards to release Alice.


    Alice''s body went limp like spaghetti, and she copsed to the floor, writhing like a helpless creature.


    Grace crouched slightly and ced the bottle of water right before her. "Ms. Lambert, will you drink it, or should he be the one to?"


    Alice suddenly sprang up from the ground, snatched the bottle, and rushed over


    to Sloan without the slightest hesitation. "He''ll drink it, of course!"


    Her voice was filled with raw panic. She was too frantic to hide her fear.


    Sloan was still in shock. This was nothing like the Alice he knew. The Alice he knew was kind-hearted and wouldn''t even step on an ant. How could she be so monstrous Row when life and death were at stake?


    He didn''t say anything until Alice twisted the cap off and held his mouth open.


    Now, Sloan was the one starting to panic. "Alice..."


    A ruthless glint flickered in Alice''s eyes. She couldn''t be med; she just didn''t want to die here.


    The show had to go on.


    "Sloan, I''m sorry, but I want to live."


    Sloan''s face flushed red with anger. "Do you think I don''t want to?"


    Alice caught a glimpse of Grace walking toward her, and fear shot through her, causing her body to tremble. In a panic, she shoved the bottle into Sloan''s mouth.


    "Mmph-"


    Sloan struggled violently, but he was tied to the chair andpletely unable to


    break free. Within a minute, he had drunk the entire bottle.


    He bent forward, trying to throw up, but just as he did, he heard Alice throwing the empty bottle to the ground. She immediately felt a sense of relief and aske


    "Can


    leave now? I''ve done what asked."  s?novel


    Grace shook her head, clicking her tongue lightly.


    "Ms. Lambert, you really are ruthless. This poison only takes a sip or two to be fatal, yet you made him drink the whole bottle. Now, he''s beyond saving."


    Alice''s body stiffened, and hearing Sloan vomiting desperately made her seethe with anger. If she ever figured out who was behind this...


    Sloan retched several times, but nothing came out.


    Grace opened the door and waved her hand dismissively. "We''re leaving now. Ms. Lambert, you can go too. I''ll see you next time."


    Selene was a little surprised at her words.


    Was that it?


    Grace added casually before Selene. could fully process it, "Oh, and by the way, that bottle of water you drank wasjust regr mineral water, Mr. Sidler. Congrats, you''re both fine."


    Her words were carefree, but they hit Alice like a thunderp. She staggered


    back, unable to believe what she had just heard. "What?"


    "Didn''t I make myself clear? The water I gave you was just in mineral water, not poison. Congrattions, no one has to die."


    Selene couldn''t help but feel a chill run down her spine. Grace''s maniption was more ruthless than anything she could have imagined. She was worse than the devil himself.

 Chapter 138

    Sloan had always been Alice''spdog, but how could he continue to act that way after everything that had happened tonight? After tonight, he''d finally see everything for what it was.


    Selene followed behind Grace as they walked about 300 feet or so. Only then did she ask in her real voice, "Grace, do you have another trick up your sleeve? I''ll admit, I underestimated you before. But after seeing how unhinged Sloan was just now, what if Alice can talk him down with just a few words? Will he really stop acting against you?"


    Grace removed her hood, her eyes gleaming brighter than the stars in the night sky. "There''s no need to worry. I know Alice, and she won''t leave herself with any evidence."


    "What do you mean?"


    Grace smiled. "She wants to maintain the perfect image. But now that Sloan knows her true nature, he can''t be allowed to live."


    In short, Alice would take matters into her own hands and frame Sloan''s death on the kidnappers from tonight. Everything would go down without a hitch, and she could keep up the act of the sweet, innocent girl.


    Selene raised an eyebrow, grinning. "You''ve really thought of everything, huh? So, should we go in and stop her? Should we save Sloan?"


    Grace leaned back against the car with a smirk on her face. "I''ve already notified the Sidler family, and someone will be here soon to rescue him. If we save Sloan, who''s so wrapped up in his love for Alice, he''ll think it''s just a test for their love.


    "But if the Sidler familyes to rescue him, that makes things all the different." Selene gave her a thumbs-up. "Wow. Impressive, truly impressive."


    Meanwhile, it was just Sloan and Alice left in the shack.


    Sloan was still in a daze. Although his perception of Alice had crumbled, deep down, a sliver of hope remained. "Alice, did you really not hesitate at all just now?"


    Alice''s face remained pale, her back was straight, and her palms were slick with cold sweat. She never expected things to escte to this point. She had figured Sloan would be a goner after drinking that water, but now, the tables had turned entirely.


    A ruthless gleam shed in her eyes. If Sloan told anyone about what had happened tonight, and with that recording still circting and being discussed, everyone would know her past image of innocence was nothing but a facade.


    She had been pretending for five whole years. How could she let all her efforts be undone?


    Alice nced at the knife that had fallen and quickly picked it up.


    Sloan clung to a shred of hope, but when he saw her grab the knife again, his confusion turned to sheer panic. "Alice, what are you trying to do?"


    Her expression remained nk, all traces of vulnerability and innocence gone. What remained was nothing but cold, ruthless calction. "Sloan, please don''t me me for this. To everyone else, you were killed by those kidnappers tonight. Don''t worry. Once I find out who''s really behind all this, I''ll make sure they pay for what happened to you."


    Sloan''s eyes were wide with disbelief, hisst bit of hope shattered into pieces. His face drained of color, feeling like everything that had happened tonight was a nightmare.


    Alice had no intention of stretching this out. She wasn''t the one to do things halfway.


    The next second, the knife plunged into Sloan''s chest.


    His eyes went bloodshot and were filled with hatred as he stared at her. "So, this


    is the real you, huh, Alice? You bitch! You won''t get away with this!"


    His screams were full of anguish and torn with despair. But the stronger his emotional disy, the more ice-cold Alice became.


    "Sloan, didn''t you say you''d give up everything for me? I want your life now, so you just have to give it to me."


    Her expression was calm even when she killed him like it was only natural for someone to die for her.


    Sloan''s pupils contracted sharply. He could feel the knife twist cruelly inside his chest.


    How ruthless, how incredibly ruthless. How had he never seen her true nature before?


    If he had another chance, he would...


    The door was pushed open just then. The Sidler family had finally arrived.


    Alice swiftly dropped the knife upon hearing the footsteps outside. She wiped away all traces of her fingerprints with calcted precision.


    Now, her face was filled with frantic concern as she held Sloan in her arms.


    "Sloan! Sloan, are you okay? Someone... Someone, help!"


    Sloan''sst shred of awareness slipped away when he saw her sudden change in demeanor. In a burst of rage, he coughed up a mouthful of blood before losing consciousnesspletely


    Alice feared that Sloan wasn''t truly dead, so she pressed down firmly on his wound in a quiet corner where no one could see, making sure there was no chance of him surviving.


    The Sidler family rushed Sloan to the hospital.


    Alice anxiously waited outside the hallway. The Sidler family had arrived though only a few people came Since Sloan wasn''t the heir like Julian, only his parents were present.


    Bloodstains covered Alice''s clothes, and she saw them, she cried


    out inish. "Mr. and Mrs. Sidler,


    I''m so sorry. It''s all my fault. Sloan and I were both kidnapped tonight."


    The Sidlers didn''t have the time or energy to question her involvement. They were


    too focused on waiting for the operating room doors to open.


    Alice''s face twisted with unease as she silently prayed that Sloan wouldn''t be revived.


    However, when the operating room doors opened two hourster, the doctor took off his mask and spoke with a voice filled with relief.


    "The knife didn''t hit the heart, but it was very close. He''ll need to stay in the ICU for a few days. If he pulls through, he should make a full recovery within a year."


    The Sidlers were ovee with tears of joy while thest trace of color drained from Alice''s face.


    The Sidler family turned to her. They had regained enough energy to exchange a few words with her. "Alice, right? We''re just d you''re okay too."


    Alice couldn''t force a smile to respond. If Sloan woke up, it would be the end of her. She needed to think of a way out and fast.

 Chapter 139

    On the other hand, Grace and Selene had already returned to their ce.


    Selene casually flipped her hair, clearly pleased with the events of the evening.


    She stretched out a hand in front of Grace. "I like your personality. How about we go shopping together sometime?"


    Since waking up, Grace hadn''t made any new acquaintances besides her friend, Joanne. She shrugged off any reservations and shook Selene''s hand casually.


    "Sure."


    Selene then waved her off. "Alright. I''ll head inside, then."


    The two went their separate ways.


    ...


    Grace was drained from the day''s events, so after a quick shower, she copsed into bed and fell asleep immediately.


    The following day, while she was immersed in her tasks, she was told someone was downstairs asking for her.


    When she went down, she saw Carmen and Liam waiting for her.


    Liam was leaning against a nearby pir with his arms crossed, avoiding eye contact with Grace. However, Carmen stormed up to her and immediatelyunched into a tirade.


    "Why did you block everyone''s numbers? You didn''t evene homest night! We''ve been trying to find you everywhere! Alice had another incident! She was kidnapped! She''s traumatized, and everyone''s still talking about that audio recording.


    "Grace, I won''t say much more, but you need to admit that you''re the one who doctored that recording."


    Grace slowly sat down on the couch in the lobby. "So, you came to see me just for this?"


    Carmen quickly sat down across from her, her tone self-righteous. "This is the most urgent issue right now."


    "Mrs. Lambert, if you want me to admit to it, then you must already suspect that the voice in the recording belongs to Alice, right? It''s not a doctored recording. She was just simply trying to frame me, but it got exposed. Now, she can''t back out, and you, unwilling to see her getmbasted by everyone, came here to find


    me.


    "After all, as your eldest daughter, I''m expendable in your eyes. It won''t matter to you even if I get insulted."


    Carmen''s eyes shed with guilt, but she remained silent for several seconds before saying, "You''ve already been criticized by everyone for so long, so adding this to the pile won''t change much."


    Without a word, Grace grabbed the cup that was still half filled with tea and sshed the contents directly at her.


    Carmen''s hair was drenched, and she looked up at Grace in disbelief.


    "Mrs. Lambert, I hope you''re beginning toe around," Grace said coolly. "I''ve told you before not to talk to me while acting so high and mighty. I''m not obligated to cover for anyone, especially not for someone like Alice.


    "If you don''t want her to suffer, just shift the me to Liam. Or is it that you just can''t bring yourself to abandon your son?"


    Carmen was trembling, her lips quivering as she tried to speak. "Grace, how... did you turn out like this?"


    She couldn''t recognize her anymore. Was this really the obedient daughter she once knew?


    Grace casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shot her a nce. "Don''te looking for me for this kind of thing again. It''s a waste of my time."


    Liam, who had been standing silently at the side, slowly turned to Carmen and asked, "Mom, is the recording really not doctored? Is it really Alice''s voice?" Carmen''s mind was in turmoil. She stared at Grace''s cold, unyielding back as she stood up, seemingly wanting to follow her. But she stopped herself after only a few steps and muttered under her breath, "Where did it all go wrong..."


    Liam''s questions didn''t stop.


    "Mom, answer me! Is what Grace said true? Did you already know that the recording wasn''t doctored? If that''s the case, why are you even here? Isn''t this just tant favoritism?"


    Before he could finish, a sharp pnded across his face.


    "Shut up!"


    Liam held his face in shock. He had never been pped by anyone except for Grace.


    Carmen was also taken aback by her actions. Her heart ached as she lowered herself onto the couch and rubbed her forehead.


    "Do


    you think I want this to happen,


    Liam? You have no idea what kind of


    people Alice''s adoptive parents are You don''t know what she went through in those years and what kind of life she lived outside.O Everything she has suffered is all because of Grace. How am I supposed to look at her with a calm heart after everything that has happened?"


    Carmen rubbed her temples, and the scent of tea lingered faintly in the air.


    "Alice''s adoptive parents are scumbags. She was raised in an abusive household.


    They adopted her to use her as a child bride for their idiot son.


    "Alice started working at 12, giving every penny she earned to her adoptive parents while having to take care of her idiot brother every day. When I went to pick her up, her skin was so damaged, and she


    couldn''t even look me in the eye.


    Liam fell silent in an instant, his chest aching. He bit his lip and said, "But still...


    That shouldn''t have happened..."


    "What shouldn''t have happened?


    The reason she was kidnapped was because Grace intentionally hid the matter and didn''t report it! Alice


    saved her sister. After all Alice


    years of suffering, shouldn''t Grace have treated her better when she came home? But no, she bullied Alice at every turn, never once regretting what happened back then.


    "I''ve seen everything with my own eyes, so how could my heart not be biased? I


    hate Grace now. How can she still sleep at night after everything?


    "Liam, Alice has been seeing a therapist in secret. The doctor says she can''t handle any kind of stress. She''s desperatelycking love...."


    Liam froze, his tone immediately turning urgent. "How long has she been seeing a therapist? Why didn''t I know about this?"


    "She started seeing one the year she came back to the Lambert residence. Due


    to her pride, she doesn''t want anyone to know, not even your father."


    The tragedy of her life was enough to pull at anyone''s heartstrings.


    Her words quickly swayed the young and impressionable Liam. "Mom, what should we do now?"


    "Our best bet is for Grace to admit to doctoring the recording. Otherwise, Alice''s marriage is done for. You could help out too. Try to convince Grace as she''s not as hostile toward you. When she looks at us, it''s like we''re enemies."


    Liam froze, the words hitting him hard. He stayed silent for a long moment before lowering his eyes. "I understand."

 Chapter 140

    Grace ran into Jodie when she returned to the top floor.


    Jodie hadn''t known she worked at Henderson Group until now. Her eyes widened in shock, and her voice cracked as she screamed, "Grace!"


    She quickly strode over, raising her hand as though to p her, but for some reason, she hesitated and lowered it with a sharp look. Her voice seethed with fury. "How dare you show up here? I get it now. You''re here to harass my brother again! How shameless can you be? My brother is getting married!"


    Her voice was so loud that nearly everyone in the surrounding workstations could hear.


    Grace furrowed her brows. She was ready to respond when Tim suddenly walked


    over.


    Tim was all polite in front of Jodie. "Ms. Henderson, please go in. The CEO is free to see you now."


    A sh of joy crossed Jodie''s face at his words.


    She barely spared Grace another nce before running toward the CEO''s office and mming the door behind her.


    Tim watched her retreating figure and then turned to Grace, giving her a cold nod before walking away. The difference in attitude was striking.


    Grace didn''t care. She sat at her workstation and neatly arranged the files before getting up to go to the CEO''s office. She knocked on the door upon arriving.


    "Come in."


    Ethan sat at his desk with a collection of delicate desserts beside him, likely brought by Jodie. Meanwhile, Jodie was chattering away about recent events.


    "Uncle Ethan, I just pped that person right across the face when they tried to frame me. They werepletely stunned. I remember you saying not to hold back when I hit someone, and you''d handle everything afterward!"


    Ethan paused momentarily, still holding a pen in his hand, before responding tly, "Mm, that''s very impressive."


    Jodie was eager to continue but suddenly noticed Grace was also in the room.


    Her eyes shed with quick disdain. "What are you doing here again?"


    Grace didn''t engage with her. She ced the files next to Ethan ande gently tapped them. "Mr. Henderson, You mind confirming this?


    The other party is looking for-"


    Jodie interrupted her before she could finish. "Grace, can''t you see I''m talking to


    my uncle? Can''t you deal with your businesster?"


    Grace''s expression remained calm, and just as she was about to retort, she saw Ethan push the files aside.


    "Come look for meter," he said in a t tone.


    She froze briefly, processing his words. She retrieved the files after several


    seconds while maintaining a respectful attitude. "Alright."


    While opening the office door, she could hear Jodie''s excited voice.


    "Uncle Ethan, then she said she would call the police to have me arrested. Do you know what happened after that? I called Tim, and she apologized."


    This scene could appear warm were it not for the hidden affection in Jodie''s eyes.


    Grace couldn''t shake the strange feeling that lingered in her chest after she returned to her workstation.


    She went to the break room to get some water. As she was filling her cup, she overheard a conversation.


    "Don''t you think Ms. Henderson and the CEO are a bit too close?"


    "She heard someone was secretly in


    love with the CEO thest time she came by and pped the person right away. She then called them a peasant pining over the prince."


    "Also, the CEO really dotes on her. I heard she even has a personal bodyguard at her university."


    "They''re from the Henderson family, so it isn''t strange, right? It''s just the CEO being indulgent with his younger cousin."


    "You''re wrong. I overheard gossip at


    a nightclub, and it came from Ms Henderson herself. Apparently, she was adopted by the Henderson'' family and has no blood rtion to them."


    Grace took a sip of water and calmly knocked on the door.

 Chapter 141

    The people inside were startled when they heard the knock. But once they saw it was Grace, they let out a sigh of relief and even pulled her into their gossip


    session.


    "Grace, you know her brother, right? Was she really adopted? Do you think Mr. Henderson has feelings for her?"


    Grace filled up her cup and smiled lightly. "I''m not really sure."


    As she was about to leave, she overheard a few sarcasticments.


    "Pfft, ''not sure.'' I think she''s just afraid of offending Jodie."


    "Yeah, Yancey is Jodie''s brother. It''s no secret that she''s still obsessed with him."


    "She''s living without any dignity. Shepletely humiliated herself for a man. It''s disgusting."


    Grace turned around and smiled brightly at the group.


    "Gossiping during office hours, huh? I''ll just tell Mr. Henderson about this and maybe he''ll dock your pay."


    The group immediately paled. They quickly refilled their cups and left in a hurry. Grace was still seething, feeling unsettled as she returned to her desk.


    Just then, Jodie walked out of the office. As she passed Grace''s workstation, she swiped all the documents off Grace''s desk with a smug look. She then looked at Grace like a proud little princess, waiting to watch her reaction.


    However, Grace said nothing. Upon seeing that, Jodie lost interest almost immediately.


    "What''s wrong? My brother mentioned your temper has been acting uptely, but you don''t seem that bad."


    She rolled her eyes and added, "Oh, by the way, I''ve got dinner ns with my uncle tonight. Just so you know, none of your tricks will work on either my brother or my uncle. You''re nothing more than someone who can only run errands for the men of the Henderson family."


    With that, she strutted off.


    The people at the other workstations began whispering among themselves.


    Grace ignored them, bending down to pick up the documents from the floor.


    Jodie had Ethan backing her up, and he was someone she couldn''t afford to offend. A wise person would know when to step back.


    Just as she finished tidying up the documents, the internal line rang.


    Ethan''s voice came through. "Come in."


    Only then did she take the papers inside.


    The office, which had previously been quiet and solemn, now smelled of desserts.


    It was a stark contrast to Ethan''s usualmanding air.


    Grace stared at the delicate desserts that hadn''t been eaten yet until Ethan''s


    voice broke her thoughts.


    "Are you hungry?"


    She quickly shook her head. "Mr. Henderson, it''s still the same issue from earlier. Could you take another look? The partner has raised some


    Gerns."


    "Come here."


    Ethan''s tone was firm, like an order. Before she even realized it, she had taken a few steps forward.


    He picked up a piece of dessert with his slender fingers and then spoke again. "Crouch."


    Grace didn''t crouch but avoided his gaze. "I''m not hungry. I won''t eat it. Besides, Ms. Henderson brought these desserts, and she''ll be angry if she finds out."


    "Are youining?"


    Her cheeks instantly flushed. She was about to deny it when Ethan grabbed her wrist and gently pressed her down. The scent of the dessert quickly filled the air near her, and there was even some fruit jam on it.


    When it touched her lips, she instinctively licked it.


    Ethan nced at her once, then quickly looked away, his focus shifting to the documents before him.


    Grace didn''t hesitate further when the dessert was brought to her mouth. She took a piece and started eating.


    She then noticed Ethan''s ears were turning red out of the corners of her eyes, and


    he seemed to be trying to hide it as he flipped through the papers.


    Could it really be because he fed her a piece of dessert?


    She inwardly scoffed, concluding that despite Ethan''s tough exterior, he might actually be a bit innocent.

 Chapter 142

    After Grace finished one of the desserts, Ethan slid the revised document across to her. The point he had marked was already highlighted.


    Grace reached out to take it, but her fingertips identally brushed against his. The document slipped from her hand andnded on the desk.


    She was slightly taken aback, but Ethan was already looking down, absorbed in whatever he was scribbling with his pen.


    Grace assumed he was too busy to notice, so she simply picked up the document from the desk.


    "I''ll head out now, Mr. Henderson," she said.


    "Mhm."


    Just as she was about to leave the office, he suddenly said, "There''s a social gathering at 7:00 pm tonight."


    Grace immediately understood his meaning. "Got it. I''ll go with you."


    She then shut the office door behind her and returned to her desk.


    She had expected the day to pass quietly from then on, but Yancey appeared just as it was nearing the end of the workday. His face looked grim, and his energy seemed low. He stood beside her desk in silence before speaking hoarsely. "Liam''s waiting for you downstairs. He''s been there all day."


    Grace frowned, stood up, and walked toward the elevator while Yancey followed closely behind. When they reached the ground floor, she spotted Liam right away. He was holding a cigarette between his fingers. Once he saw her, he quickly snuffed it out.


    Grace smacked his head. "How are you already picking up bad habits at this age?"


    "I''ve just been feeling a little stressed. Can youe with me to the shop next door? I''ll only take ten minutes of your time."


    Grace wasn''t the type to hold grudges against her younger brother, so she went with him. No one called out to Yancey, but he still trailed after them.


    They sat down in the nearby coffee shop. Liam ordered a dessert and slid it across the table toward her.


    Yancey sat beside Grace and shamelessly ordered one for himself too.


    Grace didn''t pay him any mind. She didn''t own the coffee shop, so he could sit wherever he liked.


    She had just had dessert in Ethan''s office earlier, and with her strict standards for her figure, she wasn''t in the mood for another. Instead, she cut straight to the point. "Alright, what''s the matter? Why did youe to find me?"


    Liam hesitated, fumbling for words for a whole minute.


    Grace quickly guessed that it was probably rted to Alice. She couldn''t help but find it amusing. She picked up her iced coffee and sipped on it, the bitterness spreading across her tongue.


    "So, are you here to try to convince me to say that the recording was my doing? What is it this time? Is Alice throwing another tantrum at home?"


    Liam felt as if he had just been pped hard across the face. But how could he just stand there and do nothing after hearing about Alice''s troubles?


    "Grace... Alice has actually been seeing a therapist."


    Grace raised an eyebrow. "Is it because of me?"


    Liam stammered, "I-It''s because of you. Her adoptive parents have been awful to her, and Mom''s been crying every day recently. Grace, the family will make it up to you."


    Grace took a deep breath and set her cup down. "So, the whole fake pregnancy thing and the frame-up is just going to be brushed aside, right? She really does have it easy with all of you supporting her. She gets to walk all over me, using my name to craft her perfect little image while disappearing to let you all take the hits. You''ve really let me down, Liam."


    A flicker of panic shed across Liam''s eyes, and he suddenly stood up. "Grace, do you think I want this? just want everyone to be okay! Alice has psychological issues, so why can''t we give her a little leeway? And don''t you feel any guilt? She wouldn''t have been taken away If it weren''t for you back then!"


    The more Liam spoke, the more frantic he became, his words tumbling over each other.


    "Do you remember the time before she was abducted? You were a sickly child, always in and out of the hospital. Only the doctor could see you. I couldn''t even visit you, but Alice would sneak in to bring you food."


    His voice cracked, and his eyes welled up with tears. "Back then, everything was so good between us. I just don''t understand how it all ended up like this." Grace sat across from him, watching his tears fall onto the table with a soft plink.

 Chapter 143

    A sharp, dull pain shot through Grace''s chest.


    She stared nkly at the coffee cup on the table. It was Yancey beside her who broke the silence.


    "When did Alice start seeing a therapist?"


    He was clearly unsettled despite having been furious with Alice only a day ago.


    Liam sat back down, his mood slowly calming. "She started aftering to the Lambert family. Mom said she was abused by her adoptive parents while growing up."


    Was it too much to forgive a person with severe psychological trauma for making one mistake?


    Yancey hesitated briefly before ncing at Grace and speaking. "Grace, I know this whole situation has been unfair to you. I promise I won''t use you without reason again. I''ve thought a lot about Alice and me these past few days.


    "You''re my fianc¨¦e in name, but I''ve been sneaking around with her behind your back. I admit that was my fault. If you''ll admit to doctoring the recording, I''ll publicly announce that we''re breaking off our engagement. From then on, we''ll go our separate ways with no further ties between us."


    No one in their circle had been officially told about their engagement being called off until now.


    Even though preparations for his marriage to Alice were already underway, society had always been harsh on women. As long as the engagement wasn''t formally ended, Grace would be seen as the abandoned woman-the one whose marriage had been broken before it even began.


    Grace met Yancey''s gaze, but he couldn''t bring himself to look her in the eye. Her gaze shifted to Liam, who also avoided her eyes.


    She gently tapped the coffee cup, a faint smile tugging at her lips.


    "Fine."


    She pulled out her phone and posted a message on her social media.


    "I fabricated the audio recording circting online."


    She had a lot of followers on social media, but she had lost all memory of them.


    Her post quickly garnered countlessments, but she couldn''t be bothered to check them. Instead, she handed her phone to Yancey.


    Yancey''s lips were pressed tightly, his fingertips trembling slightly. Suddenly, memories of the good times he shared with Grace flooded back.


    Grace had truly been good to him. She would make him stew in the dead of winter, neverining even when the hot liquid burned her skin. She would stay by his side when he was drunk and always look at him with those bright, adoring eyes.


    Now, all of that was gone.


    Yancey pressed his lips together, took a deep breath, and posted something on his social media as well.


    "Alice and I will get married at the end of the month. My engagement to Grace was annulled long ago. I''ve said many hurtful things about her and sincerely apologize to her here. I was the one who changed my mind and broke the already set


    engagement. I disappointed her, and for the sake of my reputation, I said many things that demeaned her.


    "I was wrong. From now on, we''ll go our separate ways with no further ties between us."


    His post also caused an uproar.


    Grace read it and felt strangely satisfied. At least this scumbag knew how to write


    a decent apology.


    She stood up to leave, but Yancey suddenly stood as well.


    "Grace."


    He then pulled her into an embrace before she could react.


    Grace froze and saw Ethan going past the floor-to-ceiling window out of the corners of her eyes. She wasn''t sure if he saw her, but she felt an ufortable tightness in her chest.


    Yancey let go of her before she could push him away.


    "Grace, I''m sorry about me and Alice."


    Grace''s attention was already fixed on Ethan''s retreating figure. Her heart raced in frustration, and she couldn''t care less about Yancey''s current apology. She stepped. forward, heading straight for the


    door, determined to chase after


    Ethan.


    He was apanied by several high-ranking people. They were most likely his subordinates who were about to attend a business function with him.


    Grace caught up with him, her hands instinctively reaching for his wheelchair. But Tim swiftly blocked her way.


    "Ms. Lambert, please stand to the side."


    She cast a quick nce at Ethan. His lips were pressed into a thin line, curling downward.


    "Sorry, Mr. Henderson. I had to take care of something and am a few minuteste."


    She thought he might be upset because of her tardiness and immediately tried to apologize.


    However, Ethan didn''t say a word. The air he gave off was cold, and the atmosphere around him was heavy.

 Chapter 144

    Grace didn''t know that the moment she rushed out of the coffee shop to chase


    after Ethan, Yancey''s expression darkenedpletely. He stared at her, not once diverting his gaze for even a second.


    Sitting opposite him, Liam was startled by the intensity of his stare and immediately spoke up. "Yancey, what''s wrong?"


    He then turned to look in the direction where Grace had vanished, puzzled.


    "You know, Grace has been acting strange. Why is she suddenly trying to get close to Ethan? I remember she used to say she hated him, and didn''t Ethan have a kid? He..."


    Yancey''s face went pale with shock. "Who told you that?"


    Liam scratched his head. "Grace said it herself."


    Did Grace say that?


    How could that be? When did she say that?


    Liam continued, "It''s strange, though. Why would she go after him now? Before, whenever she saw Ethan, she''d practically run the other way. I even asked her about it, and she said Ethan was scary."


    Yancey''s tone suddenly became eerily calm. "Maybe Grace really did lose her memory."


    "Huh?" Liam pursed his lips, then quickly grew anxious after realizing what Yancey meant. "What do you mean? She did say she had lost her memory, but hasn''t she pretended to forget so many times before? We all thought this time was just another act.


    "But if she really has lost her memory, I can see why her personality would change so suddenly."


    A sudden thought struck him, and he wanted to rush to chase after her.


    "We can''t let her get too close to Ethan if she really has lost her memory. If she remembers everything, she''ll probably wish she were dead. You know how she is. What do you think we should do, Yancey?"


    At that moment, Yancey finally believed that Grace had truly lost her memory. A glimmer of hope stirred in his heart.


    It was because she had forgotten everything that she didn''t like him anymore. If she remembered, she would be just like before, always chasing after him and always looking at him with those adoring eyes.


    His heart suddenly raced, and his hands slowly clenched into a fist.


    Liam''s tone remained urgent. "We need a n! What if she falls for Ethan? Damn it! I can''t stand the thought of that cold, emotionless man bing my brother-in-w! Just one look from him would give me nightmares for days!"


    The mere thought sent shivers down his spine.


    "Yancey! Yancey!"


    He could only pin his hopes on Yancey, but Yancey was about to be his brother-inw too, so he wasn''t sure if he should be involved in Grace''s matters.


    However, Yancey said, "I''ll make her remember. Liam, don''t you want her to stop treating you so coldly? Have you noticed how she seems to not care about you anymore?"


    Liam felt a sharp pain in his chest but still tried to put on a tough front. "I don''t care."


    "You don''t care? Didn''t you say that she pped you to help someone else? She never would''ve done that before."


    Liam winced as though someone


    had stepped on a sore spot, and he immediately jumped up. "I didn''t know she really had amnesia! If it were the old Grace, she would never have done that. The old Grace would cook for me and always speak to me gently. Sure, she got angry sometimes, but I could always calm her down, and then she''d be nice to me again."


    The more he said, the more aggrieved he sounded.


    Yancey seized the opportunity. "Then join me to help me make her remember so


    that she can go back to being the old Grace."


    But Liam hesitated. It almost felt like the current Grace shone brighter than before.


    He bit his lip for a moment before slowly nodding.


    Inside the car Grace felt like the pressure surrounding Ethan was freezing her to the core. She knew he was a workaholic who couldn''t tolerate mistakes from his employees. But wasn''t he


    over


    overreacting just a bit?


    She hesitated several minutes before finally speaking up. "Mr. Henderson, I was a few minuteste. You can deduct my sry if you''d like, but please don''t stress yourself out."


    You


    Ethan looked up at her, his gaze lingering on her before he muttered, "Blockhead."


    Grace quickly apologized. "Yes, yes, I''m a blockhead. Anyway, Mr. Henderson, don''t be upset. Just deduct my sry if there''s an issue."


    Ethan parted his lips as if to say something but then fell silent again. Instead, his


    gaze remained on the files, his wrist visibly tense.


    Grace couldn''t shake the feeling that he seemed even angrier than before.

 Chapter 145

    The awkward atmosphere lingered all the way to the hotel.


    After getting out of the car, Grace quickly moved to push Ethan''s wheelchair. To her surprise, however, she ran into Quentin right at the hotel entrance.


    Quentin was also here for business, and his steps faltered once he saw her. He called out, "Grace?"


    Grace furrowed her brows. No matter where she went, she somehow always ran into a member of the Lambert family. She didn''t want to acknowledge him but saw Quentin walking toward her.


    Although he was getting on in years, she was taken aback by how he maintained an unassuming but polite demeanor in front of Ethan. "Mr. Henderson, it''s been a while."


    Ethan nced up at him, nodding briefly with a simple hum.


    Quentin gave Grace a reassuring pat on the arm and spoke kindly. "I''m at ease knowing Grace is working at Henderson Group now. Mr. Henderson, you''re well- mannered, and I''m sure you won''t hold someone''s past against them.


    "It''s all about ability, and with you guiding her, Grace will surely make great progress. Thank you in advance."


    Grace wasn''t naive and could clearly tell that Quentin was trying to remind Ethan not to hold her past against her. He was probably referring to his legs.


    The awkwardness made Grace ufortable, and it seemed like everyone was reminding her that Ethan''s injury had something to do with her.


    Quentin smiled and continued, "I won''t take up any more of your time. Please, go on with your business."


    He then patted Grace on the shoulder. "Keep up the good work with Mr. Henderson. Once you''ve matured a little more, I''ll be more confident about letting you get involved in thepany''s decisions. It''s time for you to grow up, Grace." Grace didn''t have much affection for this father of hers. Since she had woken up, he had mostly been silent or joined Carmen in reprimanding her. Plus, he always seemed to look at her with those disappointed eyes.


    She felt a bit confused.


    From a parent''s perspective, Quentin''s attitude toward her would make sense if she had truly been as troublesome and reckless in the past. But unfortunately, she didn''t have those memories anymore, so she only felt a fleeting heaviness in her chest.


    She continued following behind Ethan. She really wanted to ask about his legs, but the words just wouldn''te out.


    Soon, they reached the door to the private room, where the business partners were already waiting inside. By chance, one of the business partners recognized Grace.


    His brows quickly furrowed, but he maintained hisposure and greeted Ethan with a handshake instead. "Mr. Henderson, it''s been two years since west met."


    Ethan''s presence was somanding that even in a wheelchair, everyone he met couldn''t help but lean in slightly, their demeanor shifting to one of respect. He gave a brief nod and adjusted his wheelchair. The socializing officially began. The business partner who recognized Grace was a plump middle-aged man in a suit. He had a few drinks, and his gaze repeatedly drifted toward Grace as the conversation flowed.


    Grace felt a bit ufortable, but the man spoke up before she could say anything.


    "Ms. Lambert, you seem to have be much quieter this time."


    A sh of confusion crossed her face, and then the man continued, "I had the chance to meet you once


    about six years ago, here at this ne


    hotel. When you ran into Mr. Henderson, your face immediately soured. Then, you raised your hand and pped him across the face."


    Grace suddenly spat her tea in shock before looking at the person whomented in disbelief. "What?"


    A hand slowly extended a tissue toward her. She instinctively took it, dabbing at the tea on her lips. After a moment of unease, she responded, "You must be mistaken."


    Upon seeing the shock and


    confusion on her face, the business


    partner quickly apologized. "Sorry, I must have misremembered. Surely, no one would dare p someone like Mr. Henderson."


    Grace''s heart was racing, but the more she thought about it, the more unsettling it


    became. She really had no memory of it at all.


    She turned to look at Ethan, but he


    remained calm, his eyshes


    exyer


    lowered as if lost in thought. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly tried to defend herself. "That definitely wasn''t me. I couldn''t have done something like that. really couldn''t. Please don''t joke about it.


    "As a Henderson Group employee, I''ll follow all his orders to a T."


    The business partner quickly changed the subject after realizing he had said something inappropriate, and the atmosphere lightened again.


    But the more Ethan remained silent, the more anxious Grace became.


    She desperately tried to recall anything about her past, but her amnesia barred her from grasping a single fragment.

 Chapter 146

    Grace took the lead this time after the social event ended, stepping directly behind Ethan.


    "Mr. Henderson, I have something I need to ask you."


    After exchanging pleasantries and handshakes, the business partners politely excused themselves, saying they were stepping outside to wait.


    Tim seemed a bit displeased but, surprisingly, didn''t object. The private room quickly emptied, leaving only Grace and Ethan.


    Grace couldn''t hold back any longer.


    "Mr. Henderson, if I''ve ever done anything to hurt you in the past, please don''t take it to heart. My so-called father was right. You''re the kind of person who can put up with a lot. I was young and didn''t know better at the time."


    Ethan casually spun the ss in his hand without saying anything.


    Grace quickly grabbed an empty ss from the table and poured wine into both sses. "I''ll start by drinking three sses to make up for it."


    The gossip she had overheard earlier had her feelingpletely disoriented.


    How good-natured could Ethan be to not have torn her apart if she had really pped him in the past?


    She downed the first ss, then immediately followed with the second and third.


    Ethan parted his lips as if to say something, his eyes drifting to the wine bottle. Thebel showed a high alcohol content. Even someone with a strong tolerance would get drunk after three sses.


    Grace felt a searing heat rise in her belly after those three drinks. The sensation had already hit with the first ss, but there was no turning back after she said it.


    She put the ss down, and the fiery feeling seemed to shoot straight to her head.


    She gripped the edge of the table to steady herself. She even tried shaking her head to keep her wits.


    But her grip was too strong, and the table jolted downward. She lost her bnce and toppled right onto Ethan.


    Ethan instinctively reached out to steady her, but as she clutched the tablecloth, it pulled loose, causing him to jerk his wheelchair backward to avoid having the remnants of the meal spilled all over him.


    Then, he pulled her into his arms as he tried to regain control.


    Grace felt the world spin.


    Before she could react, the wheelchair tipped sideways, and shended directly on Ethan''sp with her weight pressing against his waist.


    Ethan was still dressed in his suit, but now, the buttons on his shirt hade undone, exposing his delicate corbone.


    Grace felt a chill run down her back, and she instantly sobered up. She was about to scramble to get off when the door to the private room swung open.


    The people outside were understandably concerned after hearing the loud crash.


    The business partners and Tim appeared in the doorway, and the first thing they saw were the dishes scattered across the floor, with the wheelchair tipped over nearby. And there, Grace, the foul beast, was straddling Ethan''s waist.


    Ethan furrowed his brows, looking deeply ufortable.


    The business partners stood frozen for a few seconds before rushing forward. Everyone had drunk a little too much, and their words flowed freely without hesitation.


    "Ms. Lambert, what do you think you''re doing here? How could you be so rude?"


    "Exactly! You said you wouldn''t p Mr. Henderson just a moment ago. But look at the kind of position you''re in now!"


    "Ms. Lambert, as a youngdy, you should maintain some decorum. If Mr. Henderson doesn''t want this, you can''t force him into it."


    Grace''s face instantly flushed bright red, and she tried to scramble to get off Ethan. But in her panic, she didn''t even realize that she was still clutching a corner of his shirt.


    When she pulled at it, the remaining buttons snapped off with a sharp crack, scattering across the floor.


    Ethan frowned again, turning his head away. After a long pause, he muttered in a low voice, "Don''t do this."


    His words, more than anything, seemed to confirm what the business partners


    had been saying-Grace, shameless as she was, was forcing herself onto him.


    Tim grabbed the back of Grace''s


    cor with a forceful tug. The veins


    on his forehead were visibly


    throbbing, and he was clearly reaching the breaking point of his patience. "And you still say you have no ulterior motives, Grace? You really have no shame!"


    Although Tim disliked her, he rarely ever spoke with such harshness.


    Grace was speechless and unable to defend herself.


    She saw Ethan quietly reaching up to adjust his shirt, trying to cover his well- toned chest.


    It was done. She had no excuses left.


    "I... I just drank too much."


    The business partners'' faces flushed with alcohol. They had never seen the usuallyposed Ethan in such a vulnerable position. The alcohol had loosened their tongues even more.


    "Drinking isn''t an excuse for this behavior. We all know what''s going on here. You wouldn''t have had the energy for this if you had really drunk too much."


    "People typically drink to gather the courage to do things they wouldn''t otherwise do."


    Grace felt the crushing weight of


    guilt. She froze for a few seconds,


    then nced at Tim as he helped


    let


    Ethan up and righted the overturned


    wheelchair. At that moment, it seemed like Ethan was the one


    being victimized.


    She bit her lip, and a thought slipped from her mouth out of nowhere. "So, what


    now? Do you expect me to take responsibility for this?"


    Ethan''s fingers faltered for a moment, but he didn''t respond.


    The business partners all shook their heads, muttering among themselves.


    "Honestly, that sounds like something a ssic jerk would say."


    "Yeah, yeah! I also provoke women like this when I want to avoid getting into a rtionship."


    Grace, now drenched in cold sweat,


    was frantic She wanted to step


    forward and exin, but Tim was


    blocking her path. He stood close to her as if keeping an eye out to ensure she wouldn''t get up to her antics.

 Chapter 147

    Grace''s eyes flicked to Ethan, but Tim was standing in the way.


    "Mr. Henderson, I swear I didn''t mean to do it. My mind just wentpletely nk after drinking those three sses."


    By now, Ethan was seated in his wheelchair, facing away from her. He still hadn''t said a word.


    Grace''s face turned red with frustration as she saw Tim turning to push Ethan away.


    "Mr. Henderson!"


    Finally, Ethan lifted his head. His clothes were straightened, his gaze was calm, and his voice was low. "I know you didn''t mean anything by it."


    Grace nodded vigorously but felt like his expression had darkened even more. She stood frozen in ce, helplessly watching as Ethan was wheeled away.


    The business partners followed, leaving one by one.


    The once-bustling private room now fell into a deep silence.


    Grace copsed into a chair, the lingering effects of the alcohol hitting her stomach, making her feel utterly miserable. She sat there for ten minutes, only to hear footsteps approaching from outside the room. She thought the staff were here to clean up the mess.


    But suddenly, the lights in the room dimmed, and before she could adjust to the darkness, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.


    Her back was pressed against the wall, and the man''s overwhelming presence surrounded her instantly.


    She tried to focus and see who it was, but the darkness blurred her vision.


    The next instant, his lips crashed onto hers. Her pupils contracted, and her hands instinctively pressed against his chest, struggling to push him away.


    But the aftereffects of the alcohol hit her hard, and she felt weak.


    Theck of oxygen only deepened her disorientation, and she could sense herself being lifted. Her legs unconsciously wrapped around his waist.


    The feeling was so surreal that she couldn''t tell if it was a dream or reality.


    The man''s dominance was undeniable, like a flood of repressed emotions finally breaking free.


    Grace had nowhere to escape. She was unable to distance herself from the powerful, suffocating air surrounding them.


    Her neck was gripped firmly, and her chin was forcibly lifted. Theck of air made her dizzy, and she lost consciousness again.


    ...


    When she suddenly woke up, she found herself in the same private room. The surroundings were unchanged, but a whole hour had passed. She rubbed her temples,ughing at herself. How did she manage to dream up something so absurd in her drunken state?


    Was she really that desperate for a man''s attention?


    Everyone had always said that she''d been Ethan''spdog for years and that Yancey had always looked down on her. It seemed like no other man had ever really appeared in her life.


    Wanting a man didn''t feel all that strange at her age, and there was no need to feel ashamed about it.


    She sighed, feeling parched.


    As she tried to stand up, her legs wobbled, and she almost copsed to the floor. She felt weak as if she had just woken from an oxygen-deprived slumber.


    Frowning, she leaned against the chair for support and took a long time to gather her strength.


    When she left the private room, she realized the entire floor was empty like it had been cleared out.


    She entered the elevator, leaned against the wall, and yawned. She suddenly felt so drained as if she could pass out at any second.


    It was already 9:00 pm when the elevator reached the ground floor.


    She was about to hail a cab to go home when she noticed that Ethan''s car was still there.


    After remembering the awkward moment from an hour ago, she hesitated to get too close to the car.


    Just as she stepped back a few paces, she heard the sound of a wheelchair approaching, followed by Jodie''s voice.


    "Grace, you really are a bad penny that just won''t quit. How do you manage to pop up everywhere I go? Talk about bad luck!"


    Grace suddenly recalled what Jodie had said this morning-she had arranged to have a meal with Ethan. Was this hotel the ce they were meeting?


    It seemed that after Ethan finished his social event, he went straight to the private room where he had arranged to meet with Jodie.


    She didn''t dare to look at Ethan and didn''t want to provoke Jodie, so she took a few steps back.


    Jodie looked at her face, paused for a few seconds, and then began to curse.


    "You slut, do you have a man on the side? I knew it! That''s why you were so eager for my brother to post those words on his social media. Turns out you''re already hooking up with someone else, huh?"


    Grace frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    vel


    Jodie took a deep breath and sneered, "Don''t think I don''t know what''s going on. You''re ying it acting all innocent, but you''re actually fooling around with someone else in a ce like this? Aren''t you worried about getting caught? Do you have no ''shame?"


    Grace couldn''t be bothered to respond to her, but she didn''t dare leave directly because of Ethan''s presence.


    After Jodie finished her tirade, she quickly ran to catch up with Ethan.


    "Uncle Ethan, told you she''s the kind of woman who doesn''t know her ce. The Henderson family certainly won''t ept someone like her. Anyway, my brother and Alice''s wedding ising up. What should Leven get her as a gift?"


    Grace watched their retreating figures as a pang of difort settled in her chest.


    Her mouth bothered her even more. It felt sore, almost like something sharp was pricking at it. Unfortunately, there was no mirror around, so she couldn''t check.


    She sighed and stood still, wishing she could fall asleep right then and there. But just as she took a step forward, she heard a familiar voice.


    "Grace?"


    "Joanne?"


    Grace felt like she had just found her savior. "I think I''m having an allergic reaction


    to alcohol. Could you please take me home? My mouth hurts so much."


    Joanne seemed to have just finished


    work. She worked hard, juggling


    several jobs at once. She smiled, though there was a hint of concern. "How careless of you. I never knew you were allergic to alcohol"


    She then gently supported Grace''s arm.


    Grace immediately felt much more at ease. Once they were in the car, she leaned


    against the seat, her stomach still unsettled.


    Joanne watched her, her gaze intense but silent.


    Grace noticed the car hadn''t started yet, so she rubbed her eyes and asked,


    "What''s wrong?"


    Joanne shook her head. "Nothing. But you really seem to be having a bad


    reaction."

 Chapter 148

    Grace was genuinely exhausted by now. The alcohol was making her drowsy, and she could barely make out what Joanne was saying.


    The car soon pulled up in front of her ce. Joanne helped her out of the car, and they spotted Yancey waiting outside the neighborhood after a few steps. There were cigarette butts scattered around his feet. He knew Joanne, but not well.


    Joanne respectfully greeted him, "Mr. Henderson."


    Upon seeing the drunken Grace, Yancey furrowed his brows. "Is she drunk?"


    "Yeah."


    He immediately flicked his cigarette to the ground and walked toward her.


    "I''ll help her inside. You can leave now."


    Joanne parted her lips but said nothing, obediently handing Grace over to him.


    As she watched Yancey take Grace inside, she took a photo with her phone and posted it on her social media.


    "The people who are meant to be together will always end up together."


    Once the post was up, she returned to her car.


    Meanwhile, Yancey helped Grace to the door of her apartment. He noticed her red, swollen lips as he was about to unlock the door with her fingerprint.


    Suddenly, Grace felt herself being dropped to the ground, and before she could react, a bucket of cold water sshed all over her head.


    Yancey was holding the bucket, his face all stormy.


    Grace furrowed her brows. She was fully awake now and took a deep breath. "What the hell is your problem?"


    Only then did she realize she was sitting near her house door, but how did Yancey end up here?


    He threw the bucket aside, then leaned down to grab her by the cor. Grace was forcibly pulled up, and her anger red, but then she heard him ask, "What happened to your mouth?"


    His eyes were dark, and the fire burning in them seemed to consume her.


    Grace took a deep breath before replying, "Let go."


    "I''m asking you, what happened to your mouth?"


    "Allergic reaction."


    "Grace, we''ve known each other for so many years, and I had no idea you were allergic to anything. What are you allergic to?"


    "Alcohol."


    "Huh?"


    Yancey couldn''t believe his ears, thinking it was the biggest joke he had ever heard. "Do you think I''m a fool? Alcohol allergy? Do you even believe that yourself?"


    Grace was genuinely baffled.


    Was it really so ridiculous that she had an allergic reaction to alcohol? How else could she exin the sharp, ufortable sensation in her mouth?


    Yancey suddenly let go of her, and she fell back onto the floor. This time, she was genuinely angry. She braced herself against the nearby wall and stood up.


    She then wiped the water off her face and pointed at the main door. "Yancey, get lost. You''re not wee here."


    Yancey nced at her red lips and the dazed look left by the alcohol in her eyes. Then, he suddenly asked, "Who did you see today?"


    Grace rubbed her temples, already fed up with his need to pry into everything.


    "That''s none of your business. Don''t you think it''s a little inappropriate showing up at your ex-fianc¨¦e''s ce like this, especially with your wedding to Alice just around the corner?"


    "Grace!" he suddenly shouted, not even knowing why he was so angry. He didn''t know whether Grace had been ying around with other men or if she was pretending to act clueless about everything.


    He had never seen her like this before.


    He bit his lip, then walked straight to the door''ll find out even if you don''t tell me. If you''ve been seeing someone behind my back, then I wasn''t the one who betrayed you. We''ll have to settle it properly."


    Grace felt irritated and mmed the door shut. She stormed into the


    bathroom, filled the bathtub with


    e2


    water, and finally saw her lips in the


    mirrocas she undressed. They were indeed very red, with a slightly tingling, painful sensation when touched.


    She couldn''t understand why Yancey was so upset since this was clearly just an allergic reaction.


    She then stripped off all her clothes, only to notice a faint red mark near her thigh. Her hand froze, and her brows furrowed.


    Grace had lost her memory. The things she could remember now were few, and she had never experienced what one would call love or intimacy.


    Her fingers rubbed over the area, and her cheeks instantly flushed. The red spot was so close to her private area.


    Did a mosquito bite her?


    She didn''t have time to think about it anymore. Once the bathtub was full, she stepped in slowly and submerged herself in the warm water, enjoying thefort of a long bath.


    Twenty minutester, she dried herself off and went straight to bed. Her body was warm, and she was sure she''d sleep soundly tonight.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Yancey immediately began investigating Grace''s movements that night after leaving her ce. He recalled that she had been following Ethan earlier in the evening.


    Could it be...


    The thought was too wild, but he couldn''t shake it.


    He found out that Ethan had a social engagement at a hotel that evening and immediately drove over to retrieve the surveince footage. He had to find out what was really going on with Grace''s mouth.


    Had those two already hooked up and been hiding it from him all this time? What was he to them, then?


    His chest was filled with anger, and he couldn''t wait to get to the hotel. However, when he finally reached the security room, he discovered that two hours'' worth of footage from that night was missing due to the hotel staff''s negligence.


    The hotel manager profusely


    apologized, saying, "I''m really sorry, Mr. Henderson. The staff in the monitoring room fell asleep and identally pressed the button to stop recording. So, the footage from those two hours is missing."


    Yancey''s expression darkened, and he mmed his fist on the nearby table.


    This hotel was one of Henderson Group''s properties and was ranked highly in the entire capital. Plus, all the staff here were professionally trained. How could one of them fall asleep on duty?


    "Fire him!" he shouted while tugging at his tie, feeling a burst of frustration he couldn''t vent.


    The hotel manager wiped the sweat from his brows and hunched even lower. "That staff member actually didn''t want to keep working here. He just quit, saying his family won the lottery."


    Yancey took a deep breath, feeling even more suffocated.

 Chapter 149

    Yancey couldn''t get his hands on the hotel''s surveince footage, so he had no choice but to head back home.


    A lot had been happening at his housetely. For one, his mother, Lily, had been storming off to his grandfather''s house toin about everything, and his grandfather was seriously fed up with it. His father was still dealing with the fallout from his affair and hadn''t been home in days.


    Yancey slumped in the car, chain-smoking several cigarettes before he finally drove back to the house. When he stepped through the door, he could hear Lily yelling at her sister, Yelena, on the phone.


    "Yelena, don''t even think about it! Do you really believe that he''ll care about you just because you slept with him? He told me he didn''t get any pleasure from doing it with you! I don''t even want to call you my sister anymore! It''s us or nothing from here on out!"


    Yelena''s side of the conversation was a mystery, but Lily had lost itpletely. She swept everything off the coffee table, sending it crashing to the floor.


    The recent events had stripped her of any dignity. She used to y the role of the perfect, virtuous wife, but now, it was impossible to keep up the act.


    Every time she left the house, people would whisper and point fingers at her, knowing full well that her husband had slept with her sister.


    Yet Yelena had no sense of shame. On that very night, she had taken plenty of photos and videos, and now, she was using them to extort money from Andrew.


    As for Andrew, Jordan had hurled two cups at him because of the scandal. He couldn''t risk letting the photos leak, so whenever Yelena wanted money, he paid up.


    However, greed was an endless pit, and Yelena''s appetite only grew after easily getting ten million dors from him.


    She couldn''t help but thank Grace foring up with such a brilliant way to rake in a fortune so quickly.


    But even that wasn''t enough. She was determined to push Lily out of the way. She wanted her ce at the top, and she needed to work even harder for it to happen.


    With so many photos and videos in her hands, anyone who dared cross her would certainly regret it.


    Lily, still fuming over Yelena''s betrayal, suddenly caught sight of Yancey. She quickly tried to straighten her disheveled hair.


    "Yancey, what are you doing here today?"


    Yancey took in the chaos of the living room, his brows furrowing in concern.


    Lily quickly waved for someone to clean up the mess, her eyes reddening as tears welled up. "Yancey, you''vee at the right time. I need to tell you something. I don''t know who Hendricks pissed off, but they left him in a beggar''s den.


    "He was barely hanging on when we found him. They rushed him to the ICU this morning, and the doctors say that even if they manage to save him, he''ll be in aa."


    Yancey was stunned. "How could this happen? Have they found out who did it?" Lily, who had always enabled Hendricks'' behavior, couldn''t hold back her tears. She shook her head. "No... Ugh, your grandparents are about to cry themselves sick over this. He''s the only child they have left."


    Yancey stood up, feeling a storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. Too much had happened tonight, and he was desperate for some sleep.


    "Mom, I''ll have someone investigate it. I''ll visit him at the hospital soon. Don''t worry too much about it. He has made countless enemies in Druville over the years. It must''ve been one of them."


    Because of Lily''s indulgence, she always covered for Hendricks no matter what he did. He had grown increasingly reckless over time, and getting a beating was just part of the consequences.


    A dark thought crossed Yancey''s mind. Perhaps Hendricks'' obsession with Grace was his own karmic retribution.


    Despite agreeing to let Grace go to Hendricks, Yancey knew that if Hendricks ever touched her, he''d make sure the consequences were something no one would forget.


    He and Grace had known each other for many years, and somewhere along the way, it had be a given in his heart that Grace was meant to be his and someone who would stay by his side for a lifetime.


    He lowered his eyes, his fist slowly clenching by his sides.


    Lily was startled by the sudden cold and intense air emanating from him. Lately,


    she had been feeling like Yancey had changed.


    "Yancey... What''s going on with you?"


    "Nothing. I''m going upstairs to rest. I won''t be going back tonight."


    Although he had his own ce outside, he couldn''t go back tonight and face Alice. She was most likely waiting for him over there.


    Lily rubbed her eyes. "Alright, go rest. By the way, Jodie''s back. She''s on break."


    "Mm."


    vel


    Yancey was usually kind to Jodie, but Lily had grown up in an environment that heavily favored sons over daughters, and this mindset had unconsciously influenced her as well. As a result, she couldn''t treat Jodie the same way she did Yancey.


    She tried to maintain the appearance of a warm, loving mother, but the truth was different.


    Just as Yancey was heading upstairs, he saw Jodie descending the stairs.


    Her eyes lit up, and she excitedly called out, "Yancey!"


    Yancey didn''t have the energy to chat with her. He was about to


    continue up the stairs when he heard her say, "Yancey, that Grace is


    so annoying. I keep running ice is


    her


    everywhere! I had dinner with Uncle Ethan tonight, and I saw her afterward.


    "Uncle Ethan was really something, though. How could he have such a long business dinner? The food I had ordered was already cold by the time he showed up. But he gave me a gift afterward. Heh, the gift''s


    actually pretty nice."


    Yancey froze, his gazending sharply on her.


    Jodie was startled by the intensity in his eyes and stammered, "Y-Yancey, what''s wrong?"


    "You had dinner with Uncle Ethan tonight, and he arrivedte? So, did you two actually eat together?"


    Jodie''s face immediately showed regret. "We barely had a few bites before he said he had to leave. But it''s fine. There''s always next time. And I still got a gift."


    The gifts Ethan gave Jodie were always extravagant, usually sent through Tim. They were thoughtless but still expensive.


    Despite that, Jodie was thrilled. After all, Ethan never gave gifts to any other


    woman.


    She hummed a tune as she started to head downstairs, but Yancey suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    "Yancey, what''s going on?"


    "Jodie, let''s go over the timeline again."


    "What timeline? What''s there to go over? Uncle Ethan was just busy with work, so


    he got therete. It''s not his fault."


    Yancey''s grip on her wrist tightened. "Exactly!"

 Chapter 150

    Jodie winced as Yancey squeezed her wrist, her eyes reddening as she tried to hold back her tears.


    She then forced a tight smile and went over the timeline again.


    Yancey finally let go of her wrist, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "It''s fine. You can go now."


    Jodie nced down at her pale wrist, where a bruise was forming. The pain made her eyes water.


    "Yancey, what''s wrong with you tonight? You''re acting all weird and cryptic. I''m not ying with you anymore."


    With that, she stormed off downstairs.


    As soon as Yancey entered his room, he immediately called one of the business partners who had been at the dinner with Ethan.


    The person had just finished the event and was back home, groggy and barely awake when he picked up.


    "Is this Mr. Yancey?"


    "Yeah, it''s me. I need to ask you something. Did Grace have dinner with you tonight? Was my uncle there too? Do you remember when it ended?"


    The business partner thought for a moment. "Around seven, I think. It was pretty much done by then. But Grace was acting kind of strange.


    "I remember she didn''t really like your uncle before. So, I was surprised to see her in the same private room with him this time."


    He yawned loudly. "But hey, that''s your family''s business, not mine."


    Yancey hung up the phone, his grip on it tightening.


    The dinner had ended at 7:00 pm, and yet Grace didn''t leave the hotel until after nine at night.


    What had she been doing during those two hours?


    Ethan had also finished his business dinner by seven, so he should''ve gone straight to meet Jodie.


    However, Jodie had said he waste, barely ate anything, and even ran into Grace when they were heading downstairs.


    Even if Yancey wasn''t sharp, he couldn''t ignore the growing suspicion about Ethan and Grace this time.


    Besides, Grace had once stayed at Palm Bay and left with a mark on her neck, which she imed was from a mosquito bite.


    After putting all the pieces together, the truth was undeniable.


    Grace and Ethan were definitely involved with each other.


    A cold shiver ran through Yancey, and his chest tightened like a wild animal roared in agony inside him.


    He needed to do something to quell the rising storm in his heart.


    Without thinking twice, he hurried downstairs and grabbed his car keys. He was going straight to where Grace was.


    Meanwhile, Grace was sleeping soundly when suddenly, the doorbell in the living room was being pressed incessantly.


    She frowned, pulling her pillow over her head.


    Who the hell was that? Were they out of their minds?


    She didn''t want to deal with it. In fact, she even put on her headphones, finally achieving some peace.


    However, Yancey wasn''t about to rest. It was as though he wouldn''t give up until he saw her tonight.


    What had started as ringing the doorbell soon escted to him banging on the door.


    of


    After a while, the door at the end the hallway creaked open. Selene stood there, wearing a silk pajama set, Her hair was tousled, and she looked like she had just woken up.


    "Yancey, what the hell are you doing at this hour? If you''re not sleeping, I sure could use some shut-eye."


    Yancey''s bloodshot eyes widened in surprise when he saw her. "Selene?" Selene yawned and absentmindedly twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.


    "Yeah, it''s me. You''re too noisy. Grace''s probably asleep by now. Whatever you need, talk about it tomorrow. I won''t be able to sleep either if you keep banging on the door."


    Selene was the adopted daughter of the Jensen family, and she had shown extraordinary business acumen from a young age, making her a powerful woman in her own right.


    However, the rest of the Jensen


    family was highly wary of her, as ho


    one liked the idea of an outsider


    taking away their inheritance. As a


    result, Selene was now ostracized


    within the family.


    The Jensen family''s heir, Damien, had an especially bad rtionship with her. In fact, their rtionship was notorious for being terrible.


    Because of this, Selene rarely visited the Jensen family''spany. Instead, she did her own thing outside and became a sessful figure.


    Though everyone knew her name in Druville, she rarely got invited to events, as most people didn''t want to offend Damien.


    Yancey''s expression darkened even further. He wasn''t particrly familiar with the youngdy from the Jensen family, but he still managed to mutter, "Sorry."


    Selene''s gaze swept over him. He looked like aplete mess.


    "Mr. Henderson, you''re looking pretty rough right now. Maybe you should calm down a bit. You''ll only scare Grace if you keep acting like this. If I were her, I wouldn''t open the door either," she said.


    Yancey was beyond the point of calming down. He wiped his face and immediately dialed Tim''s number.


    "Where''s my uncle?"


    Tim then gave him a location.


    Ethan was out drinking with Julian and a few others tonight, like they often did.


    There was a small circle in Druville that was almost impossible to get into. It was so exclusive that only four people were in it.


    One was Ethan, another was Julian, then Simon, and finally, Damien.


    Each of these four men was a top figure in their own right, yet they were all close friends.


    Yancey sped toward Velvet Eclipse, a ce with several private rooms always reserved for this group.


    He barged into one of the rooms and immediately spotted Ethan holding a wine ss.


    Ethan''s demeanor tonight was different from usual. Perhaps it was the dim lighting in the room, but he gave off a slightly decadent, alluring air.

 Chapter 151

    There were others in the private room; coincidentally, they were Damien and Julian.


    Damien was even busier than Ethan, and with the Jensen family still in a delicate state, he rarely made time for social gatherings. The only people who could get him to show up were a few select members of their inner circle.


    Yancey ignored everyone else, his gaze fixed directly on Ethan.


    Ethan lifted his gaze slightly, though it was unclear if he actually acknowledged him.


    The anger surged through Yancey instantly, and he stormed forward.


    "Uncle Ethan, I have something to ask you," he said.


    Ethan raised an eyebrow, his expression still as impassive as ever.


    Yancey turned to Julian and Damien. "Would you mind stepping out for a moment?"


    Julian and Damien exchanged a nce. Just as Julian was about to fire off a sarcastic remark, he met Ethan''s gaze.


    Without a word, Julian grabbed Damien''s arm. "Let''s go."


    Damien didn''t say anything either since he''d also been in a foul moodtely.


    Once they left, the lighting in the room remained as dim as before.


    Yancey had grown up in the shadow of Ethan''s influence. Now, with just the two of them, he felt his confidence crumble as if half of his power had evaporated.


    No one in the entire Henderson family dared to challenge Ethan.


    Sometimes, Yancey even wondered if he was some kind of monster. How else could he be so perfect in every way?


    His fingers curled into a fist at his side. The sharp pain brought him back to reality, offering him just a flicker of courage.


    "Don''t you have anything to say to me, Uncle Ethan?"


    Ethan''s fingers still held the stem of his wine ss, and he nced into the deep crimson liquid. "Like what?"


    Yancey, unable to match hisposure, spoke with rising urgency.


    "About Grace. When exactly did you two get involved? Was it before or after she lost her memory? If it was after, then you''re just taking advantage of her.


    "She hates you and despises you, but she''s just forgotten that for now. You must have known about her memory loss long before."


    Ethan sipped his wine, his demeanor still as casual as ever. "Oh? She lost her memory?"


    Yancey''s expression darkened even further.


    He had the distinct feeling that the man sitting across from him was not the same untouchable, cold figure he had always known.


    Something about Ethan had changed. He seemed utterly unbothered, almost invincible to whatever was said."


    Yancey was so enraged that his scalp tingled, and his words became even more reckless.


    "Grace''s lips were swollen tonight. Did you do that to her, Uncle Ethan?"


    Ethan immediatelyughed, and the sound of it sent a chill down Yancey''s spine.


    "What right do you have to question me? Weren''t you just posting a few hours ago about how men and women get married and go their separate ways? Does she really need to report to you who she kisses?"


    Yancey''s pupils constricted, and for a moment, he couldn''t find a way to respond.


    Damn it! Why did he have to post that?


    His body trembled as thest bit of color drained from his face.


    "So, are you admitting that you kissed her, Uncle Ethan?"


    "Who said I''m admitting to anything?"


    Yancey felt utterly defeated in this back-and-forth and was being manipted at every turn.


    He couldn''t take it any longer and mmed a bottle of alcohol to the floor.


    The rich scent of alcohol spread throughout the private room, mingling with the dim lighting. The scene felt chaotic yet tragically beautiful.


    "Ethan, I just want to know when you two got involved. She hated you back then, and you knew that. She was madly in love with me.


    "You can''t possibly tell me that was all an act. She wasn''t pretending to love me and secretly sleeping with you behind my back. Back then, she was my fianc¨¦e, and we were going to get married!


    "If you were already with her back then, then you''re the third party! As a senior,


    aren''t you ashamed to be a third party?"


    His voice cracked on thest words, his emotions surging violently.


    Ethan looked at the spilled alcohol spreading across the floor.


    Yancey thought that his words had left Ethan stunned, that perhaps he would finally stay away from Grace.


    However, Ethan only said casually, "When ites to love, the person who isn''t loved is always the third party, Yancey. You''re still too young to get it."


    Yancey felt like a thunderp had struck him, his entire body swaying. "What did you say?"


    What did he mean by the one who wasn''t loved was the third party? What about morals?


    So, this was the perspective of the Henderson family''s CEO?


    Ethan lost his patience, lowering his gaze. "Stop making a scene. Leave."


    Yancey seemed like a child throwing a tantrumpared to his calmness, but their age difference wasn''t that significant.


    What did Ethan mean when he said he was still too young?


    Yancey was once again left speechless because Ethan was an impossible nut to crack.


    He didn''t even know how he left the private room. All he felt was that the ground beneath his feet had turned to cotton, his whole body teetering as if he might copse at any moment.


    Julian and Damien bumped into him as he stumbled out. They both noticed his strange state, but neither asked a word.


    They were cold as ice when facing outsiders.


    Yancey walked outside, where the night air hit him like a p, suddenly snapping him back to reality.


    He hadn''t had the chance to think it through under Ethan''s oppressive presence just now.


    The truth was that Ethan''s words had been misleading. He wanted him to believe that he and Grace had been involved before her memory loss.


    But that was impossible. Yancey was clear on how much Grace had despised Ethan back then, and she could never have secretly gotten involved with him.


    It had to be Ethan, secretly coveting


    her for so long, waiting for the opportunity. And now, he was seizing the chance to worm his way in given her memory loss.


    That had to be it.


    When Yancey sat in the driver''s seat, he was still trembling, and his hands were tightening around the steering wheel uncontrobly.


    He took a deep breath and mmed his fist against the wheel.


    He was furious at himself for being so weak, for feelingpletely helpless.


    Damn it!


    The car horn red loudly. He stared ahead and slumped back in the seat. The most pressing issue now was that Grace had truly lost her memory. She had no clue how Ethan felt about her. And yet, she''d walked right into the lion''s den, working on the top floor of hispany without a second thought. What if, when she regained her memories, she regretted it so much that she wanted to jump off a building?


    Yancey took out a lighter and lit a cigarette. The emotions in his eyes flickered. Then, he finally understood what he needed to do.


    As he had said before, it was crucial that Grace regained her memory and understood how Ethan felt about her.

 Chapter 152

    Julian gazed at the broken wine bottle on the floor in Velvet Eclipse''s private room, shaking his head. "What a waste. This was good wine."


    Ethan leaned back in his chair with his eyes half-closed. No one knew what he was thinking.


    Julian poured himself another drink and then filled Damien''s ss. Damien had remained silent the entire time.


    He couldn''t help but clink his ss against his.


    "Damien, what''s with the long face? You''re out for dinner, not a funeral."


    Damien gripped his ss tightly, his expression darkening with anger.


    He was the youngest among them, and although he was ruthless, he hadn''t yet honed his skills enough to face off against these guys.


    Julian let out a soft sneer and leaned back in a carefree posture. His shirt was casually opened to reveal a broad chest with firm muscle.


    Damien finished his drink, then replied, "My sister''s been too quiettely."


    Julian suddenlyughed. "What, you''re worried she''s plotting something big? Isn''t that a little paranoid? She''s already left the Jensen family business. What more do you want?


    "If you really don''t want her to get a share of the inheritance, just send her abroad or make her disappear quietly. Your parents only adopted her back then because they thought they wouldn''t have kids of their own."


    Damien lowered his head, his fingers tightening around his ss. "I never wanted to force her out of the Jensen family business. She left on her own."


    Julian leaned a bit closer, waving his hand in front of him.


    "Are you okay? You made a huge scene back then, and everyone knew you hated her. Selene''s always been someone who knows when to step back. She knew you couldn''t stand her, so she left on her own. Honestly, she''s got some guts."


    As soon as Julian finished speaking, he felt the intensity of Damien''s gaze. "What do you mean by that, Julian?"


    Julian casually raised a hand, a yful smile curling at the corners of his lips. "What do I mean? Well, my family''s been pushing me to settle down, so what do you think about me being your brother-inw?"


    Before he could finish, Damien mmed his ss onto the coffee table, shattering it into several pieces.


    "No way!"


    Damien looked up, his expression dead serious as he repeated, "No way."


    Julian parted his lips, ready to say something more, but Ethan spoke up first. "Julian, can''t you see it?"


    Julian turned to him, confused. "See what?"


    Damien was the youngest among the four of them, and they usually let him have


    his way, but Damien was ruthless in front of outsiders.


    He didn''t often emphasize something so seriously with them.


    Julian truly didn''t understand what Ethan meant.


    Ethan poured himself another drink, his fingers lightly tracing the rim of his ss.


    "If you really want to hide something, you''ve got to bury it so deep you''ll even start


    to believe it''s gone. That''s how no one ever catches on."


    Damien bit his lip and retorted, "I''m not like you."


    Julian nced at Ethan, then at Damien. "I see. So, does our youngest brother have a crush on someone? Congrattions!


    "Who is it? It wouldn''t be Selene, would it? Aren''t you two sworn enemies?"


    Damien stood up abruptly, the force of his movement scraping the chair against the floor. He''d been managing the Jensen family business since he was 17, and his presence alone could overpower anyone.


    "It''s not her."


    Julian leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes. "Good thing it''s not her. Otherwise, the Jensen family would never approve.


    "By the way, hasn''t Selene been spending a lot of time with some mantely? She''s even a year older than Ethan. I guess she''s considering settling down too." Damien was instantly silenced. He sat back down on the couch, his mood darkening.


    Julian nced to his left and right, then muttered with a mischievous grin, "It''s great, really. Someone like me would never bother with a woman. They''re too much trouble."


    Little did he know that when an unmoved heart finally met its match, that was when things got really dangerous.


    ...


    Grace woke up with a splitting headache but forced herself to go to the office anyway.


    She felt drowsy sitting at her desk, and her mind couldn''t help but wander to the mark on her thigh.


    It was so close to her private part that she couldn''t help but overthink. Could a mosquito really have bitten her there? If so, how intense must that mosquito''s bite have been?


    She had just stifled a yawn when someone ced a document before her.


    "Grace, this is the cooperation project with the government. Could you organize the details?"


    She then quickly sipped the coffee beside her and started reviewing the project.


    The project was located on the outskirts and intended to be arge theme park filled with fairy-tale


    romance elements. If everythin


    went smoothly, it could be one of the hottest tourist destinations in the country.  s?novel


    However, an old hospital was on the site and currently had only one patient. The hospital director


    refused to ept any demolition et


    proposals, insisting that he had to be responsible for the patient until the end.


    Grace propped her chin up thoughtfully. Several of Henderson Group''s top negotiators had already visited the hospital, even offering to pay high medical fees to transfer the patient to arger hospital and inviting foreign experts.


    However, the director still refused to budge, and the project was stuck in limbo


    with time passing.


    Grace decided to look up the hospital online.


    This director owned the private hospital entirely and had no interest in power or wealth. People like him were notoriously hard to persuade, but she still wanted to give it a try.


    She knocked on Ethan''s door, holding the project proposal.


    Ethan had swapped his usual suit for a different color today. He was holding a cup


    of coffee when he saw her and set the cup down.


    "Did you sleep wellst night?" he asked.


    Grace''s cheeks instantly flushed. Although she had been drunk, she still


    remembered the absurdity of sitting on Ethan''sp.


    She could also vividly recall his genuinely repulsed expression at the time as if he couldn''t bear her touch.


    In some ways, her actions had certainly bordered on sexual harassment.


    She couldn''t help but marvel at how calm Ethan was. He didn''t even get angry.


    He really was the best in the world at keeping his emotions in check.

 Chapter 153

    "I slept pretty well, Mr. Henderson. I''m really sorry about what happened


    yesterday. I panicked after hearing what the partners said and didn''t pay attention to the alcohol content," Grace said, her expression apologetic.


    "To make up for it, I''d like to get involved in developing the theme park. I''ll do everything I can to persuade the director to move out. Please let me take this on," she insisted.


    Ethan took a sip of his coffee and said indifferently, "Don''t do that again next time."


    Grace suddenly recalled how,st night, he had turned his head and said, "Don''t do that."


    Damn! She was such an animal!


    "I''m really sorry. I''ll head to the hospital right away and try to solve the issue for you, Mr. Henderson.


    "Also, I noticed you have dark circles under your eyes. Did you not sleep wellst night? I can continue to act as a sleeping aid tonight."


    Ethan paused as if considering the idea but then hesitated.


    Grace quickly raised her hand in a solemn vow. "I swear to Mr. Henderson, I have absolutely no such intentions. If I do, then..."


    He interrupted before she could finish the vow. "Don''t say it."


    Her throat felt like it was being squeezed, and she quickly shut her mouth. "So, should I head to the site now?" she asked.


    Ethan hummed his response.


    Before she could leave, the door suddenly swung open, and Yancey walked in without knocking.


    Grace felt a headacheing on at the sight of him.


    Couldn''t he spend more time preparing for the wedding instead of showing up so frequently?


    "Grace!" Yancey''s tone was urgent as he grabbed her arm.


    Grace took a deep breath, ready to shake off his hand, but Yancey firmly pressed both his hands on her shoulders.


    "Grace, listen to me. Stay away from my uncle. Your lips weren''t swollen from an allergyst night. He kissed them!"


    Grace''s mind felt like a thunderbolt had struck it, and she pped him across the face after she processed his words.


    Yancey had just reached the top floor and heard Grace in Ethan''s office. As if losing all sense of reason, he threw caution aside and rushed in.


    Before he could react, Grace''s pnded heavily on his cheek. She put everything into it, and her palm stung with the force.


    She was trembling with anger, and her breath came in sharp, quick bursts.


    Grace had already embarrassed herself enough in front of Ethanst night. His clear rejection had been written all over his face, and he hadn''t even wanted to touch her.


    And now, Yancey was running his mouth, making her feel even more humiliated.


    Yancey touched his face as if he was finally regaining some rationality.


    "You pped me?" he asked in disbelief.


    Grace took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Shouldn''t you be preparing for your wedding? I remember


    Deen on leave these p


    wast few


    days."


    Yancey bit his lip, and his eyes reddened instantly. He also knew that he had acted impulsively.


    He turned to look at Ethan, who was quietly handling documents on his desk, seemingly unaffected by anything that had just happened.


    Yancey gritted his teeth.


    Who was it that loudly imedst night that only those who aren''t loved were the third parties? What a show he was putting on now!


    He was so angry he could have cursed, but he was absolutely terrified of Ethan.


    His face flushed as he said hoarsely, "I have something important to tell you, Grace. This is really important."


    Grace wasn''t interested in hearing him. Every time he spoke, it was just


    nonsense.


    "Yancey, I don''t want to hear it. I have something important to do.


    "And this is the CEO''s office. It''s a ce for business. You can''t just barge in without knocking. It''s really rude."


    She then turned toward Ethan. "Mr. Henderson, may I leave now?"


    "Yeah."


    Her expression-brightened up. Upon fearing that Ethan might be upset because of what Yancey had said. earlier, she quickly added, "Thank you forgiving me this opportunity, Mr.Henderson. I won''t let you down."


    Yancey was once again provoked. "What opportunity? What are you going to do


    for him?


    "Grace, I really want to help you this


    time. I


    melieve you''ve really lost y . You haven''t remembe


    lot of things, you..." Content Belongs to


    He still wanted to say more, but Grace just walked out.


    Yancey watched her retreating figure, clenching his fists tightly. Then he turned to face Ethan.


    Ethan didn''t even flinch, calmly flipping the document''s page in his hand.


    Yancey''s frustration grew. This passiveness was unbearable, and he couldn''t take


    it anymore.


    "Are you done ying games?" Yancey growled.

 Chapter 154

    Ethan put down the document in his hand after a long pause. "Do you need me to remind you that I''m your elder?"


    "So you do remember you''re my elder? But were those really the kinds of things an elder should be saying to a juniorst night? Don''t worry, I''ve got it all recorded," Yancey retorted.


    Ethan leaned back in his chair. "Stop acting foolish. Your wedding gift with Alice is on the way."


    Ethanbeled all of Yancey''s actions as childish and immature he was foolish overall.


    Yancey''s eyes went wide, and he bit his lip in frustration.


    "Uncle Ethan, you''ve been eyeing Grace from the start, haven''t you?"


    Ethan didn''t respond. Instead, he called in Tim to escort Yancey out.


    As Yancey reached the base of Henderson Group''s office building, he ran into Alice, who hade to find him.


    Alice had been in a bad moodtely.


    She had hoped to spend a romantic evening with Yancey, but he hadn''t been around for two nights or even answered her calls.


    "Yancey!" Her voice was tinged with tears as she quickly approached him. "Why aren''t you answering my calls?"


    Seeing her burst into tears only annoyed Yancey more.


    His gaze frantically searched for Grace, wondering where she had gone.


    His distracted demeanor made Alice ufortable. She was already stressed


    about Sloan''s condition and the fact that Yancey might be getting close to Grace again.


    Could Grace just disappear already?


    "Yancey..."


    Before she could say more, Yancey''s eyes lit up as he saw Grace''s car.


    "Alice, we can talkter. I have urgent business right now."


    He had to make Grace remember everything, and only then could he expose Ethan''s scheme.


    Once Grace regained her memory, she would return to despising Ethan as she did before.


    He hurriedly turned to leave, but Alice grabbed him. "Yancey, are you going to find my sister?"


    "Alice, I really have urgent matters to deal with. You should go back for now.


    "Oh, and by the way, I knew your pregnancy was fake. You''re not weak at all. Honestly, who are you etending for? Can yo@just walk properly?" Yancey snapped.


    Alice''s face instantly turned pale as her fingers slowly released their grip on his shirt.


    Yancey left the very next second, almost desperate to chase after Grace.


    Alice stood frozen, feeling as if all her efforts had amounted to nothing. It made her feel like a fool.


    How did it end up like this? What did Grace have that she didn''t?


    She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms so hard that they almost drew blood.


    Then, she made a call.


    "Let''s cooperate."


    A woman''s voice came through the line. "I don''t know what Ms. Lambert is referring to."


    Alice''s frustration red. "Stop pretending! I know what you''re after. Right now,


    let''s work together. Let''s get rid of Grace.


    "I won''t


    long as that bitch is alive. Don''t


    everything you want ne you want in the en


    Wor


    If this works out, I''ll


    There was a long pause on the other end of the line as if the person was contemting her words.


    Alice''s tone turned mocking. "What''s wrong? Are you too scared to agree? No wonder you''ve been living like a rat inthe sewers all this time jealous of those who live under the sun.


    "I''m giving you a chance here, and you still don''t know how to appreciate it. Fine,


    just stay in your sewer for the rest of your life!"


    Her words hit a nerve, and the person on the other end of the line inhaled sharply before responding.


    "Take it slow."


    Alice let out a breath of relief, and a smirk curled at her lips.


    "Of course, we''ll take it slow. Ever since losing her memory, Grace has gotten a


    little sharper. She''s not the same fool she used to be."

 Chapter 155

    Grace was already on her way to the hospital when she noticed a car following her through the rearview mirror.


    The familiar license te belonged to none other than Yancey.


    Why wouldn''t he just leave her alone?


    She took a deep breath and pushed the car''s speed to the max.


    Yancey was unwilling to push her too hard, so he slowed down and kept his distance behind her.


    When Grace finally reached her destination, she saw how run-down the ce was. It would be hard to tell it apart at night from a haunted house.


    She exited the car and immediately spotted an elderly man sweeping the courtyard. Despite the hospital''s dpidated state, it was spotless.


    It seemed someone made sure to clean the dust that fell from the walls every single day.


    She hurried over, closing the distance to the elderly man, and couldn''t help but ask, "Sir, the ground''s already so clean. Why don''t you take a break?"


    The elderly man with white hair, whose name was Paul Brown, looked up at her, his expression changing to one of recognition.


    "Grace, is that you?" he asked.


    Grace was taken aback. How did he know who she was?


    "Yes, that''s me."


    Paul set down his broom and untied the apron from around his waist. "You haven''t been here in a year. How have you been these days?"


    Grace held back her surprise and smiled faintly. "Pretty good."


    Paul''s daily life had its own kind of charm. The hospital''s interior was filled with flowers, and in the middle of it all was a small patch of open grass with a stone table and a few stone stools around it.


    She followed Paul ahead and sat on one of the stone stools.


    He said, "Sit here. I''ll make some tea. I''ll be right back."


    Grace quickly stood. "I''ll help you."


    "No need, just sit."


    She reluctantly sat back down.


    Then, she spotted a shadowy figure from the corner of her eye. It was Yancey sneaking around.


    Her expression darkened. She worried that he might ruin her moment of peace.


    Luckily, he seemed to have some sense, walking over and sitting down without saying a word.


    Grace couldn''t be bothered to ask him to leave. With someone like Yancey, the more she pushed back, the worse he made things.


    Paul brought over the tea without batting an eye at Yancey''s unexpected presence.


    Yancey, showing some manners for once, said, "Sorry to interrupt. Please, continue your conversation."


    Paul poured a cup of tea for Grace


    and asked, "Are you here to see


    Taylor again? He''s still the same. If it


    weren''t for the money you''ve been sending over all these years, he''d have been long gone.


    "This ce was recently included in the government''s demolition ns, so they''re offering arge sum of money. But I promised you I''d take I care of Taylor, and I''ll keep that promise."


    Grace wanted to ask who Taylor was, but she would give herself away if she did.


    She simply held the teacup, staying silent.


    Just as she was about to speak,


    Paul continued, "Grace, you''re a good person. It''s a pity that Taylor wasn''t born with good fortune. If he could wake up, he would probably be outstanding too."


    On the side, Yancey was losing his patience.


    Who the hell was Taylor? Who was this person, and why was there so much about Grace that he didn''t know?


    He wanted to ask, but a single nce from Grace silenced him. He could only suppress his frustration and purse his lips tightly.

 Chapter 156

    Grace smiled at Paul. "Thank you for your hard work. Could you take me to see Taylor?"


    A trace of relief shed in the man''s eyes. "Of course. Taylor doesn''t know you''re his lifesaver yet. Though I''m not sure if he''ll ever wake up."


    The man led the way, and Grace followed slowly behind him.


    They passed through a long, faded but clean hallway and stopped in front of a cozy hospital room.


    When the door opened, Grace was surprised by the high-end equipment inside. Each piece seemed to cost at least a million bucks and was the kind of gear only found in top-tier hospitals.


    As Paul skillfully checked various data, he sighed.


    "The fact that he''s still alive is the best oue we could hope for. The government is willing to move Taylor to a better hospital and bring in foreign experts for consultations.


    "But I know his condition all too well. Every treatment option has already been exhausted. Now, it''s just a matter of whether he has the luck to wake up."


    Grace nced at the board with the man''s name on it. His name was Taylor Boyd, and he appeared to be around 25, with a well-structured face.


    She didn''t know what kind of connection she had had with Taylor before losing her memory, nor why she had spent such arge sum to keep him in this hospital.


    However, the sincerity and relief in Paul''s eyes made it impossible for her to voice the real reason for her visit.


    "Sir, I''m just here to take a look. I''lle againter if there''s nothing else. Please take care of yourself," she said.


    "Alright, you take care too. You should eat more. You''re looking thinner."


    Grace left the hospital, and as she got back into the car, she heard footsteps closely following her.


    Today, Yancey had been like a quiet little shadow, hardly saying anything. But now, he couldn''t hold it in anymore.


    "Who is that Taylor? Grace, how many things are you hiding from me? Were you just acting like you were after me while messing around with other men?


    "My uncle is one of them, and now a Taylor has popped up. How can you be so flirtatious?"


    His tone was full of usations, which made Grace quite confused.


    "Yancey, do I need to remind you again? You''re about to get married, and everything between us is already cleared up. Between man and woman, our marriage and separation is a done deal, and we have nothing to do with each other anymore!"


    Yancey mmed his hand against the car door. "If you''ve been pretending all this time, then we haven''t cleared things up!


    "I told you I''m going to settle the score between us once I investigate a few more things."


    Yancey''s eyes were bloodshot, like he had been deeply agitated by something.


    In the past, everyone in Druville knew how Grace had been chasing after him like


    a lovesick puppy, crying and following him for years.


    But now, he had a nagging feeling that the woman he''d always looked down upon had probably been secretly involved with someone else long before.


    The thought unsettled him, like a dark, destructive urge rising inside him, wanting to tear everything apart.


    Seeing the disdain on Grace''s face only made his eyes redden even more.


    "I told you in the office. Listen


    carefully. Be careful with Uncle


    Ethan. He''s not as pure as he


    seems. For him to get to where he is now, he stepped on mountains of


    corpses and rivers of blood.


    "And he''s made his name in the ruthless world of Varnell Street, forcing many people to ruin their lives. Grace, if you think he''s a good person, it''s only because he''s been pretending."


    Grace was stunned by his words. As a younger member of the Henderson family,


    she couldn''t believe that Yancey spoke ill of Ethan like this.


    It was one thing to say such things, but Ethan had been running the Henderson family business for years. Since he took charge, thepany''s stock has multiplied several times. Even after his@ar ident, everyone still considered him a business genius.


    Despite all the times Grace had offended Ethan, he never held a grudge. His upbringing was impable.


    He''d never spoken badly of others behind their backs and certainly never said anything bad about Yancey.


    Who did Yancey think he was to be making such outrageous ims?


    Grace pressed the elerator, not wanting to listen any longer.


    Yancey stood there, feeling the blood drain from his face.


    He hated himself. He''d done so much to make Grace hate him, especially since


    she never really believed she''d lost her memory.


    Now, she couldn''t stand to hear a word he said. He was losing this battle from the get-go.


    And then there was Ethan, always acting like the innocent saint and sessfully making Grace trust him without question.


    Damn it!

 Chapter 157

    Yancey was seething with frustration, his anger zing as he swore to expose Ethan''s true nature.


    But it didn''t take long before his resolve crumbled. His family had called, asking him to try on the wedding outfit with Alice.


    The custom-made wedding dress from overseas had flown in overnight as an expedited order. Everything was arranged at the hotel, invitations had been sent out, and the city knew he was about to marry Alice.


    He watched Grace''s car disappear in the distance, and his face twisted with a fleeting expression of difort.


    Since childhood, he had feared Ethan. He was the one person he could never stand, and the idea of Grace falling into the hands of the man he despised was unbearable.


    Grace wasn''t the same as before. Now, she was radiant, shining in ways that made her stand out.


    Truthfully, Yancey felt a pang of regret. He''d spent all these years ignoring the brilliance that Grace carried, constantly looking for chances to undermine her.


    But now, when he saw someone secretly eyeing her, the fear of losing her surged over him like a tidal wave.


    Grace should never end up with Ethan.


    If Ethan had chosen to go after her from the sidelines, then he could''ve remained


    out of sight. At least Grace didn''t know his true intentions yet.


    Grace received a message from Ethan on the drive home.


    "Progress."


    She suddenly remembered how she had boasted to him beforeing here, only to lose her courage when facing Paul.


    Her priority now was to figure out who Taylor was and his connection to her to move the project forward.


    But before she could start investigating, Quentin called her.


    "Are youing back tonight?"


    Grace wanted to say she had severed ties with the Lambert family, but then he added casually, "Today is my 59th birthday."


    That simple sentence unexpectedly hit her with a wave of unexpected sorrow.


    She parted her lips, but for a moment, she didn''t know what to say. "Grace, at leaste back for my birthday. The family''s prepared a meal."


    The words of rejection simply


    wouve her lips. A heavy,


    suffocating feeling crossed her


    chest, and she just let out a faint


    hum of agreement.


    As soon as she arrived at the Lambert residence, Alice''s voice reached her before she even stepped inside.


    "Has Grace not arrived yet? Could something have happened on the way?"


    Her tone was urgent, as if she was genuinely concerned for Grace''s safety.


    Grace instinctively felt a wave of nausea. If Alice ever got into acting, she''d definitely win the Best Actress Award.


    She changed her shoes by the entrance, her voice cool and distant as she called out, "I''m home."


    She ced the small gift she had picked up on the way over on the nearby cab, not expecting anyone to take it.


    It was Liam who was the first to rush over when he saw her.


    "Grace, why are you sote? You''re


    staying here tonight, right? If


    really fun two-yer game.


    y


    togetherter." Conta


    He then sneaked closer, adding in lower voice, "Didn''t I promise to make it up to you? I know you''ve been wronged, so I sold my favorite sports car and bought you a bag."


    He spoke with a proud smile, yet he was still carefully watching Grace''s expression.

 Chapter 158

    Grace felt a warm sensation in her chest, and she reached out to ruffle Liam''s hair. "How much was the bag?"


    Her question instantly made Liam sneer, but he was also thrilled. At least it meant Grace wanted the bag.


    "Over two million dors, I think. They''re calling it a limited edition, but I don''t really get it. I''ll give it to you in privateter, so Alice doesn''t get mad."


    Liam was used to spending recklessly, with little savings to speak of. Whenever he needed money, he''d ask the family for it. So, when it came time to get the two million dors, the only option was to sell his car.


    From where Alice sat in the living room, she saw the two of them chatting so closely, and her expression soured.


    However, she managed to force a smile. "Grace, you''re here."


    Grace couldn''t help but admire Alice''s shamelessness. After all the scheming she''d done, including the miscarriage incident, Alice still acted like nothing had happened.


    Grace walked slowly toward the couch, but before she could say anything, Alice suddenly kneeled before her, crying.


    "Grace, I''m sorry about the child. I was confused for a moment. I keep having nightmares, dreaming that Yancey doesn''t want me anymore.


    "I''ve been in so much emotional pain, and my mental state''s been deteriorating. The medication didn''t help, and that''s when I came up with that idea.


    "It was my fault. I''ll make it up to you. I can transfer the house Mom bought mest time to you."


    When the words left Alice''s mouth, Grace simply responded tly, "Alright."


    Alice froze mid-bow, her fists tightening instantly.


    Grace added coolly, "But I don''t want the house. Just convert it to cash for me. I''m sure you have at least that much in your bank ount."


    Alice''s face turned ashen, and her body trembled slightly.


    That vile woman! That damn despicable woman!


    "Also, since the pregnancy and the miscarriage were lies, why are you trembling now? I remember your health''s always been great, and you''ve also been very active at thepany.


    "I''ve heard many of the higher-ups praise you, but I''ve never heard anything about you having this trembling condition."


    Grace had thought Alice would snap, but it seemed she had underestimated her.


    Alice looked up at her with a smile. "Grace, I''ll transfer the money to youter. I''m really happy you came back today.


    "Our family should be just like before, peaceful and happy. Please don''t argue with Mom anymore."


    Carmen, who had been silent until now, couldn''t hold back when she saw Alice still kneeling on the floor.


    "Grace, tonight is your dad''s


    birthday. Let''s not make a scen


    The past is behind us, and I''ll


    transfer the money to your ount


    for Alice right now."


    Grace curved her lips into a faint smile.


    She came back home for a visit and walked away with almost a million dors? It wasn''t a bad deal at all.


    She had barely sat down when Liam rushed over and sat beside her.


    The atmosphere at dinner was awkward. Carmen kept up the pretense that everything was


    but


    ?????


    treated Grace with a cold


    Grace raised a ss to Quentin, and after that, Liam pulled her upstairs.


    The second floor of the Lambert house had rooms for all three siblings, and Grace''s was at the very end.


    She first went to her room, which still held the familiar decor. But after her memory loss, she had only wandered in once.


    Then, there was a knock on the door.


    "Grace, here''s the bag I got you."


    Liam handed it over discreetly, and Alice appeared at the door just as the bag was in Grace''s hands.


    Alice''s face twisted in a fake smile. "Liam bought a bag for Grace? recognize this style. It''s at least two


    million bucks, right?" Coast t


    Liam looked guilty. "Alice, I..."


    But Grace simply epted the bag with a calm, graceful demeanor.


    "Yes, he bought it for me. Is there something you need?"


    Alice''s expression darkened with fury, and her eyes filled with hatred.

 Chapter 159

    Alice was clenching her fists by her side so tightly that her palm was almost bleeding. Her face bore a forced smile.


    "No, it''s okay. I should apologize to you for what happenedst time," she said through gritted teeth.


    Grace inspected the handbag. She had to admit, Liam really had a good eye for things like this. At least this was a handbag she could carry in public. It wasn''t too eye-catching, yet elegant.


    She raised her hand and ran her fingers through his hair, giving him a gentle scruff. "Thank you."


    Liam suddenly felt a little embarrassed. He had actually been feeling guilty over thest time he helped convince Grace to admit something she didn''t do in the first ce. But looking at her right now, he let out a sigh of relief as she didn''t seem too bothered by it.


    Alice slowly walked into the room. She still spoke in a gentle tone, which caught Grace a little off guard.


    From Grace''s point of view, Alice had always beencking in sophistication. Why did she seem particrlyposed tonight?


    "Hey, Grace. I''m going to try on some wedding dresses tomorrow. You cane along with me if you''re free."


    "No, I won''t be free. I need to go to work."


    Alice felt slightly better because Grace would have to witness a man she loved marrying someone else. It would probably be so unbearable for Grace that she might end up drowning her sorrows in alcohol tonight.


    Alice was only acting so calm right now because she was forcing herself to hold it together.


    "Yancey wants me to tell you that everything that happened in the past is in the past, and he also hopes that you can get over it soon."


    Grace found this very ironic and looked up at her.


    "I really wish he meant what he said. It''s clear that I''ve already moved on, but he hasn''t. He was following me around all day, and I couldn''t lose him no matter what I did.


    "You''re his future wife, so shouldn''t you have a word with him about that instead?" Alice''s face turned pale in an instant, and she felt like she was about to copse. She wanted toe here and taunt Grace, but everything she had said so far had backfired.


    The tension in the room grew more suffocating for a moment.


    Grace, however, remained calm as she turned away. "If there''s nothing else from you two, please leave. I need to clean up my stuff."


    Liam quickly grabbed Alice''s hand and left the room. He was worried that those two would start fighting again.


    Grace swiftly shut the door, and her gaze quickly swept across the room.


    This room had a simpleyout, and all of the drawers were in in sight. She opened the wardrobe and found a small hidden drawer that was locked.


    She followed her instincts and rummaged through the coats hanging inside and soon found a key.


    To solve her current predicament, she had to know a bit more about her past self. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have a single clue about where to look first.


    She opened the small drawer but didn''t end up finding anything useful in there. There was only a rather thin notebook with a single sentence written on the cover that said, "Do not trust Ethan."


    Her grip on the notebook immediately tightened, and even her breathing turned softer. Did she write this herself in the past?


    Grace flipped through the pages in the notebook, hoping to find more clues. But all she found were nk pages, there was nothing else.


    She kept looking around in the house, but there was barely anything inside. It was


    as if she had never truly treated this ce like her home.


    She pressed her fingers between her brows in frustration. Other than the thin notebook, she found absolutely nothing.


    She slipped the notebook into her handbag and opened the door. As she was leaving, she heard amotioning from downstairs.


    "What the hell is wrong with this man? Didn''t we already give him a lot of money? But he still won''t leave us alone!


    "If you ask me, we might have to take some extreme measures at this point."


    It was Carmen''s voice. She sounded so enraged that she even started bringing up the possibility of hiring a professional assassin.


    Alice''s sobbing could also be heard. She was begging Carmen not to call the police. She didn''t want anyone else to know about whatever she was going through.


    Grace slowly walked downstairs. She was surprised to see four people in the living room, all looking distressed.


    "What''s going on?" she asked.


    Alice stopped crying for a brief moment. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. "Oh, it''s nothing... Just some crazy rtives from my foster parents'' side found out I''m getting married and decided toe harass us.  snovel


    "They''ve beening to my mom asking for money over the past few years. She always gave them what they wanted, but now they''re demanding even more. They want 30 million dors!"


    Grace wasn''t familiar with Alice''s foster family, and she couldn''t care less about them either. She was just going to leave the house.


    But just as she opened the front door, she could hear a man furiously shouting from the outside.


    "Come on! I dare you! I already called the cops beforeing here! If you don''t want to see me dead right in front of your house, then stay the hell away from me!"


    The man was holding a kitchen knife against his throat, his eyes filled with madness. The moment he spotted Alice, a flicker of excitement shed across his face.


    "Alice, I finally get to see you now! I''m begging you, just give me a little more money. 30 million dors isn''t much, and I promise this is thest time I''ll ever gamble.


    "If you don''t give me the money, I''ll post all the photos of you getting beaten up online! So what if you''re daddy''s little princess? Everyone will know about your shameful past, and they''ll all look down on you! Hahaha!"


    Alice immediately broke down and fell to her knees on the ground.


    "Please, don''t do this! Haven''t you taken enough money from us over the years?"


    The man''s body stiffened up. Judging from the twisted look on his face, it seemed he had already lost his sanity.


    "Ha! Not enough! 30 million dors is just like a grain of salt to you people. If I don''t see the money in my bank ount within three minutes, I''ll post the photos immediately!"

 Chapter 160

    The living room was in total chaos. The way Alice was profusely crying while kneeling on the ground was heartbreaking to watch.


    In the end, Quentin suddenly yelled out loud, "That''s enough! I''ll give you what you want."


    Alice looked at him with eyes full of tears. "Dad, you know he''s going toe back for more money. What if we just let him release those photos?


    "I can just leave the country overnight and never return. Our family has be aughing stock all because of me. I''m really sorry to every one of you."


    A hint of heartache flickered before his eyes. Just by looking at the crazy man who came knocking at their front door, he could tell what kind of life Alice had endured when she was still with her foster family. It was no wonder she had be mentally unstable.


    Quentin said with a sigh, "It''s fine. There''s still some money in thepany. I''m slowly getting old, and I just want all of you to be happy."


    Upon hearing that he was going to get the money, the man instantly became satisfied with a smirk on his face.


    "That''s more like it, and it seems like you''re still using the same bank card. I must admit, though, Alice. You have a good father. Unlike your previous one, who only cared about your looks."


    Alice was shivering all over and eventually fainted, throwing the entire family into an even more chaotic state.


    Everyone quickly ushered the man out of their home and transferred the money to his bank ount to prevent him from saying anything else that might further upset Alice.


    Alice was carried back to the couch, where their family doctor was already on standby and ready to administer first aid.


    As she watched the whole scene unfold, Grace initially wanted to leave. But Liam was standing right beside her and clenching his fists anxiously. Tears welled up in his eyes from emotion. She could tell he felt sorry for Alice, too.


    Now, there was no way Grace could leave. Otherwise, everyone would call her cold and heartless.


    While Alice was receiving medical attention, Carmen sat next to her, crying and wiping her tears with a piece of tissue.


    "What''s wrong with me feeling heartbroken for Alice? All of you witnessed what that man just did. God knows what kind of life she used to live.


    "As her mother, I can''t even bear to think about it. I''ve always med myself for not finding her sooner."


    Everyone else remained silent.


    Grace didn''t say a word, either. She wondered if Alice had orchestrated this whole fiasco. If that were the case, she had certainly turned the tables. She had won everyone''s sympathy.


    The next time Alice made a mistake, everyone would undoubtedly rush to defend her again.


    She took a deep breath and recalled the man''s appearance, nning to investigate him thoroughly once she got back.


    It wasn''t until the middle of the night that Alice slowly regained consciousness. However, she seemed too weak to speak and could only cry.


    Carmen held Alice in her arms and tried tofort her. "It''s okay now. It''s okay. We will take care of everything. You just rest for now."


    Seeing that Alice was fine now, Grace let out a yawn and decided it was finally time to leave.


    By the time she stepped out of the Lambert residence, it was already 3:00 am. She got into her car and noticed an unread message on her phone. It was a message from Ethan, with only a single question mark.


    She suddenly remembered that earlier today in the office, she promised Ethan that she would meet up with him at Palm Bay to be his "sleeping pill".


    But it was alreadyte. He should be asleep by now, right?


    As she didn''t want to disturb him, she didn''t reply to his message. She headed straight back to her home instead.


    While she was lying down to get some rest, the man''s face kept popping up in her mind. He looked so familiar, yet she couldn''t recall where she had seen him before.


    She was very frustrated that she had really lost her memories. She felt helpless when it came to solving these kinds of problems.


    She pulled out the small notebook she brought back from the Lambert residence. The words were written with such force that it was clear her emotions were turbulent at that time.


    Why couldn''t Ethan be trusted?

 Chapter 161

    Ever since Grace woke up in the hospital bed, she always thought Ethan had been a decent person to her.


    She pinched the skin between her brows, trying to piece the puzzle together, but no avail. Eventually, she decided to stop dwelling on it and nned to look up the name "Taylor Boyd" first thing in the morning.


    The next morning, Grace ran into Selene as she was about to head out. Considering that Selene had a strong influence in her field, Grace asked her about Taylor, hoping Selene might have some insights.


    Selene had a widework of connections and said she would ask her friends about Taylor.


    Half an hourter, Grace finally received some information about Taylor, and what she learned shocked her.


    It turned out that Taylor was the son of Alice''s foster parents! So, was he the so- called mentally ill son?


    Since he wasn''t some huge celebrity, his information was quite limited. It only stated that Taylor once fell into aa six years ago.


    The question was, when did Grace meet Taylor? Why did she spend a fortune keeping him in the hospital?


    She took another look at the information on his parents again. His father was Randy Boyd, and his mother was Maria Vickham.


    Randy was charged with rape and intentional homicide and was sentenced to 20 years in prison five years ago. Meanwhile, Maria spent the following years trying


    to appeal on his behalf but couldn''t find any evidence to prove it.


    In the end, she became mentally unstable, and her current whereabouts were unknown.


    A criminal foster father, a psychologically challenged brother, and a mentally unstable foster mother-on the surface, Alice certainly seemed like someone to be pitied.


    But something about this was mind-boggling. Randymitted his crimes five years ago, the same year Alice returned to the Lamberts. Meanwhile, Taylor fell into aa six years ago.


    No one knew exactly what had happened.


    Grace felt like her head was about to explode from overthinking, yet she was getting nowhere.


    Right now, she really wished she could remember something-anything at all.


    When she reached thepany''s top floor, she ran into Tim. He handed her a document and gave her an address. "Riverheart Bistro," he said.


    "What?"


    "Deliver this document to Mr. Henderson."


    "Wait, Mr. Henderson isn''t in his office this morning?"


    Tim nced at her and said sarcastically, "He worked overtime all night and is having a meeting with the CEO of Jensen Group


    today The twopanies ar


    currently working on a coboration, so they''re having breakfast there."


    Grace was aware that Tim wasn''t fond of her, so she didn''t bother asking any further questions. She simply took the document and headed to the bistro.


    Riverheart Bistro was well known for its breakfast food, especially its light and easily digestible options.


    She asked around until she found the private dining room that Ethan was in. She could hear another man''s voice from inside before entering.


    "This proposal doesn''t seem feasible. The one you initially selected was submitted when my sister was still at thepany. She was the only one who knew the follow-up ns.


    "Now that she''s no longer here, I have no idea who ced this proposal in this document folder. This must have been a mistake."


    It was Damien''s voice.


    Just as Grace pushed the door open a crack, she suddenly felt someone pat her shoulder. She turned to look and was surprised to see Selene behind her.


    She didn''t expect to see Selene here. "Selene? Why are you here as well?"


    The moment Selene''s name was mentioned, a loud crash rang out as a cup fell to the ground from inside the private dining room.

 Chapter 162

    Selene was holding onto a man''s arm. Grace didn''t recognize him, but she still gave him a polite smile.


    Selene didn''t know who was inside the private dining room at that time, so she just went ahead with the introduction.


    "Let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Vincent Calloway. He''s a university professor."


    Grace offered Vincent a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Professor Calloway."


    Vincent appeared to be in his 30s and had a refined, elegant demeanor that exuded the charm of a mature man.


    "Nice to meet you, too."


    Grace recalled that she still had documents to deliver. Just as she was about to find an excuse to slip inside, she heard the male voice from earlier begin speaking from inside the private room.


    "Hey, Selene! You found a boyfriend but didn''t bring him home? We would have loved to see him."


    Selene hadn''t expected Damien to be inside, and her smile suddenly faded a bit.


    He had already opened the door of the private dining room on his own, and his gaze swiftly fell on Vincent.


    Even if Grace wasn''t the brightest, she still could tell something was off.


    Did these two siblings have a bad rtionship?


    Damien didn''t let his gaze linger on Vincent for too long before mocking Selene, "Your taste in men is still as old-fashioned as ever."


    She tucked a lock of her long, curly hair behind her ear. "Watch your mouth, Damien."


    Damien averted his gaze and shifted to the side. "Since everyone''s here,e in and join us then."


    Selene was about to decline when Damien narrowed his eyes and said, "Professor Calloway, you haven''t met the Jensens yet, have you?"


    Selene smiled briefly. "Alright, we''ll join you. I hope we''re not intruding, Mr. Henderson."


    She directed her words specifically at Ethan.


    Ethan was sitting in a wheelchair and gave her a gentle nod.


    Grace wasn''t too interested in getting involved in their family drama, so she quickly walked to Ethan''s side and took a seat.


    Selene and Vincent sat next to each other, while Damien sat alone on the other side.


    Just then, a server knocked on the door and entered. "Excuse me, would you like us to start serving the dishes?"


    Nobody inside the room responded.


    The server felt an odd chill down her spine, and then she suddenly heard a voice as soft as a snowke.


    "Yes, you may serve now."


    As Ethan finished speaking, he turned to Grace and asked, "Is there anything you''d like to eat?"


    Grace felt incredibly uneasy. Although the atmosphere seemed peaceful for now, she still felt like she was about to get caught in the middle of a crossfire.


    "I''m fine with anything. I''ll have whatever you''re having, Mr. Henderson," she said.


    The five of them remained silent for a while. When breakfast was served, Grace lowered her head and started eating quietly. Then, Damien finally broke the silence with a question.


    "Selene, why wouldn''t you pick up my calls?"


    So, the drama was about to unfold.


    Grace had a feeling she was about to hear some shocking gossip, perhaps something truly dramatic like aplete fallout between the siblings.


    But Selene remained perfectly calm. "After leaving Jensen Group, I''ve


    been taking care of myself pretty


    well. I don''t want people to think that


    I''m using my family name to


    get


    ahead in life, so I decided to keep my distance from everyone."


    Vincent picked up a caviar-filled bun for Selene with his fork, but Damien blocked


    him before it could even reach her te.


    "She''s allergic to caviar."


    Vincent was a little shocked and turned to Selene. "We just had seafood together


    a few days ago. Why didn''t you tell me?"


    She picked up her own fork and was about to take the bun herself. "It''s fine. I used to be allergic."


    But before her fork could even touch it, Damien had already tossed the bun into the trash can.


    Selene frowned slightly and set her fork down on the table.


    "I''m going out for a smoke," she said.


    She usually smoked in private, but the cigarettes she smoked were generally the light ones with fragrance.


    Five minutes after she left, Damien also got up and walked out without saying a word.


    Grace was worried they would start fighting. Selene was her friend now, so of course she''d be concerned. Grace leaned toward Ethan and whispered, "Mr. Henderson, I''m going to check on Selene."


    She wasn''t sure if she was imagining things, but she kept thinking Ethan was giving her a strange look.


    However, Ethan didn''t stop her, so she quickly got up and followed him out.


    Riverheart Bistro was a massive, multi-story establishment with beautifully decorated hallways. Since it was still early in the


    morning, the sky outside was


    bright as it would be at noon making the lighting inside appear dim and warm.


    The private rooms were spaced ten meters apart, with excellent soundproofing.


    After all, the restaurant''s patrons were mostly high-profile business figures.


    As Grace passed by one of the private rooms with its door wide open, she saw Damien pressing Selene against the wall in the corner.


    There was a cigarette between Selene''s lips, and her gaze was clear andposed. She was just about to say something when Damien took the cigarette away from her mouth.


    He flicked the ashes off with his fingers twice before putting the cigarette in his


    mouth, then frowned in disgust.


    "Still smoking this same vour?"


    Grace initially wanted to step in and stop them, thinking they were about to fight.


    But when she saw his behaviour, she instinctively froze.


    It just..... didn''t feel like a fight was about to happen.


    Selene attempted to shove him away, but he pinned her hand to his chest instead.


    "Selene, you still haven''t answered my question yet. Why won''t you answer my calls?"


    But Selene had already answered his question back in the private room they were


    in. Damien just wasn''t satisfied with her response.


    He gripped her hand tightly, refusing


    to let go. His gaze was intensely aggressive. "Just because we slept together? That''s why you''re avoiding me? thought you were never afraid


    Oxything."


    Selene frowned and tried to pull her hand back. "Are you done?"


    "No."


    He lifted her hand and bit down on her fingertip.


    "You knew I''d make a fuss, so you kept running away from me. You know I wasn''t


    drunk that night. And you were the one who made the first move.


    "You slept with me, so you''re my woman. But now you have a boyfriend! So what


    am I to you then?"


    "Damien!" Selene shouted.


    As soon as she uttered his name, Damien threw away his cigarette, lifted her legs, and forcefully kissed her.

 Chapter 163

    Selene didn''t dodge in time and was forced to lift her chin. It took her a few seconds to realize what had happened before she turned her head away.


    Damien''s kissnded on her cheek, but that didn''t stop him as he trailed more kisses downward, deliberately leaving several marks on her.


    "Damien, that''s enough," she said.


    "No, it''s not enough. I was already holding back when I was in that private dining room. What makes you think that you can just dump me after sleeping with me?" Selene''s chin was gripped firmly, and he forcefully kissed her lips again.


    Grace took several steps back, with shock written all over her face.


    After Grace finally processed what she had just witnessed, she carefully closed the door to the private room, feeling as if thunder was rumbling in her mind.


    It took her a while to recover from shock before returning to the private room she was in.


    Ethan and Vincent were sitting across from each other at the table. Neither of them was speaking, but the silence didn''t feel awkward.


    As she returned and sat down, Ethan asked, "Did you find them?"


    Grace shot Vincent a quick nce before shaking her head frantically. "No, the restaurant is too big, and I didn''t know which way they went."


    Ethan let out a short chuckle and said nothing else.


    Afraid that Vincent would ask her the same question, she quickly lowered her head and ate her oatmeal, avoiding eye contact. However, Vincent seemed very calm and instead started discussing a famous foreign novel with Ethan.


    Another ten minutes passed before Damien finally came back.


    He was trying to wipe off the obvious traces of lipstick at the corner of his mouth as he sat down next to Vincent, thinking this would provoke him.


    "Hey, Vincent. Has my sister ever told you she dated someone else before you?" he suddenly asked.


    Vincent took a sip of the soy milk on the table and smiled. "She did mention it briefly. She said he was too young and immature."


    Damien''s mood soured for a moment. He was still wiping the lipstick stain from the corner of his mouth with a tissue while trying to talk nonchntly.


    "Is that so? Some women may say they don''t like younger men, but their behavior says otherwise. After all, when men reach their 30s, their physical functions will also start to decline."


    Grace lowered her head even further. She finally understood what a love triangle showdown looked like.


    A piece of crispy bacon suddenly appeared in her bowl, and it looked freshly cooked.


    Ethan, acting as if he werepletely oblivious to the tension between the two men in front of them, simply reminded her to finish her food. "Remember to eat."


    Grace continued eating while keeping her ears perked for more of their conversation.


    Vincent ced his cup back on the table. "My body is in great condition. As long as Selene knows that, that''s all that matters."


    Damien didn''t say anything else, as if what Vincent had just said had struck a nerve, causing him pain.


    Vincent then stood up and gracefully wiped the corner of his mouth. "Selene just texted me. I''ll be leaving first. Mr. Jensen, Mr. Henderson, Ms. Lambert-until next time."


    Grace didn''t dare to look up at him when he left.


    After Vincent left, Damien lost his appetite. He was just staring at the food in his


    bowl, absent-mindedly stirring it with his fingers, clearly lost in thought.


    Damien soon stood up to take his


    leave as well, reminding Ethan


    before he left, "By the way, that


    proposal won''t work since my sister won''t return to Jensen Group anymore."


    Ethan nodded anddled another bowl of chicken soup for Grace.


    With only the two of them left in the private room, she could finally let out a long sigh of relief.


    "Mr. Henderson, did you already know about them?"


    "What?"


    Grace wasn''t sure if Ethan actually knew. After all, this was practically a high- profile scandal.


    If the media ever found out about it, Jensen Group would likely be swarmed by crowds of reporters.


    Selene was adopted into the Jensen


    family and grew up under the same roof with Damien. No one knew what had happened between them over the years, but judging by Damien''s personality, he didn''t seem like the type to let go so easily.


    C¨®ntent


    Upon seeing how curious Grace was, Ethandled another bowl of chicken soup


    for her.


    "Did you mean Damien being secretly in love with Selene?" he asked.

 Chapter 164

    Grace''s eyes instantly sparkled with excitement at the chance to talk about gossip.


    This no longer seemed like a secret crush. This was clearly forced affection and tant flirting!


    While eating her bowl of chicken soup, she listened as Ethan continued exining, "Damien always had a crush on Selene. She was very popr in high school and flirtatious with boys around her.


    "She used to date many guys back then, but she never thought of dating her stepbrother, Damien. He watched the boyfriends around here and go, and the fact that he was able to endure it until now is already very impressive."


    Grace raised an eyebrow slightly. It was no wonder Damien was so excited when he saw Selene.


    From the conversation earlier, it seemed that Selene had made the first move when Damien still had a crush on her, and they slept together afterward. But then she dumped him and started dating Vincent not long after the break-up.


    Damien was the heir to Jensen Group, after all. There was no way he would let himself be yed like that. That was also why rumors began to spread that he and Selene didn''t get along, but in reality, it was just a tactic to get her attention.


    But Selene didn''t fall for his tricks and was quite good at stayingposed under pressure. She managed to leave Jensen Group and build her own career while being in love with her boyfriend. Of course, Damien had a mental breakdown because of it.


    Grace was overwhelmed with emotions when she tried to process all that information.


    As she pushed Damien in the wheelchair out of the restaurant, her mind was still dazed. She couldn''t help but ask.


    "Is it really possible to hide your feelings for someone? Selene had lived with Damien for so many years; couldn''t she tell how he felt?


    "I think the reason crushes are never revealed is probably because the other person has no interest in you and just doesn''t care enough to confront it, keeping you in the dark forever."


    As soon as she said that, she could feel Ethan''s mood shift suddenly.


    Grace quickly softened her tone and said, "Of course, I was just joking."


    He suddenly let out a soft chuckle when they got in the car, but the smile was ambiguous. "Maybe you''re right. Some crushes are meant to stay secretive because the other person simply just isn''t interested in you and can''t be bothered to confront it."


    She could feel something was off about Ethan, but she didn''t know how to ask him about it.


    Grace was driving them back to thepany when, as she turned a corner, a woman suddenly rushed out of nowhere, forcing her to m on the brakes.


    The woman was knocked about a meter away but quickly got back up and limped away as if a ghost was chasing her.


    Since Grace had identally hit someone, she turned to Ethan and exined what had happened.


    "Mr. Henderson, please wait in the car for a moment. I need to go check on her."


    She opened the car door and got out, only to find the woman had already limped dozens of meters away.


    Grace immediately rushed after her.


    "Hey, ma''am! Are you okay?"


    She wanted to help the woman but got pushed away instead.


    "Don''t touch me! Don''t touch me. I''m just too hungry. I promise I''ll never take it again."


    The woman spoke while stuffing whatever she was holding into her mouth, as if afraid someone would snatch it away from her at any second.


    Grace was surprised to see the woman''s face covered in dark stains. Despite this being a face she had only seen in photos before, she could recognize that the woman was Alice''s foster mother, Maria.


    Thest time Grace checked, the records stated that Maria was mentally unstable, and no one knew where she had gone. She didn''t expect to run into Maria here.


    She panicked and grabbed Maria''s wrist. "Maria?"


    Maria was stunned and looked up at Grace, her eyes filled with confusion. "Yes,


    I''m Maria. Who are you? Who are you? My poor son, my poor son, what did he do to deserve this..."


    She cried while sitting on the ground, still eating.


    Grace was worried about Ethan, who was still in the car, especially since they had to go back to thepany soon.


    She took out several hundred dors in cash and ced it on Maria. "Go buy something to eat first, then go find Taylor and wait for me. Do you know where he is?"


    Maria snatched the money and shook her head.


    "I don''t know. I really don''t know. Don''t ask me."


    "It''s Amity Hospital on the outskirts. It''s listed as one of the development projects, so it''s easy to find. Taylor needs you. Wait for me over there. No matter what happens, there might be a way out."


    Grace quickly left this message and returned to the car.


    Ethan looked in Maria''s direction and remained silent.


    After returning to thepany, Grace was constantly distracted and couldn''t focus. Part of her mind was on finalizing the amusement park development project, while the other was on the notebook she had found earlier.


    What did the things she wrote in the past mean?

 Chapter 165

    Yancey told Grace that she hated Ethan, but why would she hate him?


    Trying to solve all these mysteries had tired her out. She rested her head on the pile of documents, and it didn''t take long for her to fall asleep.


    She had a dream where she heard children crying and a man''s voice interrogating


    someone.


    The dream was chaotic-it felt like a strange fever dream.


    She couldn''t see clearly. All she remembered was a pair of deep, prating eyes staring at her.


    Her heart clenched sharply, and she woke up feeling utterly drained.


    When she lifted her head, she saw Jodie and Ethan in front of her.


    As usual, Jodie was clinging to Ethan, as if she wanted to glue herself to him.


    Ethan had always been polite and kept his distance from other women, but he seemed to be more indulgent toward Jodie.


    Jodie deliberately let out two cold scoffs as she walked past Grace''s desk.


    Grace pretended not to hear her and was about to start writing her report. Just then, a cup of water was sshed onto the documents before her.


    It was Jodie who came back to taunt her. She leaned her elbow on the desk, her eyes filled with smug satisfaction.


    "Hey, I want to tell you something. My brother went to try on wedding outfits with Alice today. The two of them looked so sweet together.


    "I saw you napping just now. Have you been crying for days because of it?"


    Grace was already in a bad mood from the dream earlier, and seeing the mess on her desk only made it worse.


    Yet, Jodie remained oblivious to how Grace was feeling. She even grabbed the document that was on top, causing the water to seep into the entire stack.


    Grace lifted her gaze, grabbed the documents, and mmed them over Jodie''s head.


    Jodie was stunned and stood there frozen for a few seconds.


    Water droplets began rolling down her cheeks, and she immediately started tearing up as she had suffered the greatest humiliation.


    "Do you have any idea who I am? How dare you treat me like this?"


    With that, she ran toward Ethan''s office. It was clear she was going toin about Grace.


    Grace wasn''t just going to stand around and wait for that to happen. She then stepped into the elevator and left Henderson Group right away.


    She didn''t know how furious Ethan would be, but she needed some alone time to calm down.


    She sat on a bench not far from thepany and opened up a bottle of mineral water to catch her breath. That was when she saw Yancey''s car passing by.


    The window rolled down in front of her, revealing Alice, elegantly dressed.


    Alice was very surprised, but her words wereced with veiled mockery. "Hey, Grace! Why are you sitting out here during work hours? Did you get fired?"


    Grace''s mood soured even further.


    She even thought Alice might be right; if Jodie did end up


    .n


    Alice''s eyes gleamed with amusement. She had long predicted that with Grace''s capabilities, she wouldn''tst long at Henderson Group anyway.


    She looked at the huge skyscraper in the distance-Ethan was inside.


    Ever since his return from overseas, Alice rarely ran into him, only hearing about


    him asionally at social gatherings.


    She felt a surge of excitement in her chest until Yancey''s voice snapped her back to reality.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Alice instantly felt guilty and didn''t dare to reveal her true thoughts. But she knew that she would still have chance as long as she married into the Henderson family.


    Right now Yancey wasn''t fullymitted to his rtionship with her. It was only natural for Alice to set her goals higher for someone as distinguished as Ethan. AftePall, people always strived for more.


    "Grace, we just finished trying on wedding outfits and were heading back to the Lambert residence. Do you want a ride? I can have Yancey drive you there."


    Grace pulled open the backseat door without hesitation.


    Since they were the ones who invited her, she would dly ept the invitation just to irritate them.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 166

    Alice''s expression stiffened, and she heaved her chest several times.


    On the other hand, Yancey was extremely delighted, and his tone noticeably sounded more cheerful.


    "Grace, leaving Henderson Group was the right decision. I told you before that Uncle Ethan isn''t a good person. Maybe the reason he promoted you to the top floor was only because he''s interested in you," Yancey said.


    As soon as he said that, Alice suddenly burst intoughter.


    "Do you really think Mr. Ethan is interested in Grace?"


    Sheughed so hard, as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. She was even brought to the point of tears.


    "Yancey, haven''t I told you this before? I once ran into Mr. Ethan, and when I mentioned Grace, his expression was full of disdain.


    "Someone even asked him what he thought of her, and he said that meeting her in person was worse than hearing about her."


    Him saying, "Meeting her in person was worse than hearing about her", was an understatement, especially when everyone in Druville knew about Grace''s name.


    Her reputation as Yancey''spdog was well-established throughout the whole town.


    Aliceughed harder and harder. But in the end, perhaps afraid of breaking her persona, she toned it down a little.


    "Grace, don''t feel bad about it. Mr. Ethan treats all women like this."


    Grace''s mood suddenly soured even more.


    The car came to a stop at a certain point, and Yancey quickly pointed outside at a flower shop.


    "Look, Grace! Do you remember this ce? When we graduated from high school, you bought flowers for me here.


    "We took our graduation photo together. I even made you a flower crown, but you thought it was ugly and threw a tantrum at me."


    Grace nced at Alice. She found it funny that Alice''s expression had turned grim.


    Yancey continued reminiscing. "Back then, there was a trend at school where students would give the second button of their uniform to someone they liked. I originally wanted to give you mine, but your uniform was stolen, so you weren''t even wearing it on graduation day."


    He was talking about their high school days, back when Alice hadn''t reunited with the Lamberts yet. At the time, his rtionship with Grace was still rtively good.


    Grace closed her eyes and said in a monotone voice, "Sorry, I really don''t remember."


    A trace of disappointment shed across Yancey''s eyes as he gripped the steering wheel. "I was thinking of taking you back to our high school sometime. Maybe seeing familiar ces will help you remember things."


    As soon as he finished his sentence, Alice''s voice rang out. "Yancey!"


    Her chest was heaving violently, and her face grew paler by the second.


    It was only then that Yancey realized he had just tried on wedding outfits with this woman earlier today.


    Awkwardly, he stepped on the gas pedal and drove off. Meanwhile, Grace could feel the intense hatred radiating from Alice.


    The hatred was like vines growing rapidly, seemingly about to swallow the entire


    car.


    When they arrived at the Lambert residence, Grace didn''t stay and chit-chat with anyone. Instead, she went straight to her room.


    She hadn''t searched under her bed yesterday, so she hoped to find some other clues today.


    But she didn''t end up finding anything under the bed. Frustrated, she pounded the nightstand with her fist, and out of nowhere, a small hiddenpartment in the wall popped open.


    Her eyes lit up when she saw a few cards inside, but the handwriting on the cards wasn''t hers. It seemed like the handwriting belonged to a man as it looked bold and strong, with a carefree vibe.


    "I''lle get you once everything is over."


    "Happy birthday, Grace."


    There were only two cards, with nothing else except these words.


    Grace even wondered if she should check for any hidden chips inside them.


    But they were just ordinary greeting cards.


    The fact that these two cards had been hidden in such a secret spot showed just how important they had been to her.


    She furrowed her brows slightly andy down on the bed, carefully examining the handwriting.


    This wasn''t Yancey''s handwriting, nor was it Ethan''s.


    Ethan''s handwriting looked somewhat domineering, while this handwriting was more free-flowing kind of like a young master raised in the martial world.

 Chapter 167

    Grace was so absorbed in her thoughts that she unknowingly fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, downstairs, Yancey decided to stay for dinner, as the chefs were still preparing the meal in the kitchen.


    Carmen pulled Alice aside and asked if she was satisfied with the wedding dress she tried on today.


    Alice wasn''t really in a great mood, and she could barely force out a response.


    "It''s okay, Mom. I''m feeling a little unwell, so I''m going upstairs to get some rest. Call me when dinner is ready."


    "Alright, go ahead. You look so pale."


    Alice got up and walked upstairs. After returning to her room, she began pacing back and forth. She couldn''t stop thinking about how Yancey had treated Grace in the car just now, and her expression was twisted with anger.


    She couldn''t wait any longer. She had to act immediately.


    She took out her phone and made a call.


    "I''ll ask Liam to take Grace out tomorrow. I''ll also arrange someone to kidnap her. This time, I''ll make the first move. If she''s lucky enough to survive, then it''ll be your turn next time. One of us is bound to seed."


    The person on the other end didn''t say much. They simply responded, "Okay."


    When dinner was served, one of the maids went to call Grace, but she didn''t feel like eating and went back to sleeping.


    She was abruptly woken by a phone call. As soon as she answered the call, the first thing she heard was Paul''s voice on the other end.


    "Hey, Grace. Taylor''s mother came looking for us. She seemspletely out of her mind."


    Grace instantly woke up, sitting up with her eyes wide open.


    If Maria was truly deranged, how could she have found the hospital so quickly?


    "Mr. Brown, do me a favor and keep her there for now. I''ll head over in two days to see her."


    Since Grace wasn''t sure if Maria was really insane, she decided to leave Maria hanging for a few days. Maria might eventually lose her patience and reveal her true self.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Ethan was typing on hisputer elsewhere. He kept ncing out at the darkening sky as if waiting for someone.


    Tim knocked on the door and entered, cing a few sleeping pills beside Ethan.


    "Mr. Henderson, do you want to give these a try?"


    Ethan lowered his gaze, and his typing became slower and slower.


    Tim took a deep breath and said, "I gave Ms. Lambert a phone call, but she didn''t pick up. I heard she went back to the Lambert residence with Yancey."


    Ethan didn''t take the sleeping pills. He hadn''t slept in two days, and dark circles could be seen under his eyes.


    Ethan continued staring at the data on his screen before asking, "What do you think she''ll choose this time?"


    Tim wasn''t entirely sure what that meant. There were a lot of times when Ethan''s phrasing confused him.


    "I don''t know. Ms. Lambert has always been very wilful."


    Ethan let out a short chuckle, but there was no warmth in his smile.


    "She''s not wilful. She is just ruthless to people she doesn''t care about."


    She was ruthless enough to simply make empty promises, then stabbed someone in the heart with a smile.


    She was ruthless enough to say she''d give something a try, only to turn around and forget about itpletely.


    That was exactly how Grace was. She toyed with him like how people would toy with a dog.


    Ethan''s fingertips pressed against the sleeping pills, and in an instant, the white pills were crushed and shattered into fragments on his palm.


    He raised his hand to rub his temples. Even though he was extremely exhausted, he still couldn''t fall asleep.


    He got up and went to his bedroom, then directlyy down on the couch.


    Grace hadin down on this same couch a few times before, it still carried her scent.


    While staring at the ceiling, Ethan recalled what she had said earlier that day. Maybe she had always noticed his feelings toward her but was simply not interested, so she didn''t bother to expose him.


    What a brutally honest truth.


    Even without her past memories, Grace could still see through everything so clearly.


    Her scent on the couch was too faint. No matter how hard Ethan tried to capture it, the scent was barely there.


    He turned over and pulled out a bath towel she had used before, draping it over himself. Only then did the aching pain in his chest start to ease off.


    Just then, his phone chimed. It was a specific notification sound.


    He immediately picked up his phone and nced at the screen. It was a message from Grace.


    "Mr. Henderson, I just remembered something. Am I about to receive my termination letter soon? I''m pretty sure Jodie told you everything about what I did to her, right?"


    Grace felt very uneasy after sending the text message. Throwing the documents at Jodie''s face today was already an act of mercy on Grace''s part.


    Unfortunately, Ethan would always have Jodie''s back.


    Ten minutes had passed, but he hadn''t responded yet.


    Grace got up from her bed. She didn''t want to leave Henderson Group just yet,


    but if Ethan really wanted to fire her, there was nothing she could do.


    She waited for another ten minutes and sent a follow-up message.


    "Mr. Henderson?"


    "Yes?"


    Ethan responded almost instantly this time, but it was only one word.


    She really couldn''t understand him most of the time. He wasn''t much of a talker.


    "Are you currently resting? Am I disturbing you?"


    "Is there anything else you want to say?"


    The two messages popped up almost at the same time. The second one was from Ethan.


    Grace felt heart sink. She felt like she was irritating Ethan.


    It made sense-Ethan always had a soft spot for Jodie.


    Grace took a deep breath and replied to his message, "No."

 Chapter 168

    The following day, Grace woke up with the same dilemma, wondering if she should take the initiative and resign first to save some dignity.


    Feeling sluggish, she dragged herself out of bed and headed downstairs, only to run into Yancey. It turned out he had also spent the night at the Lambert residence.


    Yancey''s gaze lingered on her bare face, and something tightened in his chest. He had seen Grace at her most vibrant, full of life. Her beauty was undeniable. Though many were quick to judge her character, no one ever questioned her looks.


    He couldn''t take his eyes off her face, and when he snapped back to reality, he quickly started heading downstairs. In his haste, he even tripped.


    Grace couldn''t be bothered. She was about to head home when Yancey called after her. "Grace, I wanted to take you somewhere today. It might help you regain your memory. I even checked with the doctor."


    She frowned and walked straight to the living room door. "Can you just leave me alone?" she said impatiently.


    Her words stunned him for a few seconds. He had said that phrase countless times over the years, but hearing it from her now caught him off guard.


    A sharp pang shot through his chest, and his eyes turned red with the rush of emotion.


    Grace felt even more irritated. Of all things, seeing Yancey like this unsettled her, and she had no idea why.


    Yancey pressed his lips together, swallowing the sharp retort that once would havee so easily. Instead, he said, "I''m just trying to help. Without your memories, you''ll always be at a disadvantage. That could put you in danger. I know I was wrong before, but this time, I mean it-I want to help you."


    Grace rubbed her temples. He wasn''t wrong. Without her memories, she was always at a disadvantage. She was about to respond when Alice suddenly rushed down the stairs.


    "Grace!" Alice''s voice trembled as if she were barely holding it together. "Yancey and I are getting married soon. Can you at least try to be considerate while you''re here? I''ve been trying to hold myself together, but I''m terrified I''ll lose it again." She clutched her head as if she were on the verge of a breakdown. "I hate myself every time I lose control. I feel like I''m losing myself, and it''s unbearable."


    Grace hadn''t even said a word, yet Alice had already thrown herself into a full- blown meltdown.


    Concerned for Alice''s state, the whole family rushed to her side-some handed her medicine while others tried to soothe her.


    Alice''s face was ghostly pale. Grace almost wanted to ask her outright-how did she make it look so convincing?


    Grace had seen enough. She turned to leave, but Carmen''s voice cut through the tension.


    "Grace, I told you Alice isn''t well. Are you trying to push her over the edge?" she snapped. "You know how much she cares about Yancey-why can''t you stay away? Didn''t you swear you were over him? Or does the thought of Alice being happy bother you?"


    Grace''s gaze flicked from Carmen to Liam. Liam, rattled by Alice''s outburst, hardly reacted. His hands trembled around the medication, too caught up to pay Grace any mind.


    She exhaled sharply, then gestured toward Yancey. "Go take care of your fianc¨¦e. And don''t say that again. I''ll talk to Joanne¡ªshe should know where I used to go."


    Before Grace''s words had fully settled, Alice tugged Liam closer and whispered something to him.


    A flicker of hesitation crossed Liam''s face before he turned to Grace, quietly pulling her aside.


    "Grace," he murmured. "Alice wanted me to talk to you. She didn''t mean what she said earlier-she couldn''t help it. She hates being like this, too."

 Chapter 169

    Grace almost wanted tough at how convincing Alice''s acting was, having everyone taken in with her act.


    "Grace, I''m free today. Want to go out for a bit? Oh, and if you''re looking for a ce that might bring back memories, I can help. I know somewhere you used to go a lot," Liam said.


    That actually sounded like a good idea, especially since Grace wasn''t in the mood to argue with Alice. She slid into the car and said, "Alright, take me there."


    Liam quickly jumped into the driver''s seat, his smile more genuine now. "Alright!"


    He stepped on the gas, and the car slowly pulled away from the Lambert residence. Grace had no memories of her past, but as she watched the scenery outside the window, she couldn''t help but wonder where Liam was taking her.


    To her surprise, the car pulled into a cemetery. It wasn''t the same one she''d visited with Ethan, but it still carried that same solemn weight. She got out, ncing at Liam in confusion.


    He scratched his head and exined, "Our grandpa, Albert Lambert, is buried here. He cared about you the most."


    A sudden tightness gripped her chest, but beyond that, nothing came back to her.


    Liam hesitated, running a hand over his face. "Honestly, I wasn''t sure if bringing you here was the right call. When Grandpa passed, you cried for days. In his final moments, he pulled you aside, just the two of you, and whispered something. No one knows what he said. After that, you stopped eating and fainted. But whenever you had time, you''de here."


    A sharp pain throbbed in her head as Grace made her way up the path.


    Seeing that she still didn''t seem to remember anything, Liam continued, "When Alice first came to the family, Grandpa didn''t like her. He said she had a questionable character, but he was old and always on medication. When Grandpa heard about you jumping into the river for Yancey and nearly drowned, he..."


    He paused for a long moment, his voice dropping. "It broke his heart, and he passed away soon after."


    Grace felt her legs grow weak, the overwhelming guilt threatening to swallow her whole. A sharp pain throbbed in her head, growing more intense, and soon, beads of sweat started running down her back.


    "Grace?" Liam called, his voice filled with concern.


    She slowly sank onto the steps, pressing her fingers to her temples. "I''m not feeling well. Just need a moment."


    He sat down beside her and pulled a tangerine from his pocket. "Here, have some of this."


    She shook her head. "Keep going. Maybe it''ll help me remember."


    He hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. The Lambert family had always believed that she had been the cause of Albert''s death.


    That was why Quentin had distanced himself from her. Liam had been holding onto resentment toward Grace as well. After that, she only deepened the rift- acting recklessly and creating more tension with the family.


    Grace nced up at him, noticing his silence. "Why''d you stop?"


    "Grace, some things are better left in the past," he said gently. "I''m just worried you might not be able to handle it. Back then, you were a real handful. Honestly, it''s probably for the best that you''ve forgotten about Yancey. You upset so many people just trying to be with him."

 Chapter 170

    Grace finally understood why Quentin always had that pained, disappointed gaze when he looked at her.


    She had been part of what led to Albert''s death. But if Albert had spoken to her before he passed, he likely hadn''t held a grudge. He was probably just frustrated, wishing she had done better.


    Even though she couldn''t remember everything, a wave of guilt crashed over her. Overwhelmed, she pped herself hard.


    Her cheek turned red from the p, and Liam flinched in shock. "Grace! What are you doing?"


    She shook her head, forcing herself to steady her emotions, and continued up the path. "Come on. Take me to Grandpa."


    Liam stiffened with regret, afraid that saying anything more might set her off again. Bringing her here suddenly felt like a terrible mistake. They walked for another ten minutes before Albert''s tombstone came into view.


    Grace stopped in her tracks. A strange heaviness settled in her chest, making it hard to move forward. Even so, Liam gave her space. She hesitated for a long moment before finally stepping forward.


    The ck-and-white photo on the headstone bore a kind expression. The second her gaze fell on it, tears blurred her vision and spilled down her cheeks.


    A wave of dizziness hit her, and she instinctively reached for the gravestone to steady herself. It took her a long time to focus enough to read the inscription. A few fresh bouquets rested at the foot of the grave, their petals adorned with glistening dewdrops.


    Her face went pale as a sharp pain shot through her head. She lowered herself to kneel, but the moment her knees met the ground, a deep ache clenched her chest, making her shudder.


    Liam quickly stepped in and helped her up. "Grace, that''s enough. Let''s go back. You need to rest."


    He realized Alice had been right after all. Coming here might actually help Grace remember. If Alice hadn''t mentioned it, he never would have dared to bring Grace here.


    He took a deep breath, hesitating. He couldn''t bring himself to tell Grace thating here had been Alice''s idea.


    Grace pulled his hand away and lowered her head in silence. After a long moment, she lifted it and fixed her gaze on Albert''s face in the photo, etching it into her memory. Only then did she let out a bitterugh.


    "Liam, was I really that blind before?" Had she done so many foolish things for Yancey?


    Liam kept quiet. To him, Grace had been downright reckless.


    They spent an hour at the cemetery before heading back, but Liam had barely driven a mile when a heavy truck suddenly mmed into them.


    "Grace!" Without thinking, Liam shielded her, pulling her into his arms.


    A sharp branch from the wreck pierced his shoulder, blood soaking through his clothes. A few drops sttered onto Grace''s face.


    He took a shaky breath. At that moment, he was no longer the arrogant, carefree heir. "Grace, I''m starting to think yourst ident wasn''t just bad luck. We need to look into this when we get back."


    Grace had only suffered minor injuries, but she saw several men stepping out of the truck. She reached out, pressing a hand lightly against Liam''s head. "Stay put."


    He suddenly realized they might not make it out of this alive. He had never faced a real brush with death before, and his voice wavered.


    "My bank card password is my birthday. I sold a car yesterday, so there''s still a few million in my ount. You and Alice can split the sports cars and models. I got you a designer bag before-gotta be fair, right?"


    He let out a shaky breath. "Oh, and there''s this girl I like at school. If I don''t make it, Grace, give her a share of my inheritance. Her family''s struggling, but she never epts anything from me. She''s always hanging around that annoying top student, though. If I survive this, that guy''s getting a punch to the face."

 Chapter 171

    Grace saw Liam''s consciousness fading fast, and his eyes were losing focus. Without hesitation, she shoved the wrecked car door open.


    "Enough," she said sharply. "You''re not dying. If you have something to say, say it yourself."


    Liam was too weak to respond and passed out momentster. The cemetery was rarely empty-someone would find him soon. But first, she had to draw those men away.


    She sprinted down the slope, only rxing when she saw them chasing after her. With any luck, someone would notice Liam soon and get him to a hospital. His shoulder wound wasn''t fatal, so he should be fine.


    A dense foresty at the bottom of the slope. As she rushed downhill, branches scraped her face, drawing thin lines of blood. But she didn''t have time to care- she just kept running.


    The rush of adrenaline gave her a terrifying resilience. Her hands were cut and bleeding, but she kept running, never daring to slow down.


    She had no idea who sent these men, but their intent was clear. They were here to kill her.


    As soon as she reached the stream, she jumped in without hesitation. The icy current seized her, dragging her downstream. At first, she fought to stay conscious, but soon, everything blurred.


    The men chasing her found no trace of her. Assuming the current had swept her away, they searched downstream for two hours but found nothing.


    One of them spat into the dirt. "Call it¡ªshe''s dead. No sense leaving two million dors on the table."


    "Yeah," another chimed in. "That bitch was half-dead from the crash anyway. The water''s just finishing her off. This river runs past Druville-nobody''s out there to fish her out."


    After a quick discussion, they called Alice. She could hardly believe how easily everything had gone. Her lips trembled with excitement, her eyes gleaming.


    "Good. I''ll transfer the rest of the money right now. Leave Druville immediately," she ordered.


    The men exchanged satisfied nces. Once they received the payment, they left without bothering to chase Grace any longer.


    Meanwhile, Grace felt a searing heat flood her body, her stomach churning as if surrounded by a raging fire. She struggled to open her eyes, but they remained shut no matter how hard she tried.


    A hand gently pried her mouth open, slipping something inside. She frowned, instinctively trying to spit it out, but the hand pressed against her mouth, preventing her from doing so.


    The heat inside her kept rising, and the hand shifted to her earlobe, gently pinching it like she was a fragile doll. Her breathing grew heavier with anger, but the hand didn''t stop, tapping her cheek as if it had be an obsession.


    Grace was about to curse when a flood of memories suddenly hit her. They were memories of Ethan, but amid this burning heat, she couldn''t tell if they were real or just a dream.


    The memory brought up something a business partner had mentioned the time she pped Ethan. Back then, his leg was still fine. He just raised his hand to touch his cheek, saying nothing.


    She hadn''t said anything either, her hand that had struck him slightly clenching. The two of them stood there, unmoving, locked in a silent standoff.


    What surprised her was that, in this memory, she exuded the same presence as Ethan. As the memory was about to fade, Ethan suddenly asked, "Did your hand hurt from the p?"

 Chapter 172

    Grace''s chest tightened, and she jolted awake. She gasped for air, her eyes locking onto the familiar ceiling. It took a second to register that she was at Palm


    Bay.


    She tried to sit up, but a familiar voice stopped her. "You''re awake?"


    Her throat was dry, and she nodded quickly, searching the room for water. Before she could find it, a ss was already at her lips, as if he knew what she needed.


    She drank in quick, thirsty gulps, letting him steady the ss. Only after finishing did the heat in her body subside, and her gaze finally settled on Ethan.


    It was the middle of the night, and Ethan was in his usual pajamas. The neckline hung loosely, dipping low enough to reveal his abs.


    Grace quickly looked away. Last time, when Ethan answered the door for Jodie, he had purposely pulled his pajamas tighter to cover himself. It seemed he didn''t like showing skin.


    Without thinking, she grabbed both sides of his pajamas and pulled them


    together, covering him up. She even tightened the belt at his waist a little more.


    He lowered his gaze, watching as her hands swiftly tied the belt. "What are you doing?"


    She looked up at him, her tone firm. "Your pajamas were loose. You don''t seem like the type to show this much."


    "Yeah." He gave a short response and nced away. His expression was unreadable, but his lips were pressed together slightly.


    She didn''t think much of it. Instead, she asked, "How did you find me? Where''s Liam? Is he okay?"


    "There''s a golf course over there, and I had to pass by the cemetery. I ran into Liam, and he grabbed me, insisting I go find you," Ethan replied.


    A wave of emotion surged through Grace. Liam had passed out earlier, which meant he must have woken up in agonizing pain. Yet the first thing he did was ask someone to look for her.


    Just for that, she figured she should at least be a little nicer to him from now on.


    She took a deep breath and finally noticed the bandages wrapped tightly around her waist and arms, almost like a mummy.


    "Mr. Henderson, you''re too kind. I''m in your debt again, and I have no idea how to repay you," Grace said with a wry smile.


    She nced at her phone and saw it was 2:00 am. Upon noticing the dark circles under Ethan''s eyes, she figured he hadn''t been able to sleep without her-his usual "sleeping pill".


    Feeling bold, she patted the bed beside her. "Tonight, I''ll stay right here without moving an inch. You should get some rest, Mr. Henderson."


    Ethan met her gaze, then, out of nowhere, smiled.


    She frowned slightly. What was he smiling about? Yet, he was already getting into bed, moving with his usual unhurried grace, even as he pulled the nket over her.


    That''s when it sank in-she was in Ethan''s bed, not on the couch.


    She was the one who told him to get in, so kicking him out now would be


    ridiculous. She hesitated for a few seconds, but he was already under the nket, his eyes closed.

 Chapter 173

    Seriously? Grace couldn''t understand how Ethan managed to fall asleep so quickly.


    Eventually, she could only remain silent. She forced herself to sleep, but it wouldn''te. As far as she could remember, she''d never shared a bed with a man. And to make matters worse, he was her boss.


    Unable to sleep, her thoughts wandered, and a memory surfaced-something she had written in her notebook long ago: "Don''t trust Ethan".


    She turned to study his profile. He was strikingly handsome, with a high nose bridge that cast a perfect shadow. Even up close, his skin was wless-no pores in sight. She caught herself staring at him for a while, and before she knew it, sleepiness crept in.


    It seemed that losing her memory had made Grace unusually carefree. When he heard the soft rhythm of her breathing, Ethan slowly opened his eyes and turned slightly, his gaze fixed on her face.


    She had fallen asleep, her expression calm-almost childlike in its innocence. Since losing her memory, her calcting side was gone, and now she seemed harmless.


    He lifted his hand and was about to tap her nose but stopped midway, hesitating. After a moment, he sighed quietly, adjusted her nket, and finally closed his eyes.


    That night, Grace had another dream-hazy and indistinct. Voices echoed around her, frantic and urgent, asking her what to do. Even in her sleep, she could feel the tension, the weight of everyone''s expectations pressing down on her.


    The pressure jolted her awake. She opened her eyes and locked gazes with Ethan.


    He seemed to have slept wellst night, looking more refreshed than usual. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, d to see that, at least, she was still effective as his "sleeping pill".


    She hurried to sit up, forgetting the bandages around her waist, and the sudden move sent her tumbling back down. Luckily, a broad hand caught her, steadying her against his palm. "Thanks," she muttered.


    His touch lingered as Ethan gently pressed on her back before asking, "Feeling better?"


    She couldn''t help but feel a little off, like the gesture was just too intimate. But she quickly brushed those thoughts aside, remembering how ufortable he had looked when she was on top of him. It made it obvious he wasn''t thinking that way.


    It was all Yancey''s fault. If he hadn''t kept bbering on, she wouldn''t have felt so uneasy just being a little closer to Ethan, overthinking everything. Ethan was just being kind, but here she was, twisting his actions into something inappropriate.


    She couldn''t shake the guilt and hated herself for it. Meanwhile, Ethan had already gotten out of bed. He pulled off his pajamas and casually opened the wardrobe.


    She was drifting in her thoughts when she suddenly glimpsed his chiseled physique. She froze for a beat, then quickly covered her eyes. "I''m still here, Mr. Henderson. Do you undress out of habit?"


    His fingers froze halfway before he mumbled, "Sorry, it slipped my mind."


    She quickly spun around, her face flushing as she heard him getting dressed behind her.

 Chapter 174

    Ethan fastened thest button on his shirt and nced at Grace. "Give the Lamberts a call. They think something''s happened to you."


    His words broke the tense silence, and Grace let out a slow breath as relief spread through her chest. She quickly reached for her phone but hesitated, remembering she wasn''t close to the Lamberts.


    Liam was the only Lambert she had any ties to, but he was probably still unconscious. For a moment, she didn''t know who to call.


    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Carmen leaned over Liam''s bed, sobbing. "How did this happen? Do the police know who did this?"


    Alice quickly held her. "Mom, let''s wait until Liam wakes up. The car was Grace''s, but they still haven''t found her."


    Carmen tensed, looking even more worn out. "Grace only ever brings trouble. Wasn''t it enough that she drove her grandfather to his grave? She''s been against you at every turn, and now she almost got Liam killed. I just¡ª"


    Before she could finish, Quentin cut in. "Enough, Carmen. Liam and Grace were close. She wouldn''t have done this on purpose. She''s missing, and you''re already ming her? At least wait for the police report."


    Quentin''s word was final. At that, Carmen pressed her lips together and said no


    more.


    Alice, however, could barely contain her satisfaction. She had already paid them off, and those people were likely out of the country by now. There was no way the police would trace anything back.


    Grace, that miserable bitch, was finally gone for good!


    Just as her smirk began to form, the door to the ward mmed open. Yancey stormed in, scanning the room. "Where''s Grace? It was her car. Was she with Liam? Where is she?"


    The urgency on Yancey''s face was impossible to miss, and it twisted something in Alice''s mind, souring her mood.


    She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. "The police are still looking, but the footage shows those guys chasing her. They had knives, Yancey-they must''ve wanted her dead. Grace is gone, she''s gone..."


    Yancey shoved her away without hesitation. Before he even realized it, he pped her across the face.


    Alice stood frozen, the shock of the p still ringing in her mind, her thoughts nk for several seconds.


    He knew he shouldn''t have reacted like that, but the thought of Grace being gone made his chest tighten with something he couldn''t name. "Alice, don''t be ridiculous. They haven''t even found her-how can you be so sure?"


    She pressed a hand to her cheek, and her whole body trembled. Her breaths came heavy with anger as she fixed her gaze on Liam. If Liam died too, would the Lamberts ever forgive Grace?


    The thought was reckless, but it wasn''t her first time. Everyone believed Grace had driven Albert to his death, but that was far from the truth.


    The day Alice arrived at the Lambert residence, Albert had made it clear he didn''t like her. Worse yet, he always took Grace''s side. No matter what Grace did, he always found a way to defend her.


    When Albert knew Grace had jumped into the river for Yancey, he nearly copsed. Alice knew this was her moment. She had been waiting for the chance to get rid of him.


    When no one else was around, she sat beside him and whispered, "Grandpa, what should we do? Grace is losing her mind over Yancey. Last night, she didn''t just try to jump off a building-she even slept with a group of thugs. Yancey said he''d keep the engagement as long as she did what he asked-and she believed him."


    Tears ran down her face as she went on. "Now those photos are everywhere. How is she supposed to face anyone after this? Grandpa, please talk to her. I don''t want to see her ruin herself like this."


    Alice''s words hit Albert hard, leaving him so weak that even speaking became a struggle. But she had never felt more satisfied. She was meant to be the favorite in this family, and anyone who stood in her way deserved to die.


    After Albert''s death, Quentin became disheartened, and Liam''s resentment toward Grace grew stronger. She eventually made Grace the family outcast, just as she had vowed on her first day here.


    Or so she thought. Who would have expected Liam to start trusting his so-called "sister" again after Grace lost her memory? He even bought her a bag worth over two million dors-something he once believed Grace was unworthy of.


    Alice stood quietly to the side as her face twisted in anger, her nails digging deep into her palms. If Liam died, Quentin and Carmen would hate Grace forever. She''d never have a ce in this family again.


    Her eyes briefly lit up, but then she remembered that Grace was already dead. All her schemes now seemed pointless, only tarnishing the reputation of someone already gone. She sneered quietly and stayed silent, standing off to the side.


    Carmen had already been upset when Yancey pped Alice earlier. Now, watching him pace around, make calls, and send people out to search for Grace, her resentment only deepened. "Yancey, you should be focusing on Alice. You pped her right in front of us. Do you think we don''t matter?"


    Yancey hung up the phone, his expression tense. "Mrs. Lambert, I''m sorry, I''m just so worried. Liam''s in critical condition, so Grace is probably in worse shape. She''s your daughter. You want her to be okay, don''t you?"


    Carmen was taken aback by his words, speechless. Her hatred for Grace ran deep because every divide in this family was her fault. If she could, she would wish for Grace''s death so the family could finally find peace.


    The atmosphere in the room grew heavy until Quentin finally spoke. "Grace will be fine. The police are looking for her. I can''t afford to lose anyone else."


    As he spoke, he rubbed his brow. The gray in his hair stood out more than ever, and exhaustion weighed heavily on his face.


    Carmen''s heart suddenly tightened. When Albert passed away, it was as though Quentin had aged overnight.


    No matter what, Grace was still his daughter. He could never stand by and watch something happen to her.

 Chapter 175

    The police quickly arrived at Liam''s ward, but unfortunately, they brought bad news.


    "The individuals we''re dealing with are all fugitives, each with at least three murders to their name. We''re not sure why they targeted Ms. Lambert. There''s no previous connection between her and them. It could be a contract killing," the officer exined.


    While the officers were still speaking, Alice unexpectedly spoke up. "Maybe Grace just offended someone without realizing it. She''s always been pretty harsh with others."


    When she felt everyone''s gaze on her, she quickly fell silent as tears slipped down her cheeks.


    Carmen added, "Grace was never kind to anyone. Even the maids at the Lambert residence couldn''t stand her attitude. Alice is right. She probably upset someone without even realizing it."


    The officers exchanged nces, then sighed. "We''re still investigating. The suspects fled quickly and crossed into Vendaria. We don''t have jurisdiction there, so unless they return on their own, there''s not much we can do at the moment."


    Yancey''s voice cracked with panic. "What about Grace?"


    The officers paused for a moment. "These criminals are ruthless and highly skilled at covering their tracks. We''ll keep searching, but several other victims'' bodies are still missing. We advise that you prepare for the worst."


    Quentin staggered at the news, nearly copsing. Alice hurried to steady him, her voice quivering with emotion. "Don''t worry, Dad. They only want us to prepare for the worst. Maybe Grace will be lucky and make it through, right?"


    While saying this, she struggled to hide her smile, quickly looking away from everyone.


    Quentin''s face went ashen, as though he had aged years in an instant. His lips trembled several times before he managed to speak.


    "Grace is just an ordinary girl. How could she survive against such ruthless criminals? If I''d known this would happen, I never would have argued with her. Ourst memory of each other is just so painful."


    His words made the room fall into an even heavier silence. The officers, unsure how to offerfort, made a few more notes and left.


    Quentin sank onto a bed beside still-unconscious Liam, his mind heavy with worry over Grace''s uncertain fate. The weight of it all had drained the usual spark from his eyes.


    Alice didn''t miss the chance to act concerned, busying herself with keeping things in order.


    Watching her, Carmen sighed and took her hand. "Alice, we''re so lucky to have you."


    Alice smiled faintly, keeping it subtle. "Mom, we''re family. It''s the least I can do." Two hourster, Liam finally woke up, his voice weak as he called, "Grace!"


    His eyes scanned the room, and when he saw the people around him, his hand reached out to grasp Alice''s. "Have you seen Grace?"


    Her eyes welled up, but she quickly patted his head, her voice calm. "You need to rest, Liam. Just focus on getting better."


    His heart sank, and he stared at her, confusion and fear flooding him. "What do you mean? Alice, stop messing with me. What happened to Grace?"


    Alice covered her mouth to hold back her tears, but a faint smile yed on her lips as she turned away.


    Liam tried to push himself up, but as he looked at Quentin, he saw the same unsettling expression. His vision blurred, and everything went ck.


    Could something have happened to Grace? He vaguely recalled that amid the haze of his rescue, he told someone to find Grace, but who was it?


    The memory felt fragmented, and he couldn''t remember the person''s face. He pressed a hand to his throbbing head, straining to recall the memory, but it remained out of reach.


    Over the next two days, Alice took charge of the Lambert residence, keeping everything in order. She brought Liam carefully prepared nutritious meals each day, but he had no appetite. In just a couple of days, he lost 5.5 pounds.


    Meanwhile, Quentin stayed home to recover, leaving thepany entirely in Alice''s hands. As she walked through the office, all the employees stopped and greeted her, "Ms. Lambert."


    She became the acting CEO, gaining full authority over all major projects. While sitting in the CEO''s chair, she looked out at the towering building across the city, a sense of determination rising within her.


    That building belonged to Henderson Group, and Ethan was undeniably a brilliant strategist. The media had once reported that from the top of Henderson Group tower, the entire view was andscape of Henderson Group assets.


    Alice spun in her chair, a faint smile curling her lips as excitement bubbled inside her. She imagined meeting Ethan in the business world, joining forces, and leaving him captivated and unable to forget her.


    A softugh escaped her at the thought. Indeed, a world without Grace was the best world.


    That evening, Alice returned to the Lambert residence and went straight to Grace''s room. She turned to Fiona Baker, the housekeeper, and said, "Clear out Grace''s room and get rid of everything she used. I don''t want Dad or Liam reminded of her."


    Fiona nodded and began tidying up as instructed.


    When Carmen helped Quentin into the living room, they saw Fiona about to toss out Grace''s used bedsheets. He frowned and asked, "What''s going on?"


    Fiona quickly exined, "Ms. Alice was worried that seeing Ms. Grace''s things might upset you. She asked me to clean it up."


    Before he could respond, Carmen sighed and said, "She''s just trying to be considerate."


    Now that Grace was gone, she didn''t feel right saying anything too harsh, not wanting to cause him more pain.


    Quentin coughed and waved his hand. "Put it back. That room is still hers, even if she''s not here."


    Fiona quickly nodded and hurried upstairs. Once she reached Grace''s room, she found Alice still there and ryed Quentin''s message.


    Alice''s expression darkened, and she scoffed. "Fine. Leave it. It''s just a bunch of useless things, anyway."


    She rolled her eyes, silently mocking Quentin. She knew that, sooner orter, he would forget about his precious daughter.

 Chapter 176

    Two dayster, Grace could finally move around freely. She''d spent the past week as Ethan''s "sleeping pill", barely moving in bed. After a long, hot shower in the morning, she told him she was leaving Palm Bay.


    Ethan sat on the couch with the morning paper, his expression unreadable.


    She quickly exined, "Regarding Amity Hospital in the suburbs, I was supposed to convince the director to relocate, but my injuries slowed me down. I''ll take care of it in the next few days. And, Mr. Henderson, you''re not firing me, right?"


    His grip on the newspaper tightened before he looked up. A week of good sleep had worked wonders, and he looked much better. "Who said I was firing you?" he asked, his voice t.


    She let out a relieved breath, her face lighting up with a smile. "Thank goodness! I''ll head to the hospital right now and get it done."


    She''d ignored Maria for a week, and now it was time to face her. Plus, she needed to figure out what had caused the car ident.


    As she drove off, she reached for her phone, which had been dead for a while. After quickly charging it, she saw that no one had messaged her-except Selene, who''d asked why she hadn''t been hometely.


    The message was three days old, so replying felt pointless. Just as Grace was heading to the hospital, her phone buzzed again. "Why are the Lamberts saying you''re dead?" Selene asked.


    Grace raised an eyebrow and shot back a question mark.


    "Good to know you''re not dead. It''s not easy finding friends who actually get me," Selene replied. "Oh, and the Lamberts are already picking out your tombstone. Alice is in charge, and she''s taking it pretty seriously."


    Grace was speechless, but with Alice in charge, it wasn''t surprising at all. If anyone would be happy about her supposed death, it was Alice. She''d probably throw a party to celebrate.


    She asked Selene to look into Alice''s recent bank transactions, and sure enough, she found that Alice had transferred arge sum of money overseas to a Vendaria ount.


    Vendaria was a mess, and no legitimate business would get involved there. When the police told her the culprits had fled there, it all made sense.


    She gripped her phone and checked on Sloan, who was still unconscious. Alice wasn''t taking any chances-she''d meant to end him with that stab. Even with the Sidler family rushing in, they had missed their chance.


    Alice had the Lamberts wrapped around her finger, and her acting was wless- finding any weakness in her would be nearly impossible. The only clue left was her adoptive parents. Was it true, as the Lamberts imed, that Alice had grown up in abuse?


    As Grace headed to Amity Hospital, Alice went to Henderson Group with a project proposal. It was a partnership for a development project, but the proposal seemed designed to cater to Henderson Group''s interests.


    The project had been the Lamberts'' focus for two years. Quentin had spent months working tirelessly to secure the deal, but now, sidelined by health issues, he wouldn''t have expected Alice to hand it over to Henderson Group so easily.


    Henderson Group hadn''t been involved in the project before, as Quentin had worked hard to secure the deal.


    But now, with the project about to begin, bringing them in felt like handing them a golden opportunity. The contract heavily favored them, and to top it off, Alice had taken over as project lead, recing Quentin.


    When Tim received the proposal, he looked at it for a second, then asked again, "You sure this came straight from Lambert Group?"


    "Yes. Ms. Alice is now leading the Lambert Group as the acting CEO."


    Tim couldn''t help but wonder if Alice was using this as a wedding gift. He ced the file on Ethan''s desk with a grin. "Mr. Henderson, this is like free money. Are you interested?"


    Ethan barely looked at it before answering, "I''m a businessman, Tim. What do you think?"


    Tim quickly closed the file. "Alright, I''ll handle the details. Alice is the point person for this project."


    Ethan nodded, not putting much effort into the contract. A proposal full of favorable terms wasn''t worth his time.


    When Tim walked in instead of Ethan, the spark in Alice''s eyes immediately dimmed. She had worked under intense pressure from the higher-ups to hand the deal to Henderson Group, but she couldn''t even meet Ethan in person. She had spent hours getting ready today, betting on a love-at-first-sight moment.


    Thanks to his experience in Ethan''s world, Tim knew exactly how to y the game. "Ms. Lambert, you look stunning today. It''s rare to see someone as elegant as you in a business setting."


    Though it was just a politepliment, Alice''s face lit up with a smile. "Mr. Bet, you''re too kind. This project is just a small gesture. I''m eager to meet with Mr. Henderson more often and see ourpanies grow together."


    "Naturally," Tim replied.


    The deal went through without a hitch, but Alice''s expression soured once she got into the car. She''d never been alone with Ethan, and she couldn''t imagine how fast her heart would race if she were.


    With Yancey letting her down, she had to make her move on Ethan the man who always seemed just out of reach. Her eyes gleamed with determination, and a sly smirk tugged at her lips.

 Chapter 177

    Even while resting at home, Quentin couldn''t stop thinking about thepany. On top of that, the project he''d been working on for over two years was about tounch, so he felt the need to review every contract carefully.


    Still in bed, he coughed a few times and nced at Carmen. "Bring me myptop."


    Carmen sighed. "You''re not in any condition to work. Alice is already handling everything at thepany. Don''t you remember how capable she is? She''s been working nonstop all week, and I''m worried she''ll wear herself out."


    He smiled contentedly before rubbing his forehead. "Alice is certainly capable, but this project has been two years in the making. It''s key to the Lambert family''s international expansion. I''ve invested everything in it and can''t let it fail now, especially with the higher-ups watching closely."


    She sat next to him on the bed and took his hand. "Alice took yourptop. She said you''d never resist checking work messages. She even turned off your phone. Take it easy this week, and don''t worry about anything else. She''s even handling Grace''s funeral, poor thing."


    Quentin fell silent. The mention of Grace hit him like a wave-the pain in his chest sharp and sudden, draining the strength he''d been holding onto.


    Only then did Carmen notice the tears in his eyes. He had always been the family''s pir, and thest time he''d cried was when Albert passed.


    Her heart ached with sympathy, but she also felt a bitter resentment toward Grace. If only Grace had passed sooner, their family might not have been in this situation.


    ...


    When Grace arrived at Amity Hospital, she found Paul and Maria cleaning together.


    The hospital still had flowers in bloom. There weren''t many, but each sat perfectly, adding a subtle warmth to the space.


    Paul spotted her right away and smiled. "Grace, you''re here."


    Maria was facing away and sweeping the floor when she heard him call out to Grace. She quickly dropped the broom and was about to run when Grace''s words stopped her.


    "Ms. Vickham, you found this hospital in just one day. That shows you''re not as out of your mind as you''ve been pretending. You were faking it, weren''t you? I have mentioned that things could turn around, but only if you''re willing to cooperate."


    Maria hesitated, then slowly turned around at her words.


    Grace quickly noticed how much older Maria looked. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion and hopelessness, as though life had worn her down.


    Before she could say anything else, Maria suddenly dropped to her knees, lowering her head in desperate gratitude. "Ms. Lambert, thank you for taking care of Taylor. I don''t know how to repay you. I really don''t. Thank you."


    Grace helped her up, her difort growing as she saw the tears streaking down Maria''s face. Only someone who had been through unimaginable pain could cry like that. "Ms. Vickham, if you have something to say, just say it."


    Turning to Paul, she continued, "Mr. Brown, I came here today to confess something to you as well."


    They sat on a stone bench in the garden, Maria trembling as if she had just received terrible news. Meanwhile, Grace remained patient, waiting for Maria to regain herposure before continuing.


    Grace turned to Paul, her voice serious as she said, "Mr. Brown,st time I was here, I didn''t tell you something important. I was in a car ident and lost all my memories. I didn''t even remember who Taylor was. When I came that day, I had a task from Henderson Group, but after hearing your words, I hesitated.


    "Recently, I had another ident, and it made me realize how much I''ve been at a disadvantage. I''m being honest with you now, and I hope you''ll share everything you know."


    Paul sat in stunned silence for a long moment before finally sighing deeply. "No wonder. I knew something was off that day, but I didn''t know how to ask."


    He continued, "Well, I don''t know much. You''ve always been so decisive, doing things your way. Then, out of nowhere, you showed up with Taylor, bringing in all that expensive equipment and saving his life. Taylor and I are from the same hometown. I''ve known him since he was a kid, and I couldn''t just stand by and do nothing."


    Grace didn''t speak, still processing Paul''s words. So, Paul had taken Taylor in simply out of kindness? She shifted her gaze to Maria, who clutched her coffee cup so tightly it might shatter.


    She reached out and gently held Maria''s calloused hand. "Ms. Vickham, back at the Lambert residence, I heard Alice grew up abused by you. But looking at you, I can''t picture it."


    Maria''s eyes widened in shock, her expression full of disbelief. "What did you say?" she asked, her voice trembling.


    Grace sipped her coffee before answering, "Alice has been seeing a psychologist for years, iming you abused her as a child and left her emotionally scarred.


    "Recently, someone iming to be your rtive barged into the Lambert residence and demanded 30 million dors, threatening to kill himself if they didn''tply."


    Maria jumped to her feet, crying, "That''s impossible!"


    She gripped the table so hard her knuckles turned white, her body trembling with disbelief. "Alice would never say that. We never hurt her. Never..."

 Chapter 178

    Grace arched an eyebrow, realizing Maria was just another person Alice had deceived.


    After Maria finished speaking, she sank back into her seat, her voice trembling. "Alice was always such a shy girl. When she lived with us, we cared for her, especially Taylor. But for reasons we never understood, the other girls never liked her. So we did everything we could to protect and keep her happy."


    Tears began to fall as she continued, "Taylor might not have been the sharpest, but he was kind and pure-hearted. He''d fight anyone to protect Alice, oftening home bruised and battered. Six years ago, he was injured protecting her and fell unconscious. Alice med herself and said she would take on multiple jobs to make things right.


    "Then, somehow, the Lamberts took her in. At first, we were so relieved for her, but things soon fell apart. My husband, Randy, got caught up in it all and was sentenced to 20 years. I begged the Lamberts for help, but they turned their backs on us. They wouldn''t even let Alice see us.


    "She snuck out a few times and gave me 20 thousand dors. She cried, saying there was nothing more she could do for us. She was barely twenty-how could I ce all that burden on her?


    "I searched for evidence that Randy was innocent, but every step I took, someone was there to stop me, to hurt me. These past five years, I''ve been barely surviving. Later, I found out Taylor had been brought to this hospital, and I''vee by to see him several times."


    Her hands were rough, calloused, and covered in scars. "I don''t know who brought Taylor here, so I''ve been waiting nearby. When I saw you, I couldn''t believe you were the one helping him.


    "After the Lamberts knew about Randy''s crime, they swore they''d cut ties with us for good. No amount of begging changed their minds."


    She went on, "That''s why I''ve been hiding. I was afraid you''d stop helping Taylor if you saw me. But I''m out of options. Randy''s been locked up for five years now. He says it''s unbearable. He''s constantly beaten and doesn''t know how much more he can take. He asked me to take care of myself and Taylor."


    Her voice broke as she dropped to her knees again. Blood dripped from them, but she didn''t hesitate. Her determination was clear as she said, "Ms. Grace, you''re helping Taylor, which shows you have a kind heart. Please, I''m begging you, let me see my husband onest time. He''s barely hanging on.


    She begged, "He had nothing to do with that incident. He only passed by the crime scene and called the police. No one can exin how his DNA ended up on her. It''s something no one can make sense of."


    Grace''s heart ached at the sight of Maria''s desperate cries. She reached out to stop her and gently helped her to her feet. "Ms. Vickham, do you really see Alice as an innocent, naive girl?"


    Maria''s eyes reddened as she covered her face. "She is a good kid. She gave me 20 thousand dors to get through the hardest times. I couldn''t find work-no one would hire me. I had no choice but to beg to survive. I didn''t dare reach out to her because the Lamberts can''t stand me."


    Grace let out a shortugh. "Don''t you think it all lines up a little too perfectly? The Lamberts had just taken Alice in, and right after that, someone set up your husband. And just like that, they cut ties with your family. But if Alice is behind it, everything falls into ce."


    She continued, "After all, Taylor ended up in aa because of Alice. Even after she became the Lamberts, she would still be responsible for what happened. Eventually, Alice couldn''t just walk away, and the other socialites would make fun of her for still being connected to you.


    "So, instead of dragging things out, she had to ensure the Lamberts severed ties first. That way, she could live freely, enjoying life as their cherished daughter."


    Maria''s face drained of color as she shook her head slightly. "No, that''s impossible. Alice isn''t like that. Grace, you''re her sister-how can you use her like this? She told me that after returning to the Lambert residence, you were awful to her. She said you bullied her, and I even saw the bruises on her."


    "Well, isn''t that a coincidence?" Grace shot back. "When the Lamberts took Alice in, they saw the bruises and assumed you had mistreated her. And with that dramatic rtive of yours always causing a scene, no one would question it."


    "That''s impossible..." Maria murmured, still shaking her head. She had raised Alice for years-how could she not know her?

 Chapter 179

    To Maria, Alice was nothing but a sweet, innocent girl.


    Grace didn''t press her to believe it. All Maria needed was to see the truth for herself. The issue was that Alice was a master at her role, showing almost no ws in her act.


    But now, she had figured out a way to turn things around. She needed to find the person who had shown up at the Lambert residence, demanding money.


    She stood, giving Maria''s hand a brief, reassuring squeeze. "Ms. Vickham, you and your husband are honest people-too honest to understand how twisted some people can be. Some are born rotten, and they''re experts at manipting others. If you don''t believe me now, that''s fine. I''ll find the proof soon enough." Maria was too overwhelmed to respond and couldn''t believe what she had heard. Grace stood up to leave and headed back to Henderson Group. But as she pulled into the parking lot, she didn''t expect to see Alice. Was she here to see Yancey?


    Yet, Alice stood with Tim, shaking hands like partners in a fair deal. But given the Lamberts'' current standing, they shouldn''t even qualify to work with Henderson Group.


    Lambert Group had been struggling for years, with Quentin doing his best to hold them together. He had a project he''d been working on for two years, and if it seeded, it could turn things around for the Lamberts.


    Alice hadn''t noticed Grace''s car. It was her second visit to Henderson Group that day. Perhaps because the project was so beneficial to Henderson Group, Tim was very amodating, as he personally took her to the top floor.


    To her delight, she saw Ethan wheeling past the door as she settled into the reception room. Though he was in a wheelchair, he still had an undeniable presence that drew everyone''s attention.


    A triumphant smile spread across Alice''s face. Grace was out of the picture, while


    she had already left a great impression on someone like Ethan.


    In the end, Grace couldn''tpare to her. After all, Ethan had said Grace''s reputation spoke for itself. As Alice thought about it, she couldn''t help but chuckle softly.

 Chapter 180

    Grace stepped out of the car right after Alice had driven away. When she got into the same elevator Alice had just used, she caught a whiff of strong perfume still hanging in the air. Alice must have dressed to impress today.


    Was she here to see Yancey? But from what she read in the office group chat, Yancey hadn''t been to the office in days. With their wedding just ten days away, it was weird how neither of them seemed to care much.


    Grace skipped her desk and headed straight to Ethan''s office to fill him in on what was happening. But there was nobody in the office. Where had Ethan gone?


    She crept toward the break room next door and was about to knock when she heard him talking inside. "I''ve got my own n for this. Don''t jump the gun. She doesn''t hate me as much now, so don''t blow it.


    "I''ve always been powerless when ites to her."


    Grace froze at his tired but affectionate tone. Who was Ethan talking to, and who was he talking about? The only person he ever pampered like this was probably Jodie.


    Had he finally decided to move on from Eleanor and give Jodie a chance? Grace left him alone and quietly went back to sit on the office couch. It was too far away now to hear anything else.


    Ethan came out ten minutester and was stunned to see her there. Grace immediately said, "Mr. Henderson, I think I can get Mr. Brown to move out. But I need a week."


    "Okay."


    He flipped through some papers without much interest, like he did not even care about this matter. Grace felt ufortable and at a loss for words. While she sat there wondering what to say next, the office door burst open-it was Yancey who came in.


    When Yancey spotted her, shock washed over his face. Rushing over, he pulled her up and crushed her in a hug. Grace could hardly breathe and was ready to knee him where it hurt.


    Having learned his lesson twice before, Yancey dodged her attack and broke down crying.


    "Grace, you''re alive and well! I was scared to death! If you''re still kicking, why didn''t you call or tell the Lamberts? Alice was asking someone to carve your name on a headstone already."


    His sobs were real, his body trembling with each one. Ever since Grace had woken up, she''d never seen Yancey fall apart like this.


    As she stared at his face in a daze, another simr face shed in her mind. But she couldn''t ce who that was.


    Yancey''s eyes lit up as he held her face. "Did you remember something? Grace, you used to look at me exactly like that!"


    He became excited, and his breathing grew rapid. Only then did Grace regain herposure. She then pushed him away gently.


    She seemed to have calmed down, but her question surprised even herself. "Yancey, do you have any brothers or sisters? Or do you know if there''s anyone who looks like you?"


    The moment she asked, ss shattered somewhere in the office. Grace looked over at Ethan, who kept his head down without a word.


    His usual cool demeanor was gone, and he looked tense. All his emotions seemed buried just beneath the surface, ready to explode any minute.

 Chapter 181

    Yancey looked confused but was too happy to care, so he answered honestly, "Uncle Eamon doesn''t have kids yet. Uncle Bart has two sons, and Aunt Yvonne has one son. They all look a tiny bit like me but definitely not as handsome.


    "Why? Have you finally realized I''m not bad-looking after all? Hah! It''s toote now-you''ve been so cold to metely."


    Grace couldn''t be bothered with his rambling and frowned. Who had she just seen through Yancey''s face? Why couldn''t she remember anything at all?


    After he was done talking about how perfect he was, Yancey asked her in a serious tone, "Did the ident actually do you some good? Did you remember something? You used to look at me with such focus, like you could never leave me."


    Grace pursed her lips. Instead of being focused, she wondered if she was actually just looking at someone else through his face. But she knew nothing her mind was totally nk.


    Yancey started bragging again, "By the way, I investigated the ident that caused your memory loss. It''s not that simple. The driver vanished¡ªthere''s not even a record of him. Do you know what that means?"


    "What?"


    Yancey leaned in closer. "Whoever caused your memory loss is a top-level big shot. Regr people can''t possibly erase someone''s entire record."


    Only people from elite families had that kind of power. Grace raised an eyebrow. Since waking up, she had rarely thought about the ident that caused her memory loss.


    With everything else that had happened, she never expected Yancey to provide this clue. He had finally proved useful for once. After remembering they were in Ethan''s office, she quickly moved several feet away.


    Yancey pressed his lips together unhappily and tried to move closer, but then Ethan spoke up. "Is there something you need?"


    Yancey paused. When he looked at Ethan, his expression turned cold. "Of course there is. I found other security footage from that day. Even though you had the main footage removed, other passing cars happened to catch you on camera.


    "You were clearly the one who took Grace away. But when I called asking about her, you said you knew nothing. Were you just trying to make me give up so you could have Grace all to yourself?"


    Grace felt her head buzzing at these words. Here he went again-Yancey''s ability to make things up on the spot was really impressive.


    Embarrassed, she quickly argued back, "Yancey, stop spreading lies like that!"


    "Grace, he''s not as simple as you think. He¡ª"


    Grace stepped forward angrily, ready to hit him with her bag. But Yancey suddenly shouted, "I heard from Liam that Ethan might have a child! Grace, think about it¡ª with so many great men in Druville, why be someone''s stepmother?"


    Grace''s hand froze in mid-air, stunned by this news. Did Ethan actually have a child? When she looked at Ethan, she caught the surprise in his eyes too.


    She immediately smiled. Even Ethan himself looked shocked, which meant Yancey was probably lying again.


    Sheposed herself. "Mr. Henderson has never said anything bad about you as his nephew, Yancey. It''s always you who makes everyone ufortable without thinking of the consequences.


    "You''re really nothing like Mr. Henderson."


    Yancey had been too happy when he found Grace safe. But upon hearing these words, his expression instantly fell. He hated beingpared to Ethan the most, especially when thatparison came from Grace.


    He pressed his lips together, feeling like she would never believe anything he said anymore. But Ethan definitely had ulterior motives, and they were all just hidden behind his calm face.


    He was like a hunter quietly waiting for his prey to walk right into his trap.

 Chapter 182

    Yancey turned and left the office immediately, determined to catch Ethan red- handed someday.


    However, Grace was getting tired of Yancey always making things up. It really made her interactions with Ethan awkward.


    As she turned to leave, she noticed Ethan trying to stand up. He identally knocked over his coffee cup, spilling coffee on his suit pants. His brow furrowed as he struggled to bend down and clean it up.


    Grace quickly stepped forward and grabbed tissues from the desk. She then started wiping his pants. "Mr. Henderson, please sit down. Let me handle this."


    His leg condition made it difficult for him to move, yet he still seemed reluctant to trouble others.


    Ethan slowly sat back down and watched as she diligently cleaned the stain. Grace threw the used tissues in the trash, then found a mop to clean the coffee spill from the floor.


    As she was about to put the mop away, she heard him say, "Ever since my legs became like this, I feel so useless."


    Grace thought she was hearing things. Could someone as powerful as Ethan really have such worries?


    Her chest tightened as she remembered his legs were in this condition because of her. She suddenly felt terrible. She quickly kneeled beside him with sincere


    concern.


    "Please don''t say that, Mr. Henderson. We all admire you. I watched your interview on Varnell Street, and you were amazing.


    "Most importantly, you''re still incredibly handsome. Aren''t you doing physiotherapy for your legs? Won''t they get better soon?"


    She had already washed the coffee cup and ced it near Ethan. He held the cup''s handle. "What if they never get better?" he mused.


    Grace felt a chill run down her spine. If they never recovered, it would all be her fault. After thinking for a few minutes, she took his hand solemnly.


    "If they don''t get better, I''ll take full responsibility for this."


    Ethan''s movements froze. A dark glint shed through his eyes, but nobody saw it.


    Grace let go of his hand hastily. She felt that no one could possibly bear seeing such a strong man appear so vulnerable.


    Indeed, most people from Eastoria had a saviorplex. Seeing Ethan so dejected about his legs made her feel like she deserved to be punished.


    Ethan slowly took her hand again. "How long will you take responsibility?"


    "Till your legs get better, Mr. Henderson. I''ll be at your service whenever you need me. Though I don''t know what happened before, your legs are my responsibility."


    As she spoke, she felt somewhat guilty. "You''ve been kind not to hold it against me."


    He gently held her fingertips, as if ying with a cat''s paw. She felt like she was being toyed with but didn''t dare pull her hand away. After all, Ethan had such a serious look on his face.


    After about ten minutes of this, he finally released her hand. "Remember what you said."


    Grace immediately straightened up. "I will. But I really need to go now."


    She quickly grabbed her bag and headed out of the office.


    She hadn''t forgotten what she needed to do next-find the man who had repeatedly asked the Lambert family for money. Only he could expose Alice''s true nature. Then, she could resolve Taylor''s situation, and Henderson Group''s project could proceed smoothly.


    After watching her leave, Ethan looked down at his fingers, his gaze dark. When his phone rang, he answered with slight irritation. He simply said, "Find something for Yancey to do."


    The person on the other end said nothing and quickly hung up.


    Tim was quick to do his job when Grace asked him to help her find a man named Brent Keeman. But seeing the location, she felt confused. "What kind of ce is this?"


    She had never heard of this ce before and couldn''t even find it on the map.


    Tim merely nced at it briefly. "Drive toward the lighthouse, then go right for about half a mile. There''s an estate there-enter through the main gate, and you''ll reach the outer area."


    Grace frowned. Why all the mystery? "Is it dangerous?"


    "Ms. Lambert, risk oftenes with opportunity. You''ll definitely find it eye-


    opening when you reach there."


    Since he was one of Ethan''s people, Grace didn''t suspect anything and immediately followed his directions. When she arrived at the so-called estate, she was stunned just standing outside.

 Chapter 183

    The hill gleamed like something out of a fairy tale. At the entrance of the estate stood two massive lions made out of stone, and the whole ce looked like an ancient castle with its gray bricks, dark tiles, and red walls.


    Security was tight at the door. They checked everyone thoroughly and banned all dangerous items unless the owner gave special permission.


    Grace had never set foot here before. After someone checked her credentials, they led her to the main outer hall. She spotted her target right away.


    Brent''s eyes were bloodshot from losing so many rounds of gambling. He was staring at the prize pool with whatever energy he had left. This outer area was for regr folks to gamble. Nobody really knew what went on in the higher levels.


    Grace hung around near Brent and watched him quickly burn through hisst chips, his gaze turning wild and desperate.


    The ce was pure chaos. Winners were hollering at the top of their lungs, losers were crying like the world had ended, and there were random bursts of noise everywhere.


    But nobody dared start trouble. Security guards in ck suits circled the room, and she heard that they were some of the toughest fighters around. This was definitely eye-opening for Grace since it was her first time in such a chaotic ce. Having lost everything, Brent stumbled to the nearby bar. He bought several bottles of liquor and drank himself stupid.


    Grace crouched down and tapped his face. She then used her card to book a small private room. After dragging him inside, she finally had some privacy.


    Brenty t on the floor while snoring like a chainsaw. Grace wanted to ask security for some rope. She figured they''d say no, but surprisingly, the guard handed it over with one warning-no killing on the premises.


    The rules of this ce were starting to make sense; she could do basically anything as long as she had enough money. She pointed at the passed-out man on the floor. "If I wanted to take him with me, what would it cost?"


    The guard pulled out a tablet and checked some numbers. "He owes us one and


    a half million dors. But since you''re a top VIP here, Ms. Lambert, we can


    provide whatever services you need, free of charge. Just name it."


    Did he just say she was a top VIP? Had she ever been here before?


    When she looked at the clean-cut, handsome security guard, she couldn''t help but chuckle. "What kind of services are we talking about? The legal kind?"


    The guard nced her way. "We offer both legal and not-so-legal options."


    Grace wondered what usually went on in a ce filled with people so obsessed with money and pleasure. Would they make these guards dress up in sexy costumes or something?


    She pointed at Brent, sprawled behind her. "Take him to my car, and then show me one of these not-so-legal services."


    "Right this way."


    She followed the guard into a high-tech elevator. She had no idea how many floors they went up to. Then, it suddenly stopped.


    The guard held the button for her. "We can handle anything you ask for, Ms. Lambert. Please step out."


    Grace exited and looked back. But the guard stayed put in the elevator.


    "Aren''t you the one providing the special service?"


    The guard gave her a professional smile. "We don''t have the privilege of serving top VIPs."


    Grace grew more curious about what kind of ce this really was. The guard pressed the elevator button again, still perfectly polite. "When you wake up, Ms. Lambert, that man will be waiting in your car."


    What did he mean when she woke up? Before she could make sense of his words, the fancy hallway suddenly went pitch ck.


    Most people would panic in total darkness, but Grace kept her cool. She reached out to touch something and felt a man''s body.


    She tried to pull her hand back quickly, but the man caught her fingers with his own. Unable to see his face in the darkness, she backed up a few steps. A sudden tug on her hand sent her tumbling into his arms.


    She could tell he was tall with a solid chest. But she''d only been joking about seeing hot guys in sexy outfits, not whatever this was.


    Just as she opened her mouth to speak, a warm kiss caught her off guard. Something cool passed from his mouth to hers. What was that?


    The man seemed to sense her confusion and whispered, "This is the special service you asked for, Ms. Lambert."

 Chapter 184

    Desperate, Grace tried to push him away, but he lifted her up into his arms.


    She stumbled over her words. "Excuse me, please put me down. I thought my special service would just be servers wearing sexy outfits or something."


    The man stopped walking, and she could feel the intense pressure radiating from him. "Do you like that sort of thing?"


    Grace had only been curious about it. She had seen it in online ads and wanted to check it out in person.


    She fell silent, remembering that intimate dream she''d had in the private room back then. Maybe she really was craving intimacy with men if she was having such embarrassing dreams.


    She took a deep breath and tried to push him away. But he carried her to some unknown ce and quicklyid her down on a soft bed. Grace jumped up immediately-she had no interest in one-night stands.


    However, whatever she had identally consumed earlier seemed to be taking effect. His touch suddenly felt extremely sensitive. Even the ces where his fingertips lingered sent shivers through her body.


    She sat on the bed with a furrowed brow as a pair of hands cupped her face. "If you want to see that kind of thing, it can be arranged."


    Grace took a deep breath and turned her head away. "I need to go."


    She had never encountered a situation like this, so she couldn''t handle it. But she


    had worn a dress today, which made things too convenient for him.


    What kind of drug was this? It didn''t weaken her, but it made her recall embarrassing moments. She was so distracted that she forgot to resist when he kissed her.


    So this was how things could start between a man and a woman. She couldn''t help but grab his hair, her voice unsteady. "Don''t do this."


    "You used to enjoy it very much."


    "What?"


    Her mind felt fuzzy, and she felt super embarrassed.


    She had always looked down on casual affairs in her industry. Even after waking up without her previous memories, she kept her dignity and never slept around. She never imagined being in this ce with a man whose face she couldn''t even


    see.


    Every inch of her was carefully savored by him, making her feel like she was floating in clouds. Even the most private areas weren''t spared. She tried to kick him, but he caught her leg, and she heard his muffledughter.


    They did not go all the way, but it was enough to bring tears to the corners of her eyes. A sharp white light shed in her mind as she clutched the sheets. The tears at the corners of her eyes were then kissed away.


    Too exhausted to speak, she turned her head to one side. Meanwhile, he sat beside her and yed with her fingers. She tried to pull away, but he held on firmly.


    Grace''s mind was nk, with no energy to think about anything else. She worried about walking out covered in love bites, but the man''s breath came closer. "If that wasn''t enough, I can continue."


    Her fingers, still in his grasp, curled nervously. His kissesnded on the back of her hand and on each finger. "I''ll wear whatever you like the next time you visit."


    Grace curled her fingers again, silently vowing never to return. She hoped nobody would ever find out about today. Otherwise, how was she any different from those men who fooled around?


    She despised herself for this.

 Chapter 185

    The bed suddenly dipped beside her. The man slid his hand around her waist, holding her like a possession. "Or I coulde find you instead."


    Grace suddenly became alert. She sat up immediately, wanting to leave. But with no lights in the room, she had no idea where the exit was.


    The man hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. His tone was casual but carried a hint of hidden hurt as he asked, "Did I make you ufortable?"


    Her back stiffened, and she bit her lip. "Not exactly. It''s just... we don''t really know each other well, so this seems a bit weird. And you pulled my hair pretty hard earlier. It hurt."


    Grace fell silent instantly. She wanted to crawl into a hole. Could he please stop talking?


    Everything that had happened here today was just a small mistake. Once she left this room, it would be best if everyone forgot about it.


    Whatever he''d put in her mouth at the beginning must have been the problem. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have lost control and let him kiss her for hours. But she was the one who had jokingly asked for the special service, so she really had brought this upon herself.


    When she didn''t respond, the man took her hand and ced it on his face. She couldn''t see his features, but the well-defined face beneath her palm surely belonged to a handsome man.


    "Last time, you said you''de back. I waited for you for a long time. A really long time."


    Grace froze. So, had she booked him for a service before? That couldn''t be right. Wasn''t she madly in love with Yancey back then?


    He held her tightly, his breathing bing heavy andbored. Grace''s chest suddenly clenched. She really did have a saviorplex.


    That morning in Ethan''s office, she couldn''t bear to see him give up because of his legs. Now, in this strange ce, she did not want to hurt this man either.


    She looked down and slowly pried his hands from her waist. Finally, he let go of her as if he had surrendered.


    Grace felt the atmosphere turning tense. It was just a casual encounter, yet somehow, she felt like the viin. She adjusted her dress without speaking, and he kept quiet too.


    After a while, she could not bear the tension anymore. She promised, "You cane find me sometime after."


    The cold atmosphere in the room instantly went away. He took her hand again as if uncertain. "Really?"


    Grace had thought it through. She was single now. Since she had no real connection with Yancey and wasn''t in love with anyone, spending some time with this man wouldn''t hurt. "Yeah."


    As soon as she agreed, he pulled her into his arms. He hugged her so tightly she could barely breathe.


    People could be quite perceptive about certain things. She could feel the suppressed emotions within him, and they were powerful enough to nearly break him. If what he said about how she had been here before was true, had she made empty promises back then too?


    Her head hurt. There were too many unknowns; each glimpse of truth felt like rediscovering her former self.


    The man kissed her ear again. "I''m very happy to hear that."


    Grace wanted to pull away. But she then realized after all the kissing they''d


    already done, avoiding him now would seem ridiculous.


    Defeated, she wondered how things had turned out this way.

 Chapter 186

    Grace could barely stand when she left the estate. When she got back to her car, she flipped open the mirror. As expected, her neck was covered in love bites.


    She copsed in her seat. The sunset streaming through the windshield snapped her back to reality. Back in that dark room, she was so drawn to his pleasant voice that she''d been totally under his spell.


    She massaged her temples. They hadn''t gone all the way, but honestly, what was the difference at this point? She sighed, feeling disheveled in ces she didn''t want to think about, and her face flushed.


    She wondered what kind of wild things she had done before. At least the trip wasn''t for nothing-the man she had been tracking, Brent, was now lying in her backseat. She needed some time to pull herself together before driving away.


    Back in that massive room she had left, everything remained dark. While rubbing the wetness between his fingers, the man''s eyes grew darker as he sat in silence. He then got up and strode to a nearby cab.


    Despite the darkness, he navigated the room like he knew every inch by heart. After slipping on a silver mask, he made his way to a transparent viewing box overlooking a fighting pit.


    This fighting pit belonged to ultra-wealthy people. They watched humans battling each other, humans facing off against wild beasts, and even animals fighting animals.


    The man in the silver mask was the true owner behind this entire estate. Several others stood in the box, exchanging meaningful nces with each other.


    He seemed pleased, though he didn''t show it openly. After all, the deadly air around him had noticeably diminished. Everyone wondered what those marks on his neck were.


    They looked like wild cat scratches. But this fighting pit only housed vicious beasts, not the kind that would leave such suggestive marks on a human''s skin. Had someone actually made it to his bed?


    But that was impossible. Everyone knew he was waiting for a specific woman, yet no one knew who she was.


    It was just that one day, he had suddenly reserved the entire Hudson River Hotel -which was the prettiest hotel in town-and arranged the most romantic fireworks disy ever seen. But she never showed, and he waited there all night long.


    Maybe she was someone he couldn''t forget, while to her, he was just a fleeting moment. Butter, he said it didn''t matter anymore since she had someone else in her heart. Throughout it all, the woman remainedpletely anonymous.


    One of his men approached cautiously and asked with a sharine tone, "Boss, have you finally decided to move on with someone new?"


    His lips curved into a slight smirk as he propped his head on one hand. "She doesn''t remember him anymore."


    That was why she came back-because she had forgotten about that person.


    His staff felt a twinge of sympathy. This woman really had him wrapped around her finger with her mind games. "Did you manage to see her just now?" "We kissed."


    "That''s great news."


    "Yeah."


    It might have been just a short conversation, but back then, he would never answer such questions.


    His emotions would be unreadable when he wanted to hide something. And whenever he caught feelings for someone, he would bury them so deep he probably convinced even himself they weren''t there.

 Chapter 187

    Grace parked outside her ce and rushed inside for a shower. After taking off


    her clothes, she stared at the marks all over her body. She really felt like pping herself how could she be such a pushover?


    She bent down and sshed cold water on her face. When the heat in her cheeks finally went away, she quickly changed into fresh clothes. Her neck was definitely not presentable, so she threw on a turtleneck.


    Turning around, she spotted another subtle mark just below her earlobe. She dabbed some foundation over it, which could barely hide the mark. Then, she hurried back to her car and hauled Brent to Amity Hospital.


    When Brent woke up and saw Maria, panic shed across his eyes before he started yelling, "What are you doing to me? You can''t do any illegal stuff here! What do you want?"


    Maria recognized this man. Brent had been friends with her husband, and they had worked on a project together that failed. After that, he vanished.


    Rumor had it that he developed a gambling addiction and got divorced. His only daughter had moved abroad to get away from him too.


    Maria thought he''d been beaten to death long ago. Yet here he was in Druville, wearing expensive designer clothes that suggested he wasn''t exactly broke.


    Grace kicked him hard in the stomach. She wasn''t in the mood for talking. "Spit it out. What exactly is your rtionship with Alice?"


    His face contorted in pain, nearly throwing up. But Grace grabbed a knife from nearby and sliced off one of his fingers in a single motion. Maria and Paul were both shocked by how ruthless she was.


    Brent screamed as his face went pale. "I can''t tell you¡ªI just can''t! If I reveal my connection to Alice, I''m dead. You have no idea how vicious she is; she''s the one who cut off my ear!"


    With shaggy hair covering both his ears, he looked like a disheveled thug. Grace pushed his hair aside to check. As expected, that one ear was missing.


    Maria trembled, and she found it hard to speak at all.


    Grace twirled the knife in her hand. "If I know about your arrangement with Alice, she won''t let you live. She''d never leave that kind of evidence. The only reason you''re still breathing is because she thinks nobody knows about your connection.


    "Here''s the deal. Since you owe them one million and a half dors, I''ll give you that money. After that, you leave Druville for good."


    Brent didn''t answer, still writhing in pain. When Grace tapped his face with the knife, shes of memory suddenly rushed through her mind.


    While ncing at the sharp de, she realized she wasn''t afraid of blood at all. She also found out that she had a surprisingly high pain tolerance. The thought vanished as quickly as it came, and she continued her threat.


    "What''s it going to be? All that money you demanded from the Lamberts ends up in Alice''s pocket, right? She looks down on regr folks, especially deadbeats like you. The fact that she gave you a hundred grand is already quite kind of her." His cheeks flushed-Grace had hit the bullseye. Every time he demanded money from the Lamberts, it seemed like a lot, but he could only keep a fraction.


    He couldn''t earn a cent from honest work. After getting hooked on gambling, a regr job seemed way too slowpared to these under-the-table deals. Over time, he''d gotten stuck in a vicious cycle.


    At least working with Alice got him some cash, so he kept it up. As for the future, he hadn''t thought that far ahead.


    But now, Grace was offering him one and a half million straight up. With that kind of money, he could gamble in another city and get far away from Alice''s control. "Fine, I''ll take it! Just don''t hurt me anymore!"


    But before he could say more, Maria, still shocked, spoke in a strained voice. "Do you have any proof? I''m the one who''s raised Alice, and she can''t be the kind of person you''re describing. Are you guys making this up?"

 Chapter 188

    Brent burst intoughter when he heard this. "Oh, Maria. You and Randy worked hard your whole lives only to raise an ungrateful snake. Do you know how Randy ended up in prison or who nted his semen on the victim?


    "You''ll never understand how dark Alice''s methods really are. She destroyed your family, yet you still think she''s a good daughter. Hahaha!


    "Let me tell you the truth-Taylor is lying in that bed because Alice put him there herself. That poor fool liked following her around everywhere, which made people mock her. She couldn''t stand it anymore, so she came up with a permanent solution.


    "Don''t ask how I know-I saw it with my own eyes. I happened to be asking Randy for a loan that day, but he refused, so I never told you. All I can say is you deserved it!


    "You''ve all been acting all high and mighty, so you deserve to be fooled for the rest of your life!"


    Brent''s words were venomous, each one seemingly stabbing Maria right in the heart. Her legs gave out, and she copsed instantly. "Alice isn''t like that. She can''t be..."


    Brent sneered, as if talking helped distract him from the pain. "Maria, do you know how much money I''ve taken from the Lamberts over the years? Nearly ten million dors. But Alice only gave me 300 thousand dors.


    "Every time she looks at me, it''s like she''s looking at garbage. If I didn''t need money for gambling, I would''ve stabbed her to death. How can a woman be so horrible? Damn it!


    "Just talking about her makes me angry. But she''s too vicious, and she has bodyguards. If I hadn''t dropped to my knees fast enough back then, I would''ve lost both my legs and arms."


    As he spoke about this, his whole body started trembling. "How can there be such an evil woman? She''s too good at acting. At first, I thought she was just an innocent young woman. Hahahaha! We were all fooled by her."


    He then turned to Grace. "Are you serious about giving me one and a half million dors?"


    Grace tried to help Maria up, who was crying hard and shaking uncontrobly. If this continued, she might pass out. "Ms. Vickham, please try to calm down."


    Maria found this almostughable. Her fingernails dug deep into the floor, several of them bending backward from the pressure, but she felt no pain.


    She wiped the tears from her face. "Do you have proof for that?" Brent shrugged. "She''s too smart to leave evidence."


    Alice was extremely careful about these things. Grace added from the side, "Call her then."


    Brent''s expression darkened. "No way. I can only text her, and I''ve had someone trace the ID she uses to message me. That ID is overseas, and somehow, it''s untraceable.


    "She''s had mepletely under her thumb all these years. It''s not like I haven''t thought about fighting back."


    Grace took a deep breath. Even if they brought Brent to the Lambert residence, Alice would just cry, and everyone would believe her.


    She stayed quiet as Brent continued, "Please take me to the hospital first. My finger can still be reattached. I''ll cooperate with everything afterward, as long as I get the one and a half million dors."


    He felt that trading a finger for that much money was a good deal. As a gambler, he knew what worked in his favor.


    Grace looked at Paul. Though he was the hospital director, he was also a doctor himself, so his medical skills must be decent. Paul nodded and wheeled Brent into a hospital room.


    Grace looked at Maria, who was still crying, and sighed. "Ms. Vickham, your husband just happened to be at the crime scene back then. His semen was in the victim''s body. Only someone close to him could have obtained those fluids, and Alice was living with you both."


    nting his semen on the victim was all the evidence they needed. Since Alice was determined to frame him, she would have erased all other evidencepletely.


    Plus, Randy had no connections-Maria was the only one who fought for him when trouble came. Maria, on the other hand, had been tormented for years and was living a miserable life. This couple was simply an easy target.


    Suddenly, Maria began to wail loudly. All of this happened to her husband and son because she had been kind enough to adopt Alice. She hated Alice so much right now, but she could do nothing about it.


    In her husband''s most recent letter, he had mentioned his final wishes, saying he couldn''t hold on much longer. She hated that good people never seemed to get what they deserved. "Why..."


    Her cries were filled with grief and anger, heartbreaking to anyone who heard them. Grace didn''t know how tofort her, so she just sat quietly nearby, feeling even more disgusted with Alice.


    She had thought Alice only loved ying those terrible mind games. She never imagined that Alice could do such cruel things to her targets behind the scenes.


    Maria cried for an hour. Outside, the sky had turned dark. She suddenly bowed deeply before Grace.


    "Ms. Lambert, you''ve already helped me so much, but I have one more request. Please let me see my husband onest time."


    Grace looked at her malnourished frame and the wrinkles on her face, then sighed. "I''ll figure something out. Just wait for my message. Alice has probably warned the prison staff, and she has connections with the Sidlers.


    "Even if I want to arrange a meeting for you, I''ll need to find the right people."


    Back then, Sloan was willing to do anything for Alice, including arranging things at the prison. That would exin why Randy suffered so much there.


    "Thank you, Ms. Lambert. Thank you so much."


    After learning all this tonight, Maria''s worldview had been shattered. She thanked Grace, then struggled to stand and slowly walked toward her room. She couldn''t hold on anymore and desperately needed some sleep.


    Grace waited until Paul had reattached Brent''s finger before saying goodbye and preparing to leave. As she was leaving, Paul said, "Don''t make hasty decisions while you have amnesia."


    She stopped walking, then turned to look at him. Paul''s face still held a kind smile. "Grace, you''re like a granddaughter to me. I would never hurt you."

 Chapter 189

    Grace sat in her car, unsure what Paul meant by "Don''t make hasty decisions". Was he referring to her love life or something else entirely?


    The day had thrown too many shocks her way, which made her feel drained. While driving home, she passed Henderson Group and spotted Ethan outside.


    His head was down, and from that distance, she couldn''t read his expression. Grace pulled over and shed him a smile. "Mr. Henderson, are you heading home from work? Do you need a lift?"


    Ethan nced up, then looked away. "Yeah."


    Something about him seemed off. She got out to help him into her car when it hit her-unlike Ethan''s car with high-tech equipment, hers didn''t have an automatic ramp.


    Well, this was awkward. He kept his head down and asked, "Am I being a burden?"


    Guilt washed over Grace as she rolled up her sleeves. "Not at all. It''ll just be a little awkward. Let me help you in first, then I''ll fold up the chair."


    "Okay."


    When she lifted Ethan, she realized just how heavy he was. She thought his legs had been getting better and would allow him to walk a little. Why did he seem worse now?


    As his weight pressed against her, her face flushed with effort. Around Ethan, she always ended up in these situations-making promises she struggled to keep.


    After getting him settled in her car, she carefully folded his wheelchair. Itpacted down to the size of a small stool, which hardly took up any space in the back. She ced it near his feet in the back seat.


    Ethan''s eyes caught on her neck. As she moved, the marks beneath her cor became visible. He looked away, pretending to focus on something else.


    Grace missed this as she got behind the wheel. In the rearview mirror, she noticed the slight smile on his lips. "Mr. Henderson, you seem to be in a good mood tonight."


    She rarely saw emotion on his face.


    "Do I? Maybe it''s because someone finally doesn''t mind helping me out."


    Grace fell silent. Other people surely helped him too, but in Ethan''s mind, those people probably just wanted something from him. They were only interested in his money and power.


    Life at the top really made genuine connections scarce. A twinge of sympathy hit her before he asked, "Are you dating someone?"


    Grace hit the brakes hard, difort shing across her face. She had been trying not to think about those few hours earlier because it was too weird to process.


    He must have spotted the marks when she bent over. How embarrassing. If she said no, he would think she was sleeping around.


    If she said yes-well, she hadn''t even seen the guy''s face clearly. He was not exactly her boyfriend.


    But if she called that a hook-up, someone as straightced as Ethan would probably judge her. He probably did not even know what hook-ups were.


    After an awkward pause, she gripped the steering wheel. "I''m still figuring things out."


    He leaned back, visibly perking up. "Good. A healthy rtionship can make you more productive at work."


    Typical Ethan¡ªalways thinking about work performance. Grace remembered Yancey''s rumors about him and couldn''t help smiling. Even if he were thest man on earth, Ethan probably wouldn''t think that way about women.


    She admired his loyalty and being so devoted to one woman for years. He had been ignoring all the gossip and literally living in his own world. It was pretty impressive.


    Her expression softened as her guard came down. "Honestly, I don''t know if what


    I have is healthy. I might have known him before but forgotten. When I see him


    sad, though, it does something to me."


    "What does it do?"


    "I hate seeing him so miserable. It bothers me."


    Ethan looked away, pressing his lips together. "Then make him happy."


    Grace caught his eye in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Henderson, you really are a good guy."


    Ethan suddenly smiled. "Yeah."

 Chapter 190

    After parking her car outside the Henderson residence at Palm Bay, Grace


    immediately called Tim. During the few minutes it took Tim toe open the door, Ethan asked, "What does your boyfriend like?"


    She felt awkward again because she had no idea what the man looked like. "He''s not exactly my boyfriend yet. We''re still getting to know each other. Our situation isplicated."


    She was practically telling him not to ask about it anymore. As Ethan went inside, he left her with onestment. "Treat him well. There are plenty of jerks out there, and you''re better than that."


    Great, he had just turned thepliment back on her again. He seemed unusually talkative tonight. Before, he would mostly respond with grunts, but he''d actually given her rtionship advice tonight.


    Grace felt something strange stir inside her. Back in her car, she couldn''t help but smile. Ethan definitely had a weird air about him tonight.


    She desperately needed to get home and sleep. After arriving home, she suddenly received a friend request on her phone. But there was nothing but a ck background on his profile picture.


    For some reason, she epted it. As soon as she did, a message appeared. "It''s only been a few hours, and I already miss you."


    This had to be that man from earlier. Grace had never done such an intimate thing with other men before, so she decided not to respond.


    As she was about to fall asleep, another message came through. "Did I bother you?"


    The message instantly made her feel guilty. She sat up in bed, suddenly wide awake. "No, I was taking a shower and didn''t see your message."


    His reply came almost instantly. "When will youe see me? You said I coulde find you. Were you lying?"


    Grace rubbed her temples, unsure what to say. Back in that dark room, she had been totally under his spell. Add to that the intensity of her first experience like that, and she''d been defenseless and was agreeing to whatever he suggested.


    But now, her thoughts were clearer. She took a deep breath and called him, deciding to take control of the conversation. "What are you doing right now?"


    Without hesitation, he answered, "Thinking about you."


    Grace''s cheeks flushed for no reason. She scratched her face, wishing she hadn''t asked. Damn it.


    After a minute of silence, she tried to keep her tone light. "I was in a car ident before and forgot everything from my past. So I don''t know your name or what you look like. It was so dark today that I couldn''t see clearly.


    "Tell me what your name is. What do you look like? Send me a photo so I''ll recognize you when we meet face-to-face."


    "Just call me Ed. If you forgot what I look like, that''s fine. I''m not handsome anyway."


    How could he not be handsome? She had touched his face today. Those well- defined features had to belong to an attractive man.


    The man''s voice dropped lower-he was clearly disguising it. "When I''m ready, I''ll let you see my face."


    Grace immediately wondered if he had some kind of birthmark. Maybe half his face was blotched or covered in dark moles-something she couldn''t detect by touch. He must be very insecure if he only dared to meet her in the dark.


    Something tugged at her heart, and she gripped her phone tighter. "It''s okay. I won''t judge you based on your looks. No pressure. Just call me when you want to meet."


    They had each other''s numbers now, after all. His voice carried a hint of joy. "Okay."


    After hanging up, Grace stared at her bedroom ceiling, unsure if she''d made the right decision.


    But in that dark room, she had really felt his repressed emotions. He felt like a beautiful butterfly trapped in a spider''s web when he actually belonged in the sunlight.

 Chapter 191

    Grace closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. She dreamed again, this time of a beautiful butterfly that seemed drawn to people despite its icy colors.


    Everyone assumed these colors were its entire identity and kept their distance. Only one person dared to touch it gently, and suddenly, the whole space shifted from freezing cold to burning hot.


    The butterfly spoke with that man''s voice. "Just wait a bit longer. You don''t know the real me yet, and I''m scared to show you this version of myself."


    When Grace woke up, her head felt like a ton of bricks had weighed on it. She called Paul first to check on things at the hospital. After hearing that everything was normal, she felt relieved.


    Then she asked about moving Taylor somewhere else.


    Paul went quiet for a few seconds. "Henderson Group sent someone this morning. I took their suggestion to transfer Taylor to arger hospital. The only reason I''ve stayed at this small ce was because of you."


    Grace felt a rush of gratitude.


    When she arrived at Henderson Group, she overheard employees on the executive floor gossiping about her project. Someone made a snidement, "Grace really does seed at everything."


    "Well, there''s nothing we can do. She''s pretty, and beauty opens doors."


    She found thatment amusing, so she knocked on her colleague''s desk. "Looks might get you noticed, but my connections and smarts seal the deal." The colleague hadn''t expected such a boldeback and blushed. The others kept their heads down, continuing their work without saying a word.


    Grace thought she''d scared them. But turning around, she spotted Ethan and several executives standing behind her. Herment had been loud enough for everyone to hear.


    Ethan looked at her carefullyposed face for a moment before simply saying, "You''ll get a raise."


    Grace took a deep breath, keeping her cool. "Thank you, Mr. Henderson."


    After Ethan and his had team walked away, she caught his faint chuckle. Several executives even nced back at her with curious looks.


    She soon received notification about the raise from the HR department. Ethan had always been generous with money.


    Grace felt her spirits soaring. But her good mood instantly vanished when she spotted Alice walking into Henderson Group.


    This was not Alice''s first visit to the executive floor. When she saw Grace, she looked like she had seen a ghost. She didn''t know Grace was alive, and Yancey had not told her.


    She only knew that Yancey had been incredibly busytely, so he had barely spoken to her. She hadn''t minded since she thought that she would let Yancey do whatever he wanted with Grace gone. It wouldn''t concern her even if he hired some psychic to perform rituals.


    So when she saw Grace, she almost thought she was hallucinating. She blurted out, "How are you still alive?"


    Alice''s voice nearly broke as shock spread across her face. Grace was surprised by Alice''s fancy makeup today. Yancey hadn''t been at thepany for days, so she wondered who Alice was trying to impress.


    Alice quickly pulled herself together, her eyes turning teary. "Grace, if you''re alive, why didn''t you contact our family? Everyone''s been worried sick. Dad''s even been bedridden recently."


    She grew emotional until an executive behind her cut in, "Ms. Alice, we should get down to business."


    Only then did Alice dab away her tears. "Grace, we''ll talk after my meeting."


    With that, she walked into Ethan''s office with her head held high.


    Grace sat there speechless. The people following Alice appeared to be Lambert Group''s executives. Did the Lamberts have a deal with Henderson Group?


    Henderson Group only partnered with majorpanies. If there was a coboration, the news would have broken months ago. As she worked at Henderson Group, she handled most partnership contracts and couldn''t have missed it.


    After thinking it over, she got up and knocked on Ethan''s office door.


    "Come in."


    Ethan sat by the huge windows as usual, reviewing documents with his head down. Alice stood across the marble desk from him, keeping her distance but still trying her hardest to seem charming and appealing.

 Chapter 192

    Grace felt surprised, wondering if she was just imagining the way Alice looked at Ethan. It was definitely not how a regr person would look at a business partner.


    When Alice noticed Grace enter, her expression soured. She wasn''t too happy when she thought about how Grace worked here and could see Ethan daily. Meanwhile, Alice had to invent excuses about projects and contracts just to visit once it was just unfair.


    A wicked thought crossed her mind. Since Liam was still in the hospital recovering, maybe she should make sure he never woke up. That way, Grace would never be able to return to the Lambert family.


    The idea made her tremble with excitement. Grace caught that sh of malice in her eyes and immediately went on guard.


    But Alice put on a sweet smile. "Grace, Henderson Group has such a nice work environment. I''m so jealous."


    Grace walked up to Ethan''s desk and grabbed his coffee cup, totally ignoring Alice''s attempt at pleasantness. "Your perfume is suffocating. Mr. Henderson can''t stand women who wear such strong scents."


    Right on cue, Ethan coughed twice as if he was actually bothered by the smell. Alice hade with every intention of seducing Ethan, and being so tantly dismissed felt like a knife through her heart.


    Grace leaned down slightly. "Mr. Henderson, let me get you fresh coffee. This one''s cold."


    Alice''s eyes lit up when she spotted the marks on Grace''s neck. Grace wore a turtleneck today, but the cor was loose. With the slightest movement, the red marks underneath became visible.


    "Grace! Do you have a boyfriend? When are you bringing him to meet the family? Dad would be thrilled. Mom''s been worried you''d never find someone."


    Grace instinctively touched her cor, looking ufortable. Upon seeing this reaction, Alice''s eyes were filled with contempt. Maybe it wasn''t a boyfriend-was Grace just someone''s hookup?


    And here Alice thought Grace was so proper and decent. It seemed like she had been fooling around behind everyone''s backs. Hah! She was nothing but a slut.


    What good was her pretty face? Ethan would never want someone who slept around so casually! The thought gave her confidence.


    "When you were following Yancey around before, nobody dared pursue you. Now you can finally date freely."


    Grace smiled. "Yeah, I don''t have to sneak around like how you and Yancey did. Congrattions on finally making it official."


    Alice felt like the room went dark for a moment, and her face burned with anger. "Grace!"


    How dare she make her look like a fool in front of Ethan? But Grace had already left with the coffee cup. Usually, when making coffee for Ethan, she would select premium beans and grind them herself.


    But with Alice here, who was obviously up to no good, Grace grabbed the instant coffee the staff used. She prepared it in less than a minute and brought it back.


    Ethan hadn''t expected her back so quickly. He took a sip and immediately frowned. Grace grabbed some tissues and began wiping the marble desk, making it clear she wasn''t going anywhere.


    Alice stood rigid with anger. "Grace, Mr. Henderson and I have important matters to discuss. Could you please step out?"


    Ethan had only given her ten minutes to fix the contract, and time was almost up.


    Grace smiled at her while continuing to scrub the desk enthusiastically. "Sorry, but I promised Mr. Henderson I wouldn''t leave his side. Besides, there''s nothing I can''t hear. I''m his right-hand woman now."


    Ethan looked up at her when he heard this.

 Chapter 193

    Grace had only said this to annoy Alice, so she never thought what kind of impact


    it would have on anyone else. While she was still vigorously wiping the desk,


    Ethan reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.


    She froze and turned to look at him. Ethan suddenly smiled. "Do you want to have lunch together?"


    Grace stopped moving, forgetting how to respond for a moment. Then she remembered her promise to be avable whenever he needed her until his leg healed. She answered awkwardly, "Sure, that sounds good."


    As soon as she spoke, Alice made a sudden noise from across the desk. The documents in Alice''s hands fell to the floor as she couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    Her heart raced wildly as the color drained from her face. She quickly bent down to pick up the papers and mumbled, "Mr. Henderson, I just remembered something urgent. I need to go."


    As she left the office, her movements were stiff and clumsy. She felt a chill running through her entire body.


    She suddenly remembered what had happened when Ethan appeared at Grace''s college graduation. Everyone assumed he was just passing by, but he''d gotten into a car ident with Grace that day, injuring his leg. Afterward, he never med Grace and chose to go abroad instead.


    During that time, Grace had been pursuing Yancey relentlessly. Alice clenched her fists hard, and she even tasted blood in her mouth.


    She''d always thought Ethan let the ident go because of Yancey, but Ethan actually always treated Yancey coldly. In fact, he was cold toward everyone in the Henderson family. A smile like the one he just gave was something he''d never shown to anyone else.


    Alice couldn''t help but remember more details, like her first Henderson family banquet, in which Ethan was the center of attention. He''d been willing to talk to her then, and she thought he was interested in her. But she forgot that Grace had been standing right beside her, looking distracted.


    When Ethan spoke, his gaze always drifted toward Grace. But Grace hadn''t seemed interested in him and quickly wandered off elsewhere. The more Alice remembered, the sharper the pain grew in her head.


    Why? Why did all the good things in life always fall into Grace''sp? What made Grace so special?


    Damn it! She rushed to the hospital, hoping to hurt Liam while nobody was around and ruin Grace''s reputation in the process.


    But when she opened the door, she found Liam standing by the curtains, looking haggard. Right-Liam did not know that Grace was still alive.


    Liam was not excited to see her. He barely smiled. "Alice, why are you here? Is Grace''s tombstone ready?"


    Alice trembled with rage. After everything she''d done, everyone still only thought about Grace.


    At that moment, Liam''s phone rang with a call from Grace. He thought he was hearing things. "Grace?"


    Whatever Grace said made him rush toward the door. "You''re okay! Do you know how worried I''ve been? I''ve lost ten pounds!


    "You need to make me some good food to help me recover. And Dad''s been bedridden this whole time¡ªyou should at least visit him. You''re so heartless!"

 Chapter 194

    As Grace listened to Liamin, she apologized over and over. She was shocked to hear that Quentin was bedridden. That exined why Alice had shown up today.


    Grace was now holding the partnership contract between Lambert Group and Henderson Group. If she wasn''t mistaken, this was the project Quentin had worked so hard on for two years. But now, Henderson Group was walking away with all the benefits, handed to them by Alice herself.


    This would crush Lambert Group''s hard-earned chance to climb the corporatedder. She wondered if Quentin even knew what was happening.


    With this realization, Grace couldn''t sit still any longer. She asked Ethan for time off and drove straight to the Lambert residence.


    The mood at the Lambert residence was downright gloomy. Everyone who saw her return looked like they had seen a ghost. Grace asked where Quentin''s room was and headed upstairs.


    The smell of medicine hung in the air. She pushed the door open gently and heard Quentin coughing. It had been such a short amount of time since she hadst seen him, yet his health had gone downhill so quickly.


    When he saw her, Quentin froze, then he gave a bitter smile. Was he hallucinating before death came for him too?


    Grace sat by the bed and pulled out the contract. "Mr. Lambert, I remember Lambert Group had a major project two years in the making. Is this it? Alice went to Henderson Group today, and I just found out she handed this project over to them yesterday.


    "The contract''s already signed. Was this your idea?"


    As she spoke, she noticed Quentin staring at her face. "Mr. Lambert?"


    Quentin seemed to snap back to reality and nearly fell off the bed. Grace quickly steadied him, but the next second, he pped her across the face. She hadn''t seen thating.


    Quentin trembled so hard as if he might pass out. "I never cared about your rebellions or disappearing acts before because you''d always show up when you got bored. But this time, Liam was in aa for so long, and you were out there ying dead.


    "Grace, do you feel anything for this family at all? When your grandfather died, I promised him I''d raise you right, but you''ve only gotten more selfish."


    Grace touched her cheek. She''d thought nobody in the Lambert family genuinely cared about her, so she had not bothered to call. But her decision had clearly hurt Quentin a lot.


    He sat hunched on the bed, his fingers trembling with anger. Grace stayed quiet for a few minutes before saying, "I''m sorry."


    Quentin coughed hard several times, then let out a bitterugh. "I really don''t know how to handle you anymore. You seem so well-behaved, but you''re stubborn as hell about Yancey.


    "When your grandfather died, you knelt outside my study for a week, and I thought maybe you weren''t a lost cause. But you kept pursuing Yancey.


    "Grace, you won''t even call me Dad now. I really don''t know where I went wrong."


    He felt helpless with Grace. He resented her for upsetting Jordan, yet he could not bring himself to cut ties with her because he was her father. He had ended up being the one suffering.


    Grace quickly poured him a ss of water and knelt by the bed. As Quentin spoke, she felt her heart breaking. She saw how desperate and helpless her father was.


    Quentin didn''t take the water. Instead, he covered his mouth and coughed heavily, blood appearing in his palm. Grace''s eyes widened as she grabbed tissues to wipe his hand.


    Quentin waved her away, his eyes lifeless. Grace silently set down the ss, wanting tofort him buting up empty.


    Quentin coughed for a full minute, his face turning red from the strain.


    Eventually, he asked, "That project took me and the executive team two years to prepare. Lambert Group has been sliding backward year after year, and this was our lifeline. Are you saying Alice just gave it to Henderson Group?"


    Grace opened the contract and ced it before him. "It''s all spelled out right here."


    As a businessman, Quentin immediately understood what he was reading. This was like handing over a winning lottery ticket.

 Chapter 195

    Quentin gripped the contract hard. After a long moment, he called for Fiona and asked her to phone Alice.


    No wonder his workputer and phone had been taken away. Alice had been nning this all along. Was she doing it for Yancey?


    He rubbed his temples wearily. Both his daughters were blinded by love, and his son was a disappointment. He really thought that the Lambert family was probably finished.


    When Alice received Quentin''s call, anxiety washed over her. She had a feeling that her project giveaway was about to be exposed. Damn that Grace!


    While driving back to the Lambert residence, she tried to think of a solution. She parked in a nearby alley and hesitated for several seconds before sending a message.


    Brent, who was still at Amity Hospital, saw the message. His face lit up with excitement. "Alice wants me to help her. She needs me to take her hostage and stab her."


    Paul heard this and thought he must have misheard. Did she seriously ask him to stab her? What kind of n was that?


    Contempt and a hint of madness shed in Brent''s eyes. "Who knows what she''s thinking? She''s the queen of drama. Someone should call Grace and ask how I should y along.


    "I just want my million and a half dors so I can disappear. I''m nevering back to this miserable ce again."


    Paul immediately called Grace. After hearing the news, Grace instantly saw through Alice''s intentions-she was nning to y the victim.


    A smile tugged at her lips. "We''ll beat her at her own game."


    This time, she''d make sure Quentin saw the truth.


    An hourter, the Lambert residence received word that Alice had been taken hostage on her way home. The kidnapper was none other than the gambler who kepting to their house demanding money.


    Carmen was beside herself with worry. When she saw Grace alive after thinking she was dead, she pointed an using finger at her.


    "Grace, why does trouble follow you everywhere? What more do you want from this family? Liam is still in the hospital, and now Alice is in danger. I''ve had it with you!"


    Carmen lunged forward. Grace didn''t back down and pushed Carmen away, so she nearly fell down. After regaining her bnce and calming herself down, Carmen suddenly covered her face.


    "How did I end up with a daughter like you? It must be punishment for something I did in my past life."


    Grace ignored this and asked, "Where''s Alice now?"


    Carmen quickly wiped away her tears. "Hah! Where do you think she is? That man won''t let her go. Are you happy now?"


    Grace turned and went upstairs, asking Fiona where thergest projector was kept. Nobody in the Lambert residence liked Grace, but they still brought her the projector.


    Grace had Quentin wheeled out of his room and positioned in the second-floor hallway. There was a huge white wall between the first and second floors of the mansion, which was perfect for projection.


    Quentin had no idea what she was doing, and he had no energy to scold her. Carmen continued to mutterints before finally slumping onto the couch with sighs. When Grace turned on the projector, images began to appear.


    Meanwhile, Brent had tied Alice up. The situation was urgent, so Alice offered a cash incentive. "If you pull this off smoothly, I''ll give you 300 thousand dors. After that, I never want to see you again."


    As she spoke, a dangerous gleam crossed her eyes. Only dead men keep secrets. Once this was over, she nned to hire someone to kill Brent and eliminate any loose ends.


    Having spent years in gambling dens, Brent easily saw through her intentions. He already knew how wicked she could be. "Sure. Thank you, Ms. Lambert. So how do you want me to y this?"


    Alice took a deep breath. "When my family arrives, stab me in the shoulder. Don''t worry, I won''t press charges afterward."


    She had no idea that everything happening was being projected live onto thergest wall in the Lambert residence.

 Chapter 196

    When everyone heard Alice''s voiceing through, they froze in shock. Carmen, who had been wallowing in misery, jerked her head up. She stared at the two people on the screen in disbelief.


    Quentin''s fist clenched as they continued listening to the conversation. Brent asked, "Ms. Lambert, should I call your family and threaten them toe rescue you?"


    Alice nodded, her face showing absolute confidence. The Lamberts were already familiar with Brent by now. Normally, they would definitely panic whenever they heard his voice.


    A smug smile spread across her face, and every bit of it was captured perfectly by the camera. Carmen''s phone started ringing. She stared at it numbly, unable to answer for a long while.


    Brent asked Alice, "What if nobody picks up?"


    Alice thought that Brent would soon be a dead man, so she didn''t bother hiding anything. "Just keep calling. Everyone in my family cares about me. They won''t leave me hanging.


    "When theye, demand 50 million dors from them. I''ll give you some extra cash on the side."


    "Funny how you always pull this trick, Ms. Lambert. The Lamberts must be idiots for falling for it year after year. All that money ends up in your pocket, and it''s strange how nobody ever checks your ounts."


    When Alice heard him rambling, a dangerous look shed in her eyes. "Shut up. Why are you talking about this now? Just do what I tell you, and you''ll get your cut."


    Carmen''s phone rang again. The experience of watching this live feed still felt surreal.


    She answered this time, and Brent''s menacing voice came through, "Mrs. Lambert, it''s me. It''s been a while, hasn''t it? I blew through that 30 million dors pretty fast.


    "Now I''ve got your daughter. If you don''t bring 50 million dors to bail her out, I can''t promise what might happen to her. Your daughter''s quite the beauty, after all."


    In the past, Carmen would have scrambled to pay immediately. But this time, she said nothing and merely watched the live feed.


    Every word from the phone matched what was ying on the screen. This was happening live; there was no way to fake it. Color drained from Carmen''s face as she let out a deep sigh.


    Brent, knowing everything was being broadcast, had to pretend he was in the dark. "Why so quiet, Mrs. Lambert? Do you want to see your daughter roughed up? I''m telling you, I want money, or things will get ugly!"


    He thrust the phone toward Alice, signaling her to say something. Alice''s voice instantly became pathetic and tearful.


    "Mom, I told you his demands would only get worse. We shouldn''t have given inst time. Just call the police-I don''t want our family ckmailed over and over. Have we run out of money?"


    Every word matched what was ying on the wall, so Carmen couldn''t possibly defend her now. The maids at the Lambert residence started whispering among themselves.


    Alice heard themotion through the phone but didn''t understand what it meant. She kept crying and pleading.


    Secondster, she heard an angry shout. "You worthless piece of scum!"


    It was Quentin''s voice. Alice perked up, thinking Quentin was yelling at her kidnapper. She started crying again.


    "Dad, don''t worry about me. I''m okay for now."


    Quentin stood up, his entire body shaking with rage. Then he copsed. Anyone


    who saw their seemingly sweet daughter reveal her true colors would break.


    The Lamberts rushed Quentin to the hospital. Alice had no clue what had happened. She was still expecting her family to rescue her so she could put on her little show.


    But after three hours of waiting, her performance had already spread like wildfire through their social circles, though she remained totally clueless.


    At the same time, Brent''s phone lit up with a notification. He had received one and a half million dors from Grace.

 Chapter 197

    Finally, Brent was free atst. He turned to look at Alice''s bewildered face, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. "Oh, Alice. After all your scheming, you never realized someone smarter was ying you."


    Alice was getting anxious because no one from the Lambert family had shown up. Her face paled a little. "What are you talking about?"


    Brent had wanted to destroy her for years after enduring so much humiliation at her hands. Now that he had his money and was about to leave Druville, he figured there was no reason why he shouldn''t humiliate her to his heart''s content first.


    Enraged, he started tearing at her clothes. Alice jumped in fear. "What are you doing? Do you know who I am? You''d better stop right now, or I''ll make you wish you were dead!"


    "You bitch! When you cut off my ear, I swore I''d get my revenge someday!"


    Alice tried to scream but was pped repeatedly until her face swelled. Brent took out all his rage on her. She was in shock, unable to understand how things had gone so wrong.


    She started begging, but he ignored her, hurling insults while continuing his assault.


    Alice''s eyes had turned bloodshot. Once her family arrived, she would make him pay. She would kill him!


    But after two hours of torment, the Lamberts still hadn''te. When Brent had satisfied his revenge, he tied her hands and feet and dumped her in an alley. "Here''s a gift for you guys. Hahaha!"


    He quickly pulled up his pants and fled, rushing to book the next flight out of the country. This was exactly why people said offending a gentleman over a viin was better. Viins would hold grudges and use the darkest methods to get revenge.


    Alice had never been so terrified. She waspletely drained of strength. This was not how things were supposed to go-not at all.


    In her n, Grace was the one who should have suffered this kind of degradation. There were a few homeless people in the alley who spotted the naked woman lying not far away. They exchanged nces.


    "Get away, all of you! Trash like you has no right to touch me! When I get back, I''ll have you all killed!" she screeched.


    Even in this desperate state, she couldn''t bring herself to show humility. Years of trampling over others had be second nature to her.


    Alice kept crying. Then, she spotted a tall man stopping at a distance. He had an excellent physique and wore a silver mask, but his presence wasmanding.


    Her eyes lit up as she reached out her hand. "Help me! Please help me."


    The homeless people were also intimidated by the man''s intimidating presence, so they stopped in their tracks. But the man merely lit a cigarette casually, looking down as if he hadn''t seen anything.


    Upon realizing he wouldn''t interfere, the homeless people quickly continued what they were doing. In the dim alley, the dirty scene continued to unfold.


    Alice stared at the man who chose to ignore her, her chest heaving violently before she coughed up blood. She wasn''t sure if she was hallucinating, but the man seemed to have said mockingly, "What makes you think you deserve me?"


    Her mind went nk as boundless hatred consumed her. Fury, despair, and more hatred kept tearing at her chest.


    Everything that had happened to her was because of Grace, so she would never let Grace off for this. As long as she lived another day, she would make Grace pay!

 Chapter 198

    At the hospital, Quentin had been moved out of emergency care. He had copsed from too much anger and shock.


    Grace noticed the hair at his temples had turned gray. Seeing that video must have devastated him. She stood silently by his bed, suddenly feeling regretful.


    Quentin stared vacantly at the white ceiling before finally asking, "Has Alicee home?"


    A whole night had passed, and no one had gone to pick her up. Carmen still really loved and respected her husband, despite everything. Her eyes were swollen from crying.


    "You suddenly passed out. How could I think about anything else? Besides, the kidnapping was fake anyway. She''lle back on her own.


    "How are you feeling now? Are you okay?"


    Quentin looked terrible, as if he might not make it through his next breath. He closed his eyes and took several slow breaths. He then opened them again to look at Grace.


    Grace tensed up and quickly went to his bedside. After a moment''s hesitation, she finally said, "Dad."


    Quentin tried to raise his hand to touch her head. But he slowly lowered it again as if he had no strength anymore. The sight made Grace''s eyes burn with emotion, her chest tight with pain.


    After a long pause, she said, "Don''t worry about thepany. I''ll get that project back. Lambert Group will survive this crisis."


    During the night, while Quentin was unconscious, she had researched the situation and discovered just how crucial this project was.


    It wasn''t just Lambert Group''s chance for aeback-it was their survival. Thepany had been operating at a loss for years, with Quentin shouldering the burden alone and keeping it from everyone.


    Meanwhile, Carmen and Alice had been spendingvishly, and even Grace, too. All the pressure had fallen on Quentin as the family''s pir. But this time, it was too much for him to bear.


    Quentin remained silent. His throat hurt, and he didn''t know what to say. The heavy atmosphere was broken when the door suddenly opened, and then Liam walked in.


    He had already heard about everything from the maids. When he saw Quentin''s current state, his heart ached. Quentin looked like he had aged 20 years overnight.


    Liam opened his mouth to say "Dad", but tears immediately ran down his face. Embarrassed, he quickly moved behind Grace, quietly wiping his eyes.


    When he saw his useless son, Quentin felt a tightness in his chest. At least Liam had good values and never tried to hurt anyone. He might be foolish, but he was not a dangerous person.


    Just as he slowly closed his eyes, he felt someone take his hand. Grace''s voice came to his ear, "Dad, I wasn''t lying just now. I will get that project back."


    Quentin had little hope. Henderson Group was too powerful-once they stepped in, there would be no turning back.


    Grace added one more thing, "Rest and recover. If Alicees back, don''t let her near your medicine. She''s capable of anything."


    Carmen heard this and wanted to defend Alice out of habit. But remembering the projection she''d seenst night, the words stuck in her throat, and she couldn''t say anything. She had never really known her daughter.


    As Grace was leaving, she ran into Alice arriving with police officers.


    Alice was aplete mess. Her clothes were torn to shreds, her eyes were swollen, and her hair was wild and tangled. She pointed right at Grace.


    "Sir, that''s her. I suspect she nned this whole thing!"


    Her eyes were filled with hatred, as if she wanted to drag Grace to hell with her. Upon seeing Alice''s condition, Grace realized Brent must have assaulted her in revenge.


    Alice was clearly not in her right mind. She lunged toward Grace like a madwoman. "It''s all because of you! If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be living such a miserable life! Just die!"


    The police quickly restrained her but still ced handcuffs on Grace''s wrists. Grace found this almostughable. "May I ask what crime I''vemitted?"


    "Given the victim''s usations against you, we need you toe with us. She suffered a serious assaultst night."

 Chapter 199

    Alice couldn''t stop shaking. Every memory ofst night turned her world to ash. How had everything gone so wrong?


    She must have lost her mind. After the police found her that morning, she''d immediately tried to drag Grace down with her. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, which made her blurt out whatever came to mind.


    "It had to be her. Only she would do something like this to me," she mumbled.


    The moment those words left her mouth, Liam couldn''t take it anymore.


    "Give it a rest, Alice. Who do you think you''re fooling with this victim act? Let me guess you''re going to im you were attacked by multiple men and that Grace orchestrated the whole thing?"


    Alice slowly looked up. She had really been attacked by several men, and Grace was definitely behind it. Wasn''t her condition proof enough?


    Her clothes were in tatters, and her body was covered in marks. What better evidence could there be? But Liam''s words hit her like ice water.


    "Did you make those marks yourself too? I swear nothing honest everes out of your mouth. Years ago, you imed your foster parents abused you, but it turns out that con man demanding money was your partner all along.


    "Every cent he extorted all these years went straight to your bank ount. How could you be so twisted?"


    The blood drained from Alice''s face. It felt like lightning had struck her. How could they possibly know?


    Even if Grace had told them, the Lamberts should never have believed her over Alice. Liam pulled up the video on his phone, his face twisted with disgust.


    "Your little scheme with that man is all over town. Mom watched your livestream while getting your fake ransom call. Dad copsed because of you.


    "What more do you want? Now you''re ying victim again, trying to drag Grace down with you. I''m telling you¡ªI will never trust a word you say again!"


    Reality clicked into ce for Alice. Everything fromst night had been broadcast live. No wonder nobody came to save her.


    She shot Grace a venomous look. Grace must have arranged the livestream. She knew about Alice''s rtionship with Brent all along.


    If not for Grace, what happened afterward would never have urred. Her body trembled, but her mind raced ahead.


    The Lamberts were too angry right now to believe anything she said. Even though she really had been attacked, they''d assume she was acting again.


    The tables had totally turned. Grace used to be in this position, where everything she said was automatically considered a lie.


    Alice suddenly went quiet. She turned to the police and said, "I''m sorry-I was just confused. This is family business. You can go."


    Grace was surprised. She could tell Alice had genuinely been through something terriblest night, but after a brief breakdown, she''d recovered with remarkable speed. Her mental toughness was something else.


    The police caught the drift and removed the handcuffs. "Pull something like this again, and we''ll have to arrest you."


    They had to admit how convincing Alice''s acting was. There really was a lot of drama in rich families.


    After the police left, the hospital room fell silent. Alice turned to leave. Staying would only earn her more contempt.


    As she approached the elevator, she saw Grace step in beside her. Grace half- expected her tosh out, but Alice simply muttered, "This isn''t over."


    Grace found it almost funny but kept quiet. The elevator stopped on the ground floor. Alice stepped out, then turned back, her gaze burning with hatred.


    "Grace, I won''t let this go. I''m not done with you yet."


    Her hatred was so intense that it practically filled the air. If looks could kill, Grace would have died a thousand times over.


    However, Grace wasn''t afraid of her.

 Chapter 200

    Grace''s priority now was figuring out how to get Lambert Group''s project back. This project involved billions of dors. It was just a mid-sized venture for Henderson Group, given their massive scale.


    But the contract was already signed. It was toote for Lambert Group to back out. Henderson Group knew this, and they wouldn''t possibly let such a profitable opportunity slip away.


    Though she and Ethan had been getting along welltely, she had no right to expect him to terminate this contract just to please her.


    Grace took a deep breath. Exhaustion was written all over her face after staying up all night and rushing to Henderson Group. Sitting at her desk, she carefully reviewed the project with Lambert Group.


    Quentin valued this project so highly because no otherpanies were involved -Lambert Group had total control over it.


    The original n was to build a massive shopping mall. Shortly after purchasing thend, the Yule family announced they would construct nearby residential buildings, making the mall the perfect choice.


    To some extent, the Yule family''s decision had helped make the Lamberts'' project sessful. Quentin had been incredibly lucky when he acquired thend. Originally worthless, a series of developments had transformed it into a goldmine.


    The contract Alice had given to Henderson Group included a use stating that all businesses in the mall woulde from Henderson Group''s brands. Without investing a penny, Henderson could ce their brands throughout the mall.


    Working backward, if Lambert Group didn''t build a mall, that use wouldn''t apply. Alice''s contract had been irregr to begin with. When she came to deliver it the second time, Grace had interrupted her before she could make any revisions.


    Grace was somewhat grateful she had stubbornly stayed in the office that day. Though she had an idea now, approaching Henderson Group as a Lambert representative would seem like a p in the face.


    Backing out after offering such a lucrative deal by nitpicking contractnguage would certainly look bad. Grace felt a headacheing on. She didn''t want to offend Ethan, but she couldn''t stand watching Quentin waste away.


    As she agonized over this through the end of the workday, she received a text from the man with the ck profile picture. It was a hotel room number.


    She was stressed out, and she didn''t feel like going home anyway. The man had left just one message. "I''m waiting for you here."


    Grace sighed and drove straight there. She knew this hotel. It was quite famous, and it was owned by the Yule family, if she remembered correctly.


    When she opened the door, the room was dark as expected. Someone pulled her inside, then covered her eyes with a ck cloth.


    The fabric seemed specially made it was so ck that no light could get through at all. It felt cool and surprisinglyfortable.


    The man kissed her immediately, urgently pulling her into his arms and setting her on a waist-high cab. Grace instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as his kiss left her breathless.


    He spoke with an urgent tone. "I missed you so much."


    Grace felt dazed from his kisses. She tried to pull back, but he held the back of her head firmly.


    After 20 minutes of kissing that stole all her breath, she leaned against his shoulder, gasping for air. His hand gently patted her back, asionally turning to peck her cheek.


    Perhaps, escaping into this kind of indulgence whenever she felt stressed out wouldn''t be such a bad idea. At least it gave her no time to think about her worries.


    She raised her hand to remove the blindfold, but he stopped her. She heard him say, "I don''t want you to see me like this."


    His tone was full of dark desire. His voice grew husky as he slowly knelt down and buried his face between her legs. Grace instinctively pointed her toes, her hands losing strength as they grasped his hair.


    Her mind went nk as waves of pleasure washed over her. She could even feel his teeth marks on her calves. It felt sharp, painful, yet strangely intimate.


    Her body was all tensed up, then after a long breath, she gasped heavily. He seemed to enjoy this. And he was right-she did like it too.


    The man stood up and held her. For someone his height, she was quite small, clinging to his waist like a ko.


    She leaned against the headboard to calm herself, feeling his fingertips trace the teeth marks on her calf, which still hurt. She tried to pull her leg back, but he held it firmly.


    He was really great at kissing. It was so good that she wondered which woman had helped him practice. His other skills weren''t bad either.


    She wanted to see his face, but whenever she moved to remove the blindfold, he would say, "I''m not good-looking. I''m ugly."


    In the darkness, she thought for a moment, then reached up to touch his face. His features were indeed well-defined. How ugly could he possibly be?


    Just as she was about to say something reassuring, he turned slightly and bit her fingertip. Grace could feel his neat row of teeth. Honestly, he was being rather clingy.


    Since entering the room, they had barely separated. Grace was probably too lonely herself. Without her past memories, having someone to hold wasn''t so bad.


    She yawned and felt the bed beneath her, made of high-quality material. But wasn''t he a waiter at that ce? Service industry jobs wouldn''t pay much, would they?


    The man continued nting small kisses on her neck. He really enjoyed such intimate gestures. Her fingers ran through his hair as she asked an ill-timed question, "Can you afford such a nice room?"


    The man froze and said nothing. Grace thought she had hurt his pride and silently cursed herself, but then heard him ask, "Will you sponsor me then?"


    She didn''t respond. When he saw her expression, the man''s expression darkened. His eyes were like deep abysses, threatening to pull her in. Then she responded, "Would five million dors be enough?"

 Chapter 201

    The man froze for a few seconds, then he saw Grace starting to rummage through her bag. Since her eyes were covered, she had no idea which card contained the five million dors, so she ced all of them in her hands.


    "Take the silver one-I just transferred five million dors into it."


    As soon as she said that, the man pressed her down and kissed her passionately.


    All the cards in her hand dropped onto the bed. His intense passion left her a little dazed, and she enjoyed it very much.


    Everyone loved a passionate person, and no one liked to get a cold shoulder.


    With a faint smile, she gently patted his back.


    To Grace, he was just a waiter who had slept with her before and specially catered to clients like her. But after theirst encounter, he had fallen for her at first sight and had been waiting for her.


    She, however, had forgotten about it and let him down. That''s why he was so clingy and excited when they met again. He had been waiting for her for so long that the loneliness had be unbearable.


    She didn''t think she was someone who enjoyed keeping pets, but he certainly behaved like one-always being affectionate to her whenever they met.


    She had been feeling a bit lonelytely, as though she was exploring this unknown world all by herself. It felt quite good to have someone by her side now.


    She had thought tonight would be likest time, that she would just be a little snack for him to taste. But he clearly wanted more as he asked softly in her ears, "May I?"


    She frowned, and her mind was racing with thoughts. She felt a bit lost.


    Seeing that she said nothing, he took her hand to touch his cheek, his chest, and his neck. Every spot was drenched in sweat from suppressing his desire. Even with the fabric in between, she could tell that part was bursting to go.


    Ever since Grace lost her memory, she had never experienced something like this. But since she had decided to ep him, she shouldn''t leave him hanging. She nodded. "Okay."


    Just then, he went in. The once pitiful person, who had been pleading for affection, suddenly became incredibly dominant. Nothing she said could stop him.


    They kept going for a long time, but he was tireless, while shecked the strength to move a finger. She almost lost her voice, and her body ached.


    "Ed, let''s go to bed. Shall we?"


    "Say my name again."


    "Ed." Just as she called his name, he excitedly pounced on her again.


    Grace was consumed by his passion the entire night, and she only reached her limit and fell asleep at dawn.


    In her daze, she felt someone bathing her. Without opening her eyes, she weakly propped herself up and identally brushed her lips against his. Then, she drifted back into a deep sleep.


    Meanwhile, the man froze at her gesture. He was then overwhelmed with intense joy and pulled her tightly into his arms, as though he wanted to merge her into his body.


    There was no one in the room by the time she woke up. As she rubbed her forehead, she felt surprisingly refreshed.


    There was a tube of ointment on the bedside table, which was probably used to apply to that area. No wonder she only felt a slight difort.


    There was even a set of clean clothes ced by the bed. Seeing how thoughtful he had been, her mood instantly brightened.


    It seemed that continuing this secretive rtionship wasn''t so bad after all; at least it was much better than going back to deal with the stress.


    What made her even happier was that someone had actually helped her to apply for leave from Ethan. She had a message from him on her phone, reading, "Leave approved."


    It was already noon when she woke up, and it was definitely toote to go to thepany. Thus, she decided to stayfortably in the hotel until the afternoon.


    However, the thought of tampering with that contract started to make her uneasy. Yet, she was left with no choice. In the afternoon, she went straight to Lambert Group, intending to change the project.


    Instead of building a shopping mall, she nned to construct residential buildings, like what the Yule family had done.


    Although it wasn''t as good as the original n, at least she could keep all the benefits for her family. The benefits from the original n, however, would all go to Henderson Group.


    She had the executives review the contract, but they got angry as soon as they saw her.


    "Are you out of your mind? Let''s have Ms. Alice handle this. You''ll ruin thepany sooner orter."


    "Yeah, why are you turning the shopping mall into residential buildings? The Yule family is already constructing residential buildings on nearbynd. Once their projectunches, we won''t stand a chance."


    Grace suddenly felt a little sad as she looked at the reactions of the executives. They hade so far with Quentin, but Alice deceived them in the end.


    They trusted Alice so much that they didn''t stop her even when she presented such a contract.


    A few leaders of the executives immediately stood up, all wearing haughty expressions.


    "Grace, no matter what you say, we won''t agree. We still trust Ms. Alice. This is your first time here, and you''re already trying to boss us around and make such a huge decision. No one will be on your side."


    Grace nced around at the executives before tossing a set of documents at them. "Thispany is named after the Lambert family, and I''m a member of the Lambert family.


    "These documents are your performance results from the past few years. Every project you''re responsible for is currently in the red.


    "My father doesn''t hold you ountable because he values his rtionships with you. Otherwise, you''ll certainly lose your current positions.


    "If you don''t want to work with me, that''s fine. I''ll talk to my father. Once I gain the executive rights of thepany, I''ll have all of you pack up and leave."


    Grace wasn''t being courteous. Normally, Alice would tter everyone in thepany, and she was quite good-looking. These sleazy men were happy when a pretty woman spoke to them sweetly.


    Edric immediately stood up and mmed the table hard. He was usually the closest to Alice and was also the longest-serving executive. He and Quentin had even worked as street vendors back then.


    Even Quentin wouldn''t dare speak to him this way, so he certainly wouldn''t take Grace seriously.


    "Grace, let me make myself clear as well. You only made it in Henderson Group because of your looks. Do you really think you can understand anything about business?


    "Ms. Alice might tolerate you, but we won''t. Get lost!"


    With that, Edric sneered and left with a few people from his circle.

 Chapter 202

    Although the other people remained in their seats, they said nothing, as if Grace were invisible.


    Grace didn''t break down. She was anxious about the rule set by Quentin back then-any major project required the approval of at least 75% of the executives, and making a significant decision, such as altering the project, definitely fell under that rule.


    Quentin didn''t grant himself veto power in order to keep everyone satisfied at that time.


    She frowned and said to the remaining executives, "I''ll discuss this with my dad, and I hope you all can give me an answer within three days."


    After saying that, she also left thepany.


    Today was indeed her first time going to Lambert Group, so it was normal that these people didn''t side with her.


    As she had mentioned, the only way to get this n approved was to gain the executive rights of Lambert Group. But execution rights weren''t just a matter of Quentin''s decision; she also needed to hold shares.


    If she were to ask the Lamberts for shares now, she might be seen as taking advantage of the situation.


    She hurriedly drove to the hospital where Quentin was. Just as she was about to open the ward door, she heard Carmen saying, "Alice did wrong because she is


    too young.


    "She hasn''t eaten for a whole day and night, saying that she won''t get up if you don''t forgive her. Moreover, she has returned the 100 million dors she took over the years. She hasn''t used a single cent."


    Quentin was coughing hard, and his eyes were already filled with exhaustion.


    Carmen also knew it wasn''t the right time to bring this up, and her eyes began to redden. "Then what are we supposed to do? The Hendersons have learnt about this.


    "I went over the wedding arrangements with them onest time this morning, and they were really indifferent. I''m worried they might call off the wedding."


    After all, she had doted on Alice for so many years. Even though she knew Alice wasn''t innocent, she was still unwilling to see Alice starving like that. But now, she wouldn''t blindly take sides with Alice anymore.


    Quentin was silent for several minutes before he blurted out, "How do you know she''s not putting on an act this time?"


    Carmen was instantly stumped by the question. After all, Alice was really good at pretending her acting skills had reached a terrifying level. "But, honey..."


    "Shut up! It''s because of your favoritism over the years that she''s turned out like this," Quentin reprimanded.


    Feeling a little unhappy, Carmen paused for a moment before stubbornly refuting, "Even though Alice isn''t innocent, she has always treated me well.


    "Do you really think Grace is any better? She rushed to thepany right after you copsed. She''ll probablye to you soon to ask for shares and get the executive rights to thepany."


    Grace paused her knocking on the door, and she was suddenly at a loss for words.


    Carmen was still rambling on, but Quentin told her that he was tired.


    Grace was still standing at the door when she saw Carmen walking out of the ward.


    Carmen didn''t wear the usual look of disdain, but her expression was clearly unhappy. She felt that Grace was also a cunning person, as Grace coulde up with the idea of a projected live stream.


    Grace entered the ward, hesitating whether to bring up the matter.


    To her surprise, Quentin seemed to know why she was here. "Is something wrong?"


    "Dad, ourpany has absolute interpretative rights over the project''s construction, but the contract Alice presented to Henderson Group allows them to bring all their affiliated businesses into the mall.


    "I''m thinking of pushing the boundaries a bit. If we don''t build the mall..."


    Quentin sighed and looked out the window. "Have you thought about how this might offend Ethan?"

 Chapter 203

    Moreover, it was a serious offense to fool the huge Henderson Group.


    Grace certainly knew about that, but there was no other way. She lowered her eyshes and said, "Mr. Henderson is kind and has good manners.


    "He won''t turn against our family just because we go back on our word. He''ll only disregard us at most."


    Otherwise, he would have already taken revenge on her for the incident with his legs back then.


    Quentin said, "Grace, you already did him wrong back then. His legs-"


    Grace quickly cut him off. "I know, but it''s the worst to be weighed down by such matters in the business world. Dad, you''re too soft-hearted, which is why you still keep those corrupt executives."


    Her words were harsh, and she immediately regretted saying them.


    But Quentin fell silent, then chuckled lightly. "That''s why your grandfather said that I would never achieve anything big. If I don''t get through it this time, he''ll lecture me again when I meet him in the underworldter."


    "Dad, don''t say that. You''ll be fine."


    Quentin''s eyes instantly reddened, and he motioned for Grace to sit beside him. "Grace, now you are exactly how your grandfather hoped you would be.


    "Over the years, I have indeed held a grudge against you because of his death. But I''m also a human, and I can''tpletely forgive you. Now seeing you so clear-headed, I''m very pleased."


    His gaze unintentionally shifted to her neck. It had been quite wild at the hotelst night. Although she had covered it up as much as possible today, it still showed.


    He let out a sigh of relief. "Do you have a boyfriend now? He must be a really good person. Well, at least you won''t keep holding on to Yancey.


    "He''s not the right match for you. He is immature; he won''t be a good husband even if he marries Alice."


    Indeed, the older generation''s judgment of people was still very urate-Yancey really wasn''t suitable to be a husband.


    Quentin was very happy, and his eyes brightened a little. "Bring him to see me when you have time. Your marriage is also one of the things I care about the most."


    Grace felt a bit awkward, remembering she hadn''t even seen what Ed looked like, so she quickly changed the subject.


    "There will be a chance, but we''ve only started seeing each other. We don''t really know each other yet. It''s still too early."


    Quentin''s mood lifted even more, and he was much more rxed. "Alright, alright, as long as he''s reliable. I''m not asking you to marry into a distinguished family. Let''s just live our lives peacefully."


    Grace''s eyes grew a little teary; she had indeed neglected Quentin''s feelingstely. She had forgotten that family wasplicated-it could bring pain, but it could also bring peace and happiness.


    Quentin patted the back of her hand. "After this, you should properly apologize to him. I was worried that a hopeless romantic like you would fall for him once you joined Henderson Group.


    "I couldn''t even sleep for days. People will onlyugh at you if you pursue Yancey, but you might lose your life if you pursue Ethan."


    Grace was a bit puzzled, wondering if Ethan was really that terrifying. "He''s actually a kind person," she exined.


    "Grace, you can''t even imagine the fight within the Henderson family. Ethan''s older brothers have several sons, and Ethan was groomed from a young age to be an heir. Assassinations aremon to him.


    "Most importantly, he is as cold as a machine. It''s hard to imagine how much a woman would suffer after being with him. She''d probably only see him a few times throughout the year."


    That was true. Even when Ethan encountered beautiful women at the negotiating table, he never spared them a nce. He was just like a machine without the concept of gender.


    Back then, Eleanor was truly amazing to be able to make him fall for her.

 Chapter 204

    Grace had been in the ward for half an hour, yet she still hadn''t brought up the matter of executive rights. She feared that Quentin would really think she was taking advantage of him.


    After all, her past conduct had been quite bad.


    But just as she was about to get up and leave, Quentin asked, "Edric has made things difficult for you, hasn''t he?"


    Edric was the senior executive who opposed her.


    Grace admitted it straightaway. "Yes, he holds shares and won''t listen to me. Dad,


    I actually want to ask you for the executive rights of thepany.


    "You can transfer some shares to me first. Once this matter is over, I''ll transfer them back to you. I''ve never intended to take anything from our family anyway."


    As soon as she said that, she saw a sh of sadness in Quentin''s eyes, as if she had hit his sore spot. She figured it was best not to say anything more, so she just stood there in silence.


    After a long while, Quentin said with a sigh, "I''ll have my assistant andwyer go to see you."


    "Thank you, Dad." As Grace left the ward, she felt a little uneasy. It seemed like Quentin had known from the very beginning what she was going to say.


    After all, he had been with thepany for so many years and knew the personalities of every executive very well. But in the end, it was still he who took the initiative to speak out.


    She was distressed, but she soon met up with Quentin''s assistant andwyer and was temporarily given 20% of the shares.


    The change in shares was a major matter, so all the executives were notified. Seeing that she had managed to acquire so many shares in just a few hours, everyone fell silent.


    Only Edric was still ranting. "I don''t get what Quentin is up to, giving so many shares to a useless person. Does Grace even know how to run apany? I think the Lambert family will be doomed soon."


    He was still grumbling in his office when Grace pushed the door open and walked in.


    "Mr. Trenholm, if you think the Lambert family will be doomed soon, I can offer you a high price for the shares you have. Would you consider selling them?"


    Edric owned 5% of the shares.


    His expression instantly changed. This bitch actually had her eyes on his shares! He mmed the table hard and eximed, "Grace, you''ve really crossed the line!


    "I have a connection at Henderson Group too. If you alter the original project, I''ll definitely inform them. Let''s see how long you canst against Ethan."


    Grace frowned. She really hadn''t expected Edric to have a connection at Henderson Group, but she wasn''t scared. He might not be telling the truth.


    "Mr. Trenholm, I''m offering to buy your shares at a high price out of respect for you. Now that my father has transferred the executive rights to me, thepany will be under my control in the future.


    "To be honest, I''ve already worked out an acquisition deal with someone. I''ll sell thepany at a low price within a month, and the shares everyone holds will be worthless by then.


    "The other party has promised to give me two billion dors for retirement, so I won''t have to worry about anything."


    It was as if the other party paid a hefty sum to buy Grace off. All she had to do was hand over thepany''s executive rights to outsiders and give up the shares she currently held.


    After that, thepany would no longer belong to the Lambert family. When the outsiders took over, they would certainly eliminate the useless seniors.


    Edric was in disbelief, his pupils contracting in anger. "Thepany is your father''s hard work. How could you sell it as you wish? Did you even get his consent?"


    His words made Graceugh. "Why should I get his consent? I''m sure you''ve heard about how the Lambert family treated me over the years.


    "I just set foot in thepany for the first time recently, so what does its reputation have to do with me? The only thing I care about is the money that ends up in my hands."


    "Grace!" Edric was so enraged he felt like his head was about to explode, but Grace just walked away like a spoiled and arrogant youngdy of a rich family.


    He was furious and immediately called his friend at Henderson Group.


    He and this executive at Henderson Group were just drinking buddies. He would lend a hand to the other party from time to time, as he felt he might also need the help of the other party one day.


    Now, Edric revealed Grace''s n to modify the contract to the other party.


    The executive at Henderson Group also saw this as an opportunity to make a


    name for himself. It was a project worth billions, so he should prepare the CEO for it at the very least.


    As a part of the top management of Henderson Group, Grace was simply unforgivable to pull such a dirty trick.


    The executive of Henderson Group appeared excited and agreed right away, saying he would report it to Ethan.


    Edric also had a satisfied look, thinking that Grace would soon be dealt with by Ethan''s ruthless approach.


    However, Ethan was busy with the paperwork and said nothing when the executive brought up the matter in front of Ethan.


    The executive was sweating nervously, but he felt that Ethan was in a good mood today. At least he wasn''t scowling and wore a gentle expression.


    Thus, the executive grew bolder. "Mr. Henderson, what she''s doing shows that


    she doesn''t respect you at all. How can she work with you while favoring Lambert Group?


    "We should either fire her immediately or find someone to get rid of her once and for all."

 Chapter 205

    The executive was feeling pleased with his proposal when Ethan put down the document in his hand and asked indifferently, "Are you done?"


    "Yes, I''m done. I know you''re very busy, so I''ll take care of her," replied the executive.


    Ethan then called Tim in.


    Tim pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose and announced with a smile, "You''re fired."


    The executive thought he had misheard it. He straightened his back and looked at Tim, then at Ethan.


    Ethan never looked up at the executive; he was as cold as ever.


    The executive''s face reddened, and his lips trembled. "Mr. Henderson, my recent performance has been quite good, and several projects have made a profit. I would like to know why I''m fired."


    Ethan put down the pen in his hand, took out several reports from the side, and answered indifferently, "You''re involved in corrupt activities."


    The executive''s face instantly flushed red. He had done this very discreetly, and it was like an unwritten rule. He took the money from the partnerpany, so it couldn''t be considered as taking advantage of Henderson Group.


    He had done this before, but he never expected to get caught this time. "Mr. Henderson, everyone does this. Why am I the one getting fired?"


    Ethan leaned back, and his good mood hadpletely disappeared. "They''re not as tactless as you."


    The executive''s face went from flushed to pale, but he still had no idea how he was being tactless. Wasn''t he just trying to help thepany?


    Tim gestured for the executive to leave. The executive hung his head and slowly walked out, resigned to the oue.


    Upon hearing that one executive had beenid off, the employees on the executive''s floor were whispering among themselves.


    Normally, there would be prior notice as changes in the executive management of Henderson Group were a significant matter. Yet, there was no news this time. It was an abrupt change.


    When Grace arrived at thepany, she overheard the gossip that someone from the executive management had stepped down.


    She was equally shocked. If it was a sudden change, it must have been Ethan''s decision. He had to be in a really bad mood now.


    It was nearing the end of the workday, and she had arranged for the revised contract to be delivered at this hour. Ethan would receive it shortly.


    Wouldn''t this be the wrong timing?


    She was about to make a call to have the contract delivered another day, but before she could make the call, Tim hade up to her and said, "Mr. Henderson wants to see you."


    Tim was always cold and indifferent when he interacted with her. She could only put down her phone and enter the CEO''s office.


    What she saw made her stiffen. Just a minute ago, the contract had already been delivered to Ethan, and now it was resting right next to him.


    She had personally bound the cover of the contract, so she could recognize it immediately.


    Damn it. These people were never this efficient with other tasks. Why did they deliver the contract so quickly this time?


    Now that Ethan had called her in, it was clear that he was going to question her. As expected, Ethan gently tapped on the contract and chuckled. "Does your family think Henderson Group is a joke?"


    She felt even more uneasy. It seemed that he was really angry to the point of saying such words. "Mr. Henderson, I''m not aware of this."


    As soon as she finished speaking, he squinted his eyes and said, "But I heard that you proposed this n personally."


    That damn Edric! Grace had to think fast, but the fact remained that the Lambert family had backstabbed Ethan, no matter how she tried to justify it.


    Besides, she was still working with Ethan, and this was no different from betrayal. As someone in such a high position, he probably hated betrayal the most.


    While she was feeling anxious, he set the contract aside and asked, "Are you free tonight?"


    "Huh? Yes, yes. Of course." She couldn''t tell if it was just her imagination, but she seemed to see a flicker of a smile in his eyes when she nodded like a bobblehead.

 Chapter 206

    The expression disappeared so quickly that Grace couldn''t be sure.


    "Come with me to Velvet Eclipse," instructed Ethan.


    "Okay." Since he no longer talked about it, she also took the opportunity to disengage from the topic.


    At the same time, she was amazed by Ethan''s kindness. It seemed she would have to repay him even more in the future.


    After pushing him into the elevator, she bent down and was about to say something to him. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and a young man emerged.


    The man greeted Ethan with a smile, "What a coincidence, Uncle Ethan."


    Ethan''s third brother, Bart Henderson, had two sons. The one standing outside the elevator was one of them-Levi Henderson.


    Levi shifted his gaze to Grace and smiled. "So this is Ms. Lambert. How coincidental. Uncle Ethan, I''m surprised that you still can get along with her."


    The moment Levi showed up, the atmosphere in the elevator turned gloomy.


    Grace pushed Ethan out of the elevator, and outside was the underground parking garage. She wondered why Levi came to Henderson Group.


    Over the years, Ethan had acquired numerouspanies. In order to train the young ones, Jordan had sent them all to the nearby branches.


    Currently, only Ethan, a few elders, and Yancey stayed in the headquarters.


    Ethan asked indifferently, "Why are you here?"


    Levi had already stepped into the elevator, and he answered politely, "I came to check on Yancey. I wonder if his wedding can still go on as nned.


    "As his cousin, I''m certainly concerned about him. Uncle Ethan, I''ll head up first."


    Grace originally wanted to tell Levi that Yancey wasn''t at thepany, but then she remembered she wasn''t familiar with Levi at all.


    Moreover, she felt uneasy when she saw him. His gaze was like that of a venomous snake, as if he might strike at any moment.


    Among the Hendersons, Ethan was the most pleasant to look at.


    This time, she was driving Ethan''s car. After helping him into the passenger seat, she couldn''t help but mutter, "The wedding can''t possibly be cancelled, right?"


    His gaze fell on her side profile as she leaned over, dutifully trying to fasten his seatbelt. But the buckle just wouldn''t click into ce, making her so anxious that sweat began to form on the tip of her nose.


    Just as she was struggling, arge hand suddenly covered hers. With a gentle push, the buckle clicked into ce.


    She froze as she could feel that his palm was burning hot. She quickly retreated far back to the driver''s seat and gripped the steering wheel firmly with both hands.


    Was it her imagination? Why did Ethan seem a little off?


    Ever since things had progressed between her and Ed, Grace was no longer as oblivious to this kind of intimacy between men and women as she used to be.


    She remained silent, but then he asked, "How are things going with your boyfriend?"


    At the thought of Ed, her lips curved into a smile. Although she had no idea what he looked like, he really gave her a different kind of feeling¡ªlike a big golden retriever that wasforting and clingy.


    Sometimes people could be quite superficial and liked their partners being overly attached, as it brought a sense of pride.


    "We are doing good," she replied.


    "Have you thought about when you''ll meet each other''s parents?" Ethan asked again.


    She hadn''t expected that question. She calmly drove for a while before answering honestly, "We haven''t really thought about that yet. We''d like to get to know each other a bit more first. But so far, we''re getting along quite well."


    At least, they were sexuallypatible. In fact, there weren''t many twists and turns in adult rtionships. Couples who were harmonious in bed were already ahead of most couples.


    Many women put up with those few minutes in bed just because they loved their partners.


    But not Grace-she enjoyed the feeling of being possessed and her partner being needy in bed. At worst, she could just work hard to support him financially.


    As Ethan turned his head, he noticed the tenderness in her eyes and the unconscious smile on her lips. He averted his gaze to stare out the window and ced a hand against his cheek to hide his smile.

 Chapter 207

    Upon arriving at Velvet Eclipse, Grace carefully ced the wheelchair down, helped Ethan onto it, and then pushed him toward the private room.


    At this moment, there was a buzz from her phone. It was a message from Ed, reading, "I''m very happy. I want to kiss you."


    Her face instantly flushed-Ed was really straightforward.


    She had no time to reply to his message as she had to push Ethan to the private room. Once she opened the door, she found that Damien, Simon, and Julian were already there.


    It seemed like these four people often got together. As a woman, she really didn''t want to stay in the private room.


    Ethan seemed to notice her awkwardness and said to her, "You can go hang out outside."


    He sounded like he was coaxing a child.


    Grace didn''t even look at Simon as he always threatened to hurt her whenever he saw her. Therefore, she quickly left the private room after receiving Ethan''s instruction.


    In the private room, Damien put down his wine ss and asked Simon, "Do you have any tricks for winning over women?"


    Simon dug his ear, thinking he was hearing things. "Can you say it again?"


    Damien pursed his lips and stopped talking.


    Beside them, Julian raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his drink. "You only need to satisfy her in bed. If she doesn''t like it, then you''re not trying hard enough."


    Julian''s words seemed to hit a nerve with Damien, who immediately started arguing with Julian.


    Meanwhile, Ethan had remained silent since he entered the room, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.


    After leaving the private room, Grace wandered around outside on her own. Her phone buzzed again, and it was a message from Ed. "Where are you?"


    She smiled and sent him the exact location of the private room she was in. "I''m at work, apanying my boss for some socializing."


    "I''ll go to see you."


    She gazed at the message, her brows knitting together. It wasn''t that she didn''t want him toe, but Velvet Eclipse had a strict membership policy.


    Wouldn''t it be awkward if he were turned away at the door?


    As she walked ahead, she continued typing her reply with her head hung low. But before she could send the message, a hand suddenly reached out from a nearby private room and pulled her inside.


    Before she could say a word, the person had already kissed her. He wore a thin shirt, and the room was filled with a pleasant fragrance.


    She pushed him away, breathing heavily. She was unable to make out his face, so she could only hold his face in her hands.


    "How did you get here so fast? You weren''t secretly following me when you sent that message, were you?" she asked.


    "Is that a problem?" He probably sensed her subtle approval, so he answered with unapologetic confidence.


    Grace chuckled, and then she was quickly turned around by him. Knowing what he was going to do, she took a deep breath. "We''re in a private room."


    He pressed his chest against her back and pleaded with her. "But I want it."


    His feelings for her were straightforward and obvious, as evident in the messages he sent to her.


    She could feel his intense affection, but she was worried that Ethan would be done soon. It would be awkward if she weren''t finished here by then.


    He had already begun nibbling on her ear. "I think about you every second. I want to text you, but I''m afraid I''ll annoy you."


    Grace felt her heart instantly soften. This was how one would act when one was deeply in love with someone-editing a message over and over, only to delete every word in the end.


    "Please? Please?" He was like a child repeatedly asking for candy.


    She only hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing. "Make it fast."


    As soon as she said that, he started to drive into her aggressively. She was


    worried that the door in front of her would be knocked down.


    He was obedient, so that he could indulge himself fully in a short amount of time.


    This time, he was so vigorous that she couldn''t help standing on her toes.


    Then, she heard footsteps approaching, and it seemed someone had stopped right outside the room. She instantly had her heart in her throat.


    The next second, the door was opened slightly. The man behind her quickly reached out and mmed the door shut. She heard a very domineering and imposing voice say, "Go away!"


    The person, who was about to open the door, was startled and realized they had interrupted something, so they left in a hurry.


    Grace''s heart was still racing, and she hadn''t had time to fully process what had just happened. The man, who had just been so domineering, suddenly whispered softly in her ear, "Let''s continue."


    She only felt as if every pore in her body was filled, like there were countless bubbles boiling inside her. She found it amusing and reached out to pat his head that rested on her shoulder. "You''re so fierce."


    He buried his head deep in her neck, and he wasn''t being gentle at all. "That''s toward others."


    He was so good at sweet-talking; no wonder she had never been able to resist him before.


    The lights in the hallway outside suddenly brightened. She tried to turn around, but he grabbed her waist firmly, not allowing her to move.


    "Are you really not going to show me your face? If someone asks me what my boyfriend looks like, I won''t even know how to answer."


    He paused for a moment, then agitatedly took a deep breath. She suddenly felt his anxiety and dilemma. She frowned, wondering how ugly he could possibly be to feel this insecure.


    But the next second, he was so rough that it felt like he wanted to crush her right there and then.


    When it was over, Grace leaned against his chest and gasped for air. The two of them were sitting on the couch now. She was still caught in the lingering sensations, not wanting to move.


    Ed took her hand to trace his facial features thoroughly again and again before


    she finally opened her eyes. He was definitely not ugly, so what was he struggling with?

 Chapter 208

    Ed bit Grace''s fingertip, his voice low and husky from the lingering passion. "You said you came with your boss?"


    Grace felt a bit tired and yawned. "Yes."


    "How is he?"


    "He''s pretty good."


    "How is hepared to me?"


    Her eyes widened instantly. The room was dimly lit, and she could only make out


    the silhouette of his figure. Even so, he seemed to have an incredible build-she definitely hadn''t lost out.


    "There''s noparison as you two areplete opposites. He''s cold and indifferent to everyone, but you''re passionate and lovable. My boss is someone to admire from afar, but not someone to get close to."


    "How do you know he''s exactly like you say he is? Maybe you just don''t know him just like you don''t know me."


    She frowned and cupped his face with both hands. "I don''t know you, but you can let me get to know you little by little. Otherwise, how am I supposed to know you if I never get to see your face?"


    "You saw my face before. You were very worked up at that time, and you hit me."


    Grace immediately sat up straight, feeling embarrassed. She shouldn''t have asked. She scratched her cheek with her fingertips and wondered if she had been that quick-tempered back then.


    She had actually hit him not long after they became intimate-no wonder he was so insecure and sensitive. She was aplete jerk.


    However, she couldn''t remember at all what had happened between them back then. How did it end up with her hitting him?


    She took a deep breath and gently patted his cheek. "Did I hit you here? Did it hurt?"


    "It won''t hurt if you feel sorry for me."


    When she heard this, she cursed herself inwardly for being such a jerk. How could she have hit someone so passionate?


    She hurriedly got up, nting two kisses on his left cheek and another two kisses on his right cheek. "Of course, I feel sorry for you, but I have to go now.


    "I''ve already upset my boss recently, so I might need to spend more time with him and kiss up a bit. If you need anything, just text me or call me. See you."


    She was about to leave when he grabbed her wrist. "Aren''t you getting too close to your boss?" he asked.


    She immediately smiled. Was he jealous? He was really like a clingy golden retriever. "Don''t worry, I won''t fall for him. I just think he''s a good person; he''s not my type," she reassured.


    "What if one day he bes just like me? Would you..."


    She quickly kissed him on the lips and said, "Stop, don''t talk about such scary things. Just thinking about it gives me chills.


    "If that''s the case, then he must be really good at pretending and scheming. That would be terrifying."


    He let go of her wrist and replied, "Okay, see you next time."


    Shortly after leaving the private room, Grace couldn''t help but smile. When Ed was done earlier, he had even used a wet wipe to carefully clean her up, ensuring she didn''t appear disheveled in front of others.


    Though he was obedient, he also seemed quite domineering. As for what he had said afterward, she honestly didn''t dare to think about it.


    Someone like Ethan should remain distant, and anyone who tried to approach him was at fault.


    She deliberately wandered around outside for a while before heading to the private room where Ethan was. When she entered, the men had already begun discussing their recent project coboration.


    She felt disgusted with herself for sneaking off to meet his boyfriend during this time.


    When her eyes met Ethan''s, he was as calm as usual but quickly looked away, his ears still tinged with red.


    She was puzzled and then thought of Ed. Ed would voice his desires directly, and if he couldn''t get what he wanted, he would repeatedly ask for it. He certainly wouldn''t remain silent like Ethan.


    She quietly stood behind Ethan and caught a faint scent of pine trees on him. Ed''s scent was different from Ethan''s¡ªit was hard to describe, but she quite liked it.


    After just going through a thrilling experience, she couldn''t help but keep thinking about Ed now.


    It wasn''t until a voice suddenly rang out that she snapped back to reality. "Ms. Lambert, can you at least cover up the evidence of your affair?"


    Those words came from Simon. He had initially intended to light a cigarette, but was stopped by Ethan.


    "There''s ady here," Ethan said.


    Simon wanted to say that Grace hardly qualified as ady, but he chose to obey Ethan and put the cigarette back.


    Grace casually adjusted her cor and said, "I just went out to meet my boyfriend. I''m sorry about that."


    Simon instantly wore a look of disdain. "Isn''t Yancey about to get married? Why did he still secretly date you? Do you know that you''re the mistress?


    "You''re the mistress of your sister''s boyfriend. Don''t you feel ashamed of yourself?"


    Julian gave someone a quick nce and then sneered. "What did I say? Some women are just heartless. They''re still the same, even after years of waiting. It''s better to marry someone else."


    Simon had no idea who Julian was talking about and thought it was directed at him. "What''s with the sarcasm? I''m not waiting for anyone. I''ve been having a great time with my new girlfriendtely."


    Julian pushed Simon''s head away. "I''m not talking about you."


    "You''re not talking about me? In this room, it''s either me or Damien. Isn''t he into Selene? It''s just that he''s been rejected for being too young.


    "So who else could it be, other than me? It can''t possibly be Ethan. Don''t you know him? He wouldn''t go after a woman even if the world ended."


    Grace nodded in agreement. Indeed, Ethan seemed to have no desire for such things. He might even find matters between men and women disgusting.

 Chapter 209

    While Simon and Julian were still bickering, they heard Ethan speak up. "If there''s nothing else to talk about, I''ll be heading back soon."


    Simon took a deep breath and pointed at Ethan.


    "See? Look at him. As soon as we mention women, he just wants to leave.


    "And you still expect him to wait for the right person? It would be a miracle if he doesn''t end up marrying hisputer. I bet he''s going to spend the rest of his life alone with the fortune he has made."


    Ethan turned away and didn''t bother to respond.


    Grace quietly pushed Ethan out in his wheelchair. As the door to the private room closed behind them, she found thatment amusing.


    Ethan heard her soft chuckle and felt slightly gloomy. "Is it that funny?"


    The words that came out of his mouth sounded like they were squeezed through his gritted teeth.


    She immediately stoppedughing.


    "I just thought Mr. Yule made a pretty good point. But there''s nothing wrong with being like you, either. There aren''t many people like you left nowadays," Grace said.


    Ethan was sincere when it came to rtionships, and he was willing to wait for that one person for so many years.


    He lowered his gaze and said nothing further.


    Grace continued wheeling him out. Along the way, they encountered several people who knew Ethan, and they all stopped by to greet him politely.


    He didn''t respond to any of them. She wasn''t sure what he was thinking about. Once they got in the car, Grace was about to step on the gas pedal when she heard Ethan say, "I''m a little hungry."


    Since her boss was hungry, of course, she had to take care of it.


    Unfortunately, those high-end restaurants usually required reservations in advance. And if they went to a roadside food stall, he probably wouldn''t be able to sitfortably.


    Grace was about to say something when he asked, "Can we not go to your ce?"


    An rm went off in her head for a moment, and then she declined his request.


    "Well, it wouldn''t be a big deal before, but I have a boyfriend now. People might get the wrong idea if a man and a woman are alone together.


    "And my boyfriend is the type who gets jealous very easily. It happened just tonight-he even asked me who was better, him or you. So it''s kind of..."


    Grace sounded conflicted. It really hadn''t been an issue inviting Ethan over before, but now she had to worry about this.


    And if she was being honest, if Ed invited another woman over alone to his ce, she''d probably feel ufortable too.


    She was afraid that Ethan would be upset. After all, the issue with their contract had only just been resolved a few hours ago. This was technically still her "make- up-for-it" period.


    Turning down his dinner request so bluntly really did seem inconsiderate.


    But then, the corner of his lips suddenly curved into a smile.


    "Right. Since you have a boyfriend, it''s good to be mindful of these things. Remember to turn down other guys this way in the future, too," Ethan advised.


    Grace let out a sigh of relief, her mood lifting as well.


    "That''s why I''ve always thought you''re a good person, Mr. Henderson. You''re very well-mannered and considerate.


    "Even if we can''t go to my ce, I can take you to this food stall as long as you don''t mind. It''s the one that Joanne rmended to me, she said it''s really clean."


    Ethan looked out the window. Though his expression was hard to read, she still could tell that he was in a great mood.


    He leaned back, and hisshes fluttered for a few seconds. "Let''s go then."


    Grace pulled up in front of the food stall. She got out and wheeled Ethan down, just to see that Joanne was there too.


    She was in an apron, hustling to serve food to the customers.


    The moment she saw Grace and Ethan, she almost dropped the tray in her


    hands. She then gave them a strained smile.


    "Hi, Grace. Hi, Mr. Henderson."


    Grace wheeled Ethan over to a clean table and then pulled Joanne aside.


    "You''re working here?"


    "No, this is my rtive''s restaurant. I just came over to help out in my free time, and also to sneak in some free midnight snacks."


    As Joanne was speaking, her gaze kept flickering toward Ethan.


    Grace patted Joanne''s shoulder. "Then bring out the best dishes you''ve got-but


    not too spicy. Mr. Henderson seems to prefer light vors."


    Joanne nodded and headed to the kitchen.

 Chapter 210

    Grace sat down next to Ethan and carefully used a wet wipe to clean his te and utensils.


    Just sitting there in silence while waiting felt a bit awkward, so she tried to initiate a conversation.


    "Mr. Henderson, are you still having trouble sleepingtely? I''ve noticed that your dark circles have lightened significantly. Did you find a more effective sleeping pill?"


    Hisplexion had indeed improved over the past few days, and even the cold, distant aura he usually exuded seemed to have softened considerably.


    Ethan looked at the bowl she handed over to him and responded with a soft hum. Grace figured it was really hard to have a proper conversation with him. His favorite thing to say had always been a hum in response.


    Just then, the silence was broken as Joanne started serving them the dishes.


    When she saw the eight dishes she brought over, Grace thought it was a bit much, so she pulled Joanne over to sit with them and eat together.


    But Joanne quickly nced at Ethan and declined.


    "No, thanks. I''m afraid Mr. Henderson might not befortable with it."


    Grace suddenly recalled that Ethan used to eat with small individual dishes at home. Even back at Henderson Residence, everyone would use serving tongs. She had been careless.


    She quickly picked up an unused fork, served some food onto a small te, and smiled sweetly at him.


    "Is this okay?" Grace asked.


    Ethan didn''t say anything, so Grace then boldly pulled Joanne down to sit with them.


    Joanne ate very cautiously, taking one small bite at a time. Every time her sightnded on him, she quickly looked away.


    Grace could understand why Joanne behaved like that. After all, someone with an identity like Ethan would make anyone feel intimidated, especially since Joanne worked at Velvet Eclipse-he was her top client there. There was no way she would dare to act recklessly.


    The whole meal was awkward and quiet. When she saw that Ethan was eating slowly and elegantly, Grace quickly poured him a ss of orange juice.


    "Mr. Henderson, would you like some orange juice? I heard the owner squeezed it himself."


    The ss was small, and their fingertips inevitably touched.


    Grace flinched and nearly dropped the ss to the floor.


    Ethan frowned, as if he was questioning why she reacted like that.


    She quickly exined and said, "It''s just... I''m worried my boyfriend might get mad if he finds out. He usually listens to me, but he''s not easy to calm down."


    Joanne, who was sitting across from them, instantly widened her eyes, a hint of joy shing through her gaze.


    "Grace, did you get back together with Yancey? I knew it, you still have feelings for him. But isn''t he getting married soon? You..."


    "It''s not Yancey."


    Grace remained calm andposed. "If there''s a chance, I''ll bring him out with me. He doesn''t like meeting people for now."


    Joanne was still thrilled, and her eyes were reddened from excitement.


    "That''s great, that''s great. Even if it''s not Yancey, as long as you''re happy, it doesn''t matter who it is," she rambled on.


    Nobody continued talking for the remainder of the meal.


    After Grace wheeled Ethan to his car, Joanne pulled her aside to talk.


    "Grace, is your boyfriend from the Henderson family?"


    "No, he''s just a waiter."


    Joanne froze for a few seconds, looking slightly awkward. "Oh, I see. As long as you''re happy.


    "By the way, I''m freetely, so I cane and find you. It''s been a while since we went shopping together.


    "You can also buy something for your boyfriend. He might like it, and it could help strengthen your rtionship with him."


    Grace really hadn''t thought about this. Ed had been feeling insecure, perhaps because she had paid too little attention to himtely.


    If she bought him more gifts, would he feel more assured that she was serious about their rtionship?


    She really was serious this time. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have let things get physical between them.


    Her mindset was pretty simple-if she didn''t like that person, she wouldn''t have ended up in bed with him.

 Chapter 211

    After sending Ethan back, Grace returned home and immediately sent Ed a


    message.


    "Hey, I''m gonna go shopping tomorrow. Can I get you some couple''s stuff? Like matching mugs and toothbrushes," she said.


    The reply came in instantly, as if Ed already had his phone in his hand.


    "Sure."


    Maybe he was worried his tone was too cold, so he sent another message.


    "I''m happy too."


    Grace let out a faint smile. Just as shey down in her bed, her phone rang. It was a call from Paul.


    Taylor had been transferred to Central General Hospital earlier that morning, and his condition was still the same.


    "Grace, Maria is still waiting for you," Paul told her.


    Grace had been trying to gather some information from the prison for the past two days. But the Lamberts were purely business people after all, and their influence could only reach so far.


    She couldn''t turn to Selene for help again, either. Selene''s rtionship with the Jensens was awkward right now.


    As for Ethan, Grace was still in the process of atoning to him. She didn''t dare to owe him another favor.


    After considering all her options, the only person she could think of was Yancey. He had been surprisingly quiet these days.


    She gave Yancey a call right away. His voice was hoarse, it sounded like he had just recovered from a serious illness.


    Grace didn''t bother asking further. "Do you have any connections with anyone at Twin Rivers Prison? I want to bring someone in for a visit."


    Yancey immediately sat up in bed. His back was soaked with blood, for he had been lying there for hours.


    But since Grace rarely called him, he forced himself to hold on.


    "Yes, I do. It''s easy for someone from the Hendersons to get in, but you''ll have to let mee with you."


    She agreed and quickly informed Maria.


    At 10:00 pm, Yancey''s car arrived outside the building where Grace was staying, right on time.


    When she got in his car, she noticed that his hands on the steering wheel were weak and trembling.


    "What''s wrong with you?" she asked.


    His lips were visibly pale. "I... Forget it. You''ll find out tomorrow."


    Grace wasn''t particrly interested in whatever happened to him, so she just simply nodded. "Sure."


    When they arrived at Twin Rivers Prison, Maria was already waiting there. She came in a rush, and her hands were quivering.


    Maria''s first instinct when she saw Grace was to kneel again.


    Grace quickly helped Maria up. "Come on, let''s head in. Your husband should be waiting for you."


    Maria wiped the tears off her face and adjusted the package she was carrying.


    Thest time Maria received a letter from Randy, he wrote that he was often hungry in there and always got beaten up. It broke her heart, so this time she brought him plenty of food.


    The three of them waited in a room. Maria anxiously pinched the fabric on her knees, her eyes slightly red. She was really looking forward to seeing Randy.


    It had been years since the twost saw each other. She didn''t even know what to say now that they were about to meet again.


    Seeing Maria like this made Grace feel a little bad for her.


    Yancey, on the other hand, had no idea who Maria was. He leaned against the wall, sweating heavily on his forehead.


    Grace could even smell a strong scent of blood from him.


    But since Yancey didn''t bring it up, Grace didn''t bother asking either.


    Ten minutester, someone suddenly opened the door to the room they were in.


    "Who is Randy''s family member here?"


    Maria''s eyes lit up. Her body was shaking as she stood up. "I-I am... Where is he?"


    The officer''s expression was full of regret. "Hello, I''m sorry to inform you, Randy passed away half an hour ago."


    Maria''s body swayed for a bit, and then she quickly caught her bnce against the wall. "No... no, I want to see him.


    "At least let me see him onest time. I brought his favorite buns, he definitely won''t starve this time."


    The officer took a step back. "He really did pass away. We''re here to ask you to identify his body. It''s currently in the morgue."


    Upon hearing that, Grace immediately walked to Maria''s side to help her stand.


    She thought Maria would faint. But instead, Maria tightly shut her eyes, tears already streaming down her cheeks.


    "Please take me to the morgue, thank you," Maria said.


    Grace was also shocked and heartbroken. The car ride to the morgue was silent and heavy with grief.


    When they arrived, Grace helped Maria out of the car.


    Maria stumbled and nearly hit her forehead on a sharp rock.


    Grace quickly threw her hand out to shield Maria, scraping the back of her own hand and drawing blood in the process.


    But Maria couldn''t see clearly. Her tears already blurred her vision at this point. Maria continued stumbling forward, while Grace could only follow behind.


    Upon reaching in front of Randy''s corpse, Maria was quivering as she lifted the white cloth.


    Maria thought she had aged a lot over the years, but Randy even more so. He was emaciated, and it was clear he had been through a lot.


    Seeing this, Maria finally broke down. She threw herself onto Randy''s body and sobbed uncontrobly, unable to form a single word, as if grief hadpletely shut down her ability to speak.


    "Ah! Please!"


    She kept shaking his body as her heavy tears fell onto him.


    But the dead could no longer respond.


    Grace stood silently behind Maria. At this moment, Grace was consumed with hatred toward Alice''s heartlessness.


    All because of Alice''s selfish act, two kind souls were dragged into hell. Maria finally tired herself out. She slowly kneeled on the floor, resting against the side of the bed, and continued crying. The backs of her skinny hands were bulging with veins.


    Grace wanted tofort Maria, but felt like there was a lump stuck in her throat. She regretted not handling this sooner. Maybe Maria could have seen Randy onest time if Grace had done so.


    After Maria was done crying, she calmly stood up and covered Randy''s body with the cloth. She then turned to kneel before Grace and bowed several times.


    Startled, Grace almost kneeled down with Maria.


    "I''m so sorry, Ms. Vickham. I was too slow."


    Maria silently shook her head and pointed at her throat.


    In the face of overwhelming grief, a person could lose their ability to speak.


    Maria wanted tofort Grace, but couldn''t say a single word. She could only point at her throat to signal and shake her head.


    Grace felt as though her heart had been stabbed right through in an instant. The pain was unbearable.

 Chapter 212

    After sending Maria off from the morgue, Grace didn''t even know what to say.


    Grace wanted to help out with Randy''s funeral arrangements, but Maria only shook her head and insisted on leaving by bus.


    Grace didn''t press Maria to stay and could only stand there, giving Maria reminders repeatedly.


    "If¡¤


    f you need my help with anythingter, just give me a call," she said.


    Maria looked through the bus window and nodded at Grace, then leaned back against the seat in exhaustion and fell asleep.


    Grace stood there for a long while before turning to look at Yancey. His forehead


    was sweating more profusely, and his lips had grown even paler.


    Grace was about to ask him what was going on, but the next second, he copsed right in front of her.


    Frightened, she immediately rushed Yancey to the hospital, and when the doctor lifted his shirt, she finally saw the deep, crisscrossing whip marks on his back.


    Some were so deep that the bone was visible.


    Yancey was part of the Henderson family-who on earth would be this cruel?


    Grace covered her mouth in shock as she found it hard to believe what she was seeing.


    Someone from the Henderson family arrived shortly after. The first one to show up was Lily.


    The moment Lily saw Grace, she wanted to p Grace, but Alice caught her wrist in time to stop her.


    Lily''s entire body was trembling.


    "You jinx! You are a jinx! If it weren''t for you, how could Yancey have ended up like this?"


    Grace found this ridiculous. She didn''t even know what happened to him, so how was it her fault?


    Just as Grace was about to argue back, she saw Levi, whom she had met earlier that day, walk in.


    His gaze made Grace very ufortable. The way he stared at her was still like staring at prey. A smirk shed across his lips.


    "Grace, you probably didn''t know. Yancey suddenly barged into Henderson Residence this evening. He kneeled and begged Grandpa to call off his engagement with Alice. He said he regretted it and that the one he liked was you.


    "Grandpa himself arranged the engagement. The invitations had already been sent out, so canceling it right now would embarrass Grandpa and also tarnish the Henderson family name.


    "So Grandpa flew into rage and invoked the family punishment the Henderson family punishment. Very few people can survive that."


    Grace''s expression turned grim in an instant. Yancey was totally insane!


    He had been sneaking around with Alice for years, and now that he was finally about to marry her, he suddenly regretted it.


    Yancey might have seen that video recently and decided he no longer wanted to be with Alice, who was insincere. But saying that he still liked Grace was absolutely a joke.


    Grace turned around and wanted to leave, but she didn''t expect Lily to grab her. Lily''s face was twisted with rage. "Grace, you can''t leave right now. You have to stay here and wait until Yancey wakes up-otherwise, I won''t forgive you." Grace drew in a deep breath. She thought that after all, Yancey had indeed helped her out this time, so she simply stood there and quietly waited for him to wake up.


    But his injuries were so severe that it took the doctors three hours just to treat his wounds on his back. Especially when the fabric was stuck to his wounds, it had to be ripped away, and it ended up tearing some chunks of flesh off. Even in his unconscious state, he still couldn''t help but flinch from the pain.


    Grace sat in the hallway, waiting until just before dawn. Just then, she got a message from Ed.


    "Don''t think I don''t know. I know everything."


    She was pretty moody the entire night, but seeing his message made her suddenly smile.


    This guy really was...


    She exined everything to him truthfully, word by word, and emphasized it again.


    "I''ll buy you a giftter, don''t be mad, I promise I won''t go to him next time," she coaxed.


    The reply came in quickly. He always responded to her messages in an instant, and it really showed how much he cared about her.


    It warmed Grace''s heart. She didn''t like disappointing someone who was genuine


    to her. She really could feel Ed''s sincerity; that was why she wasn''t strongly repulsed by him.


    "I''m not mad. But you coulde to me, you know."


    Her lips curled into a subtle smile. She really wanted to say, "What can a waiter


    like you even do anything about it?"


    This guy probably had no idea how powerful the Hendersons were.

 Chapter 213

    But if Ed worked in a ce like that, he must have at least heard a thing or two about high society, right?


    Grace let out a sigh. She didn''t want to reply like that, for she was afraid it would hurt his feelings.


    "Sure, I''ll definitelye to you next time," she said.


    "Mm. I miss you. I miss you every day."


    Just as Grace was smiling at her phone, she suddenly sensed a figure standing in front of her.


    She looked up and saw Levi.


    He has an eerily dark air about him. "Ms. Lambert, are you texting Uncle Ethan at this hour? Is he not asleep yet?"


    Grace furrowed her brows, sensing sarcasm in his tone.


    "I''m chatting with my boyfriend. Mr. Henderson is my superior-I wouldn''t dare disturb him at this hour."


    A hint of surprise shed across Levi''s eyes, as if he had just learned something shocking.


    Grace couldn''t be bothered dealing with Levi. As she looked back at her phone to continue texting Ed, she heard Levi start mocking her again.


    "Don''t you think Uncle Ethan treats you way differently from the others? Grace, he went to a ce like that to eat with youst night. That was probably a first for him in so many years.


    "You''re even allowed toe and go freely at Palm Bay. Not to mention... you also get to attend his meetings with his friends."


    The more he said, the darker Grace''s expression became.


    She put her phone away and slowly stood up. "Mr. Levi, were you stalking me?"


    Levi scoffed. "I''m not sure if you''re really this clueless, or just ying dumb. I thought Uncle Ethan''s feelings were already pretty obvious.


    "He likes you. You''re his exception. He''s not like this when he''s with anyone else."


    "Mr. Levi, I suggest you be careful with your words. I''m currently still working at Henderson Group. I don''t want to be caught up in some scandal with my superior," Grace shot back.


    Levi looked her up and down several times before letting out a sarcasticugh. "It seems like you really don''t care about him at all, so this should make things easier. Let''s talk somewhere else."


    Grace frowned. She didn''t want to be dragged into the Henderson family drama. The fact that Levi knew her whereabouts so well probably meant he was looking for a chance to make a move against Ethan.


    The outsiders all thought that Ethan''s legs were beyond recovery. They thought he was vulnerable right now.


    She wanted to refuse at first, but Levi seemed like a very devious, dangerous man. She wouldn''t know what he might do next.


    "Fine, let''s talk on the balcony at the end of this hallway," she relented.


    By now, the hospital was getting more crowded. Grace didn''t believe that Levi would dare to pull any stunt in a ce like this.


    As they walked down the hallway, Levi immediately pulled out a card.


    "Grace, you really care about your boyfriend, do you? It''ll only take me one day to find out who he is, where he works, and how many family members he has.


    "If you don''t want anything to happen to him, you better listen to me and do exactly as I say. Or else, the next thing you''ll see will be your boyfriend''s corpse."


    Levi clearly thought that Grace was easy to manipte, so as soon as they reached the balcony, he went straight to the point.


    Her expression turned cold for a moment. She really didn''t expect that Ed would be in danger because of her.


    Ed was just a defenseless waiter. He was sensitive and insecure, yet always sparkling with joy when he got to see her every day. He was definitely the type of person anyone could bully.


    Grace inhaled sharply. She had to keep Levi under control first.


    "What do you want from me?" she asked.


    Levi smirked. He slipped the card into her palm, along with his own business card.


    "From now on, report Ethan''s every movement to me at all times. Also, help me test something out. I need you to find out whether his legs are truly crippled for good."


    Everyone in Druville had their eyes on the condition of his legs.


    Grace smiled. "Sure. But Mr. Henderson is extremely sharp, so if there''s nothing urgent, please refrain from calling me. Just text me instead."


    Levi immediately added her to his contacts. He was showing that same sinister, cunning expression again.


    "Well, I hope you will truly cooperate with me for the sake of your little boyfriend."


    He intentionally slipped in the word "little" just to mock how easily she gave in to


    his threats. He figured that her boyfriend was just an ordinary man.


    He could already keep someone from the Lambert family under control so easily, so why would he be afraid of dealing with a nobody?

 Chapter 214

    While waiting for Levi to leave, Grace waspletely exhausted. She rubbed the spot between her brows and sighed softly.


    She returned to the bench outside the hospital room, feeling drowsy, and was about to doze off.


    Another hour had passed when Jodie arrived in a rush.


    Jodie was very frantic, and she blew up the moment she saw Grace.


    "Get the hell out of here, Grace! Why are you even here? If it weren''t for you, would my brother have ended up here? Get lost!"


    Grace didn''t want to stay here to begin with. Upon hearing that, she was practically delighted.


    "Sure, I''ll get lost. Goodbye."


    Jodie was stunned for a second. It felt like she had punched a pillow, and she didn''t know what to say at that moment. In a fit of frustration, she flung open the door to the hospital room.


    When Grace left the hospital, she simply felt refreshed. She went straight home, changed her clothes, and headed to Henderson Group to check in.


    She arrived at the penthouse just in time. Luckily, she wasn''tte.


    She didn''t see Ethan all day. He was even absent from the executive meeting.


    Before leaving, concern got the better of her, so she ended up asking Tim about Ethan.


    "What happened to Mr. Henderson?"


    Tim scoffed and rolled his eyes at Grace. "Why don''t you ask yourself what you fed himst night?"


    Her heart skipped a beat. They did have a meal at a roadside food stall. Could Ethan''s fragile stomach not have handled it?


    "How is he now? Is it that serious that he couldn''t evene to work?" Grace asked.


    Tim adjusted his sses. "Worse. The family doctor from Henderson Residence has already been called in, and Mr. Henderson Senior was already aware of Ethan''s condition.


    "Mr. Henderson had a high fever and fell into aa this morning. I''d say someone will being to fetch you any minute now."


    Grace felt her heart instantly sink. If she had known his stomach was that weak, she never would have made the decision to bring him there on her own.


    She quickly grabbed Tim''s sleeve, but she didn''t expect him to instantly leap several feet away, with his expression looking utterly shocked and rmed.


    His expression practically screamed, "Are you trying to kill me?"


    It slightly caught her off guard. Why did he have such an overreaction?


    Then it dawned on her-Tim never liked her to begin with. He probably thought she was carrying some sort of virus with her.


    She drew in a deep breath. She knew this wasn''t the time to argue with him. "Mr. Bet, may I turn myself in now?"


    If she waited for Jordan''s servants toe fetch her, she couldn''t imagine what would happen.


    Tim had already regained hisposure at this point, his expression turning solemn.


    "Mr. Henderson Senior really cares a lot about Mr. Henderson. And due to some past incidents, Mr. Henderson had struggled with self-harm for a long time.


    "You... you better be mentally prepared. If Mr. Henderson Senior scolds you, you just have to endure it."


    Grace grew more anxious.


    She had absolutely no idea about Ethan''s past. If she knew, she wouldn''t have taken him to that food stall even if her life depended on it!


    She nervously followed Tim into his car. When they arrived at Palm Bay, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.


    There were many cars parked outside Palm Bay today. They were either military vehicles or the ones owned by the Hendersons.


    A cold sweat ran down her back. Once she entered the entrance hall, she could hear Jordan''s voice.


    "Thank you all for your service."


    Grace looked up and saw several men in military uniforms sitting in the hall. Their posture showed such discipline and formality that it was clear they held high ranks at a nce.


    This was not a situation she should be a part of.


    Jordan spotted her, and his expression shifted slightly, but he didn''t explode. He simply waved his hand.


    "Kneel outside. You don''t get up until Ethan wakes up."


    Tim was standing right beside her. Just as he was about to speak up for Grace, she pulled him back.


    She understood how furious Jordan was right now. He had just finished disciplining Yancey recently, and now his favorite son was unconscious, all because of her. The fact that he hadn''t killed her right away showed just how much he was restraining himself.


    Grace couldn''t be so shameless as to have someone speak up for her.


    Tim frowned and then whispered, "When Mr. Henderson wakes up, I''ll exin everything to him."


    Grace felt a bit touched. She thought Tim had always hated her guts and would be happy to see her get punished. She didn''t expect him to stand by her at a time like this.


    No wonder he was one of the people who worked for Ethan-always well- mannered.


    The others in the hall didn''t even nce at her.


    Grace went outside to the courtyard and kneeled.


    The ground was covered in small stones. She didn''t try to avoid the stones and instead kneeled directly on them, causing her knees to ache from the friction.


    She kept her back straight, thinking Ethan would wake up by nighttime.


    But three hours had passed. The hall remained abuzz with activities, and those high-ranking men even went upstairs once.


    Grace''s knees were already covered in blood, but she was more worried about Ethan''s condition.

 Chapter 215

    Was Ethan really in such a serious condition? What if he died because of Grace?


    A chill ran down her spine, and she straightened her back even more.


    She had been kneeling for another hour when she saw Tim approaching. Her eyes immediately lit up.


    He was still wearing the same clothes he had worn to work. He swiftly ced a steamed bun in front of her.


    "Eat."


    How could Grace be in the mood to eat right now? She immediately asked, "How''s Mr. Henderson? Is he still unconscious?"


    "He''s awake and currently being berated by Mr. Henderson Senior. I can''t go in for


    now. All of this really gave Mr. Henderson Senior quite a scare.


    "Those few others also came over, I figured they might talk for a while. Mr. Henderson''s phone was confiscated as well. He''ll likely be resting at home for the next few days."


    Grace let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Ethan was awake.


    Now she truly regretted everything. Ethan was such a good person, and yet because of her...


    Her eyes reddened in an instant as she sniffled.


    Tim noticed that she was about to cry and quickly cleared his throat.


    "It''s actually not that serious. The main issue was that Mr. Henderson tends to brood over things. You don''t know what he was like before.


    "He... Just to reassure you, it''s definitely not because of what he ate that night. It was a trigger this time.


    "He used to be even harsher to his own body-he could skip meals for days, even picked up the habit of smoking and drinking. Rushing to the hospital due to excessive bleeding was amon urrence."


    Grace instantly stopped tearing up, and a flicker of surprise shed across her face.


    "Mr. Henderson used to be rebellious?" she asked.


    Tim looked at her with a deep gaze. "Nobody is born mature at first. Back then, he even drove for a few nights just to see someone."


    Grace felt a slight throb in her heart. Chatting with Tim made her less anxious


    now.


    But evidently, she didn''t really know Ethan well enough.


    "What happened afterward? Did he eventually see the person?" Grace asked.


    "Sadly, he didn''t. Let''s drop the topic for now. Mr. Henderson Senior is heading down soon."


    Tim quickly turned around and headed back to the hall.


    Grace was extremely exhausted and hungry. If she didn''t eat something soon, she might pass out.


    So she promptly swallowed the steamed bun that Tim brought over. Just then, her phone buzzed.


    It was a message from Ed.


    "I''m sick. It hurts."


    Grace almost jumped in panic. How was he sick too?


    She immediately pulled out her phone to reply to his message. But then she heard the door to the courtyard being pushed open, and Jordan walked toward her.


    She hurriedly put her phone down and straightened her posture again.


    Jordan slowly walked to her side, nced at her a few times, then sneered coldly. "At least you''re kneeling straight."


    Grace kept her head down and didn''t dare to say a single word. She was afraid she''d be dragged off and punished the next second.


    Jordan didn''t seem to want to say anything further and was just rubbing the spot between his brows.


    "If it weren''t for your grandfather... Forget it. Just stay away from Ethan from now on."


    So Jordan used to have connections with Albert.


    Grace felt incredibly lucky to be alive.


    A sharp glint suddenly shed in Jordan''s eyes. "There must not be a next time." "Don''t worry, Mr. Henderson Senior. I''ll be careful."


    Jordan turned away and left with a cold scoff.


    As someone with such high status, it would have ruined his reputation if he had made a scene by yelling or attacking her.


    After all, Ethan took the initiative this time, so Grace couldn''t be the only one to me.


    Regardless, the Hendersons would never ept a woman like her into their family.


    Grace''s back was already drenched in sweat. Not many people could withstand Jordan''s presence, and for a moment there, he did indeed want to kill her.


    She always had a sharp instinct for such murderous intent.


    Lowering her gaze again, she continued kneeling obediently.


    Since Jordan was still in the hall and could see her movement if he looked up, she couldn''t risk responding to Ed''s message just yet. But inside, she was already frantic.


    Ed had always been a loner. She didn''t even know if he had any friends close by. What if he were sick and alone at home, and trying to hold on?

 Chapter 216

    Grace''s knees were covered in blood from kneeling, but that still couldn''tpare to the anxiety in her heart.


    She kept ncing in Jordan''s direction, and only after seeing him go back upstairs again did she finally take out her phone to reply to Ed''s message.


    "Is it serious? Have you taken any medication?" she asked.


    Jordan pushed open the door to Ethan''s room with a very stern expression. "Ethan, you''re going to stay home and rest up properly this time."


    Ethan leaned against the bed and simply replied with a hum.


    Jordan had always known this son wasn''t a man of many words, and there was nothing Jordan could do about it. "I don''t want something like this happening again. Or else, kneeling downstairs will be the least of what Grace has to go through."


    Upon hearing that Grace was kneeling, Ethan''s hands clenched slowly on the bedsheet, but his face barely showed any reaction.


    Seeing that Ethan remained unmoved, Jordan let out a sigh of relief. "Your condition seems to have improvedtely, so I guess she''s somewhat effective after all. I even thought she was trying to trick me before. Get some rest at home."


    "Mm."


    Ethan lowered his gaze, seemingly tired already.


    Jordan got the hint, stood up, and left Palm Bay straight away.


    It had just started drizzling outside. Just as Grace thought she would be kneeling there until sunrise, the ss door to the courtyard was suddenly swung open. Ethan had a coat draped over him, standing not too far away from her.


    Grace''s eyes instantly lit up. She got up in a hurry and wanted to walk over to him.


    But she rose too quickly. Just halfway up, she crashed back down, and a sharp stone directly jabbed into her knee.


    Ethan''s pupils constricted briefly. He instinctively wanted to go over to her, but he heard her say, "Mr. Henderson, don''t-it''s cold outside. You stay right there, I''ll be there in a moment."


    Gritting her teeth, she dug the stone out of her flesh. In less than ten seconds, she made her way to him. Her face was pale, but she still looked full of spirit.


    Ethan''s hand, hanging by his side, trembled slightly.


    Grace noticed his lips make a subtle twitch twice, as if he wanted to say something.


    She stood there earnestly, wanting to hear what he had to say.


    But all he said was, "Grace."


    Grace was a bit confused, but still let out a faint smile. "Thank goodness, you''re fine. You scared the crap out of me.


    "If anything ever happened to you because of me, I would never forgive myself. Oh, yeah-are you hungry? I can make you something to eat."


    Everything Ethan wanted to say suddenly got stuck. He lowered his gaze, slowly inhaled, and said, "Yeah."


    Grace helped him to the couch. As she was just about to head to the kitchen, Ethan grabbed her by her wrist.


    He had aplicated look in his eyes, like they were veiled in heavy fog. "Take a seat. Let''s treat your wound first."


    She could still fight through the pain and tried to wave it off. "I''m fine-"


    But before she could finish her sentence, he had already pressed her down firmly against the couch.


    Grace sat on the couch as her pant legs were soon quickly rolled up to her thigh, revealing her bloodstained knees.


    Ethan asked someone to bring him the first-aid kit. He rolled up his sleeves, intending to sterilize her wounds himself.


    Grace suddenly thought of something and pulled her feet back.


    "I can do it myself," she said.


    Grace quickly snatched the disinfectant spray from his hand, aimed at her wounds, and sprayed her knees twice. Then she bent down, grabbed some styptic ointment from the first-aid kit, randomly smeared it on, and rolled her pant legs back down.


    Ethan''s hands froze mid-air with his fingers curling briefly, then he quietly sat back on the couch.


    Grace just noticed that Ed had left a small bite mark on her calf, and it hadn''t faded yet. If Ethan saw it, he probably would have asked her about her boyfriend.


    On top of that, being seen like this by her superior just felt weird.


    Ethan sat next to her in silence, and Grace had no idea what to say either.


    As Grace was about to get up and prepare a meal for Ethan, she heard him say, "You should head back."


    She paused for a moment. How could she head back home? Ethan''s physical weakness was now entirely because of her.


    "I''ll make you something to eat," she insisted.


    She was unsure what was on his mind, only that he kept fiddling with his sleeves.


    "No need. Thank you," he replied.


    He turned into the cold and distant Ethan again.


    Grace was a little baffled, but she didn''t dare question him. She could only awkwardly walk to the entryway to change her shoes and decided to head home.


    She was truly remorseful toward Ethan. Even though he held such a high status, his upbringing was impable. He didn''t even get mad at her for what she had done to him.


    The more she thought about it, the more guilt consumed her. The fact that she had a deal with Levi made her feel even worse. She kept lingering around the entryway for ten minutes, unable to bring herself to actually leave.


    Ethan was sitting on the couch with his back facing her. It was like the two of them were locked in a silent tug-of-war.


    Grace gave in eventually. She put her slippers back on and walked over to him.


    "Mr. Henderson, I heard from Mr. Bet that you''ll be resting at home for the rest


    of this week. I want toe by every day to cook you something, as a way of making up for you."


    "Not going to see your boyfriend?" he asked.


    She didn''t expect Ethan to know that she was in a hurry to visit her boyfriend, suddenly feeling a bit of embarrassment.


    "I''ll goter."


    As soon as she said that, she saw Ethan lift his head and nce at her. "You don''t really love him that much."


    She immediately blushed when he said that. It was the kind of embarrassment thates when someone bluntly points out the truth.


    Truth be told, she didn''t exactly love Ed yet she just liked him. Maybe the timing when Ed showed up in her life was just right, especially at a time when she lost all her memories.


    He appeared as an obedient secret admirer of Grace, never asking for much. His traits had definitely struck a chord in her heart.


    She didn''t know what type of guys she used to like, but right now, she was certain that she was somewhat fond of Ed.


    As for love... she wasn''t ready to talk about that yet.


    It was too heavy, too much to bear.


    The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.


    Ethan abruptly got up and went upstairs quietly, not leaving a single word behind.


    Grace wasn''t sure if she should leave or stay. She then pulled out her phone and opened her chat with Ed. He hadn''t responded yet.


    Did the pain from his sickness knock him out or something?


    She sent another message.


    "How are you feeling now? I''lle to see you. Just send me an address."


    There was still no response from him.

 Chapter 217

    Grace had no choice. She quickly found the vi''s housekeeper, who was


    watering nts in the courtyard, gave her a few quick instructions, then rushed home in a hurry.


    On the way, she sent several messages to Ed, but she didn''t receive a single reply.


    He usually replied in seconds.


    Even at home, she felt restless. She wanted to head out to therge casino to try her luck.


    But the moment she stepped out, she ran straight into Selene.


    Today, Selene was particrly dressed up. Her long, wavy hair flowed freely, and


    a figure-hugging ck dress showed off her curves to perfection.


    Grace''s eyes brightened slightly. She pressed the elevator button, and the two descended together to the parking lot.


    "Ms. Jensen, are you off to a date?" Grace asked.


    Selene casually flipped her burgundy hair. "I''m going somewhere for a bit of fun. Would you like to join me?"


    "Where to?"


    "The Obsidian."


    That was the casino Grace had visitedst time. She remembered hearing the gamblers mention its name-The Obsidian.


    It was a ce that covered an entire mountain in opulence and splendor, yet it was named The Obsidian.


    Furthermore, she was surprised that Selene knew the name. Judging by her tone, she seemed to be one of the VIP yers there.


    Since Grace was heading there anyway, it worked out perfectly. They could go together.


    When she sat in the passenger seat of Selene''s car, she could smell her perfume.


    It wasn''t a mainstream fragrance. Grace couldn''t quite identify the scent, but it was seductive¡ªlike a sugar cube dissolving into water, filling the entire space with a subtle allure.


    Grace hadn''t slept well these past few days and was already feeling drowsy. But then she heard Selene ask, "Do you know the boss who runs The Obsidian?"


    Grace immediately perked up. She had lost her memory, so she knew nothing. Selene nced at her and curled her lips into a faint smile.


    "Rumor has it that The Obsidian is fully under his control. The lowest level is for bleeding ordinary gamblers dry. Deeper in, people wager all sorts of things.


    "There are elite hackers, top enforcers, and it covers every gray industry imaginable. Many powerful families have tried negotiating with this mysterious boss, but he''s never even shown his face."


    Grace slowly straightened up. "No one knows his background?"


    The car had stopped at a red light. While they waited, Selene casually pulled out a cigarette, thinking about taking a drag. However, she thought better of it due to Grace''s presence and silently put it away.


    "No one knows. Supposedly, he used to work undercover in an overseas criminalwork. You know how sensitive our country is to certain topics, especially during the years when many citizens were lured abroad and exploited.


    "They desperately needed an informant to report back. This man was the one chosen, but on the condition that he''d only go if he could find someone he''d been searching for.


    "It was a little girl who once saved his life. She was several years younger than he was. But in such a vast country, who would possibly know who that girl was?


    "Later, someone pulled a dirty trick and found a sick little girl to impersonate her. He believed it and treated the girl as if she were his own sister. But just a few years into his undercover mission, he heard the girt had rpsed.


    "He applied to return, but the higher-ups wouldn''t let him. Their operation was at a critical point."


    Grace''s brows furrowed. "Did hee back?"


    Selene raised a brow. "The girl died. Someone leaked the news to him. Afraid he might go berserk, those the country sold him out and


    exposed his identity to the


    criminal


    Grace clenched her jaw. "And then?"


    "He won. He took over the entire


    territory. Later, he brought his casino operations back to the country.


    Those who betrayed him back then


    didn''t even dare to breathe in his


    presence. Just look at how powerful The Obsidian is now.


    "No one dares investigate it at all. Who knows what dirt he has on people? Everyone''s afraid of losing their cushy government positions."


    Selene turned a corner. "But hey, treat all this as hearsay. These are just rumors swirling around The Obsidian. I mean, conquering an entire underground sector at 16? That sounds a little far-fetched, doesn''t it?"


    But in Grace''s heart, she had a nagging feeling that it might just be true.


    The car pulled up outside The Obsidian. After getting out, she saw Selene fluently chatting with the guards at the entrance.


    The two were quickly granted entry.


    As they walked in, Grace couldn''t help but ask, "What exactly are you here for tonight?"


    Selene held up a card. "Auction. But spots are pre-approved, so I can''t bring you in. You can hang around outside, and we''ll head back together afterward."


    Grace nodded and sought out a casino attendant. She wanted to ask about Ed, but couldn''t describe what he looked like.


    So, she grabbed the attendant she had met once before. "You took me to that floorst time, remember? For the, uh, special service."


    The attendant smiled politely, clearly well-trained. "Of course I remember. Ms. Lambert, would you like the same special service tonight?"


    "I want him toe out and see me. Where is he?"


    "That might be a little tricky. I''ll have to check if he''s willing. Would you like to wait in the meantime?"


    Grace exhaled in relief. It seemed that this attendant could contact Ed, and that was good enough for her.


    Following him, she soon arrived at another section of the building via elevator. A sprawling warm-water pool spread out before her, shrouded in mist, concealing everything.


    The attendant respectfully stepped behind a screen. "The pool here is very clean. You may soak while I go check if he''s willing toe meet you."


    However, Grace had no intention of taking a soak. Instead, she sat down in a chair nearby.


    The lighting here was also dim. She reached out to touch a booming flower beside her.


    As she did that, something suddenly shed across her mind like a bolt of lightning.


    A ce just like this, heavy with mist...


    She had looked at someone through half-lidded eyes, seductively, and because it was her first time, the pain had made her tilt her head back, stretching her neck...

 Chapter 218

    Grace stared at the flower in front of her, then nced around at the surrounding


    scene.


    The memory that had just shed through her mind had happened here, and she had been the one in it.


    So... her first time with Ed was in this very ce?


    Her brows furrowed as she looked down, trying to recall more details. However, the harder she tried, the more her head throbbed.


    Just as she raised her hand to massage her temples, a pair of hands gently pressed down on them, slowly kneading in circr motions.


    Grace tried to turn around, but the cloth blindfold dropped once more over her eyes.


    She sighed. "Are you feeling better?"


    "Mhm."


    It would seem he hasn''t fully recovered. Otherwise, why so few words?


    She didn''t struggle and quietly waited for him to tie the cloth again before turning to face him. "Have I been here before?"


    As soon as she asked the question, the man''s grip on her wrist instantly tightened -so much so that it hurt.


    She didn''t make a sound, but he quickly realized what had happened and let go. Still, a red mark was already forming on her fair skin.


    He lowered his head and gently rubbed her wrist as if trying to soothe the pain.


    Sensing his remorse, Grace decided to let it go and changed the subject.


    "Our first time... It was here, wasn''t it?" she asked again.


    When she walked in earlier, the ce had struck her as quite beautiful. And in those fleeting memories, she had clearly enjoyed it. So, why had things escted to the point of her hitting him?


    The man didn''t respond and merely continued caressing her wrist.


    Grace was genuinely fed up with her memory loss. Not knowing anything made her feel perpetually helpless.


    She raised her hands and touched his face, finally feeling the heat radiating from him.


    "You still have a fever?" Grace questioned.


    "Mhm."


    She panicked and instinctively reached to remove her blindfold, but he stopped her.


    "Don''t look at me."


    "Alright, got it, I won''t look. But at least take your meds. Why are you even out here with a fever? What if you pass out?


    "It''s no wonder you''re being so quiet today, acting all moody like my boss. I''m really not used to it."


    Ed stayed silent.


    Grace quickly realized she had said the wrong thing and gripped his wrist tightly.


    "Let''s soak in the pool for a bit and work up some sweat. I didn''t mean to mention someone else on purpose, alright?"


    She thought he''d stay angry, but to her surprise, his fingers began undoing her clothes.


    Her breath immediately hitched, and she turned her head aside-only to remember she couldn''t see anything anyway, so she turned back.


    Once in the water, she leaned against Ed''s chest. Her thoughts wandered to the gossip Selene had told her earlier.


    "Hey, Ed, you know what people are saying about your boss? They say he used to be an undercover agent. But aside from that, no one seems to know much about his background."


    Ed''s fingers were gently massaging her shoulders. His touch was just right, making her whole body go soft. She couldn''t help but snuggle closer to him.


    She briefly recounted what Selene had said and askedzily with her eyes half- closed, "You ever hear anything like that around here?"


    His fingertips paused for a few seconds. "Yes."


    Grace perked up immediately and slowly turned around, straddling his waist with one shoulder exposed.


    "So, it''s true?"


    With her eyes blindfolded, she had no idea what she looked like in that moment. Beneath the rippling water, everything was exposed.


    Ed''s gaze deepened, his Adam''s apple bobbed, and his fingers slid downward for a grip.


    "Some parts are exaggerated, but it''s more or less true," he said.


    "Wow... sounds like your boss has had quite the legendary life. It''s no wonder The Obsidian is doing so well."


    She turned to face him, resting on


    hisp. A


    the same time, she rested her chin on his shoulder. His


    wandering hands asioneved


    caused her speech to hitch.


    Eventually, his hand stopped moving.


    He suddenly said, "The girl who saved his life he found her."


    Grace''sshes fluttered. Someone had once deceived him with a fake, and yet he had found the real one himself. Perhaps it was destined to be.


    A smile tugged at her lips. "So... did they end up together?"


    "No. Things ended badly between them."


    What? It sounded like the beginning of a romantic tale. Why did it end badly?


    Sensing her interest, his hand began softly tracing her back as he spoke.


    "By the time he found her, it was already toote. She had someone else. That


    man... a lot happened in between. It''s too much to exin."


    Grace leaned down and bit his shoulder. "You sure know a lot."


    "It''s all hearsay."


    She felt she''d soaked long enough and got up to leave, only to feel something pressing against her.


    "Ed... you still have a fever."


    "Mhm."


    She reached out and touched his forehead. Because of the steam, it was slick


    with sweat and burning hot.


    "Wait until you''re better, okay?" she suggested.


    "Grace."


    "Yeah?"


    "All the time I have with you now... is borrowed."


    Her heart ached sharply. She instantly realized he was in a bad mood today. He


    had been down and gloomy the entire time.


    She rushed tofort him. "It''s not


    that I don''t like you. I just worry.


    Ine


    about your health. Ed, when you


    get


    so sensitive all the time, it gets a bit


    tiring for me."


    Suddenly, his grip on her waist released, and she heard him rise from the water.


    "Ed?"


    The ce fellpletely silent.


    Frustrated, she tore off her blindfold, only to find the area empty.


    He had left just like that, leaving her there alone.


    That waiter sure had a temper.


    She felt angry but helpless at the same time.

 Chapter 219

    As Grace stepped out of the hot spring pool, she noticed a fresh set of clothes lying neatly on a chair nearby.


    She dressed slowly and sat down for a while to rest. After soaking in the hot spring, it felt as if every pore in her body had opened up. Her mind felt a lot clearer.


    She pulled out her phone to send Ed a message, but saw that Selene had messaged asking where she was. Only then did she realize that more than an hour had already passed.


    Startled, she got up quickly and headed for the exit, only to turn a corner and suddenly collide head-on with a man walking from the opposite direction.


    The man wore a silver mask covering his face. He was tall and radiated a powerful presence.


    Unlike Ethan''s cool and restrained demeanor, this man''s presence was like an unsheathed de. Even the slightest approach would put one at risk of getting


    cut.


    Grace bumped her nose hard and winced. She quickly apologized and hurried into the nearby elevator.


    The man didn''t follow. Instead, he turned and disappeared deeper into the darkness.


    As she watched his retreating figure, Grace rubbed her still-aching nose. There was something oddly familiar about his presence.


    When she reached the ground floor, she finally spotted Selene waiting at the exit.


    Selene looked at her with concern. "What''s wrong?"


    "I bumped into someone. He was wearing a silver mask. The aura around him was... intense."


    Selene raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Only one person in all of The Obsidian dares to wear a silver mask-the legendary owner of the establishment. You sure are lucky. I''ve been here so many times and never once seen him."


    Grace was surprised. Was that man really so elusive?


    She followed Selene outside, but her thoughts remained preupied with worry for Ed.


    Upon noticing how distracted she seemed, Selene asked curiously, "What''s going on? Who left those marks?"


    She lightly tapped Grace on the neck with a finger.


    Grace hadn''t even realized she''d been left with a love bite, nor had she checked herself in the mirror after getting out of the pool. Only now did she realize after being told.


    She quickly covered it with her hands. "It''s my boyfriend."


    They were already in the car. After a long pause, Selene finally spoke, her tone heavy with implication.


    "Don''t tell me it''s Yancey. If it is, then I''m done being friends with you. I''ve heard the news-apparently, the Hendersons punished him under the family''s code, and they''re going to cancel his engagement with Alice. Alice has be aughingstock in Druville now."


    Could it be that Grace''s years of pining had finally paid off?


    Grace''s emotions wereplicated. She sighed. "It''s not him. It''s someone I met in The Obsidian, a waiter."


    Selene''s expression turned from


    surprise to disbelief. "You mean one


    of those waiters who provide...


    special services? Grace, you should


    know people like that say whatever they think you want to hear


    "Don''t tell me you actually fell for the sweet talk? It''s no wonder you used to like


    Yancey. You''re truly a hopelessly ignorant romantic."


    Leaning back in her seat, Grace replied, "He''s not like the others."


    To Selene, that only confirmed it. Everyone who fell for someone working in nightclubs always said the same thing. They would im that the guy was different, but in the


    end, the truth was the same the


    Everything was just transactional.


    As the car was about to pull forward, a luxury vehicle suddenly cut them off,


    stopping a mere inch from crashing into them.


    Selene mmed the brakes, and sure enough, Damien stepped out of the other


    car.


    With a sigh, she rubbed her temples and quickly handed the car keys to Grace.


    "Grace, could you do me a favor and drive my car back for me tonight?" she asked.


    Grace got out and took the driver''s seat just as Damien grabbed Selene by the wrist and tried to drag her toward his own car.


    Selene pped him, but Damien forcefully cupped her face and kissed her.


    The Obsidian was located far on the outskirts of the city, and at thiste hour, there were no other vehicles around.

 Chapter 220

    Selene stumbled back several steps and was immediately pinned against the sleek ck luxury car.


    "Damien, that''s enough!" she shouted.


    The edge of Damien''s lips was bleeding from the p, but he nonchntly licked


    it away and sneered. "I heard you''re bringing Vincent to meet the family."


    Selene''s chest heaved as she gripped the edge of the car door tightly with one hand.


    "That''s my personal business. I don''t need to report it to you."


    She took a deep breath, and her tone suddenly softened. "Soon we''ll all be family. Don''t keep treating him like your enemy. He''s going to be your brother-inw."


    Damien suddenlyughed, his gaze darkening.


    Selene was actually a little afraid of him losing control.


    She frowned and said, "And stop addressing me by my name. It''s disrespectful. Just call me ''Sis.'' If you keep showing up like this, the rest of the Jensen family will give me trouble again. Damien, stop being so reckless."


    She had barely finished speaking when Damien suddenly gripped her wrist and flung her into the car.


    Her head hit the seat hard, making her dizzy. Before she could react, he was already on top of her.


    "Do you think I''m a pet or something? When you want to get rid of me, you tell me to call you ''Sis,'' but when you want me, you wrap your arms around me and call me ''dear.'' How am I to know when you''re lying or not?"


    The car door mmed shut. In the confined space, Damien''s presence became overwhelming and aggressive in an instant.


    There was plenty of room inside the car. Selene tried to get up, but he pressed her down by the chest.


    She took a deep breath. "I''ve said it many times I was drunk that night. It was a mistake."


    Damien leaned down slowly, one hand tugging down her clothes and slipping inside.


    She gasped a few times, trying to p him again, but he suddenly tightened his grip.


    "Damien Jensen!" she shouted.


    He withdrew his fingers and lightly rubbed them. "You say one thing, but your body says another. Is Vincent that useless that he can''t satisfy you?"


    Before he even finished speaking, Selene pped him again.


    His head jerked to the side, and a bright red handprint could be seen on his face.


    Her heart ached terribly-she felt the pain too.


    They used to be so close-very close. She had always thought. clinginess came from their


    veet


    childhood bond. She neverve ad


    he had other thoughts all along.


    That night, she had truly been drunk, but he wasn''t. Did he really not know whose name she had been calling?


    She massaged her temples. In the end, her heart softened. She slowly reached out and touched his face, asking, "Does it hurt?"


    Even pets would develop an emotional bond with the owner over time, much less a brother she grew up with.


    In her eyes, Damien had only ever been a younger brother. She had never harbored any other thoughts.


    Damien scoffed. "Why don''t you just p me to death and be done with it?"


    Selene was used to his sharp tongue and began rummaging through the car for a first aid kit, but there was


    none. So, she had no choice but to ne-So,


    gently rub the redness with her


    hand.


    Ever since that night, she had been avoiding him. But Damien seemed to have misunderstood something. Since then, he watched her like a hawk, so closely that it affected her social life.


    Not only that, but he also treated every man around her with hostility.


    When they had their falling-out, even her friends didn''t believe it. They merely thought Damien was just overly concerned about his sister.


    As she rubbed his face, his hands snaked around her waist, inching closer.


    Selene felt even more helpless. "Damien, stop being so childish. We''re not kids anymore."


    That incident happened three years ago. It was long past time to let go.


    But Damien refused to.


    She had left the Jensen family, and he deliberately made trouble for her, going so


    far as to steal away her earliest clients with petty tricks.


    For three years, she had done nothing but avoid him.


    Her status in the Jensen family had always been precarious. If anyone found out


    about the affair between them, her reputation would be ruined.


    If she truly loved Damien, she might not have gave a damn. Unfortunately, she didn''t love him.

 Chapter 221

    Damien didn''t say another word. He pped away Selene''s hand that had been rubbing his face.


    The back of Selene''s hand stung from the p, but she didn''t mind. Instead, she got out of the car and moved into the driver''s seat.


    "I''ll take you home. You''re the CEO now. Stop running around by yourself. Many people are watching the Jensen family. You could be in danger at any moment," she reminded.


    Damien slumped in the back seat, seemingly having given uppletely.


    "You might as well just let me die. I don''t want to live anyway."


    With a screech, the car came to a sudden stop.


    Selene gripped the steering wheel tightly as she asked, "What do you mean by that?"


    Damien''s expression shifted into a smug grin like he''d found her weakness.


    "So, you''re afraid I''ll die."


    Selene turned around, ready to curse him out. But when she saw the madness in his eyes, she swallowed her words.


    "I''ll take you home first."


    "I''m not going back," he said stubbornly.


    "Then I''ll take you to the office."


    "I don''t want to go to the office either."


    Her brow twitched in frustration. Eventually, shepromised.


    "You can''te to my ce," she said.


    "Oh? Already living with him now? Does he know you''ve slept with your own brother? Won''t he feel disgusted when I call him my brother-inw?"


    "Damien!"


    Selene mmed on the brakes, her expression darkening with anger.


    "What exactly do you want?" she demanded.


    "Break up with him," he replied quickly, then leaned in close. "If you want me to stop bothering you, break up with him. Don''t date anyone else. Maybe then, I''ll leave you alone."


    Selene was silent for several seconds before slowly turning back to face forward.


    "I''m taking him back to the Jensen family to meet the elders in a few days. Stop joking around."


    Damien instantly rxed, even shrugging his shoulders. "Okay, then. If that goes south, I''ll just tell the elders I''ve slept with you."


    Selene couldn''t take it anymore and started grinding her teeth.


    To outsiders, Damien was a living devil, and in her eyes, he was no different. He could switch moods in an instant and smile while saying the most bone-chilling things.


    She said nothing more and continued driving.


    He leaned over and pecked her cheek.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t go to the Jensen residence. Take me to where you stay. I won''t go inside, okay?"


    Selene''s tone was icy but much calmer. "I''m driving. Stop moving around."


    Damien was satisfied with that and stayed quiet for the rest of the drive.


    When they arrived at the entrance to Selene''s residentialplex, she immediately got out, ready to leave.


    Just then, Damien suddenly called out, "Sis."


    Her heart softened slightly at the word, remembering their many years together. She slowly turned back.


    "Go home and put a hotpress on that face. And don''te looking for me anytime soon," she told him.


    Damien grinned. "Come here, I have something to tell you."


    Selene frowned, not sure what he was up to this time.


    When she got closer, Damien suddenly yanked her back into the car and started kissing her neck aggressively-each kiss rough and hard, leaving obvious marks.


    Selene was furious. She raised her hand to p him again, but he grabbed her wrist.


    "Go ahead, p me. Hitting me right now will only turn me on further."


    It was exhausting dealing with someone so shameless.


    No matter how powerful Selene appeared to outsiders, at this moment, she had


    no way to deal with him.


    Damien continued kissing and biting his way down her neck for ten whole minutes before finally letting go.


    Selene silently adjusted her clothes, her expression absolutely dark.


    Most people would''ve been too afraid to get close after seeing her like that, but not Damien. He leaned in again and nted another hard kiss on her tightly pressed lips.


    "You sure you want to bring Vincent home? I can''t guarantee I won''t do something


    in front of the whole family."


    Selene didn''t respond. She quickly finished adjusting her clothes and opened the car door to leave.


    Damien wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Sis, you still haven''t answered me. Are you really going to bring him home?"


    Selene''s expression kept shifting between anger, helplessness, and frustration. She didn''t even know how to respond anymore.


    "Let go."


    Damien, seemingly content with the kisses, finally released her.


    As he watched her walk away, he


    let


    pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Then, he removed the hidden camera inside the car and exported the footage of him kissing Selene.


    A handsome man and a beautiful woman under dim lighting-the photo looked incredibly suggestive.


    He hovered his finger over the send button, intending to send it to Vincent. But after several seconds, he didn''t press it.


    Instead, he took a deep breath and started watching the video himself.


    He watched Selene shift from rage to helplessness, then to concern for his bruised face, and finally being pinned and kissed by him for ten full minutes.


    The longer he watched, the more powerful the urge in him burned, and it felt as though he was being brought to the edge of no return.


    After flicking away his cigarette, he leaned his head back and exhaled deeply.


    "Selene..."

 Chapter 222

    When Selene stepped out of the elevator, she happened to run into Grace, who was heading downstairs to take out the trash.


    She quickly tugged her cor up and tidied her messy hair.


    She had no idea that Grace had already caught a glimpse of her in the private roomst time.


    Grace also felt a little awkward. She thought to herself, "What lousy timing to be taking out the trash at this exact moment..."


    She quickly tried to ease the tension.


    "Um, I parked your car in the garage. I''ll return your keys in a bit," Grace said.


    Selene was usually calm andposed. But right now, she couldn''t even pretend to be calm.


    She knew all too well about Damien''s possessiveness. If he deliberately left marks, they wouldn''t fade for a week.


    Since she wasn''t wearing a high cor tonight, Grace must''ve seen everything by


    now.


    She opened her mouth to exin, but when it came to her and Damien''s


    rtionship, it was hard to even put into words.


    Grace, however, was tactful enough to step into the elevator first.


    "I''ll head down and take out the trash. You should hurry up and go get some rest."


    Selene breathed a sigh of relief and managed a smile. "Thanks."


    Once back in her apartment, she immediately rushed to the bathroom and checked in the mirror.


    Sure enough, her neck was covered in marks.


    Selene pulled out her phone and saw a message from Vincent. In that instant, she feltpletely drained.


    If Damien kept this up, her rtionship with Vincent was bound to fall apart.


    Ever since her schooling days, she had lost countless connections because of Damien.


    Back then, she thought it was because he had been raised too strictly by the Jensen family and that he had been overly attached to her since childhood. She thought hecked a sense of security and was afraid she would abandon him if she dated someone.


    Selene had always been more mature than her peers. She had always known what she wanted.


    Growing up in the Jensen family, she was aware that her position was precarious, so she worked diligently, excelling both academically and professionally.


    In truth, she didn''t like the environment in the Jensen family. Everyone looked at her strangely as if they all knew she was an outsider.


    When she was little, she had to be extra kind to Damien just so the family would see her worth.


    She hadn''t liked Damien at first, but over time, she couldn''t help but grow fond of him as a little brother.


    But it seemed Damien became increasingly dependent on her. The family also noticed this, and their attitude toward her grew colder. Sensing this, she wisely left the family business and started her own venture.


    She never expected Damien to suddenly spiral like this. Now rumors spread that the siblings were at odds, which actually brought relief to the Jensen family.


    People had long spected that Damien had feelings for her. If that were true, it would be disgraceful. After all, they were siblings in name, and she had been raised in the Jensen family.


    If word got out that she was brought into the family to be groomed as a bride, it would be even more scandalous.


    Selene massaged her sore neck as she sat on the couch.


    A message from Damien popped up.


    She usually ignored him. Most of the time, he was just talking to himself.


    She had blocked him before, buttely, his behavior had be so erratic that she was afraid blocking him again might trigger something worse, so she unblocked him.


    This time, he sent a photo of himself holding his little member.


    The image was explicit, to say the least, but she had to admit the kid had really grown up... and was rather well-endowed.


    Her brow twitched furiously, and she couldn''t help but reply, "Damien, are you a pervert?"


    He didn''t reply for a long while.


    Selene threw her phone aside, struggling to resist the urge to block him again. Soon, he called.


    "Sis, you home yet?" he asked.


    No matter how many times she pped him, he could always bounce back and call her like nothing happened.


    She gave a nonchnt grunt in reply, only to hear his breathing suddenly deepen. "What... What are you doing?"


    Damien scoffed. "What do you think? You started the fire and won''t put it out, so I have to do it myself."


    Selene gritted her teeth. She didn''t even know what to say anymore. She just felt helpless. Incredibly helpless.


    She hung up immediately and felt her entire body burning with frustration.


    That was when the doorbell rang.


    She quicklyposed herself and went to open the door.


    Grace was standing outside, there to return the car keys.


    Her gaze happened tond on the still-lit phone screen, where Damien''stest indecent photo was disyed in full view.


    Selene felt mortified, and her face flushed red. No matter how shameless she was, she wanted to vanish on the spot.


    Grace politely averted her eyes, handed over the keys, and said, "Goodnight."


    Then, she quickly turned around and closed her apartment door with a loud bang.


    Back in her room, Grace let out a long breath.


    She suddenly recalled how the media had been making a fuss about the Jensen siblings turning against each other, but now she knew the truth behind the scenes was very different.


    Still, Selene didn''t seem to like Damien. Who knew how things between them would eventually turn out?


    Now lying in bed, Grace couldn''t sleep. That was when her phone buzzed.


    She thought it might be Ed, but it turned out to be a message from Liam.


    "Grace, the Henderson family just


    called off the engagement. Alicet


    locked herself in her room again. We


    know what she''s doingan


    there."


    Grace growned. So, Yancey got a beating and really canceled the wedding?


    She didn''t feel much about it now. She was just about to turn off her phone when


    Yancey sent another message.


    "Don''t you think you should seriously


    investigate the car ident that


    caused your amnesia? Grace,


    eline


    suspect someone deliberately


    caused it."


    At first, she didn''t intend to respond. But that line made her sit up straight.


    "What do you mean?"


    Yancey knew that if he said anything irrelevant at this point, she''d stop replying. "Your memory loss might not have been from the crash. It could''ve been drug- induced."


    He already had a suspect in mind, but he didn''t dare say the name.


    He had a gut feeling that Ethan was capable of anything. The calm demeanor he showed might all be just a facade.

 Chapter 223

    Grace had never really thought about investigating the cause of her amnesia before.


    She raised her hand and rubbed her forehead just as another message from Yancey arrived.


    "I''ll keep digging into it. Don''t worry. Just be careful when you go out. I have a feeling someone''s been following you."


    Grace immediately got out of bed and rummaged through her closet for the few certifications she had brought with her.


    Each of them required significant skill to earn. Her past self clearly couldn''t have been a nobody.


    It seemed she really did need to start looking into that so-called ident.


    The next morning, just as she arrived at Henderson Group, she ran into Levi.


    He had been showing up more and more oftentely, and his usual smile carried that familiar edge of hidden malice.


    He followed Grace to the break room and said, "I heard Uncle Ethan took you out for some street food the other day. Is he still at home recovering?"


    Grace kept her guard up. She didn''t want him targeting Ed.


    "Yeah."


    "It seems he trusts you quite a lot, then. If you added something extra to his food, he''d still eat it, wouldn''t he?"


    Grace frowned. What was this man nning?


    Levi pulled out a small white bottle and pressed it into her hand.


    "If someone takes what''s inside this bottle over a prolonged period, their mental state will slowly copse. They''ll be irritable and aggressive, eventually descending into madness or dying from heart failure."


    Grace''s expression changed instantly. He was trying to kill Ethan!


    She shoved the bottle back into his hand. "Mr. Levi, do you take me for an idiot? This is plotting to murder the Henderson family''s heir.


    "If I went through with it, how would I ever live peacefully in Druville again? I wouldn''t even make it past Mr. Henderson Senior. I probably wouldn''t even know how I died."


    The next second, Levi grabbed her throat so tightly she almost couldn''t breathe.


    This man clearly didn''t y by the rules, and he clearly thought Grace was easy to manipte.


    "Grace, I''m not negotiating with you. If you refuse, your father, your boyfriend, and even that useless brother of yours will all suffer because of you. Think about it carefully."


    He let go and shoved the bottle into her pocket.


    Grace''s gaze turned cold as she clutched at her throat.


    There was no way she would do it¡ªnot a chance. Her only option now was to


    expose this to Ethan and get him to y along with her.


    But in a family as cutthroat as the Hendersons, would someone like Ethan, raised in deceit and maniption, really trust her?


    She turned to leave the break room only to find Levi still waiting outside.


    While he may have been dressed to the nines, appearing prim and proper, his


    gaze was no different from that of a venomous snake.


    "Grace, here''s a little insider info for you. Even if you fed him poison, Uncle Ethan would still eat it."


    There was deep sarcasm in his tone.


    Grace really couldn''t stand people like him¡ªscheming, two-faced bastards.


    Levi didn''t have the patience to continue and simply said, "Give me your answer within 30 minutes."


    Back at her desk, Grace was visibly unsettled.


    30 minutes flew by, and Levi sent her a message.


    "If you don''t want your sweet little boyfriend to get hurt, go find my uncle tonight and put the drug in his food."


    Upon seeing that, she stood up abruptly and called Ed. There was no answer.


    Panic set in. She sent multiple messages in a row, but there was still no response.


    She felt her heart sink, and she finally gave Levi a call.


    His voice on the other end wasced with smugness. "Grace, have you thought it through?"


    Her expression darkened. She hated being threatened like this.


    "He''s in your hands?" she asked.


    "Yep. I already cut off one of his fingers, but I didn''t even get a squeak out of him."


    Grace bit her lip. In her mind, Ed was


    a gentle, affectionate, and clingy person a man akin to a golden retriever. He didn''t deserve to be dragged into this kind of power struggle.


    She took a deep breath. "Let him go. I''ll do as you say."


    "Heh. Let him go? Not a chance. Not until


    Caan has swallowed at leaste


    half


    ¨¨ dose. Your little boyfriend be my guest for now."


    Grace immediately hung up and drove straight to Palm Bay.


    But when she entered Palm Bay''s entrance hall and saw Ethan sitting upright on the couch like some aloof prince, she was momentarilydost for words.


    He looked up at her and asked in a calm voice, "What brings you here?"


    Grace took a step back, then suddenly smiled. "Mr. Henderson, I was feeling guilty, so I thought I''de make you a meal."


    Ethan''s gaze fell heavily on her, and he remained silent for a full minute.


    Grace''s scalp tingled. She had a feeling that he seemed to know what she was up


    to.


    Another minute passed before he suddenly let out a light chuckle. "Sure."

 Chapter 224

    Grace walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and casually picked out a few ingredients before getting to work.


    But her mind kept drifting to Ed''s situation. Distracted, she identally sliced her finger.


    Though it was a small cut, it still bled quite a bit.


    She forced herself to focus, finished cooking the rest, and then took out the bottle. With a discreet shake, she added two pills into the food.


    What she didn''t know was that the kitchen door was custom-made. From the inside, nothing outside could be seen-but from the outside, it was nearly transparent. Every move she made was perfectly visible.


    Grace carried the dishes to the table and smiled at him.


    "Mr. Henderson,e eat," she said.


    Ethan closed the file in his hand slowly and maneuvered his wheelchair over.


    Grace set the dishes for him anddled a bowl of soup.


    Ethan didn''t take it. His eyes lingered on the soup, unmoving. After a few seconds, he lowered his gaze.


    "I hurt my hand. Feed me," he requested.


    Grace nced at his hand. Wasn''t he just holding a pen moments ago?


    But she didn''t dare voice her question. She scooped up some soup with a spoon and brought it to his lips.


    Ethan looked up and gave her a quick nce.


    Grace smiled awkwardly. "Drink up. I''m a good cook, you know?"


    He stared at her deeply for a moment, then lowered his head and drank the entire spoonful.


    "Tastes good."


    Grace let out a breath. "I''m d you like it."


    After finishing the bowl, she was about to end the ongoing call in her pocket-Levi


    had been eavesdropping the whole time. He was probably satisfied by now.


    She had nned toe clean to Ethan once the call was over, but all of a sudden, he slumped over.


    Grace almost had a heart attack. She jumped up from her seat. "Mr. Henderson!"


    From the phone, Levi burst intoughter. "Grace, you''re so naive. Did you really think I''d use some slow-acting poison? Heh, that drug kills instantly with just one drop. You''re so dead!"


    Grace immediately ended the call.


    Back in the car earlier, she had already reced the pills in the bottle. She would never have actually poisoned Ethan. She wasn''t that stupid, after all.


    She''d only been putting on a show because she knew she was being monitored.


    She quickly rushed to Ethan''s side. With no time to waste, she pried his mouth open and began CPR.


    It was just regr vitamins! Why did he pass out?


    Sweat dripped down her forehead. She continued for ten full minutes before he finally woke up, barely conscious.


    Grace let out a shaky breath and said with reddened eyes, "Mr. Henderson, please don''t scare me like that."


    He raised a hand to rub his forehead, muttering weakly, "I haven''t eaten all day. Maybe it''s low blood sugar."


    Grace was furious. Gritting her teeth, she stood there shaking for


    time with a flushed face, no someet


    knowing what to say.


    On the other hand, Ethan''s expression remained unnervingly calm. It was as if nothing had happened.


    He even touched the corner of his mouth and asked tly, "What were you just doing?"


    Grace, who had been furious just a moment ago, immediately felt extremely awkward.


    "You passed out, so I gave you CPR," she exined.


    His expression immediately turned strangely unreadable as he scanned her from head to toe.


    Grace suddenly remembered-this


    man hated physical contact with women. She quickly raised her hand to swear. "I didn''t mean to! I was panicking. Please believe me!"


    Ethan then turned away coldly. "Get out. I don''t want to see you."


    He looked utterly disgusted, as if she had vited him. Grace felt her body go cold.


    He had already misunderstood her once back in the private lounge with that client, and now this? No amount of exining would be able to clear her name now.


    She opened her mouth, struggling to speak. Eventually, she forced out a line. "I have a boyfriend. I obviously don''t have feelings for you, Mr. Henderson." "Who''s seen your boyfriend? How do we even know he exists?" Ethan retorted. Grace froze. Her thoughts immediately went to Ed, who might still be suffering in Levi''s hands, and she fell silent.


    She wanted to exin everything, but at this exact moment, Ethan''s disgust for her was still high.


    After taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that Levi thought Ethan was dead, so he would definitely make a move soon.


    And once Ethan addressed this matter with Levi, that guy wouldn''t have long to live.


    She would tail Levi for now and try to find where Ed was being held.


    Grace turned and headed for the door, changed shoes, and left without another word.


    Ethan watched her hurried retreat, then raised a finger to gently tap the lush green nt in front of him.


    From the corner, Tim finally walked out. He hesitated, then said, "Mr. Henderson, wasn''t that a bit too much?"


    It felt like he was toying with her-like he was ying with a monkey.


    Ethan paused and lowered his gaze. "You think I went too far?"


    Tim merely felt that Ethan''s sense of amusement was a little twisted, and it was not quite befitting of his image.


    Ethan knew Grace had switched the pills, but he still went and faked a copse, scaring her half to death.


    He continued to gently poke at the nt before him and said calmly, "But this is the real me."


    After her memory loss, she became so easy to fool and fun to y with.


    In the past, she would''ve seen right through them in a beat.


    He really should thank the ones who made her lose her memory.

 Chapter 225

    After getting in the car, Grace was still rattled from what had just happened with Ethan.


    But Ethan was naturally a cold, aloof person-he probably hadn''t done it on purpose. It just happened to be a case of low blood sugar that scared her into a cold sweat.


    Even now, her back was still soaked.


    Grace raised a hand to massage her temples. She then took out her phone and tried calling Ed again. The result was the same-it went unanswered.


    She still didn''t know whether Levi had truly captured Ed or not, but she didn''t dare risk it.


    She found Levi''s current address and slowly drove over.


    But once she arrived, she learned that Levi had already gone back to the Henderson residence.


    In Levi''s mind, Ethan was already dead. The Henderson family would soon fall into chaos, and Jordan would be forced to appoint a new heir.


    Moreover, the heir could only be either him or his biological younger brother, Dn.


    As for Yancey? That fool was hopeless. Jordan had long since lost all hope in him.


    Only Levi and Dn were viable candidates. Since Dn was still overseas and likely hadn''t heard the news, Levi figured it was the perfect time to rack up some points in his grandfather''s eyes.


    He truly didn''t expect such a simple trick to be all he needed to take out Ethan. It was absurd.


    The entire Henderson family had praised Ethan to the skies, calling him some blessed genius, and yet he had died so pitifully at the hands of a woman!


    That heir position should''ve been his from the start!


    "Grandpa is just biased!" he thought.


    Levi''s smile couldn''t be hidden. It was practically spilling off his face. He could hardly wait to share this joy with the whole world.


    By the time he entered the Henderson residencepound the smugness in his eyes was- overflowing-until he saw Ethan sitting calmly, having tea with Jordan.


    It was like seeing a ghost. His legs gave out beneath him, and he copsed straight to the floor.


    Jordan frowned at the disy. "What are you doing? Why are you getting on your knees for no reason?"


    Levi stared at Ethan in terror.


    But Ethan, seated in his wheelchair, simply sipped his tea with calm indifference as if he knew nothing.


    A thousand questions flooded Levi''s mind.


    Just two hours ago, he had


    personally heard over the phone that something had happened to Ethan. Grace had sounded panicked, and there was no way she could''ve faked that.


    Moreover, the poison he had provided was extremely fatal. It should have caused instant death upon consumption.


    So how was Ethan still alive and well, sitting here like nothing had happened?


    Levi broke into a cold sweat, dripping in thick beads. His lips began to tremble uncontrobly.


    Jordan noticed his strange expression, and his expression darkened. "What on earth is wrong with you?"


    That look on Levi''s face looked like his world was ending around him. How could someone from the Henderson family disy such dramatic emotion in public?


    Levi wiped the sweat from his brow, not daring to even nce at Ethan. He had no idea how much the man actually knew.


    He didn''t dare stay in the Henderson residence a moment longer. Panicking, he tried to make a quick exit. Just then, he heard the click of a chess piece being ced gently on the board.


    Levi suddenly felt like he was that tiny chess piece while Ethan was the hand controlling the board.


    Ethan smiled faintly. "Dad, I''ll be heading off now as well."


    Jordan sighed. "Your health has only just improved. You need to take better care


    of yourself in theing days."

 Chapter 226

    "Will do," Ethan replied. He had always been respectful to Jordan.


    He then maneuvered his wheelchair behind Levi.


    Levi had already been walking on eggshells, and the moment he heard the wheels rolling behind him, he jolted like a startled bird and hurried several steps forward in a panic.


    Even when he reached his car, his heart was still racing.


    It wasn''t like he hadn''t tried hiring people to assassinate Ethan over the years. However, Ethan had always reacted with chilling calm, never being injured, and never pursuing the matter of who was behind the attempts on his life.


    Levi gripped the steering wheel tightly. He wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of there and confront Grace in person. Just what the hell was going on?


    He floored the gas pedal, and as he neared his neighborhood, a car suddenly swerved in front of him and blocked his path.


    Already in a state of paranoia, Levi mmed on the brakes, causing him to hit his head against the steering wheel. He almost passed out from the impact.


    He took a deep breath and was just about to open the door to check what was happening when he saw Grace walking toward him.


    While clutching his forehead, he sneered coldly.


    "Well, well, well. To think you''d actually dare to show up here?" he thought.


    He opened his mouth, ready to curse her and once again threaten her with her family. But before he could get a word out, Grace pulled a baseball bat from behind her and smashed it straight into his skull.


    This was in his own neighborhood, in broad daylight. Was she insane? Wasn''t she afraid of the consequences?


    Grace dragged Levi out of his car and shoved him into her own car.


    Then, she called Tim.


    "Mr. Bet, how do you usually deal with people who try to murder Mr. Henderson?"


    Tim paused for several seconds on the other end, then calmly said, "Come to Palm Bay."


    Grace was a little surprised. After driving over to Palm Bay, she handed over all the drugs Levi had given her.


    Tim poured her a cup of tea. She took a sip and then watched as someone came to drag Levi away.


    Tim followed shortly after-probably to interrogate him.


    Left alone in the lounge, Grace grew


    bored. She still hadn''t seen


    she decided to wander a


    SO


    Palm


    The ce was huge, with several buildings nearby, all unupied. She had no idea what they were for.


    She walked up to one uniquely designed building and heard faint sounds inside, so she pushed open the door.


    Inside, Ethan sat calmly in his wheelchair, casually fiddling with his fingers.


    At his feet was Levi, crying and begging for mercy.


    Gone was any trace of his previous arrogance. Now, he looked like a pitiful mutt.


    "Uncle Ethan, it wasn''t me! It was Grace! She did everything. I only nudged her a little! Who could''ve guessed she''d actually go through with it? A woman like her cant be trusted!


    "Who knows who sent her? Uncle Ethan, you have to look into it!"


    Clearly terrified, Levi was bawling with snot and tears running down his face.


    Grace caught the metallic scent of


    blood in the air. Her gaze dropped and she noticed Levi''s legs hanging limply.


    It had only been ten minutes since he had been dragged in, and both his legs


    were already broken.


    So, Ethan could be this ruthless.

 Chapter 227

    Grace took a step back, identally making a sound. Ethan''s gaze turned toward her.


    Through the narrow gap of the barely-opened door, their eyes met. The darkness in his gaze hadn''t yet faded, and at that moment, he wore a half-smiling, half- mocking expression.


    Feeling a little awkward, Grace simply pushed the door open and walked right in.


    The moment Levi saw her, his expression twisted into madness.


    "You bitch! It''s all because of you! I wouldn''t be in this situation if not for you! It''s all your fault!" he screeched.


    Grace took a deep breath. Under Ethan''s watchful eyes, she lifted her leg and kicked Levi square in the head.


    His head snapped to the side, and a few teeth flew out. His mouth was now full of blood.


    Grace had read enough cases of power ys and backstabbing in the business industry to know exactly what she had to do now.


    She quickly turned to pledge her loyalty to Ethan. "Mr. Henderston, I didn''t actually use any pills he gave me. Levi kidnapped my boyfriend to threaten me.


    "I had no choice but to rece the pills with vitamins, just to make him think I had actually poisoned you. I regretted it afterward, which is why I brought him here to make amends."


    After saying that, she squatted in front of Levi.


    "You said you chopped off one of my boyfriend''s fingers. Was that true?"


    Levi hadn''t expected such a reaction from her. A normal woman, upon seeing Ethan''s terrifying side, should''ve fainted from fright.


    How could she be so calm?


    Grace wasn''t human. She was a devil just like Ethan!


    His mouth was full of the taste of blood, and he stared at her in horror.


    Grace noticed one of the bodyguards holding a knife and took it from him.


    "You touched one of his fingers, so I''ll take all ten of yours," she said menacingly.


    Levi turned pale with fear, struggling to hold back the urge to spit out the blood in his mouth.


    "No! I didn''t don''t even know who your boyfriend is! You never said his name-how would I know where to find him? I just guessed you weren''t I that close yet and tried to scare


    you!"


    Grace let out a breath of relief-so Ed was safe.


    She had originally wanted to leave immediately and try contacting Ed again. But now that she had barged into this ce, she wouldn''t be leaving so easily.


    Levi continued begging Ethan for mercy, finally pulling out his trump card-his grandfather, Jordan.


    "Uncle Ethan, Grandpa definitely wouldn''t want us to kill each other. If I die, it''ll make things difficult between you and the family."


    As soon as he finished speaking, Ethan calmly loaded a bullet into his gun aimed it at Levi''s head.


    and


    Levi''s eyes popped wide open. Before he could even utter a word of plea, a gunshot rang out, and he copsed on the spot.


    Even Grace jumped in fright, her whole body jolting. Her fingers clenched at her sides, and she swallowed hard.


    Only now did she truly realize that beneath Ethan''s refined appearancey a heartless and ruthless man.


    Cold-blooded to the point that he seemed like an emotionless robot.


    She felt goosebumps breaking out all over. As she watched the gun spin


    gracefully in his palm, set


    instinctively dropped to her knees right beside him and offered quickly.


    "Mr. Henderson, if you kill me, who''s going to coax you to sleep at night?" she quickly said.


    Ethan paused for a few seconds, then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He passed the gun to the bodyguard beside him.


    Only then did Grace realize she had misunderstood. He wasn''t nning to kill her at all.


    She quickly rubbed her sore knees and tried to stand up. After all, the wounds from thest time she''d been forced to kneel hadn''t even healed yet.

 Chapter 228

    If she didn''t know that Ethan was naturally indifferent, Grace would''ve thought he had scared her on purpose just now.


    But Ethan wasn''t that cruel.


    Grace rubbed her knees while muttering to herself.


    Ethan wheeled past her, and she quickly followed. After today, she truly didn''t dare act recklessly in front of this man anymore-someone who could be so ruthless even to his own family.


    Her gaze was a littleplicated as she carefully pushed his wheelchair, recalling the disbelief in Levi''s eyes before his death.


    He must never have imagined that Ethan would act so decisively, not even hesitating for a second.


    Being someone like this and having no interest in women basically meant Ethan had no weaknesses.


    Grace felt chilled to the bone. A person without ws-it was no wonder he could hold his position in Druville and even make a name for himself abroad.


    Back in the main hall, she noticed a few drops of blood on his leather shoes, likely from earlier.


    She quickly grabbed some tissues and squatted down to wipe them clean.


    Ethan watched her submissive and obedient movements, knowing she was trying to win his favor.


    She had always been this way-adaptable and clever.


    He said nothing.


    Grace tossed the tissues into the trash and straightened up. "Um... Mr. Henderson, I''ll head out now."


    "Leaving already? You dragged Levi here with such fanfare. Didn''t you think someone from the Henderson family might notice?"


    Grace''s expression immediately settled into a calm one. "That''s because I knew you''d handle it."


    If Ethan could remain firmly rooted in the Henderson family all these years, he must''ve avoided countless assassination attempts. The people under hismand were experts at cleaning up messes.


    Ethan smoothed the crease on his sleeve. "Why should I clean it up for you?"


    "It''s for your own sake. Levi is a direct descendant of the Henderson family. If he disappears, Mr. Henderson Senior will definitely search for him high and low.


    "When they trace things back to me, I won''t survive the Henderson family''s interrogation. When that happens, I''ll end up revealing everything about you."


    Grace scratched her cheek lightly and continued calmly, "Or you could just deal with me now. For you, it would be as easy as snapping your fingers. But even if you kill me, you''ll still have to clean up the rest of the evidence. There''s no need to waste my life. I can still be of use to you."


    Ethan''s gaze lingered on her for a long time before shifting away. The faintest sign of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.


    She sure had a silver tongue.


    "Go home," he instructed.


    When Grace got back into her car, her entire back was soaked in cold sweat.


    She leaned back against the seat, panting, and grabbed a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead.


    Her impression of Ethan had changedpletely today. She used to think he was heavily protected, and all the bloody matters were handled by those around him.


    She never imagined he would kill someone himself so easily, even when that person was his family.


    If Yancey ever tried to scheme against him, would Ethan also pull the trigger without a second thought?


    Did human emotions even exist or mean anything to Ethan?


    Quentin had been right all along-Ethan was a perfect machine.


    He spared her simply because she was still useful.


    Grace''s feelings wereplicated.


    She was


    that


    more certain now than


    and Ethan were


    Completely different work over


    It was no wonder she instinctively showed him respect and never dared cross the


    line.


    Now she understood-Ethan had climbed to where he was by stepping over


    corpses and experiencing countless bloodshed.


    He was like a god, the ultimate ruler who was untouched by anything.


    People like him were terrifying.


    Grace sat in her car for half an hour trying to calm down, a bit impressed with her own wit earlier.


    If she had panicked earlier and run away after seeing Levi crawling, she''d


    probably be the one to die before Levi.


    People like Ethan didn''t like cowards.


    He was elegant and cold-blooded, a


    bottomless abyss. Thus, he


    expected those beside him to be


    simrly dark andposed.


    Her kick to Levi''s head, knocking out a few teeth, was her way of telling Ethan


    they were the same kind of people.


    Her palms were drenched with sweat as she gripped the steering wheel.


    It wasn''t until after a shower at home that she finally calmed down, only to see a new message from Ed.


    "I''m sick."


    Not just sick, but he was probably sulking too.


    Frustrated and annoyed, Grace couldn''t help but call him.


    "Even if you''re mad, you''re not allowed to ignore my calls! Do you know how worried I was?"


    "I like seeing you worry about me."


    His voice was low and soft, like always. He spoke in azy tone,ced with a hint


    of spoiled affection.


    In that moment, all of Grace''s anger vanished. After all, the real issue was that hecked a sense of security.

 Chapter 229

    Grace took a deep breath, her tone softening as she said, "I''ll go buy the matching cups and flip-flops right now. At least give me an address, or how am I supposed to find youter?"


    Ed quickly sent her an address, but it was in a really remote area, way out in the suburbs.


    Grace checked the address against nearby buildings and saw that it was mostly rundown factories,pletely deserted.


    She felt her heart sink. Had he been working all this time in the dark and still couldn''t afford a decent ce?


    Still, she didn''t say anything. She just told him she''d be going over in the evening.


    It had been a while since Grace had gone shopping, so she invited Joanne to join her. Joanne happily agreed, and they met at the mall.


    While browsing through the luxury section, Grace immediately spotted a pair of expensive flip-flops, two hundred dors a pair, and of course, they were the matching kind.


    Joanne, who had dressed up specially for today, gasped when she saw the price. "Grace, isn''t that a little too expensive?"


    Grace reached for the flip-flops, but before she could grab them, someone else snatched them up. The voice that followed was dripping with sarcasm.


    "People like you shouldn''t even think about buying shoes like these. This kind of stuff isn''t for people who need to save for months just to buy a pair."


    Grace looked up, recognizing the voice. It was Jodie.


    Jodie, wearing a hat and ck sunsses, was the picture of a spoiled rich girl. She smirked when she saw Grace and shook the flip-flops she had taken.


    "Grace, your family doesn''t even give you enough money, and here you are pretending to be rich. And your friend-what''s the deal with her? She looks like she works as a waitress somewhere. Even if she could buy these, I''d love to know where the money''s from."


    Joanne bit her lip, embarrassed by the attention they were getting. Her face turned a shade of bright red.


    Grace pulled Joanne behind her and calmly looked at Jodie.


    "Ms. Henderson, you''re being a little rude, don''t you think?" Grace pointed out.


    Jodie threw the flip-flops at Grace, hitting her in the head. The pain made Grace wince slightly.


    "You call that rude? I haven''t even gone all out with my words yet. You little bitch, you''ve made Alice cry every day, and now she''s got depression. You even threw a file at me at Henderson Group. Running into me today? Bad luck for you. I''ve hated your guts for a long time."


    Before Jodie could say more, Grace hurled her handbag at her. The bag hit Jodie''s forehead with a sharp thud, causing her to bleed. She screamed in shock, clutching the wound and bursting into tears.


    "Grace! You wait! I''ll get my uncle to fire you! I''ll make him have you killed! Just wait!"


    Jodie hade shopping alone, hoping to buy a gift for Ethan. Now, she was sobbing as she rushed to her car, calling him.


    Grace stood at the entrance of the luxury store, unmoving, and turned to check on Joanne. "Are you okay?"


    Joanne''s face was pale as she shook her head. She said, "Maybe we should go somewhere else? Ms. Henderson was right. Everything here is just too expensive."


    Grace gave her a pat on the shoulder and said, "It''s fine. No one says you can''t browse just because you can''t afford it. Plus, I''m in a good mood today''ve just started dating


    §ï§Ý


    recently, so I''m in a good mood. Why not let me get you a pair too?"


    Joanne managed a small smile, but her eyes dimmed slightly. Grace bought two


    pairs of matching flip-flops and a few white button-up shirts.


    She''d noticed Ed''s build, and from what she could tell, he was easily over six feet tall and pretty muscr.


    Joanne stayed close behind, clearly curious about Grace''s new boyfriend.


    "Grace, if you have the time, why don''t you bring your boyfriend out for dinner? I''ll treat. I''m just really curious about what kind of guy you''re dating."


    Grace quickly answered while paying. "He''s not that good-looking, actually. He''s pretty insecure about his looks, but if he doesn''t want to, I won''t pressure him. I''ll ask himter, but he''s probably not up for it anytime soon."


    A guy who wasn''t attractive, working as a server? It seemed so unlike what Grace would go for.


    Joanne swallowed hard, clearly struggling to process it. "So, how far have you two gone?"


    Graceughed softly, bagging her purchases. You sound so interested in him.


    moved fast. We''ve


    done thing we should have by


    now. Honestly, we''re both happy. But he''s kind of quick to get angry. He''s usually easygoing, but once he''s mad, it''s tough to calm him down."


    Joanne finally let out a breath, realizing that Grace had actually started dating a guy who worked in a service job. With a cautious tone, she asked, "Does Ethan


    know?"


    "Ethan?" Grace asked, surprised. She didn''t see how her rtionship with Ed had anything to do with Ethan, but she answered anyway. "Yeah, I''ve told him. He didn''t say much about it."


    They continued shopping, picking up more clothes, shoes, and mugs. Grace had a lot of bags to carry by the time they were done.


    She had originally nned to take Joanne out for dinner, but just as they were about to leave, Joanne received a call and had to return to work. So they parted ways.


    Grace dropped off her shopping bags in the car, and as the clock neared 7:00 pm, she gave Ed a call. "Have you eaten yet? I''m still at the mall. Do you want me to grab anything for you?"


    "I''m not hungry. I''m just waiting to get you," Ed replied.


    Grace could feel her phone heating up, and her cheeks reddened at his words. "Ed, you''re not mad anymore?"


    Wasn''t he upset earlier when he left while they were at the hot springs? Now, he was suddenly not angry anymore? Men''s moods were all over the ce¡ª impossible to figure out.


    "I''m not mad at you," Ed answered.


    "Well, if you''re not angry, then it''s all good. I''lle to see you," Grace said.

 Chapter 230

    It took more than an hour of driving before Grace finally arrived at the run-down small house.


    The house was at least 20 years old, situated in a barren mountainous area, with abandoned building materials scattered around. It had an eerie, deste feel to it.


    Moreover, in the abandoned courtyard, a grave stood out of ce against the decaying surroundings. The grave, however, was impably clean, and fresh flowers were ced in front of it.


    To be so far out in the outskirts, living in a small house with nothing but a solitary grave nearby how lonely must that be?


    Grace felt a pang of sympathy. Then she noticed that all the windows in the room were sealed shut,pletely covered. Not a single beam of light could get through. It was likely as dark inside during the day as it was at night.


    She pressed the doorbell, but before she could press it a second time, a hand reached out eagerly and pulled her inside.


    "You don''t have to be in such a hurry every time. The stuff I bought is still outside."


    She turned her head to nce around, and as expected, all she could see was the faintest bit of light.


    Before she could say anything more, he quickly turned her head back and kissed her deeply.


    Grace melted under his kiss, and before she knew it, he had her in his arms and was carrying her over to the couch.


    He couldn''t wait another moment, pulling her to sit on hisp, their bodies pressed together.


    He leaned back against the couch, his Adam''s apple moving sensually as he tightened his grip around her waist.


    Grace''s hands rested on his chest, feeling his heart beat fast beneath her palms.


    His movements were slow this time, but the way his hand caressed her waist was impossible to ignore.


    Grace nestled against his chest like a little kitten, unable to stop herself from asking, "Is this your house?"


    This ce was so far out, and if he hadn''t told her about it, she probably never would havee here in her life.


    His actions didn''t stop as he gave her a satisfied look, "Are youining?"


    "No, I''m just worried about you. You''re here all alone, there''s no ce to even buy anything, and no neighbors around. Don''t you ever talk to anyone?"


    He tilted his head slightly to look at her. The light was too dim to see clearly, but it seemed like he could still see the concern in her eyes.


    He feltpletely overwhelmed, like a surge of energy rushing through his body.


    Grace was suddenly jolted hard, unable to stop herself from making a sound.


    He seemed to be in a good mood tonight as he said, "I just don''t feel like talking to anyone."


    time she texted


    him, he replied instantly, except


    when he was angry. It turned


    friends.


    that he didn''t have many


    Grace cupped his face in her hands. If he didn''t want to talk, then he


    didn''t have to. It made sense,


    Cering how his odd personality


    developed.


    If she had to live here alone, she''d probably go crazy eventually.


    She wanted to understand him more, and before she could stop herself, she


    wrapped her arms around his neck.


    Ed kissed the top of her head.


    "Are you feeling sorry for me?" he asked.


    "Is that a problem?"


    "No."


    As soon as he said that, his strength intensified, and Grace felt overwhelmed by


    the force, struggling to stay steady under it.


    He seemed to savor the moment, taking her on the couch, the coffee table, even pinning her against the


    wall. Each time was like it might be thest.


    Grace was left breathless, her voice hoarse, unable to stop him despite begging him to slow down.


    After another round, they returned to the couch. Grace could barely handle it, resting against him as she caught her breath.


    But after so many storms, the slow, steady grind of it all felt even more grueling. She bit down on his shoulder in frustration.


    "Faster," she demanded.


    He chuckled softly, gripping her waist, unable to hold back his overwhelming desire to take controlpletely."


    When it was all over, sheyzily on the couch, letting him tidy up the mess.


    Feeling him near her feet, she kicked out, but there was no strength behind it. He caught her foot effortlessly.


    She frowned, "Every time we meet, we always go this far."


    His fingertips lightly traced over the top of her foot, and his lips moved closer, gently kissing her foot.


    "You don''t like it?" he teased.


    She liked it, of course, but wasn''t it a bit too much?

 Chapter 231

    Ed seemed to understand what she was trying to say. His grip softened as he gently wiped her clean.


    "I like being with you like this," he murmured.


    Grace waspletely drained of energy, but she could feel his kiss moving up from her foot. Terrified, she instinctively shifted backward.


    "It''s... It''s dirty."


    Who kissed that part after they were done?


    But he wasn''t listening. His head remained buried in her.


    Grace turned her head away, the sound of his actions ringing clearly in her ears.


    Just then, her phone rang. She didn''t want to answer it and didn''t have the energy to do so.


    She tried to push him away, but he was too forceful.


    The ringing continued, and before she knew it, she had identally pressed the answer button.


    Yancey''s voice came through the phone, "Grace, where are you? I''ve been ringing your doorbell outside for ages, but no one''s answered. About that ident..."


    Grace couldn''t even hear him anymore. She had identally answered the call, and she wanted to hang up, but her fingers were limp and unresponsive.


    Her toes curled, pressing against Ed''s shoulder. In the dark, every sound seemed amplified.


    Her mind was a whirl of confusion¡ªfor a brief moment, she thought maybe it wouldn''t be so bad if they just stayed like this, in the darkness, together.


    He seemed to realize that the phone was still connected and took full advantage, his movements growing bolder, almost as though he wanted to melt her into the couch.


    A sharp, blinding sh of light cut through her thoughts, and she shuddered in his arms.


    "Mm... stop."


    He pulled her closer, gently patting her back as shey in his arms, gasping for air. Her face was flushed with heat.


    She really liked the scent on him, something only he had a faint, elegant floral fragrance.


    Meanwhile, Yancey''s voice grew colder, more menacing. "Grace, what are you doing?"


    As the chaos in her mind cleared, she reached for the phone, which had somehow ended up somewhere on the couch.


    Her throat was hoarse, and she


    wanted to make out Ed''s face in the dim light, but he seemed to know what she was thinking. In an instant, he pulled her closer, his chin@esting on her shoulder.


    "Don''t look," he whispered.


    Yancey heard the sounds and felt a jolt in his chest. The moment he''d heard those noises, something felt off. He thought maybe he''d misheard, that Grace couldn possibly be with another man.


    But now, hearing the unfamiliar voice of a man, he realized just how foolish he''d been.


    Anger flooded his body in an instant.


    "Are you seeing another man? Grace, how dare you go after another man?"


    Grace could barely stand the noise, her brows furrowing. "He''s my boyfriend. I need to hang up now. I''m busy."


    Yancey, blinded by jealousy, couldn''t hold back the cruel words he wanted to throw at her.


    "What could you possibly be doing? Are you lying there, letting him have his way with you?"


    Grace''s expression darkened, taking a deep breath. "Yes, but that has nothing to do with you."


    "Grace!" Yancey growled.


    She hung up the phone, cutting him off.


    Yancey was seething with rage, barely holding himself together, He wanted nothing more than to rush to


    where Grace was, but he had no idea where she was.


    He trembled with anger. After getting back into the car, he mmed his fist onto


    the steering wheel, his hands shaking with fury.


    "Grace, you bitch!"


    But after cursing, he copsed against the wheel, still seething. Who the hell was she sleeping with?


    Could it be Ethan? That seemed impossible. There was no way she''d have epted him so quickly. She didn''t even like him.


    So, who was it? Some random man who had gotten to her first?


    Why, when Yancey was fighting tooth and nail with Ethan, was there another man


    in the picture? Damn it!


    He hit the steering wheel again, his eyes reddening further.


    He wiped his face as determination settled in. He would find this man.

 Chapter 232

    After hanging up the phone, Grace still leaned against Ed''s chest. The intense emotions he had stirred in her earlier made it hard for her to recover.


    Ed, ever considerate, remained still and gave her time to catch her breath.


    Grace couldn''t shake the feeling that, after Yancey''s harsh words, they now felt like a couple hiding in the shadows-like secret lovers.


    She couldn''t help butugh.


    Ed pinched her chin, his tone firm as he asked, "What''s so funny?"


    "I just feel like we''re always hiding in the shadows."


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt him go silent for a moment. It


    seemed like she''d touched on something painful for him.


    She quickly added, "Before you''re ready to go out with me, I won''t force you. I''ll juste here to see you, okay?"


    She cradled his face, speaking in a coaxing tone.


    Ed softly hummed as he buried his head in her neck, his mood clearly subdued.


    Grace had nned to ask if he wanted her to buy him a house and move closer to her, especially after she had gotten some money from Carmen. She figured, why not use it?


    But she hesitated. She feared bringing it up would hurt his pride.


    She sighed and switched the topic.


    "By the way, I saw a grave outside. Whose is it?" she asked.


    He rubbed his cheek against her neck before finally responding, his voice rough. "My brother."


    Grace felt a sharp pain in her chest. "Your real brother?"


    "Yeah, we''re twins."


    She instantly regretted asking. Had she just reopened an old wound? She quickly fell silent, but he gently kissed her neck and continued in a soft voice, "He''s out there living the good life, and here I am, hidden away in the dark."


    Grace couldn''t bear it anymore. She cupped his face and kissed him, silencing his words with her lips.


    They kissed for ten minutes before she pulled back. "Don''t say any more."


    "I have you by my side now, Don''t leave me, or else..."


    "I won''t leave," she reassured him.


    Now that she knew everything, especially about his past, she felt she would give him the best of everything in the world.


    If he didn''t like to go out, then she wouldn''t make him. If he had no friends, that was fine. She wouldn''t care about his appearance. She would follow his lead.


    Her heart ached for him. She thought she was just trying to understand him, but after learning just a little, she felt like she couldn''t breathe.


    She pulled him close and they bothy on the couch. It was incredibly


    there was plenty of space-it wasn''t cramped at all.


    He wrapped his arms around her tightly as he asked, "Are you tired?"


    "Yeah, you don''t even realize how much you wore me out."


    "My bad. Sleep now."


    His voice was so soothing that Grace couldn''t help but fall asleep.


    In the dark, Ed''s gaze stayed on her face, and he couldn''t resist kissing her again and again until she finally pushed him away in irritation. Then, he held her even tighter.


    Grace, even in her sleep, felt like vines were smothering her-the pressure was almost suffocating.


    The next morning, she woke up in her car, wearing a new set of clothes and with a warm breakfast next to her.


    She rubbed her temple, feeling refreshed after a good night''s sleep.


    She took her time finishing her breakfast Knowing he didn''t want her to see his face, she didn''t bother knocking on his door. Once she was done, she headed straight to Henderson Group.


    When she arrived at Henderson Group and reached the top floor, she found Yancey already waiting for her.


    His eyes were dark with thick bags under them. He nearly jumped out of his seat when he saw her.


    "Grace!"


    Grace was genuinely afraid of him shouting and making a scene. The whole floor would find out that she had spent the night with a man.


    She took a deep breath. "Lower your voice."


    Yancey sneered, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into a nearby break room.


    The break room was empty. He released her wrist and started his rant.


    "Grace! Who were you withst night? I''m over here working hard investigating that car ident, and you''re sneaking off to sleep with some man? Don''t you have any shame? Was it Uncle Ethan? Have you gone that far with him? You shameless woman, you''re seducing your boss, and your ex-fianc¨¦''s uncle too.


    "That''s totally hical! You should be ashamed! You deserve to be condemned by the whole world!"


    The more he yelled, the more agitated he became.


    Grace was so furious that she pped him across the face.


    Yancey froze, as if someone had flipped a switch, and immediately quieted down.


    She sneered. "Are you calm now?"


    He held his face, his lips trembling. When he saw her in this state-obviously marked by another man-his fists tightened with growing anger.


    "Grace, you''ve lost your memory, haven''t you? That''s why you''ve ended up with Uncle Ethan."


    "It''s not Mr. Ethan!"


    Her rebuttal came quickly, and she was clearly getting impatient. "The man I was withst night is my boyfriend. He''s just an ordinary waiter, not someone like you, Yancey. Don''t lose your mind."


    Yancey was in shock. Boyfriend? When did she get a boyfriend?


    "I don''t believe it. It has to be Uncle Ethan! You''re just lying to me. You always hated servers. How could you be with one? Come with me! Let''s go confront Uncle Ethan!"


    Grace stared at him, disbelief written all over her face. "Are you out of your mind?" Confront Ethan? Did he not know that Ethan just killed Levi?


    Ethan was nothing like the cold, aloof persona he presented on the surface.


    But Yancey was too angry to listen to any of it. He grabbed her hand and strode toward the CEO''s office.

 Chapter 233

    Grace noticed the staff on the top floor staring at her and Yancey. She was so angry that it made her skin crawl.


    Yancey kicked open the CEO''s office door. Upon seeing theposed figure of Ethan seated in his chair, he sneered and mmed the door shut behind him, cutting off the prying eyes from outside.


    He released Grace''s wrist roughly. "Say it, tell me, your boyfriend isn''t Uncle Ethan. Who were you withst night, huh? Who made you feel so good?"


    Grace bit her lip in frustration, her face turning red with embarrassment. Yancey had a knack for making her feel like a fool in front of Ethan.


    Ethan, still engrossed in his documents, didn''t bother acknowledging the argument between them.


    Yancey, frustrated with Ethan''s indifference, stormed over and snatched the papers from his hands. "Uncle Ethan, was it you who was with Gracest night?"


    Grace felt a wave of difort as she watched his provocative stance. She couldn''t shake the feeling that Ethan might, in an instant, pull out a gun and deal with Yancey like he had with Levi-swift and cold.


    Though Yancey was reckless, he wasn''t worth dying over.


    Grace quickly yanked Yancey toward her, positioning herself between him and Ethan. She pleaded, "Mr. Ethan, I''m sorry. I couldn''t stop him."


    Ethan looked at the scene in front of him. His pen stilled in his hand as he observed the protective gesture, noticing the slight wariness in her eyes.


    He didn''t look at her again, simply moved the documents back with a detached air.


    "Has your boyfriend ever seen you protect another man like this?" he asked.


    Grace, who had been so confident just moments ago, instantly felt guilty under his gaze.


    Ethan continued, signing the papers with calm deliberation. "This man, after all, is your former fianc¨¦."


    Grace''s resolve weakened further. But before she could react, Yancey, sensing an opportunity, spoke up with a smug grin.


    "So what if Grace is siding with me? She''s always had a soft spot for me. She''s afraid I''ll offend you, Uncle Ethan, and then she''ll suffer for it. That''s why she''s so desperate to stop me. Seems like her boyfriend isn''t you after all, huh? I thought you were some big shot, but it looks like you''ve never beaten out another man."


    When he saw Ethan''s nonchnt demeanor, Yancey was now convinced that Grace''s boyfriend wasn''t him.


    Was it some random guy she met outside? That was even easier for him to handle.


    He figured he''d find out who this guy was. If he was a mere waiter, he could just throw him some money-three million dors should do-and have him disappear, leaving Grace to himself. Then he''d seize the opportunity to reim his spot, making Ethan envious.


    The more he thought about it, the more optimistic he felt.


    Yancey now looked at Ethan with a certain smugness, almost as if seeing him in a new light. He snorted and grabbed Grace.


    "Grace, let''s go. I''ve got new evidence for the ident."


    Grace immediately shook his hand off. "I''m still at work."


    Yancey looked at Ethan, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Fine, I''ll wait for you to get off work. By the way, what does your boyfriend look like? Why won''t hee out with you? Is he too ugly? Let me tell you, you should think about your future kids. If you pick an ugly man, your kids are going to be ugly too."


    Grace didn''t want to talk to him anymore. She just kept walking, focused on walking out of the CEO''s office.


    Yancey was even more pleased, convinced that he''d soon be rid of her "ugly waiter" and take his ce.


    He even started to think that Grace''s choice in men had changed. She must have had her brain damaged by the car ident. Or maybe, the pain he caused her years ago had affected her so badly that, on some subconscious level, she now believed good-looking men were unreliable.


    He quickly tried to chase after her, but was stopped when he heard Ethan''s voice behind him.


    "You''ll handle the Siltham project."


    Yancey paused. Slitham? What kind of ce was that?


    "Uncle Ethan, I''m not going. Don''t think I don''t know what you''re trying to do. You''re probably thinking the same thing I am-get rid of Grace''s ugly boyfriend, huh? I''ve always been one step ahead of you, and I still will be Even if you go to Grandpa, it won''t make a difference. don''t care about how much of the Henderson''s fortune I get."


    As long as he didn''t care about that, no one could control him.


    Ethan raised an eyebrow slightly, put down his pen, and replied in his usual calm


    tone, "No wonder she doesn''t like you."


    Yancey winced at the remark. He


    was indeed the most unambitious of the younger generation in the


    Henderson family. In the past, b


    had been focused on marrying Alice, and now he was trying to rise in the family through Grace. He just


    couldn''t get away from the drama of men and women.


    His face flushed red. For a moment, he considered focusing on his career instead.


    Perhaps, Grace would see him in a better light.


    But seeing Ethan''s expression snapped him back to reality.


    "Even if I focus on my career, it''ll only be after I''ve won Grace over. You''re trying


    to have me transferred, but I''m not falling for it. Within a month, I''ll have her break up with that ugly guy. You won''t have a part in it."


    With that, Yancey strode out.


    When he saw Grace working at her desk, he couldn''t help but think she looked perfect. How had he never noticed before? He must''ve been blind back then.


    He felt like a weight had been lifted after the family punishment. Now he saw things much clearly.


    He wanted to approach Grace, but seeing the look of distaste on her face, he realized she must have grown to dislike him.


    It was better to keep investigating the car ident, gather some solid evidence,


    and then Grace would look at him with those bright, admiring eyes.


    With that thought, Yancey felt more energized than ever.


    But as soon as he arrived at his destination and stopped his car, someone ambushed him, throwing a sack over his head. Before he could react, a series of blows began to rain down on him.


    The attackers were fast and vicious, and while they didn''t intend to kill him, the beating was enough to leave him unable to get out of bed for a while.


    His back, already injured from the previous whipping, split open again, and he lost consciousness.

 Chapter 234

    After Yancey left, Grace was nning to sort through the projects she had to handle next, but she was interrupted when Jodie arrived.


    Jodie walked past her desk and entered the CEO''s office directly.


    "Uncle Ethan!"


    Her eyes were full of tears. She had originally nned toin to himst night, but didn''t find him at Palm Bay. Now, her tears flowed freely.


    Ethan slightly furrowed his brows at her words.


    "This is all Grace''s doing! She''s so bold! She smashed my forehead and made it this bad. I even bled a lot yesterday. Uncle Ethan, you must punish her severely!" Grace immediately knew what was going on-Jodie was here to report her.


    When she was called into the office, she had braced herself, but she hadn''t expected Ethan to give Jodie such special attention.


    "Mr. Henderson," she called out.


    Ethan didn''t even look at her, tossing a file toward her.


    "You go handle the negotiation for this project," he ordered.


    The project was a coboration with the Yule family, and given Simon''s hostile attitude toward her, she knew that going there would likely cost her dearly.


    Jodie clearly knew about Grace''s grudge with the Yule family, and her eyes gleamed with excitement as she clung to Ethan''s arm.


    "Uncle Ethan, I knew you were the best to me!"


    She smiled smugly, then turned to Grace.


    "This is a coboration with the Yule family. Everyone knows how much they despise you. I''m just curious to see how they''ll make things difficult for you. A word of advice, don''t really get into a conflict with them. The Yule family can make someone disappear quietly, you know?"


    With Ethan backing her up, Jodie was practically invincible.


    Grace felt a slight difort in her chest but couldn''t figure out why.


    She picked up the files on her desk, ready to leave, but then heard Ethan ask, "Are you satisfied now?"


    He was asking if Jodie was satisfied with how he had handled Grace.


    Jodie smiled smugly, "Yes, absolutely. Uncle Ethan, are you going back to Henderson Residence tonight? I think Grandpa wants everyone to be there. He must have something big to announce, right?"


    Grace closed the door behind her, still feeling a knot in her stomach.


    But she quickly adjusted. After all, she wasn''t anyone important to Ethan. Of course, he would favor Jodie.


    She smiled bitterly, then recalled thest thing she''d overheard-Jordan probably wanted to announce something regarding Levi. Levi had gone missing, and now no one in the Henderson family could get in touch with him. Jordan would surely want to put pressure on certain people.


    But he probably didn''t know that his seemingly indifferent youngest son, Ethan, was the one behind it all.


    Ethan''s appearance and demeanor didn''t give away the ruthless side of him.


    Grace workedte into the night, well past 10:00 pm. Her difort lingered, so she couldn''t help but vent to Ed.


    "My boss must be blind to be so indulgent toward someone like Jodie."


    Ed didn''t reply immediately. It took a few minutes for him to respond.


    "Did anyone upset you?" he asked.


    Grace hadn''t thought much of it, but when Ed asked, a pang of bitterness suddenly welled up inside her.


    It was her own fault for thinking that she and Ethan were on the same team. Instead, he purposely had her handle things with the Yule family, effectively setting her up for failure.


    "A little. I just don''t get it. Why would he favor someone so shallow?"


    "Maybe everyone has their reasons. Just avoid her as much as you can from now on."


    Grace knew she had no choice but to keep her distance from Jodie. That woman would seek trouble herself.


    She gathered her things and was about to leave when she suddenly saw Jodie standing with two bodyguards.


    Jodie was the type of person who didn''t hold back, even in front of Ethan. And now, she was deliberately waiting for Grace.


    Grace immediately sensed trouble. She took a step back and retreated toward the elevator.


    Outside, Jodie was shouting, "Grace, you bitch! If you don''t go home now, I''ll beat you up every time I see you. Uncle Ethan spoils me, so I''m not afraid of anyone!"


    The elevator doors closed, and it ascended back to the top floor.


    At this hour, only Grace was still working on the top floor. Her car was in the underground garage, but If


    Jodie''s men were stationed thege,


    she didn''t leave through the garage, she would be stuck with no way out and probably getting beaten up by Jodie''s bodyguard.


    Was she really going to have to spend the night at the office?


    She rubbed her eyes, exhausted after a full day of work.


    She leaned on the desk, feeling so sleepy, but then the elevator doors suddenly opened. She thought it was Jodie, but to her surprise, it was Yancey.


    She had never thought Yancey could look so tolerable, but his condition was clearly off.


    "Yancey, what''s wrong with you?"


    Yance''s face was pale, and he looked like he might copse at any moment. He grabbed her hand desperately.


    "The bodyguards called me and said Jodie is here, making things difficult for you. I had toe."


    He had just woken up an hour ago, still groggy from the beating he''d taken, but he pushed through the pain to find Grace.


    Grace yanked his hand away, seeing him stagger back a few steps, barely holding himself up.


    She frowned but quickly moved to support him.


    Yancey''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, knowing that showing up injured would make her sympathize with him.


    He coughed weakly and leaned on her. "This morning, I was going to investigate more about the ident, but before I could leave Henderson Group was knocked out and sent to the hospital. I just woke up an hour ago.


    "Grace, don''t you think someone''s trying to stop me from finding out the truth


    about the ident?"


    Grace could tell he wasn''t faking it.


    Yancey may have been foolish, but he wasn''t at the point of being utterly useless.


    She sighed deeply, reluctantly helping him stand.


    Yancey sniffed the scent of her perfume, his eyes tearing up. "Grace..."

 Chapter 235

    The moment the words left Yancey''s mouth, the office door opened, revealing Ethan. He sat in his wheelchair as he looked over at them.


    Grace stood next to her desk, with Yancey leaning against her, his posture almost childlike in its dependence. Ethan''s fingers gripped the wheels of his chair, tightening ever so slightly.


    Grace suddenly remembered the events from earlier was it Ethan''s idea to have Yancey beaten?


    That morning, Yancey had spoken recklessly in the office. Though he hadn''t gone as far as Levi, who had foolishly tried to kill Ethan, he had certainly challenged his authority. Had Ethan given him a little lesson?


    If Yancey kept this up, would he end up like Levi?


    The wheels of Ethan''s chair softly creaked as he moved closer to Grace.


    She swallowed nervously, straightening up. "Mr. Ethan, I didn''t realize you were still workingte."


    His gaze fell on the hand she had resting on Yancey''s arm. For a moment, Grace felt an odd heat radiating from her hand, almost as if it were burning.


    Yancey was in too much pain to speak his usual taunts, so he groaned weakly. "Grace, it hurts so much... Take me to the hospital."


    She had initially thought he was joking, but the tremors running through his body told her otherwise. He was barely holding himself together, as though the pain might knock him out at any second.


    It was clear now that he hadn''t just been exaggerating. He had truly snuck out of the hospital.


    She took a deep breath. "Yancey, are you a child? You run off like this, and your mom will just me me."


    He didn''t have the strength to argue and simply muttered, "I''m sorry."


    Grace stood there, unsure of how to respond. If Yancey had been throwing a tantrum like this morning, she wouldn''t hesitate to p him. But now, seeing him


    on the verge of passing out, it felt wrong to strike him again.


    She helped him up, nodded toward Ethan, and said softly, "Mr. Ethan, we''ll be going now."


    She expected him to say nothing more, but instead, he said two words.


    "You both?"


    Grace froze, a rush of guilt washing over her. But then, remembering how Ethan treated Jodie, she straightened her back and helped Yancey to the elevator without sparing another nce at him.


    Ethan remained seated, looking somewhat isted, but Grace couldn''t bring herself to care at that moment.


    She helped Yancey into her car and got into the driver''s seat. Her phone rang just as she started the engine. It was a call from Ed.


    She didn''t have time to answer, so she let it ring out.


    Yancey, meanwhile, had grown quiet. His face was pale and slick with sweat as he rested against the passenger seat. He winced in pain, asionally asking if he was going to die. Clearly, his injuries were infected, and the fever was clouding his mind.


    Grace''s anxiety grew, and she ran several red lights in her rush to get him to the hospital. When they arrived, she learned the doctors had been searching for him. He had snuck out earlier, just as they were about to treat his wounds.


    Now that the doctors had taken over, she let out a sigh of relief. She sat down in


    the hospital hallway, her phone still ringing incessantly in her pocket.


    She opened it and saw that Ed had called over 30 times, non-stop.


    Thinking something serious must''ve happened, she quickly pressed the answer button. "Ed, what''s going on?"


    "I miss you. What are you doing?"


    Grace couldn''t bring herself to tell him the truth. Ed could get possessive, and she


    didn''t want to face his anger when he found out where she was.


    "I workedte today and just got home. I was about to take a shower and rest."


    She yawned, making her lie sound as believable as possible.


    There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Ed''s voice came through, low and serious. "You''re not lying to me, are you?"


    Grace''s back Stiffened. She felt an odd sensation-did Ed already know? But he lived in such a remote ce, far from everything that was going on with her. She convinced


    herself that he couldn''t possibly have figured it out.


    "No, I''m not lying to you."


    "Alright, I believe you," Ed said quietly. "Grace, I miss you."


    He always said those few words, and each time, he said them with such


    seriousness, as if once he said them this time, he might never get the chance to say them again.

 Chapter 236

    Grace felt warmth spread through her chest. "I miss you too. Have you been wearing the couple''s slippers I gave you?" she asked.


    "Yeah, I''ve been wearing them."


    They exchanged a few more words before Grace hung up the phone. She finally felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. She had to visit Yule Group the following day to discuss a project. She couldn''t help but wonder how Simon would try to make things difficult for her this time.


    She made her way to Yancey''s hospital ward and was taken aback by the extent of his injuries. Some were from the family punishment he had received from the Henderson family previously, while many were fresh, adding to the visible damage to his body.


    From his neck down to his abdomen, there wasn''t a single patch of unmarked skin. It was clear that those who hurt him had been ruthless.


    And yet, despite all this, he still dragged his battered body all the way to Henderson Group to look for her.


    Grace''s resentment toward him faded instantly. The truth was that he was just a pampered young man, having never experienced real hardship, so he took everything at face value.


    She turned to the doctor and asked, "Have all the wounds been treated? Is there still any danger?"


    The doctor wiped the sweat from his brow. "The wounds are treated, but Mr. Henderson is very reckless. The nurses caring for him were reprimanded by Mrs. Henderson multiple times. Ms. Lambert, if he listens to you, please talk some sense into him. An infection is serious if it turns into tetanus, it''ll be a bigger problem."


    Grace pulled at her lip and nodded. "I''ll talk to him tomorrow."


    But before she could finish her sentence, Yancey woke up, his dazed eyes slowly focusing on her.


    "Grace, don''t go. I need to talk to you."


    Grace had been annoyed with him ever since she lost her memory, but seeing him so vulnerable made her frustration dissipate. She sighed, her tone softening as she asked, "What is it? Hurry up, I''m tired. I need to get some rest."


    Yancey instantly felt a wave of hurt, but he quickly swallowed it down. He said, "It''s about your ident. Didn''t I tell you that the driver''s identity was erased? Once someone''s identity is canceled, they be undocumented, and no one can track their whereabouts.


    "So, I suspected that this person might have bought their identity. Fortunately, I have a friend with the right connections, so I asked them to help me look into it, and we managed to find a tiny bit of information about the buyer."


    Grace saw that it was difficult for him to speak, so she poured him a ss of water.


    Yancey''s eyes lit up instantly. Grace truly cared about him. She still couldn''t let him go!


    He drank some, his thoughts turning to the past when Grace used to make ravioli for him when he was hungry, or bring him soupte at night when his stomach hurt. But back then, he hadn''t appreciated her. Now, thinking about it made his heart ache, and he nearly cried.


    Grace was waiting for him to continue, but when she turned back, she saw his tears dripping into the ss.


    She couldn''t help but feel exasperated. "Yancey, seriously? You''re so moved just because I got you a ss of water?"


    Yancey sniffed and ced the ss aside. "It''s not that... It''s just that my wounds hurt so much, I can''t take it anymore."


    "Should I call the doctor to give you a painkiller?"


    "No, I can handle it. But back to what


    I was saying. You probably don''t


    understand how buying identities works. The country does a census every year, but themunity workers who investigate aren''t professionals, so every once in a while, a few extra people slip through.


    "That''s what this bought identity is-it''s done privately. These identities have huge


    value. Sometimes, they''re used to erase someone''s criminal past, and once


    someone adopts a new identity, they can start fresh.


    "The driver who hit you was one of these people. His new identity was recently canceled, which means his mission isplete. But I can assure you this wasn''t done by one of the influential families in Druville."


    Yancey had mentioned before that topletely erase someone''s identity, the person would have to be of significant status. Yet this time, he said it wasn''t someone from an influential family who did it.


    Grace raised an eyebrow, a little confused. "Why are you so sure about that?"


    Yancey looked her in the eye, a strange sense of satisfaction bubbling up inside him. It had been a long time since she had listened to him like this.


    "Grace, as arrogant as I am, I know my methods don''tpare to those of the influential families. The fact that I found even a little bit of


    information on this matter Slee


    me


    that the person behind this probably inexperienced. They left behind traces, maybe without realizing it.


    "They may have been unknowingly involved in something they didn''t fully understand. The person who targeted you in that ident clearly intended to kill you. I''ll keep


    investigating the driver''s pas Ver


    identity and see if he''s someone


    who disappeared years ago-maybe even a criminal."


    Grace listened carefully, realizing that Yancey had really put in the effort to investigate over the past few days.


    "Thank you," she said.


    Yancey widened his eyes, and a warm, happy feeling spread through him. He felt


    like it was worth it to have gone through all these beatings and end up in the hospital at that moment.


    "You should get some rest. I''ll find out the driver''s old identity soon. Once we catch him, we''ll know who was behind it."


    Grace nodded. "Alright."

 Chapter 237

    Grace stood up and left the hospital. As she walked out, she yawned and wiped away a few tears. She was really starting to feel tired.


    But as soon as she got in the car, she felt someone in the backseat.


    A chill ran down her spine, and just as she turned around, a hot kiss mmed onto her lips.


    Her car was parked under arge tree at the hospital entrance, and its thick branches cast a deep shadow over the vehicle,pletely enveloping it in darkness.


    But she still knew who it was. It was Ed.


    She raised her hand, trying to push him away, but he kissed her even more aggressively.


    "You lied to me."


    His voice was filled with anger and a hint of frustration, as though he wanted to suffocate her with the kiss.


    Grace''s heart raced. Wasn''t he living alone in that rundown little house? How could he suddenly show up here?


    "Ed, I can''t breathe. Let go of me."


    But Ed didn''t let go. Instead, he dragged her from the driver''s seat to the back and held her tightly in his arms.


    Grace could feel his body trembling slightly, clearly shaken with anger. It seemed like he was really furious this time.


    She gently patted his back, trying to calm him down.


    But for Ed,forting gestures meant something else entirely.


    Before she could react, he was already deep inside her, not willing to listen to a single word.


    "Ed!"


    She was getting angry now. She was exhausted, had work tomorrow, and just wanted to go home and sleep.


    But Ed was too insecure and relentless, causing the whole car to shake violently.


    She was about to speak, but his lips suddenly bit down on her shoulder, as if he were punishing her for that little lie.


    Grace winced in pain, furrowing her brows, confused by the intensity of his emotions.


    She turned her head and kissed his cheek, trying to be patient.


    "Alright, calm down. I didn''t mean it. I


    ?


    wasn''t nning to spend the night with him. I just wanted to go back to sleep thave work tomorrow. Please, can we make this quick?" she pleaded.


    "Do you know what I''m angry about?"


    His tone was dark and heavy, almost like a growl.


    Grace


    she had to answer


    carefully but when she thought about it, what could he


    angry about? Wasn''t it t


    She couldn''t think of any other reason.


    be


    He thrust harder, and Grace couldn''t help but let out a sound.


    His voice dropped even lower, almost a whisper.


    "Do you know why you''re lying here letting me do this?"


    Grace furrowed her brow-those words sounded unsettling. "Ed..."


    "Because I know you''ve lost your memory. I y weak, and you''ll soften. Once you soften, I''ll take advantage of it and wear you down, and once you feel sorry for me, I can do whatever I want. But now you''re too busy worrying about him."


    To put it bluntly, Ed knew how he''d gotten to this point. When he saw someone


    else following his lead, of course, he started to panic.

 Chapter 238

    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.

 Chapter 239

    Jodie stomped her foot several times, wanting Ethan to step in and stand up for her.


    Ethan only nced at her, noticing that Grace was bent over, slowly picking up the documents scattered on the floor. He felt his heart tighten.


    "Grace," he called out.


    By the time Grace straightened up, she was still holding the documents in her hands, and a polite smile appeared on her face.


    "I understand. You want me to apologize to Ms. Henderson, right?" she said.


    She gave a small bow. "I''m sorry, Ms. Henderson, but the CEO of Yule Group is still waiting for me, so I''ll have to excuse myself."


    With that, she turned and walked out, not even sparing a nce at Ethan.


    Jodie watched her leave, nearly bursting into an angry scream.


    "Uncle Ethan, do you see that? She clearly doesn''t care about you at all! Fire her! Anyone could do this job. She''s just a lowly worker!"


    "Jodie."


    Ethan''s voice suddenly turned serious.


    Jodie''s heart skipped a beat, and she realized she had crossed a line. She quickly apologized, "I''m sorry! I said the wrong things. Uncle Ethan, please don''t be


    angry."


    Ethan''s expression remained stern as he entered his office.


    Jodie didn''t follow him in. Her eyes shed with malice.


    That damn Grace! She would make sure that bitch paid for this.


    Meanwhile, Grace was already in her car, driving to Yule Group.


    When she arrived at the lobby, she exined her purpose to the receptionist. The receptionist made a quick call, then smiled politely. "Sorry, but Mr. Yule is unavable right now."


    Grace knew this was Simon''s way of asserting dominance, so she simply smiled and said, "It''s fine, I''m here on behalf of Henderson Group for a coboration. Whenever Mr. Yule is free, please let me know. I''ll be waiting on the couch just over there."


    By mentioning Henderson Group, she was subtly reminding Simon that when he was going after Grace, he had to consider who Grace was connected to.


    The receptionist smiled politely, "Understood. I''ll inform Mr. Yule."


    Grace hadn''t eaten breakfast that morning, and now, sitting on the couch, her stomach started growling.


    She had thought Simon might keep her waiting for a couple of hours at most, but it stretched from morning until evening without a word.


    By the time night fell, she was starving-her stomach constantly churned, sour bile rising in her throat.


    At 9:00 pm, the receptionist had already left, and there was no one at the desk.


    Grace stood up and casually grabbed the first passerby.


    "Excuse me, is Mr. Yule avable now?"


    "Ah, Ms. Lambert, right? Sorry, Mr. Yule''s out drinking at Velvet Eclipse. He said you''d know where to find


    him. You can meet him there to


    discuss the coboration."


    Grace took a deep breath, pursed her lips, and said nothing. She released the passerby with a smile, "Thank you. I''ll head there now."


    She had known Simon would try to make things difficult for her. What she hadn''t expected was for him to disregard any talks of coboration and focus solely on making her ufortable.


    She drove to Velvet Eclipse, her stomach aching with every passing minute.


    By the time she arrived, her stomach pains had be sharp, and her fingertips trembled. She forced herself to push through the difort.


    She handed her car keys to the valet and entered the private room where Simon was. As she opened the door, she saw him dining with a group of familiar faces.


    She recognized most of them, though she wasn''t close to any. When Simon saw her, he raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.


    "Grace, I didn''t expect you to actually show up."


    Grace smiled at him, trying to keep herposure.


    "You invited me, Mr. Yule, so how could I note?"


    The people in the room had all heard of Grace''s name. Although her engagement with Yancey had been called off, they still loved to talk about her past history of being a


    pdog" for a man.


    "So, this is Grace? Doesn''t look that impressive, no wonder she went around begging men."


    "I heard she didn''t even manage to get him, and in the end, her sister took the prize."


    "Her sister, Alice? The one who''s been in those videos? Seems like the Lambert family''s full of troublemakers."


    "Coming from a small family like that, their perspective must be different."

 Chapter 240

    Before Grace went to Velvet Eclipse, she had already prepared herself for this.


    So, she ignored the malicious whispers around her and walked directly to Simon''s side, sitting down next to him.


    "Mr. Yule, I noticed that you haven''t had a chance to look at the documents from Henderson Group yet. When would be a good time for you to take a look? I''m more than happy to work around your schedule."


    Simon gave her a half-smile, his fingers idly swirling the stem of his wine ss.


    "Are you trying to use Ethan to pressure me? You don''t actually think he feels anything special for you, do you?"


    Grace''s demeanor immediately turned respectful. "I wouldn''t dare. This is just a task assigned to me by Mr. Henderson, and I mustplete it. I wouldn''t be able to exin it to him otherwise."


    Simon''s gaze grew cold, and he was about to make a move, but realized that every word Grace said was perfectly measured and hard to pick apart. She was far too smooth.


    Although he was ufortable, a sly smile crept up his lips as an idea formed in his mind.


    "If you want me to look at the contract, I''ll make a deal with you. The first person who walks in here, you go kiss them."


    Grace''s brow furrowed slightly, but she understood that if she didn''t satisfy Simon tonight, this contract would be dyed further.


    Everyone in the top circle knew she was the one liaising with the Yule family on behalf of Henderson Group. If this project were dyed because of her, people would start talking.


    So, she nodded. "Alright."


    Her agreement was so quick that Simon was momentarily taken aback. Didn''t she have a boyfriend? Was she lying about that?


    A mischievous glint passed through his eyes, and he grinned.


    "Alright, everyone heard that. Ms. Lambert is willing to kiss the first person who enters this room to seal the deal for our cooperation. Get your phones ready. This


    is the agreement we made, and she''s the one who agreed to it."


    He was sure that after tonight, pictures of her kissing someone would be all over the ce.


    Grace didn''t care about the whispers from the people around her. Right now, she just wanted toplete the task at hand.


    The murmurs began again.


    "I wonder who''s going to be unlucky enough to be first."


    "If he knew he was about to get kissed by Grace, he''d probably never walk through that door."


    "Better get those phones ready."


    Everyone was excited, waiting eagerly for the first unfortunate person to walk through the door.


    A minuteter, the door slowly opened. As the person in the wheelchair appeared, everyone froze, quickly putting their phones away and pretending nothing was happening.


    They knew well enough who to offend and who not to offend in their circle.


    People like Simon, at the center of power and influence, often still


    gather for meals with them.


    However, Ethan never participated in


    such trivial gatherings. At most he would show up to honor Simon, make a brief appearance, and then leave.


    No one would look at Ethan differently because of his leg. A man like him, no


    matter where he stood, radiated an undeniable presence.


    When Grace saw Ethan, her heart skipped a beat, and a cold shiver ran down her spine.


    Simon was surprised to see Ethan here, but then he smiled.


    "Ethan, you came just in time! Grace, it looks like your luck''s run out. Go on, it''s your turn."


    Ethan didn''t seem to know what was going on, his voice calm. "What are you ying at now?"


    Simon emptied his ss in one gulp. "Of course, we''re having some fun. Just a minute ago, I made a deal with Ms Lambert. If she''s willing to kiss the first person who enters the room, I''ll let her off the hook for tonight. And look, it''s you. I think she''s feeling a little awkward right now."


    Grace''s face was absolutely crimson. She knew she couldn''t kiss Ethan.


    Especially after learning about his maniptive ways, she had kept a respectful distance.


    She looked at Simon, trying to keep herposure. She asked, "Mr. Yule, can I rece it with a drink instead?"


    Simon''s expression darkened, but then he seemed toe up with something that amused him.


    "What, you''re so averse to kissing


    .n


    Ethan? I get it. Ethan is Yancey''s uncle, and the family rtionship awkward. Besides, we all know Ethan isn''t into women. If you kissed him, you might disappear from this world tomorrow. Alright, fine. Drink ten bottles of vodka, and I''ll let you off the hook."

 Chapter 241

    After all, the agreement was something Grace herself had admitted to. If she went back on it now, Simon certainly wouldn''t let her off the hook.


    Still, anyone who drank ten bottles of vodka would end up in the hospital.


    Grace bit her lip, not even bothering to look at Ethan. She didn''t need to think-he must have regretteding to the private room by now.


    She took a deep breath. If she was going to end up in the hospital, then so be it. At least she could finish the task.


    She walked toward the table stacked with liquor.


    The private room was spacious, measuring approximately a thousand square feet. The coffee table was nearly as tall as a person, covered with expensive bottles of alcohol.


    She grabbed a bottle of high-proof vodka and was about to drink it down when she caught sight of Ethan sitting in his wheelchair. His head was lowered, as though he were deep in thought.


    After finishing the bottle, a fiery pain surged in her stomach, and her cheeks flushed. She could feel the strong scent of alcohol lingering in her nostrils.


    Just as she was about to open the second bottle, she saw Ethan getting ready to leave.


    Her fingers curled slightly, but she opened the second bottle anyway.


    Simon wasn''t actually trying to get her killed here. It was clear that Grace was forcing herself, and he quickly waved his hand.


    "Alright. Go wait by my car. I''lle overter to grab the documents and take a look," Simon said.


    Grace put the bottle down and quickly responded, "Alright, thank you, Mr. Yule." Simon hurried to catch up with Ethan, concerned that he might be upset, knowing Ethan hated jokes like these between men and women.


    In the private room, the remaining trust fund kids finally felt bold enough to speak up. The whispers started.


    "Why does Ethan have such an intense presence? The moment he walked in, it felt like some invisible force made me hide my phone."


    "I felt the same way."


    "My family told me never to provoke him."


    Grace, listening to the whispers around her, grabbed her bag and shed them a smile.


    "Sorry to interrupt, everyone. See you next time."


    The people who had been hoping to see her embarrassed now felt a little awkward seeing her soposed.


    "As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."


    Grace walked over to the car and waited, feeling lightheaded and dizzy.


    Meanwhile, Simon had caught up with Ethan and was quickly apologizing.


    "Ethan, I was just joking around because I had too much to


    don''t like women. do it again. Please don''t


    t again. Please don6et


    Ethan stopped walking, his tone calm. "I''m not mad at you."


    Simon, pushing the wheelchair behind him, was puzzled.


    "Then who are you mad at? You can''t possibly be mad with Grace for not kissing you, right? If she had kissed you, she wouldn''t be able to


    live to see tomorrow.


    "Don''t you remember that one female model who had the nerve to try to kiss you? She was sent overseas the next day and hasn''t been back since. Everyone knows you''re not interested in these kinds


    of romantic games. Grace seems to understand that, at least


    Grace would rather drink ten bottles of vodka than kiss Ethan, which clearly showed how much she feared him.


    Upon arriving at the private room where they often gathered, Simon overheard Ethan ask a question.


    "Am I handsome?" he asked.


    If Simon hadn''t heard it with his own ears, he would''ve thought he was hallucinating.


    What was Ethan asking? Why would a man care about something like that?


    No, wait!


    Why did Ethan care about this?

 Chapter 242

    Simon immediately answered, "Of course, you look good. Isn''t that obvious? If


    you let the media write about you, god knows how they''d hype you up! But then again, didn''t you make it clear already that you don''t allow the media to report on you?"


    Simon, always clueless about matters of men and women, squinted his eyes after saying this.


    "Ethan, when a man starts caring about his looks, it means he has someone he likes. Could it be..."


    "No."


    Ethan nced at the liquor on the coffee table, reaching out to grab a bottle.


    Simon quickly moved the alcohol away. "This is too strong. If you''re going to drink, you should be careful with your stomach. I heard Mr. Henderson Senior warned you about this a few days ago.


    "You should pay attention, especially after what happened. If you''re really thirsty, have something with lower alcohol content."


    And then, perhaps by coincidence, the bottle Ethan touched was the same one Grace had been drinking from.


    Simon couldn''t help but smile at the thought of Grace possibly vomiting alone somewhere.


    "Grace''s probably puking her guts out by now. She should be careful, though. There are always people around Velvet Eclipse looking for drunk people. If they find her, they won''t let her go until a few dayster."


    "People looking for drunk people?" Ethan slightly raised an eyebrow, his fingers gently rubbing the armrest of his wheelchair.


    Simon thought that Ethan didn''t know what that meant, and he grinned.


    "Yeah, those drunk people who get left on the side of the road. If someone finds them, they get taken away. By the time they wake up, all they can do is ept it. Grace may not be likable, but her face is really something else¡ªnothing to pick apart."


    After saying that, Simon couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off about Ethan tonight.


    He used to hate being around people, and they had to beg him toe out. Even though it had improved, he never attended events like this unless he was invited.


    Tonight, though, no one had invited Ethan. He just showed up on his own. "Ethan, did you set up a meeting with Damien? Or with Julian?"


    "No."


    "Then what are you doing here?"


    Simon was full of questions when his phone suddenly rang. It was from the woman he''d been spending time with recently.


    She was exactly his type-obedient in bed and wild outside of it. He had been with her for a while and still wasn''t tired of her.


    "I''ve got to go. My hookup''s waiting for me. Next time, I''ll bring her out so you all can meet her."


    Simon raised his eyebrows and stroked his chin.


    "It''s not impossible. Honestly, I''m pretty wild in bed, and she can''t seem to get enough of me. Every time I call, shees running. You should try it, you''ll see. It''s far more exciting than closing a deal or handling acquisitions."


    Ethan responded with a hum nonchntly, and Simon quickly left.


    When Simon arrived at his car, he found Grace still waiting.


    She was leaning against the door of his car, her head slightly tilted as if lost in thought.


    "Mr. Yule," she greeted him with a smile, and for a moment, Simon was at a loss for words.


    She handed him the contract, which he threw into the car. His tone was full of disdain as he said, "Just don''t puke on my car."


    "Mr. Yule, if there are any issues with the contract, feel free to reach out to me."


    Simon waved her off, climbed into the car, and quickly drove away.


    Grace stood there for a moment, her strength fading. Finally, she couldn''t hold it anymore and slowly crouched down, the pain in her stomach unbearable. Sweat began to Bead on her forehead.


    If she hadn''t been forcing herself to wait for Simon, she probably would have taken a taxi to the hospital half an hour ago.


    Now, she couldn''t even stand up. The sweat dripping from her forehead hit the ground inrge droplets.


    But at this moment, she unexpectedly ran into Jodie.


    Jodie was carrying a crocodile-skin bag, chatting with her friends, and bragging about how much Ethan pampered her.


    Her eyes scanned the area, immediately spotting Grace.


    With a proud, haughty stride, she walked over and threw her bag at Grace.


    "Grace!"


    The others saw her actions and didn''t dare intervene.


    Jodie''s bag hit Grace on the head with a sharp impact, causing her vision to ck out. She nearly passed out.


    As she struggled to get up, Grace was just about to react when Jodie kicked her.


    "Grace, you just won''t leave me


    alone, will you? No matter where I go, I keep running into you. This is


    so unlucky! Let me tell you. From


    you


    now on, whenever I show up, better stay out of my way. If see you again, I''ll make sure you know who you''re messing with


    With that, she threw her bag at Grace again.


    Grace''s head was spinning, and she had no strength to dodge. The pain in her stomach was even more intense now.


    Jodie was enjoying herself, having vented some of her anger. She called over to her friends.


    "Alright, I''ve finally beaten this bitch up. I feel much better now. Let''s go! I''m paying for the drinks tonight."


    Some people looked at Grace, lying on the ground, concerned, but no one dared to speak up against Jodie. They simply followed her inside.


    Gracey on the cold floor, every part of her body aching from the blows. The pain


    in her stomach felt sharper now.


    She didn''t even want to throw up anymore, only feeling like her insides were


    churning in a bloody mess. Her mouth was filled with the taste of blood.


    She really hated Jodie. And she started to resent Ethan, too. After all, it was Ethan who had allowed Jodie to act like this.


    Grace was the kind of person who t


    vel.n¨§t


    the more one tried to bring her down, the more she stood tall. Even if she were burned to ash, hep pride would still remain.


    Maybe it was the anger building inside her, but after lying there for a while, she started to regain some rity.


    She slowly stood up and took out her phone, but she had no idea who to call. In the end, she dialed Joanne''s number.

 Chapter 243

    Joanne was working at Velvet Eclipse tonight. Within ten minutes of receiving the call, she arrived outside to help Grace.


    "Grace!"


    Her expression was full of worry as she helped her into the employee break room at Velvet Eclipse.


    Grace''s face turned pale from the pain, but she still tried tofort Joanne. "I''m fine."


    "How could you be fine?" Joanne replied, her voice full of concern. "I have half an hour before my shift ends. Sit here for a while, and I''ll take you to the hospital afterward. Here, take these painkillers, two of them."


    Grace sat down on a chair, leaning her back against the wall. "I don''t want any medicine."


    She wanted to remember how Jodie made her feel tonight, to hold onto this bitterness so she could have the chance to get back at her without hesitation.


    "Alright, if you don''t want them, then don''t take them. Wait here for me," Jodie instructed.


    Grace slowly nodded. Now that everything was quiet, she felt her mind clouding


    over.


    The staff break room was far from the private rooms of Velvet Eclipse. After sitting for a while, she heard heavy footsteps outside, not the kind that a woman would make.


    The door suddenly opened, and a drunk man walked in. His name was Bryan Luton.


    Bryan was tall and broad-shouldered. When he saw Grace, his eyes lit up.


    "I didn''t expect to find such a prettydy here. Come on, let me kiss you."


    He lunged at her suddenly. Grace, startled by the intrusion in the employee break room, quickly moved to the side and dodged him.


    Bryan stumbled into the wall, suddenly sobering up a bit, but he seemed even more eager now.


    "Don''t y innocent. How many people working at Velvet Eclipse are decent? Last time, I paid a woman 200 thousand dors, and she immediately hooked up with me right here at the break room. Just tell me your price. My time''s valuable."


    Grace''s expression instantly darkened. She growled, "Get lost."


    Bryan, enraged, lunged again. "You really don''t know your ce. Let''s see how long you can keep this up."


    The pain in her stomach was


    unbearable, but in that moment, ker mind cleared. She managed to


    dodge him several times, but Bryan was getting enraged.


    "You little slut, I''ll teach you a lesson today!"


    He grabbed a nearby beer bottle, mmed it against the wall, and then charged


    at her with it.


    Grace opened the break room door nning to run out, but just as she was about to escape, the door was pushed open. At that moment, she heard Joanne''s voice.


    "Grace, I''m still worried about you, so I arranged for someone to cover my shift


    early. Let me take you to the hospital first."


    Grace didn''t expect her toe back at this moment. She quickly tried to shield Joanne, but Joanne had already seen the beer bottle heading toward them. Without hesitation, she stood in front of Grace.  s?novel


    The beer bottle stabbed into Joanne''s shoulder. Her face turned pale, and beads


    of sweat instantly formed on her forehead.


    Bryan froze, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes as he saw the blood. "I¡ªI didn''t mean to."


    Grace helped Joanne up, her lips trembling.


    "Joanne, are you okay?" she asked.


    Joanne nestled into her arms, slowly shaking her head. She wanted to say she was fine, but not a word came out.


    Grace, terrified, reached for her phone to call 911. But as she looked up, she saw someone in the distance. Her eyes lit up.


    "Mr. Henderson!"


    It was Ethan, apanied by the manager of Velvet Eclipse, Bailey White.

 Chapter 244

    Bailey quickly rushed to have Joanne sent to the hospital, and Grace followed right behind, her eyes red-rimmed.


    "Find out how that guy even got here. Isn''t this supposed to be the female staff break room?" Ethan said.


    Bailey nced at Ethan, wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    "We''re looking into it. Ms. Lambert, you should hurry and take your friend to the hospital."


    Grace immediately ran in the direction Joanne was taken to, but as she passed Ethan, he grabbed her hand. She instinctively yanked her wrist out of his grasp. He froze for a few seconds, then silently withdrew his hands.


    Grace didn''t look at him again, and instead, she quickly ran toward Joanne.


    She had just shifted her anger from Jodie to Ethan. She was only human, after all, and she had her limits. If it weren''t for Ethan tonight, none of this would have happened.


    By the time they arrived at the hospital, the doctors had already taken Joanne to the emergency room. Grace felt a sharp pain in her stomach, and her vision cked out. Before she could get any more information, she copsed, sending everyone around her into a panic.


    When she woke up, she found herself staring at a white ceiling. Someone was holding her hand. She turned her head to see that it was Yancey.


    His eyes were bloodshot, and when he saw she had regained consciousness, his expression lit up. "You''re finally awake!"


    Grace''s throat was a little hoarse. As Yancey helped her sit up, she tried to clear her throat, and he immediately handed her a ss of water. Even now, he still couldn''t resist taking a jab at her boyfriend.


    "You''ve been out cold for so long. Why hasn''t your boyfriende to check on you? I''m serious, he''spletely unreliable. Doesn''t he even know how to make a phone call? I was worried sick, watching you lie there."


    Grace didn''t respond, quietly drinking the water. After a few moments, she asked, "How''s Joanne?"


    "She''s in the next room. She''s going to be fine. Thankfully, the bottle just grazed her shoulder. If it had been in her stomach, it would''ve been much worse.


    "Oh, and while you were out, the investigation into the drunk guy waspleted. It turns out he had a shady past with some of the female employees. He knew that was the break room for the female staff, so he showed up there again. He didn''t expect you to be there."


    Grace lowered her gaze as she felt a sharp pain throb in her head.


    Yancey sat there silently, his voice softening. "You''ve got a lot of injuries, and there''s bruising on your head. What happened? Who did this to you?"


    Grace scoffed as she said, "Why don''t you go ask your precious little sister?"


    A flicker of something passed through Yancey''s eyes, and then he sighed You mean Jodie, right? She''s been spoiled by Uncle Ethan. For years, she''s been untouchable, acting like the queen of the world.


    "You don''t know, but back in high school, she almost crippled a girl. Our family paid a lot of money to settle it, but she still hasn''t learned her lesson. After that, Uncle Ethan was afraid she''d get into even more trouble, so he sent bodyguards to follow her around.


    "That''s why, in school, she always acted like she was untouchable-nobody dared to mess with her."


    Grace''s chest tightened, but she didn''t know what to say.


    The door to the hospital room suddenly creaked open, and she saw Joanne standing there, her face pale.


    "Grace, I''m so d you''re okay."


    Seeing Joanne like this made Grace''s heart ache. Joanne worked so hard, juggling multiple jobs, and now this disaster had struck her out of nowhere.


    "I''m fine. How about you, Joanne? Are you in pain?" she asked.


    "I''m not in pain. I was just really scared. I kept having nightmares while I was asleep."


    Joanne sat down next to her, about to say something, when the door was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang. It was Jodie again.


    When she saw Yancey there, she stormed over to Grace, immediately starting to shout.


    "Grace, you slut! How many times do


    I have to tell you? Stop trying to


    seduce my brother! He''s not interested in you! If you don''t want to keep getting pped around then stay away from the Henderson family! Especially Uncle Ethan. I suspect you have some dirty little secret with him too, you slut!"

 Chapter 245

    Grace sat on the hospital bed, a cold glint shing in her eyes as she listened to Jodie''s words. "Are you done yet?"


    Jodie, seeing her pitiful state, felt a twisted satisfaction. "Not even close. What''s wrong? You forget what happenedst night when I had you pinned to the ground, looking like a mess? There will be countless more moments like that. If you''re on my radar, you''re in for it. Just wait and see how I handle you."


    She said it with a smug tone, like a high school bully who enjoyed tormenting others.


    Grace got up from the bed, grabbing a nearby cup and hurling it at Jodie, then picking up a chair and throwing it at her.


    Jodie, caught up in her rant, didn''t expect such a response. The impact of the chair caused her vision to blur, nearly knocking her out cold.


    Yancey didn''t expect Grace to strike back so fiercely. "Grace! Calm down!"


    But the chair had already hit its mark, crashing against Jodie''s head. Her face went deathly pale, and she copsed unconscious.


    The doctors, aware of themotion, rushed in immediately and quickly transported Jodie to the emergency room.


    Grace still had a burning fury inside her and felt the need to vent. But before she could act, Ethan rushed in, pushed by Tim, whose expression was also grim. They both stood in the hallway, waiting.


    Joanne, seeing this, grabbed Grace''s arm nervously. "Grace, what should we do? Mr. Henderson looks really angry."


    Grace knew that Ethan cared deeply for Jodie, but she didn''t expect him to leave an important meeting to rush here. She bit her lip, unsure of what to say, when she heard Ethan ask, "Who did this?"


    Yancey quickly stepped in front of Grace, taking the me. "Uncle Ethan, it was my fault. I was just messing around with Jodie and didn''t mean for it to get so serious. I''ll apologize to her when she wakes up."  s?novel


    Before he could finish, Ethan snapped, "Tim."


    Tim walked up to Yancey. Before he even had time to react, he was pped hard across the face. The sound of the p echoed through the hallway, sharp and stinging.


    Yancey didn''t retaliate. Everyone in the Henderson family knew how spoiled Jodie was, especially by Ethan, the family''s heir. And Jodie was his sister; he hadn''t protected her, so it was only right for him to be punished.


    Grace felt a pang in her chest when she saw the clear handprint on Yancey''s face. "Mr. Henderson..."


    Before she could speak, Yancey grabbed her hand. "Grace, I need to talk to you."


    With that, he pulled her back into the hospital ward. Joanne was left standing awkwardly in the hallway, unsure of what to do.


    Once back in the room, Yancey sat Grace down on the bed. "I''ve already been pped, so don''t say anything more in front of Uncle Ethan. Do you want to be pped too? Don''t forget, between you and Jodie, Uncle Ethan wift always choose her. Everyone in the Henderson family knows how spoiled she is."


    Grace''s chest tightened, that familiar feeling of frustration rising again. She needed to do something, anything, to release it. She took a deep breath, but before she could think, Yancey spoke again.


    "It''s been a whole day, and your boyfriend still hasn''t contacted you? He clearly doesn''t care about you at all. Maybe you should break up with him. You deserve someone better, Grace."


    Grace''s headache intensified, and she had no desire to deal with rtionship drama at the moment. She especially didn''t want to think about Ed.

 Chapter 246

    There were many unresolved issues between Grace and Ed.


    Yancey was lost in his own thoughts, trying to figure out how to gain more favor and climb the ranks. He had already taken a p for Grace, so now he thought it might be a good opportunity to ask her to have dinner with him. Surely that would be okay, right?


    But before he could say anything, Grace slowlyy back down on the hospital bed, her face full of exhaustion.


    "Yancey, I''m a bit tired. Give me some alone time to rest for a bit."


    Yancey bit his lip, then asked, "How about dinnerter? Or I could bring it to you. You know, your stomach problems red up again."


    Yancey got up to leave, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.


    Grace had hoped for some quiet time to take a nap, but the door to her room was soon opened again. She thought it was Yancey returning, and her voice carried a hint of annoyance as she asked, "What''s the matter now?"


    But the man didn''t say anything. With Yancey''s personality, he wouldn''t stay quiet for this long.


    Grace slowly opened her eyes, scanning the room. She was surprised to see Ethan.


    Thest person she wanted to see right now was him. Her expression grew cold, and her voice became stiff. "Mr. Henderson, is there something you need? If not, please leave. I need to rest."


    Ethan''s fingers, resting on the arm of his wheelchair, trembled slightly before curling inward.


    Grace turned over, deliberately facing the other way.


    She heard the sound of the wheelchair moving closer, and before she could react,


    a forceful hand turned her shoulder, forcing her to face him.


    "Don''t turn your back on me," Ethan said.


    "What?"


    In an instant, her anger red. She was already furious about the situation with Jodie.


    "Mr. Henderson, this isn''t working


    hours.


    Saturday, and this isn''t the


    . I have no reason to e


    your orders."


    For a moment, Ethan''s face paled, and Grace could see a sh of hurt in his eyes. It disappeared as quickly as it came.


    Grace felt even more frustrated. She turned back, this time closing her eyes firmly.


    She wasn''t sure how much time


    passed, but she eventually fell


    asleep. Since the incident with Levi she had be more cautious around Ethan. Even as she slept, she remained vaguely aware of her surroundings.


    For example, she could sense that Ethan was still there. It was strange. Why hadn''t he left? What was he doing here?


    While


    was lost in thought, a


    Her Warmth touched her I


    snapped her eyes open,


    jumped in shock,


    she


    Having kissed Ed so many times, she knew what it felt like to be kissed. That


    warmth on her lips had definitely been his.


    There was no one else in the room but Ethan-had it been him?


    Her scalp tingled with fear, and she nearly fell off the bed in shock.


    But when she quickly sat up, she realized the room was empty. Ethan was long gone.


    So, was it just a mistake? A dream?


    Her heart continued to race as the thought of being kissed by Ethan made her want to quit her job and run away.


    It couldn''t have been Ethan, right?

 Chapter 247

    Grace''s mind was in turmoil. She couldn''t fall asleep, unsure if what had just happened was a dream or reality. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess.


    It wasn''t until evening that Joanne arrived at her hospital room.


    Joanne looked pale. Her face was ashen, looking as if she had lost a lot of blood. Even when she sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers trembled slightly.


    Grace grew concerned and quickly got out of bed. "What happened? Is the wound hurting?"


    Joanne slowly shook her head, but the pallor on her face was evident.


    "Grace, I''m going to discharge myself."


    Her voice was hoarse, and she looked like she had been crying. It seemed like she had cried a lot.


    Grace felt her heart tighten. "Did something happen at home?"


    She didn''t remember much about Joanne''s family situation.


    "No, I''m just really tired. I want to go home and sleep. I can''t sleep here at the hospital."


    "Alright, then I''ll take you home," Grace offered.


    "No, I want to be alone for a while."


    Joanne''s voice was heavy with sadness, and when she tried to stand, she almost stumbled.


    Grace could tell she didn''t want to talk about it, so she didn''t press further.


    After Joanne left, Grace also felt like going home. The interruption had taken her mind off Ethan, and she didn''t think about him anymore.


    But as she sat in the car and checked her phone, she realized it had been on silent mode. There were many messages from Ed.


    "What are you doing?


    "Why aren''t you picking up the phone?


    "I''ming to pick you up. Where are you?


    "Three hours and no reply-are you upset?"


    The messages were piling up. There were over 20 in total.


    Grace was tired, and she didn''t have the energy to scroll through them all. She decided to just go home.


    Once home, shey down on the bed to rest. When she was half-asleep, she felt someone gently wiping sweat from her forehead.


    It wasn''t a hallucination-someone was holding her hand, their warmth spreading from their palm to her heart.


    "Ed?"


    She called out his name, reaching for her phone to check the time. But suddenly,


    a spoon was brought to her lips, apanied by his voice.


    "Eat something."


    She rxed, finally noticing that her whole body had been cleaned up She had sweated through the night, and her pajamas had even been changed.


    an


    All her frustration melted away in instant. She took a few sips of the soup, and the smell of something delicious lingered in the air from the living room.


    "Did you make this yourself?" she asked.


    His fingers trembled slightly. "I''m not very good at it."


    The air carried a strange aroma, a sign that he had tried several times but failed.


    Grace finished the soup and felt much better. "So, when you live alone, what do you eat?"


    "Just whatever. As long as it''s edible."


    He didn''t even care about how the food tasted.


    Afterward, he seemed to realize that his words hade out wrong. "I didn''t mean to "


    "Mean to what?"


    "I didn''t mean to say it like that."


    He must have thought she''d feel sorry for him.


    Grace felt heartbroken. He had probably noticed her coldness, so now he was being extra careful with his words.


    His hand was still holding hers. She couldn''t help but squeeze it gently. "What time is it now?"


    "It''s 8:00 pm."


    She leaned over and patted the spot next to her on the bed. "Come sleep with


    me."


    The curtains were drawn in the


    vel


    room, and there were no lights on


    darkness, just like he saideet


    He always appeared with the


    couldn''t bear to be seen.


    Ed was about to climb into bed when the doorbell rang.


    The sound of Yancey''s voice followed it.


    Yancey had initially nned to bring dinner to Grace at the hospital, but he had


    been told that she had already been discharged.

 Chapter 248

    "Grace, I''ve brought you dinner. Grace, open the door!" Yancey shouted.


    Grace''s head throbbed with pain. She wanted Ed to open the door, but then remembered he wanted to be kept in the dark. Slowly, she got up and reminded


    him.


    "You stay in bed. I''ll go talk to him for a bit."


    Just as she got out of bed, Ed wrapped his arms around her waist, stopping her. "Don''t go."


    His tone was low and heavy, as though his mood wasn''t good.


    Grace was puzzled, but her voice remained calm and even.


    "Ed, just rest for now."


    His hand slowly loosened, and hey back down, covering half of his face with the nket, not saying a word.


    Grace couldn''t tell if he was angry or deep in thought. But somehow, she felt he had this ability to make her heart soften.


    She had originally nned to meet Yancey, but now, she wasn''t in the mood for it anymore. Instead, she climbed back into bed.


    "Are you feeling down? You seem a bit off, like something''s weighing on you," she said.


    Ed turned around and pulled her tightly into his arms.


    Grace wasn''t sure why he had been upset, but he was holding her so tightly.


    She had taken a nap in the afternoon, so now she felt a bit more energetic and decided to gossip with him.


    "Ed, let''s talk for a bit. Tell me about your life. Has anyone been giving you trouble in The Obsidian?"


    "No one''s giving me trouble."


    He answered quickly, but then added, "At least not for now."


    It seemed like he had been bullied before.


    Grace turned to face him, poking at his chest with her finger. "Is that so? You''re so fierce now, huh?"


    Her words were teasing, and he immediately caught her finger, holding it firmly. "Except for you, no one else will."


    Grace honestly felt wronged. When did she ever bully him?


    Just as she was about to close her eyes, she heard him speak again. "Tell me about your life, your boss, your colleagues."


    "There''s not much to say about my colleagues. My boss is pretty ruthless," she replied.


    As soon as she mentioned the word "ruthless", the atmosphere became noticeably quieter.


    Grace didn''t seem to realize it, snuggling into his arms. "Anyway, he and I aren''t from the same world. This afternoon, I had a dream about him at the hospital. It scared me so much I broke out in a cold sweat."


    Ed looked down at her, but remained silent for a long time.


    By now, Grace had closed her eyes, but she felt arge hand rest on the back of her head. Then, a heated kiss followed.


    He liked deep kisses, the kind where he would hold her tight, and they would get tangled up.


    But Grace didn''t enjoy it as much. It felt like she hadpletely handed over the power to him, leaving her suspended in the air with no control.


    "Ed..."


    She could barely breathe, leaning against his chest to catch her breath.


    This wasn''t the first time she felt this way. He had something weighing on his mind-something heavy-but he wouldn''t say a word about it. She wouldn''t ask either; everyone had their secrets.


    The next morning, when she woke up, Ed was already gone.


    She opened the door of her room and was suddenly startled to see Yancey stumbling inside.


    Had Grace not had a strong heart, she might have screamed at the sight of him first thing in the morning.


    Yancey had slept by the doorst night, and he quickly got up when Grace opened the door.


    "Grace! Are you feeling better now? I rang the doorbellst night, but you didn''te to open the door, so I figured you were probably asleep."


    Grace looked him up and down, her tone slightly odd. "You waited here the whole night?"


    Yancey nodded and circled around her. "Good thing you''re alright. I thought maybe you had a man


    hiding in here, and that''s


    didn''t open the door."


    you


    So, he had been waiting here the whole night, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse


    of some man, but there was no one.


    Grace ignored him, taking out her phone to send Ed a message.


    How did Ed avoid Yancey?


    "Yeah, he was sleeping like a log. I kicked him, and he didn''t even flinch."


    Grace couldn''t help butugh. Was he purposely mocking Yancey?

 Chapter 249

    Yancey continued to pace around Grace''s house, taking his time to confirm that there were no traces of a man before finally letting out a breath of relief.


    "Grace, have you eaten? Let''s go out and grab a bite."


    Grace, still standing, gave him a serious look. "Yancey, I have a boyfriend now. You shouldn''te looking for me anymore. I''m worried he''ll get jealous."


    In an instant, Yancey''s face turned crimson, and his whole body trembled with anger. He may not have measured up to the other men in the elite circles, but why did he fall shortpared to a waiter?


    Seeing the serious look on Grace''s face made him feel deeply wronged.


    "Do you even care? I''ve put up with so much for you, and now you''re off having an affair with a waiter. Are you really that desperate? What does he have that I don''t?"


    Grace bit back the urge to p him and instead pointed to the door. "Leave."


    Hancey bit his lip and lowered his head, feeling regretful. He had promised to handle things better, but now he couldn''t help himself.


    He kept looking back as he left, and when he got downstairs, he angrily kicked a trash can.


    He pulled out his phone and called a friend to meet for drinks.


    ...


    As Yancey sat in the private room at Velvet Eclipse, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.


    "Do you guys think she''s sick? I''m still aching from the bruise on my back. She told me to leave... I can''t believe it. She must have gone off to cozy up with a guy she just met. I must''ve hurt her too much in the past, that''s why she''s changed. She used to love good-looking men."


    His friends, initially thinking he was talking about Alice, were confused, especially since the wedding with Alice had been called off.


    Yancey drank another bottle of alcohol and suddenly slumped down, crying, "Grace really has a problem. I''ve been so desperate to get close to her, but that ugly boyfriend of hers hasn''t even shown up since she got sick. She treats him like some kind of treasure. She''s lost her mind."


    His friends finally caught on that Yancey was actually upset over Grace.


    "Mr. Henderson, didn''t you say you didn''t care about Grace? Didn''t you say you''d celebrate if she stopped bothering you?"


    "Yeah, and you used to be head over heels for Alice. We all know how you treated Grace back then."


    "Maybe Grace''s been too clever for you, and you''ve fallen for her tricks without realizing it?"


    Yancey stared at his drink, slowly shaking his head. "She''s lost her memory. She really has lost her memory. She doesn''t even remember what we had, and now she keeps pping me."


    He downed another full bottle of alcohol, then passed out.


    Seeing himpletely drunk, his friends didn''t know what to do, so they called


    the Henderson family to have someonee pick him up.


    But it wasn''t the Henderson family who showed up¡ªit was Alice.


    Everyone was a bit taken aback when they saw her. After the video scandal, they hadn''t expected to see her here. They had heard she hadn''t been to Lambert Group recently, yet she was now glowing, as though she hadpletely recovered.


    Yancey, nowpletely drunk, mumbled incoherently, being led away. "Grace, Grace, it was my fault... I like you, can we start over?"


    Upon hearing this, Alice''s face twisted with a dark expression. She was thankful for the mysterious phone call she had received tonight. Otherwise, she would never have been able to pick Yancey up.


    During this time, Yancey had been so cold-hearted, not only calling off their wedding but also avoiding her. No matter how many calls she made, he never answered, and eventually, he even blocked her.


    But now, he was back in her hands.


    The person on the phone had been right. If she didn''t take some action soon, she would soon bepletely abandoned.


    Her situation in the Lambert family was already awkward, and she couldn''t afford to lose Yancey as well.


    She took him back to her ce, stripped both of them, and took some explicit photos. She sent them out to all the group chats.


    She no longer cared about her reputation. As long as she could stay tied to Yancey, that was all that mattered.


    It wasn''t that she liked him so much. It was just that after marrying into the Henderson family, she would have a chance to see Ethan more often.


    She couldn''t let go of Ethan. If she could sleep with such an outstanding man, she would die without regrets.


    After sending the photos out, she made a call. "Is everything ready on your end? This time, we need to make sure Grace never recovers."


    A low voice responded, "It''s ready, but we''ll need your full cooperation."


    "I''ll cooperate. I''ll do anything! As long as Grace dies!"


    If it weren''t for Grace, how could she have ended up with such a ruined reputation? How could she have been humiliated on that dark night?


    Grace would pay for what she had done.


    Alice''s face twisted in anger as she hung up the phone. She swept everything off


    her vanity in a rage, her chest heaving.


    She had been desperately trying to


    win favor with the Lambert family, and finally, Carmen was willing to show her some kindness. But Quentin and Liam were still cold toward her. It didn''t matter what she did she would never be able to surpass Grace in their eyes.


    So if that were the case, no one would have it easy.


    Alice clenched her fists, and a vicious n formed in her mind. If she were


    pushed too far, everyone would be dragged down to hell with her.


    But before that, she had to sleep with Ethan.


    If she couldn''t sleep with Ethan, she would never be satisfied in this life.

 Chapter 250

    Hourster, the photos of Yancey and Alice spread throughout the city, causing an uproar.


    Grace''s phone was about to burst from the sheer number of calls, and they were all from Yancey. But she didn''t want to pick up. Frowning, she directly blocked his number.


    Just then, Liam called her. "Grace, did you see those photos? I''m worried they''ll upset you."


    "I''ve seen them. I''m fine."


    Liam''s expression darkened. "Alice must have done that on purpose. Her mind is really twisted. She wants to make sure you and Yancey never have a chance."


    Liam, though aware of Grace''s memory loss, still believed that she would go back to liking Yancey if she were to regain her memories.


    Grace didn''t feel like exining. She opened herptop and got back to work. The follow-up with the Yule family still needed her attention. Although Simon had reviewed the contract, who knew if he would set traps for herter?


    "Grace,e home for dinner tonight. Dad''s been asking about you. His health is getting worse, and people from Lambert Group havee by a few times, making him so angry he nearly had a heart attack."


    Liam''s voice sounded helpless as if he didn''t know who else to turn to. He was only 19, after all. As he continued, he lowered his voice. "I don''t think he has much time left."


    Those words made Grace''s heart lurch. Thest time she saw Quentin, he truly hadn''t been doing well.


    She set her work aside. "I''lle over right away to check on him."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Alice went to find Carmen. She cried as she buried her face in Carmen''s arms.


    "Mom, those photos must''ve been leaked by Yancey. I can''t show my face anymore. If he doesn''t marry me, who else in Druville will?"


    Carmen felt sad too. After all, this was her daughter, whom she had spoiled for years. If she hadn''t been kidnapped all those years ago, she wouldn''t have turned


    out this way. It was all because of the Lambert family''s wrongdoing.


    She gently patted Alice''s back. "Don''t cry. I''ll call Yancey and talk to him."


    Alice sobbed uncontrobly, almost fainting.


    Liam sat on the other end of the couch, no longer sympathizing with her despite


    her tears. Who knew if Alice was just putting up an act?


    Once Carmen dialed Yancey''s number, he quickly picked up. When she mentioned Alice, his tone became agitated. "Mrs. Lambert, I''m taking this call


    because you''re close to my mom. Last night, I got drunk, and Alice took me home. That''s when those photos were taken. I was blind back then. How could I let someone like here between me and Grace?"


    "Yancey, you''ve been with Alice for years="


    "Don''t mention Alice to me! She knows exactly what she did. I''ll never marry someone like her. It''s her fault she''s never getting married!"


    He hung up without another word.


    Carmen''s expression grew dark. Yancey had no respect for her.


    Alice, sensing his attitude, cried even harder. "I helped him backst night, but our first time was when he was drunk. Now, he''s pushing me away. Last night, he even mistook me for Grace and promised he would treat me well for the rest of his life. I was so stupid, thinking if I treated him well enough, he would change his mind."


    Carmen felt a sharp pang of sympathy. To be mistaken for someone else in bed was heartbreaking.


    "Alice, maybe you should stop chasing after Yancey. Let me help you find someone better."


    Alice''s eyes shed, and her voice was full of bitterness. "Find someone better for me? Where are you going to find someone for me, Mom? I''m ruined for life now. And it''s all because of who?


    "Yancey was the one who came after me first. Now, he thinks I''m embarrassing, and he''s kicked me to the curb. The whole circle is avoiding me... Unless Ethan wants me. If he does, maybe people will look my way again."


    At that moment, her eyes burned with a fierce, intense heat.


    Exactly. With Ethan''s status, no one would dare touch her again if he took her in.


    Liam, overhearing this, couldn''t keep silent anymore. He stood up, his voice harsh. "Alice, do you really not know your ce? Even without all these rumors, Ethan would never pick you! Do you even know what kind of person he is? You really have no self-awareness!"


    coffe


    His words hit Alice hard. Her eyes went wild as she swept everything off the coffee table, smashing it to the floor. "He can be interested in that bitch, Grace, so why can''t he consider me? I just didn''t have the chance to get close to him. If I did, he''d never leave me."


    Liam was stunned by her shameless words. He had known Alice was cunning, but


    hearing her say this was still a shock.


    Alice didn''t think


    she had said


    anything wrong. The thought of Ethan liking Grace made her want destroy everything. The man she had desperately tried to get was now secretly in love with the woman she despised the most. The fact that she hadn''tpletely lost it yet was a miracle.


    If she couldn''t be happy, then no one else would be.


    Liam was so angry that he went straight upstairs, not wanting to stay and listen to any more of this nonsense.


    Alice suddenly copsed in front of Carmen, crying as she pleaded, "Mom, please help me. After Gracees by our ce, please take her phone away and use Dad''s situation to keep her here. As long as I get Ethan, I''ll do anything you want. Otherwise, I''d rather die!"


    She threw a ss to the floor, and in a moment of madness, she reached for a broken shard and was about to cut her neck.


    Carmen was horrified, her face draining of all color. She realized Liam was right- Ethan was no ordinary man. Many women in Druville lusted after him but couldn''t win him over. How could Alice, with her tarnished reputation, have a chance?


    "Alice, don''t do this..."


    Carmen tried to persuade her, but the sharp ss had already pierced Alice''s skin.


    Panicked, Carmen quickly nodded. "Okay, okay, I agree. I''ll do whatever you want! Just please don''t hurt yourself. Even if no one wants you, the Lambert family will always take care of you."


    Alice''s eyes were filled with disgust. Being unwanted by any man was worse than being killed.


    She thought that she would soon have Ethan wrapped around her finger. Those who hadughed at her would soon be proven wrong.

 Chapter 251

    When Grace arrived at the Lambert residence, she went straight upstairs to visit Quentin. Upon opening the door to his room, she ran into Carmen, who was just about to leave.


    Grace had expected some cold remarks from Carmen, but instead, Carmen was surprisingly polite, even saying, "You''re finally back. Go in. Your dad has been waiting for you."


    Grace was a little confused, but she still entered the room.


    The scent of medicine still lingered in the room, and as Grace inhaled, her nose stung. She had thought that after resolving the contract issue, Quentin''s condition might improve, but he looked even thinner now.


    A wave of guilt washed over her. Quentin had done nothing wrong, but with both of his daughters in such turmoil, he must have been deeply worried. All these years of stress had taken a toll on him, and with the issues at thepany, his health had deteriorated rapidly.


    As Grace sat by his bed, tears began to fall.


    Quentin had lost so much weight. His eyes now seemed toorge for his face. Seeing Grace, his eyes reddened, and he said in a hoarse voice, "You''ve done well with thepany. In the future, you''ll need to look after Liam."


    Grace''s lips trembled as she grasped his hand. "Dad, I''m sorry. I thought that after the contract was sorted, you''d get better."


    She hadn''t even called him. Perhaps subconsciously, she had been avoiding anything rted to the Lambert family.


    Quentin forced a weak smile. "It''s not your fault. Liam told me everything. He said your memory loss is real. We were the ones who didn''t believe you, and we hurt you."


    Grace''s throat tightened as though something was blocking it, leaving her speechless.


    Quentin was such a good man, but she clearly hadn''t done her part as a daughter. She couldn''t remember anything, and she struggled to return the same emotions.


    Her tears fell on the back of his hand. He tried to lift his hand to wipe them away, but his strength was gone. He didn''t have the energy for such simple movements anymore.


    "Grace, your mom shouldn''t have med you for what happened to Alice. You were just eight years old back then. You and Alice disappeared for three days, and we were all so worried. When only you came back, she panicked and was sick for a month.


    "I knew she needed someone to vent to, and she was selfish by nature-so was I. But no matter how bad she was, she was still my wife. Watching her favor Alice, I decided to regrly deposit money into your ount, trying to fulfill your material needs so that you wouldn''t suffer too much.


    "If it weren''t for all this, you wouldn''t have put all your trust in Yancey. You wouldn''t have made so many mistakes."


    His voice grew weaker with each word as if he was losing the strength to speak. "Dad, please stop. Let me call the doctor in to check on you."


    Quentin''s eyes had already closed, and he looked as though he was nearing his end.


    When the doctor came in, Quentin didn''t move. He justy there as the doctor examined him.


    Grace didn''t dare leave his side and remained in the room. Carmen came in once, bringing some fruit. Grace was surprised at her unusual gentleness today. However, with Quentin still lying in bed, she didn''t say anything.


    After leaving the room, Carmen handed Grace''s phone to Alice, saying, "Don''t do anything too extreme. Your father is in this state now. At least think of him a little."


    Alice looked at Grace''s phone as a smile crept on her face. "Got it, Mom."


    She quickly grabbed the phone and ran out.


    Carmen watched her leave with a heavy heart. Even Grace knew to stay by Quentin''s side, but Alice, who


    had been favored for five years, was only focused on finding a man.


    Carmen wasn''t sure if it was because she hadn''t taught Alice well, but now, her chest felt tight from unease.


    She returned to the room and saw Grace quietly asking the doctor, "How''s my dad''s condition?"


    The doctor shook his head. "There''s no medicine for years of overwork and emotional strain. If you talk to him more, he might feel better. He has so many things bottled up inside. He needs to release them."


    Grace pursed her lips and nodded sincerely. "Thank you."


    After the doctor left, Grace looked up to find Carmen standing by the door.


    Carmen walked to the side of the bed, silently crying as she held Quentin''s hand. It was clear that she truly loved him. The pain on her face was genuine, not a pretense.


    Quentin slowly opened his eyes and gently patted the back of her hand, but he said nothing.


    Carmen''s heart ached even more. She looked at Grace. "Stay here with him tonight. Spend more time with him."


    Grace had no intention of leaving, so she nodded.

 Chapter 252

    Alice quickly unlocked Grace''s phone.


    She scrolled through to the chat with Ethan, her eyes gleaming with greed. She scrolled through their messages but didn''t find anything flirtatious or suggestive between them. Her brows furrowed, and her jealousy intensified.


    It seemed like Ethan was still secretly in love with her.


    Grace didn''t deserve him.


    With a smirk, Alice quickly typed out a message to Ethan from Grace''s phone. "I want to talk to you about the things you''ve been hiding from me."


    What Alice didn''t know was that this message hit a nerve.


    When Ethan read it, his grip on the phone tightened. Soon, a follow-up message came through¡ªan address to a hotel not far from the Lambert residence.


    He rubbed his temples and replied with a single word. "Alright."


    Alice, seeing his quick reply, felt a rush of jealousy, her face twisting in frustration. She was burning with anger and wanted nothing more than to rush back to the Lambert residence to end Grace once and for all. However, she took a deep breath and drove straight to the hotel.


    She had the drugs prepared. As soon as Ethan showed up, she was sure he would fall into her trap. She had learned so many tricks in bed, and she was sure he wouldn''t be able to resist.


    A smug smile spread across her face as she changed into the sexiest outfit she could find. Then, she mixed the drug into the fragrance oil she had bought, knowing that the scent would make any man act like a wolf. Ethan wouldn''t be any different.


    She waited in the room for what felt like forever. When she finally heard a knock on the door, she immediately turned off the lights.


    This room had been carefully selected for its dim lighting so that Ethan wouldn''t be able to see clearly. By the time he slept with Alice, it would already be toote. Once she got pregnant, the entire Henderson family would have no choice but to dote on her and her child.


    Just thinking about it sent shivers of excitement down her spine.


    Alice opened the door but didn''t show herself. Instead, she ran into the bedroom to wait.


    Ethan, sitting in his wheelchair, maneuvered himself into the room. As soon as he inhaled the scent of the fragrance oil, his brow quirked up. He closed the door quietly, and soon, he heard sounds from the bedroom.


    He wheeled himself toward the door, but before he could open it, Alice


    could no longer resist. She quickly emerged from the bedroom, wearing


    thin clothing.


    "Ethan..." Her voice was thick with desire, almost as if it could drip from her lips. Ethan moved back.


    Alice''s cheeks flushed. She could only see the silhouette of a man, but still, her enthusiasm radiated off her.


    "Ethan, it''s me, Grace. Why aren''t you paying attention to me?"


    At this point, Alice shamelessly said that she was Grace at that moment, hoping the drugs would make Ethan mistake her for Grace.


    But Ethan, sitting motionless in his wheelchair, didn''t respond. Instead, he let out a quietugh.


    Alice thought she had a chance. She quickly moved closer and brushed against his legs. "What do you say we spend the night together?"


    She gave him a sultry look, but Ethan moved forward and, with no hesitation, kicked her hard in the shoulder.


    Alice snapped out of her dreamlike state, pain shooting through her as she trembled.


    His voice was cold. "Have you had your fun?"


    Despite the pain, Alice refused to let go of the opportunity. This was the closest she had ever been to Ethan.


    The man in front of her wasn''t the same as the powerful figure in the office. He seemed engulfed by the darkness now-strong, mysterious, and utterlymanding. She Kad never seen him like this before. It made her body feel like it was on fire.  ?wnovel


    Ethan was the one worthy of her. Even if she died here tonight, it would be worth


    it!

 Chapter 253

    "Ethan, it''s me, Grace. Please don''t treat me like this."


    The moment her voice trailed off, she fell silent. She saw Ethan slowly rise to his feet, and her pupils dted in disbelief. Had Ethan''s legs healed? In a panic, she crawled toward him, rubbing herself against his feet.


    It was such a pathetic disy.


    "Ethan, let me serve you-please."


    In the dark, she radiated her charm, hoping to catch his attention.


    But instead, all she heard was the sound of a gun being cocked, followed by a sharp pain shooting through her leg. She couldn''t hold in her scream, and before long, the pain struck her other leg as well.


    Ethan moved closer, crouching beside her. His voice was cold, almost casual. "Call Grace here."


    Alice froze. She couldn''t say a word, especially not with the gun pressed against her forehead.


    His voice even held a hint of amusement. "You have a way, don''t you? Call her here."


    Fear filled Alice''s eyes. She had never been afraid of death, but now, she was trembling all over. All she wanted was to survive. She would do anything to stay alive.


    Desperately, she nodded, tears streaming down her face.


    Why would he still want Grace even at a moment like this? Damn that Grace. She was nothing but a tramp. Why wouldn''t she just die?


    Shaking, Alice pulled out her phone, afraid that another second''s dy would result in a bullet piercing her skull.


    Ethan was both dangerous and irresistible.


    Screaming silently in her mind, she quickly dialed Carmen''s number.


    "Mom, hurry and call Grace. Tell her she has toe. Tell her Ethan needs her now!" With that, she hung up quickly, not daring to look at Ethan.


    He loomed over her, squatting by her side like she was just a stray dog. Maybe she was even less than that. In his eyes, she was nothing but a piece of trash lying on the street.


    But Ethan was so damn attractive. Even now, with everything falling apart, Alice still tried to plead her case. Maybe by now, Ethan waspletely out of it from the drugs.


    "Ethan, let me take care of you. I can make you feel so much better. And Grace is tainted. She doesn''t even know how many men she''s been with. She''s not worthy of you."


    The moment the words left her lips, a bullet hit her shoulder.


    All she could,


    feel


    was terror as she


    scrambled backward, her body


    shaking. She was still unable to


    happened. This wasn''t the Ethan she remembered the distant, powerful figure who calcted his every move.


    Ethan quietly sat back down in his wheelchair, slowly wiping the gun barrel. He didn''t speak.


    The weight of his presence was too much for Alice. She wanted to screamy from the pain, but she held it in. She didn''t dare to make a sound. She just needed Grace to get here fast, or she would die right here.


    ...


    Carmen was terrified that Alice might really be in trouble, so she rushed to find Grace.


    "Grace, you need to go find Alice. She''s in danger. She used your phone to set up


    a meeting with Ethan. I don''t know what''s happened, but something''s wrong."


    Grace stood up from her chair, thinking she had misheard.


    "What did you say?"


    Carmen, looking guilty, couldn''t


    meet her eyes. "Alice told me she wanted Ethan, so I took your phone and handed it over to her. She just called me, crying, asking you to her. Something must''ve happened.


    novgo

 Chapter 254

    Grace scoffed. "Do you even realize who Ethan Henderson is?"


    Carmen''s face flushed. Earlier, she had been swept up in Grace''s fantasy and believed that Ethan would want to court Grace.


    "I... I... Grace, please. I beg you. Alice is your sister. Just go check on her."


    Grace turned to Quentin, who was lying in bed, worry carved deep into his face. She took a deep breath. "This is thest time I''m doing this. I''m done cleaning up her mess."


    Carmen''s face turned into a deeper shade of red, but this time, she said nothing in return.


    After checking what hotel they were at, Grace gave Ethan a call when she stepped out of the building. Thinking about how he had handled Levi before, she was genuinely afraid that if she was even a minutete, Alice would be dead.


    She knew, without a doubt, that Alice had tried to drug Ethan.


    Ethan picked up the call, but he sounded breathless. He was definitely not himself.


    "Grace..."


    "I''m on my way, Mr. Henderson. Please show mercy toward Alice. We can exin. Please don''t do anything reckless."


    "Grace... My head... It''s spinning."


    So, it was true-he''d been drugged.


    Grace was in full panic mode now. If something were to happen to Ethan, not only her but the whole Lambert family would be doomed.


    Where the hell did Alice get the nerve to think that Ethan would ever want her?


    Grace went up the elevator, and when she got to the door, she saw Alice curled up in the corridor. Alice was sobbing, her clothes streaked with blood.


    Seeing that she was still alive, Grace was relieved. At least Quentin wouldn''t have to deal with the trauma of losing her.


    Without giving Alice another look, Grace pushed the door open. She did not see the terror in Alice''s eyes.


    "Mr. Henderson."


    She had barely stepped inside when something yanked her with great force. "Mr. Henderson-"


    Ethan mmed her against the door, crushing his mouth against hers. His hands were moving quickly downward, going ces that they had no business going.


    Panic shot through Grace-so much so that she pped him hard. The sound of the p was so loud that it echoed throughout the room.


    Ethan''s head jerked to the side, but he remained silent. His hands stopped moving.


    Grace''s heart pounded as she quickly stepped away and turned on the lights.


    The room was a mess. Not only were there blood stains everywhere, but a sickening sweet fragrance choked the air.


    Ethan leaned on the door frame with his head hung, lost in thought.


    Grace had spotted the gun on the coffee table. It looked like Ethan had considered taking Alice''s life, but he eventually gave up on the idea.


    "Mr. Henderson, it''s Grace. You''re not yourself right now, and I know you wouldn''t fall for a setup this pathetic. I had no choice but to p you. Once youe around you can do whatever you want to me."


    Ethan licked the blood on the corners of his mouth and raised his head to look at


    her.


    Grace had always felt like there was


    a beast locked inside him-wild,


    broken and filled with darkness.


    Seeing th


    that he was about to walk toward her, she quickly grabbed the gun. "Don''te any closer."


    Her expression was eerily calm. Then, she armed the gun.


    Ethan froze, stopping in ce.


    She didn''t want things to go this way. But if something were to happen between her and Ethan


    because of the drugs, she woul.


    have to quit her job and break up with Ed. She couldn''t hurt either of them.


    SWI


    Seeing this, Ethan paused for a moment and then slowly took a step forward. "Are


    you going to shoot me?"

 Chapter 255

    Grace''s grip on the gun slowly tightened. She was certain Ethan wasn''t in his right mind. "Mr. Henderson, this is for your own good."


    Just as she finished speaking, Ethan picked up his pace and lunged at her.


    "Pull the trigger, then."


    Grace was calm. She aimed at Ethan''s arm and pulled the trigger without hesitation. However, the sound that rang out wasn''t that of a gunshot. It was an empty click of an empty barrel.


    She was stunned for a moment before noticing the bullets in the trash. Ethan had taken all of them out.


    Her mouth was agape. In the next second, Ethan wrested the gun from her hands. Then, he pinned her down on the couch beside them while the gun in his hand ttered to the floor a few yards away.


    "Ethan Henderson!" It was the first time she had called him by his full name.


    A flicker of red shed through Ethan''s eyes as he stared intensely at her face. Then, he cackled. "You really don''t care, do you? You know you''re shredding my pride to pieces."


    Grace didn''t think that she was in the wrong. "This is for your own good, Mr. Henderson. You''re just not in your right mind because of the drugs."


    As she said this, she saw the sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead and quickly added, "If what you need is a woman to give you some relief, I could go and find you one right now-someone you''ll be satisfied with. Or maybe you''d like to go to Velvet Eclipse? Someone would dly take care of you there."


    The more Grace spoke, the heavier the air around Ethan became. After some time, he let her go.


    Grace scrambled to her feet, wanting to support him, but he shoved her away. He sank into his wheelchair, lost in his own thoughts.


    Grace also felt the awkward silence. After all, it was Alice who had done this. If Ethan were to take revenge on the Lambert family...


    "Mr. Henderson..."


    Just as the words left her mouth, there was a knock on the door, and Tim walked right in.


    Grace fell silent and sank onto the couch without another word.


    Tim leaned in and whispered something in Ethan''s ear. Ethan then gave a soft hum in response and ignored Grace.


    She stepped forward, but Tim stopped her. "Ms. Lambert, I need to take Mr. Henderson for a medical exam. Whatever you have to say can wait."


    She had no choice but to stop.


    After everyone had left, she slowly picked up the gun from the floor and put it in her bag. She wasn''t sure if she was mistaken, but when she pulled the trigger just now, something seemed to have died in Ethan''s eyes. It was like all life had drained from them.


    As she stepped out the door, she saw Alice crawling in the corner like a thrashing maggot. Taking a deep breath, she called 911 for Alice after thinking of Quentin.


    But Alice had clearly gone mad and was shrieking non-stop.


    "So terrifying! I can''t believe someone this terrifying exists! He''s a devil, aplete devil! Grace, I won''t let you get away with this! I''m going to kill you! I won''t let you get away with this!"


    Grace couldn''t be bothered to listen to her, so she returned home. When she did, she saw an anxious Carmen waiting for her.


    Carmen was restless, and when she saw Grace, she jumped up. "What happened to Alice? Is she okay?"


    "She''s alive."


    Carmen''s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately left to look for Alice.


    Watching her unsteady steps, Grace couldn''t help but say, "It was Ethan Henderson that she messed with this time the heir to the Henderson family. He''s already been taken for a medical exam. If anything happens to him, our entire family could go down with it. Content befongs to


    "Dad''s already in this state... Do you really want his remaining days to be gued with chaos?"


    Carmen''s shoulders slumped. She had clearly realized she had made a mistake.


    "I''m sorry, but Alice is my daughter-my own flesh and blood. Grace, I''m sorry I''ve let you down, but every parent in the world has a favorite child. Let me pamper her onest time. After this, I won''t listen to a word she says."


    Seeing how deluded and stubborn Carmen was, Grace said nothing more.


    As she went upstairs, she heard Quentin''s coughing, and her chest tightened.


    She couldn''t bring herself to enter the room.


    But Quentin sensed that she had returned and asked, "Is she alive?"


    Sighing, Grace pushed open the door. "She is."


    Tears instantly ran down his face. The light in his eyes had faded. "That''s good...


    As long as you''re alive... That''s all I ask for now..."


    "Dad..." Grace wanted tofort him, but Quentin shook his head and drifted back to sleep.


    Ten minutester, Quentin woke up with a start and took Grace''s hand. "Grace, if I don''t make it... Please look after Liam. He''s a good kid. He''s just a little immature."


    Her throat burned as if a hand was choking her. She then forced out a reply, "I know. I won''t leave him behind."


    Quentin''s lips quivered. "I know


    you''ve never wanted anything to do with our family business. If you want to, you can sell your shares. All want is for Liam, Alice, and you to live peacefully. I don''t hope for anything more. Your mother has always been like that. She has always thought our family has


    wronged Alice. Don''t expect too much from her."


    "Dad, it''s okay. Just rest for now."


    "If I don''t say this now, I might not get the chance. I''ve been feeling restless all night. Grace, I feel like I''ve wronged you. I''m sorry. When 1 see your grandfather in the afterlife, he''ll be nagging me again. Albof this is my fault. I''m not a good husband or a good father. I was selfish..."


    He mumbled as he drifted back to sleep.


    Grace felt suffocated as she sat in the room, but there was nothing she could do.


    Then, Liam burst into the room, panicking. "Grace! Something''s happened!"

 Chapter 256

    "Mom just called. Apparently, some crazy woman stopped Alice and stabbed her. Mom also got stabbed in the arm. The woman has been arrested, but Alice seemspletely unhinged. She''s not fatally hurt, but she won''t stop screaming."


    Grace wanted to rush to the scene, but she couldn''t bring herself to leave Quentin. Taking a deep breath, she had a guess who that woman was¡ªMaria.


    Alice destroyed Maria''s family, and her husband also died in prison. Maria had probably been nning to ambush Alice, and when she had the chance, she was ready to throw her life away for revenge.


    Grace had wanted to pull Liam away to ask about the details, but Quentin''s raspy voice rang out.


    "Speak. I''m listening."


    Grace felt drained and could only ask Liam, "What about Mrs. Lambert?"


    "Just a minor injury. It''s just Alice who''s acting like an insane woman. She''s been cursing and shouting non-stop. I heard she also scratched a few doctors. I''ve no idea where she got the strength."


    Three bullets and a knife wound from Maria, and Alice was still keeping up with the antics. She really was unbelievable.


    Liam leaned in. "Grace, the doctors have removed the bullets from Alice''s body. They say she''ll probably be sent to a psych ward."


    Rubbing her temples, Grace turned toward the bedridden Quentin and pursed her lips. "Send her away, then."


    Liam fell silent, drooping his head like he had done something wrong. It wasn''t that he didn''t feel anything for Alice, but after everything she had done, he couldn''t treat her the same as before.


    He stayed silent for a bit. Then, he went to hug Grace. His voice was thick with emotion, and he was on the verge of tears. "Grace, can youe back more often..."


    This 19-year-old boy was already beginning to feel the weight of loneliness on his shoulders.


    Grace patted his hand and nodded.


    ...


    It was 2:00 am, but Liam and Grace had stayed by Quentin''s bedside. Exhausted, Liam rubbed his eyes.


    "Grace, I''m a little hungry. Let''s go eat something."


    Seeing the ck circles under his eyes, Grace knew he hadn''t been sleeping well.


    After they went downstairs, she saw there were still a few vegetables in the fridge. "Let me make some soup."


    "Okay!" Liam perked up instantly, bouncing around her like a little puppy, offering to help.


    Grace''s mood lightened as well. She turned on the stove and got to work. But halfway through, she heard a sounding from outside.


    Liam grabbed the warm soup and started drinking it.


    She ignored the sound and stopped Liam, saying, "This soup still needs more seasoning. Slow down or you''ll mess up your stomach."


    Just as she said it, she caught a whiff of smoke.


    Liam put down his bowl. He smelled it too. Not only was there smoke, but there was also the smell of gasoline.


    They bolted out and saw mes rising upstairs.


    Grace''s heart dropped as she rushed upstairs to Quentin''s room, but the gasoline had spread, turning everything into a sea of fire.


    She kicked the door open, but it was


    ?


    toote to stop the fire, which had obviously started here. Seeing the mes surrounding the bed, Grace could feel her chest twisting in agony.


    Liam had alsoe in, and when he saw what was happening, he tried to lunge forward.


    "Dad!"


    Grace grabbed him. "We have to go!"


    "No! I''m not leaving. Grace, Dad is dying! He''s being burned to death!" He thrashed violently, trying to lunge into the mes like a madman.


    Grace took a deep breath and pped him. Liam froze, tears running down his face.


    The next second, she dragged him away. When they went downstairs, dense smoke had already filled the


    entire ground floor. Liam was so numb that he was like a puppet as he followed behind Grace.


    Relying on her memory, Grace quickly found the way out, but the front door had been blocked. She picked up a chair and smashed the ss window before pulling Liam along with her. Covered in ash, they ran straight into Carmen, who had just arrived.


    Carmen''s arm was bandaged, but she broke down at the sight. Rushing over, she asked, "What happened?"


    Liam copsed onto the ground and cried. "Dad''s still inside... He didn''t make it... He''s still inside... What''s going to happen to us..."

 Chapter 257

    The vi was engulfed in mes, with thick smoke rolling through the air. In the distance, the sound of fire trucks could already be heard.


    Carmen also copsed onto the ground, unable to believe what she was seeing. Then, she grabbed Liam by the shoulders. "What? What did you say?"


    Liam''s face was covered in ash, his eyes devoid of any spark. "Dad''s still inside. The fire started in his room. We couldn''t save him..."


    Hearing this, Carmen also lunged toward the house, but when she reached the front door, the messhed out and scorched her arms. Tears streamed from her eyes because of the smoke, but she still fought her way into the ze.


    Grace ran over and quickly yanked her from the mes.


    "Let me go! Let me go! Quentin!" Carmen thrashed wildly, her sharp nails leaving scratches all over Grace''s arms.


    Grave had no choice but to knock her out cold.


    Carmen fell to the ground, limp. Grace then dragged her away toward Liam.


    Liam was still crying, looking totally unlike the pampered young heir he was.


    "Grace..." Liam kept sobbing.


    Standing beside him and seeing him sniveling again, she couldn''t help but give him another p. "Look at how pathetic you are now. What''s there to cry about? Think! Who set this fire? Now that Dad''s gone, you have to run Lambert Group now."


    Liam''s face was ckened with soot, but there were two clean streaks where the tears had washed away the dirt. He wiped his face and clung tightly to Grace''s leg. "Grace, please. Don''t leave me."


    Grace''s temples throbbed. She refrained from kicking this useless mess away. She dialed 911 for an ambnce for Carmen and then came back to talk to the firefighters.


    The fire burned until dawn, leaving behind nothing but charred wreckage. The hem of Grace''s pants was scorched, making her look like she had been dragged out of an ash pit. In the ruins, one couldn''t even tell where Quentin''s bed had once been. There was nothing left.


    Grace shoved aside a metal frame while everything else snapped and creaked as it fell apart.


    The police had also arrived. They needed to investigate the cause of the fire.


    Grace looked up and saw Liam sitting a distance away, dazed and drained. She quickly told the officers, "I''ll leave it to you. Please call me if you have any updates."


    The police then beganbing through the scene.


    Grace walked toward Liam and pulled him up. In just one night, their family was torn apart. Liam was only 19 years old, and the shock was too great for him to handle.


    She pushed him into her car and took a deep breath. "I''m taking you to my ce. Clean up and have some sleep. The police will look into the fire, but you''ve got a real fight ahead. Some of Dad''s shares were transferred to me, and I haven''t had the chance to return them. I''ll draw up a transfer agreement. So, from now on, you''re the CEO of Lambert Group."


    Liam lowered his head. In the past, all he did was think about how to sponge off others. Quentin had wanted him to learn business, but he had always cked off -figuring his two older sisters had it covered.


    "Grace, maybe we should sell our shares."


    The car mmed to a halt, and Grace grabbed him by the cor.


    "Liam Lambert, you listen to me carefully. Dad built thispany from nothing. He poured his heart and soul into it and never once. bothered us with it. Thepany isn''t at the point where it needs to be sold. I''ll pave the way for you. It''ll give you some time to grow."


    Liam was startled by her tone. Both of them were covered in ash, so all he could see was a pair of dark eyes on her face. He choked up again and started wiping away more tears.


    Grace let go of his cor, her expression calm. "Don''t let me see you cry again after today."


    Liam remained silent, and even his sobs had quieted down.


    Back at her ce, Grace sent Liam to shower and tossed him one of her pajamas. Then, she went to shower as well and dried her hair in a hurry.


    Seeing that she was about to leave, Liam wanted to follow, but the doorbell rang. It was Quentin''s assistant.


    Liam knew who he was, but this person had always been on the quieter side. He barely spoke to anyone but Quentin, but he was good at what he did.


    His name was Sebastian Fenwick, and he was around 30 years old. He had already prepared the transfer agreement.


    Grace signed the document and looked at Sebastian. "List out all of our family''s properties before Ie back. Please include their market value as well. Also, sell whatever you can within a month."


    Sebastian was slightly surprised but said nothing.


    Grace thought he might be unwilling and was about to exin, but Sebastian cut her off. "Ms. Lambert, I understand. Mr. Lambert had once said that you might be the only one in the family with real vision. He said he''d feel at ease leaving Liam to you."


    Grace''s chest tightened painfully. She owed her father too much, but now, it was


    toote to repay him. The only thing she could do now was to take good care of


    her brother, Liam.


    She nodded and nced at Liam,


    who was sitting on the couch wearing her pajamas. She instructed, "I''ll ask Sebastian to get you some clothes. Stay home. Last night''s fire has probably made the


    news. Thepany''s stock is bound to decline soon. Edric''s


    bound to make a move."


    Edric had been itching to take over Quentin''s ce. He had stirred up some


    trouble when Quentin was sick.


    Now that Quentin was dead, Edric would naturally threaten the Lambert family to turn over their shares.


    The worst-case scenario would be for him to find Alice. If he seeded in obtaining her 10% of shares, his power in thepany would be second only to the CEO.


    And after everything that had happened, Alice had probably given up on herself. She would do anything to make Grace''s life harder.

 Chapter 258

    When Grace got into the car, all she felt was utter exhaustion.


    She didn''t sleep a winkst night and had so much to do this morning. Her mind was in chaos. She had even begun to wonder-who started the fire? Could it be Ethan?


    Considering that this happened to the Lambert family only a few hours after Grace antagonized him, Ethan was definitely a strong suspect. But she had provoked him before and came out just fine. He didn''t seem like someone who''d hold a petty grudge.


    Grace rubbed her temples. Then again, maybe this was thest straw for Ethan. After all, Ethan had pulled a gun, so the suspicion still stood.


    Her head was muddled on the whole drive to Henderson Group. When she finally sat at her desk, the whole room spun so hard that she couldn''t help buty on her table for a bit.


    But she had barely dozed off when a bucket of water was dumped over her head, making her shiver. Her whole workspace was soaked.


    Looking up, she saw Jodie''s smug face. With a raised brow, Jodie held the bucket she had snatched from a janitor, looking pleased with herself.


    "I''ve told you before, Grace. I''ll make you regret your decisions every time I see you. Either quit this job and disappear from my sight forever or get used to this."


    Grace heard the snickers from around the office-like they wereughing at how she had pissed off the princess.


    She wiped the water from her face and gave Jodie a small smile. "Ms. Henderson, looks like your injuries are all healed."


    Jodie''s face twisted in fury. She raised the bucket again, ready to strike. How dare the bitch mention this! It was because of Grace that she ended up in the hospital. Today, she was here to teach this bitch a lesson!


    But before she could hit Grace with the bucket, Grace grabbed her wrist. Then, Grace grabbed the bucket and hit Jodie with it instead.


    Since Jodie had only been discharged from the hospital not long ago, the injury


    on her head had not fully healed. Everything went ck for a second after she got hit.


    "Grace Lambert! I swear I''m getting Uncle Ethan to fire you today!" She clutched her head, ring at Grace with pure hatred.


    No! Not only was she going to have Grace fired, she was going to use the influence of the Henderson family to ruin Grace''s life!


    With her face twisted in rage, Jodie gave Grace onest venomous look and stormed out, ignoring Ethan''s office entirely.


    Grace sat there, soaked, her whole body trembling from the cold.


    Nobody had expected her to fight back. At this moment, nobody dared say a word. There was not a single sound.


    When Grace was called into Ethan''s office, she thought she was about to be fired, but Ethan just wanted to


    asm


    the Yule family''s project.


    Seeing that she was wet, Ethan frowned. After coughing softly a few times, he finally asked, "What happened?"


    Grace didn''t answer.


    Ethan wheeled himself closer, reaching to take her hand. Her fingers were bleeding.


    But Grace yanked her hand away and asked instead, "Mr. Henderson, are you feeling better?"


    His fingers froze in mid-air. He looked away, his expression suppressed. "Mm." "Was it you? Did you cause the fire at the Lambert residence?"


    Ethan


    up, and something in


    of silence, he quietly


    for de alled to shatter. Aftera


    asked, "Do you think it want


    "I''m just considering all the possibilities," Grace answered.


    He began coughing uncontrobly again.


    the gently covered his r


    handkerchief, his face.


    . But he still didn''t t


    at


    her.


    Grace was getting impatient. Her mood had already been at rock bottom. "Mr. Henderson, all I need is a yes or a no."


    He finally stopped coughing, but he looked a little tired. Even so, he smirked and asked, "What if it was me?"


    Grace stared at him, trying to tell if he was serious or just messing with her.


    He looked almost defeated as he wheeled himself back to his seat. "Yeah, whatever you say."


    Hearing his answer, Grace was pissed off and marched over. She pped her hand down on the file he was trying to pull away.


    "What do you mean by that? Do our lives mean nothing to you, Mr. Henderson? I really want to know."


    He yanked the documents out from under her hand with such force that the contract was torn in half.


    Only then did Grace notice the veins popping on his hands. It was clear he was holding something back.

 Chapter 259

    "Mr. Henderson-"


    "Grace Lambert!"


    Both of them spoke at the same time.


    Ethan''s gaze wasplicated, and there was even a trace of hurt. "I''m telling you it was me. What are you going to do about it? Point a gun at my head likest night?"


    Grace was surprised. He actually seemed to care about what happenedst night -so much so that his tone was now different from usual.


    She frowned. "Try not to be too bothered byst night. I had no choice."


    "Tsk. You wanted to kill me, and you''re telling me to let it go?"


    "I didn''t really want to kill you. You were... Forget it. I know it wasn''t you who caused the fire."


    Grace was about to turn away when she suddenly remembered something. She turned to look at Ethan once again. "Mr. Henderson, you''ve been acting strangelytely."


    He often questioned her with a tone that blurred the lines between superior and subordinate. But that was what they were-employer and employee, nothing


    more.


    When Grace went back to her seat, she was exhausted. She was soaked and drained, which made her even more annoyed, so she simply took the rest of the day off and went home to change.


    When she got home, she saw that Sebastian and Liam were still there. Liam finally had on men''s clothes and was passed out on the couch. Everyone was exhausted from the night before. At this moment he still had not woken up.


    Grace softened her footsteps and saw that Sebastian was researching the information that she had asked for.


    She gave him a small nod and left the house after changing. This time, she was going to visit Alice. She wanted to know ifst night had anything to do with her.


    When she arrived at Alice''s room, she heard Carmen''s voice.


    "Alice, was it you who caused the fire?"


    Aliceughed hysterically and hurled a mug across the room. "Hahaha! It wasn''t me, but it might as well have! You deserve it! It''s your fault that I''m like this! If I die, we all die!"


    Carmen couldn''t take it anymore, so she pped Alice across the face-hard.


    Alice stared at Carmen, her eyes full of hatred. It terrified Carmen so much that she stumbled back a few steps "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think that I''ve wronged you?"


    "Well, isn''t it obvious? Who else is to me when you''ve always favored Grace all these years? It''s ingrained in you Lambert family members, this inherent cheapness. No matter what I did, you all chose to look the other way. All of you indulged in that bitch, Grace! So, you all deserve to die! Is Quentin dead?! Serves him right!"

 Chapter 260

    Carmen, unable to take it anymore, pped Alice once again. She was so enraged that her shoulders were trembling.


    The loss of her husband,bined with seeing her favored daughter in such a ghastly state, made her think this was perhaps her own karma catching up to her.


    Seeing Carmen''s expression, Alice realized that Quentin really was dead and started cackling again.


    "Mom, let me be honest with you-Grandpa''s death back then was also rted to me. I told him that Grace was whoring herself out to a bunch of guys just to chase after Yancey. The old man was too weak in the head to handle it, so he went and croaked. Good riddance! He had iting!


    "I wanted you all to know that anyone who gets mixed up with Grace is gonna get burned. Grandpa was the first to learn that lesson, and now, it''s Dad''s turn. All these years, you''ve hated Grace. You never once suspected I was the one pulling the strings, did you?


    "So what if you know now? As far as Grace is concerned, you''re no longer family and she''ll never forgive you. Also, I''ve already signed over my shares to Edric. Lambert Group is about to go to someone else. You all deserve it, you bunch of lowlife trash!"


    Carmen''s eyes were filled with disbelief. She even thought she might have misheard.


    "What did you say? Even your Grandpa..."


    "That''s right. That was all me! Ever since I returned to the Lambert family, Grace has never bullied me. It was me. I faked everything. And all of you were so naive that you believed it! Haha! Serves you right for all the crap you put me through. My return to the Lambert family was about settling the score, and now, look at you all-miserable as sin!"


    Carmen grabbed her by the cor. "Why would you do this? Why? Your adoptive parents treated you well. Why?"


    "Ha! Why? Desperation breeds corruption. What good is their kindness to me? What I want is a wealthy life-a life where people envy me wherever I go. You have no idea how terrifying it is to have a mentally challenged brother.


    "Everyone whispers and points fingers. Some even thought I was his wife. I hated it all. The whole world wronged me, so the whole world owes me. And I want revenge on all of you!"


    Carmen copsed to the floor,


    powerless. She now realized that it


    was all her fault. She had been


    fooled by Alice''s tears. As a result, she had always sided with her, never once allowing Grace to defend herself. It was because of Alice that the Lambert family was in such turmoil.


    Carmen jumped up from the floor and grabbed Alice by the throat.


    Alice''s face turned red, her eyes growing even more crazed. "Are you going to strangle me to death? Doat, then! Kill me, your own daughter! want you to feel that guilt for the rest of your life. You should''ve never given birth to me in the first ce!"


    Hearing such words from the daughter she had once cherished, Carmen couldn''t take it and fainted on the spot.


    Grace opened the door and asked a doctor to take Carmen away.


    When Alice saw Grace, she thrashed around, trying to get up, but she was too injured to move.


    Alice startedughing once again. "Did you think you won, Grace? You haven''t! Haha! Ethan doesn''t really like you. You just look like someone he has lost. That''s why he tolerates you. You''re just a recement for her! You haven''t won.... You haven''t..." C¨®ntent


    As she said this, she remembered Ethan''s terrifying gaze and started to tremble. She hugged her knees close to her chest.


    "Ethan''s so frightening; he''s the devil himself. He''s so good at pretending, even better than me. He''s the devil..."


    Seeing her so utterly deranged, Grace turned to the nearby doctor and said, "Please arrange for her to be sent to a psychiatric hospital. I''ll cover the expenses."


    When Alice heard this, she jerked her head up and began thrashing wildly on the bed.


    "You haven''t won! Wait until you see what he''s really like. You''ll run as fast as you can. You''ll be like me. Just the thought of him will make you tremble. Grace, once you know who he really is, you''ll want nothing to do with him!"


    She kept repeating those words again and again, but in Grace''s eyes, Alice had already gonepletely mad, so nothing she said held any weight.

 Chapter 261

    Grace had initially thought that the fire was caused by Alice, but seeing Alice''s condition, there was probably nothing more Grace could pry out of her.


    After watching Alice get sent to the psychiatric hospital, Grace went to the lobby of the hospital, exhausted.


    But Quentin''s funeral still had to be settled. Now that Carmen was in the hospital and Liam still needed time to process everything that had happened, everything fell on her shoulders.


    Over the next week, she took care of all Quentin''s funeral arrangements with great care.


    It rained on the day of Quentin''s burial.


    Wearing ck, Grace nced at Liam beside her. He wasn''t crying anymore. It seemed like he had mentally prepared himself.


    She walked over and patted his shoulder.


    Pursing his lips, Liam turned away, holding back his tears.


    Grace hadn''t had a proper rest in a long time. She looked around the site and noticed that Carmen wasn''t there. Why didn''t Carmen show up on such an important day? Just as she was about to call Carmen, Liam stopped her.


    "Mom told me she''s going to be a nun."


    Her husband was dead, and her daughter was in a psychiatric hospital. After so many years of bickering with Grace, they couldn''t possibly live in peace with each other. That was why she made the decision to be a nun.


    Grace respected her choices. Within the week, she had liquidated all of the Lambert family''s assets and bought a house for Liam. The rest was deposited into his ount.


    As the siblings walked down the mountain, Grace tripped. Startled, Liam quickly reached out. "Grace!"


    Grace rolled several yards down the slope. When she stopped, she saw Liam had followed her in a panic and rolled down as well. She got up first and reached out her hand to him.


    Liam''s eyes were still red, but he slowly ced his hand in hers.


    Taking a deep breath, she told him, "There''s still a tough battle ahead. You need to be ready."


    Liam knew that some people had been eyeing them for a while. Recently, they''d been contacting him non-stop, even approaching Carmen with threats and bribes. They all wanted to buy the Lambert family''s shares at dirt-cheap prices.


    At first, he panicked. But as long as Grace was by his side, he would take it in stride. He was confident they''d be okay.


    Now that the weather had turned cold, every breath came out in a white mist.


    After getting into the car and turning on the heater, Grace heard Liam ask, "Grace, Yancey mentioned you have a boyfriend. Where is he?"


    Grace froze. She''d been so busy this past week that she hadpletely forgotten about Ed. Pulling out her phone, she saw that theirst conversation was from over a week ago. Ed hadn''t called or messaged her once that entire week.


    She frowned. She hadn''t reached out because she was too busy, so what was Ed''s excuse? She considered calling, but something held her back, so she slowly lowered her phone. She had long sensed that she and Ed had unresolved issues. Now might be the right moment. If they were going to break up, it was better to do it while both were still clear-headed.


    After a moment, she sent a message.


    "Ed, I don''t think we''re quite right for each other. Let''s take some time apart to cool down."


    Right after the message was sent, his side showed "Typing..."


    Grace thought a reply wasing, but the status remained the same. He kept typing something and erasing it. She waited ten minutes, but there was still no reply. Annoyed, she drove off.


    She couldn''t name the feeling, just that it left her irritated.


    She was headed to the new vi she bought for Liam. He had said it was too much, but Grace had insisted. After all, a CEO shouldn''t be living in a normal apartment.


    After a week of cleaning, the vi now felt warm and homey.


    With Sebastian staying here to guide Liam, Grace could finally feel a bit more at


    ease.


    Her biggest concern now was still


    Liam. He was still quite


    inexperienced in life, and without guidance, it would be easy for him to go astray. Before he passed, Quentin had repeatedly asked her to book after Liam. She couldn''t let him down-not again.


    The thought made her heart ache.


    She lifted her hand and ruffled Liam''s hair.


    "For now, please work closely with Sebastian to get familiar with everything at thepany. Don''t hesitate to ask him if anything is unclear, and, of course, you can alwayse to me as well. ?''ve put together aprehensive overview of all the importantpany procedures and information, so even if you''re starting from scratch, it should be easy to follow.


    "And Liam, please try to be less headstrong than you''ve been in the past."


    He was dressed in a suit. Grace had had several custom-made for him this past week. Now, his once youthful face was beginning to show signs of maturity. But with Grace, he would still lower his head a little and let her pet him.


    "I know you''ve been run down all week, Grace. You should head upstairs and get some rest. I''ll always have a bedroom set up for you here. Feel free toe over whenever you need to."


    She had taken a week off from Henderson Group. She had been upied with the Lambert family''s business recently and hadn''t been at work. Dark circles ringed her eyes. Hearing Liam''s words, Grace let out a small yawn.


    "Okay then. I''m going to take a three-hour nap. Make sure to wake me up at 7:00 pm."


    "Alright."


    Liam watched her head upstairs, then slowly sat on the couch and looked at the pile of documents Grace had prepared.


    Sebastian said from beside him, "Ms. Lambert did an excellent job. Everything is detailed-even better than what I would''ve done. She must''ve been hiding her skills before. With her guiding you, your father can rest in peace."


    Liam pursed her lips, his eyes tearing up slightly, "But it''s been so tough on her."


    "Mr. Lambert, you''re not a child anymore. If you think Ms. Lambert is handling too much, then the best way you can support her is by making sure you understand all this material."


    Liam quickly wiped his eyes and opened one of the folders with determination. "I''ll work hard to understand it."


    Sebastian looked genuinely pleased and relieved. He remembered how worried Quentin had been about Grace and Liam when he was alive. Now, Seeing them both so capable and supportive of each other it was like they had grown up in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 262

    When Grace woke up, the sky outside had already turnedpletely dark. She checked her phone, only to see that it was already 9:00 pm. Hadn''t she asked Liam to wake her at 7:00 pm?


    She quickly got up, took a shower, had a change of clothes, and headed downstairs-only to find several beautifully prepared dishes on the table, along with a note from Liam.


    "Grace, I''ve gone to the office with Sebastian."


    A wave of relief washed over Grace. She trusted that with her and Sebastian''s help, Liam was sure to be a very capable CEO.


    She put the food into the microwave to heat it up and took her time eating it. Only after she finished did she remember that there had been a notification on her phone when she woke up. She quickly took out her phone again, and sure enough, she saw a message from Ed.


    "Please don''t leave me..."


    The message was sent two hours ago, but she had been asleep and hadn''t replied. Now, she didn''t know how to respond, so she left it alone for the moment.


    After dinner, she drove back to her own ce. She hadn''t gotten much rest all week. After arriving home, she copsed into bed, nning to sleep straight through until morning and then report back to work at Henderson Group.


    However, as soon as she opened the door, a powerful grip dragged her into the room. She didn''t even need to look to know who it was.


    "Ed..."


    She barely had time to call out his name before he kissed her. The kiss was a rush of urgency, a ze of passion, and a touch of worship.


    They stumbled and swayed from the entryway all the way to the couch.


    Just as he pressed her onto the couch and she opened her mouth to speak, his kiss descended on her again.


    "Please don''t leave me."


    Grace could barely breathe when she felt the slight tremor that ran through his body. She knew he was terrified.


    Taking a deep breath, she tried to push him off, but he abruptly pressed down on her thighs and lowered his head.


    "Ed!"


    In the dimness, the sounds that filled the air were thick with intimacy.


    Her fingertips dug gently into his scalp. The unfamiliar thrill was overwhelming, and she quickly lost herself.


    He kissed her with the desperation of a man who had been lost in the desert. He wanted to devour everyst drop of rain.


    "Ed..."


    Grace found herself suddenly regretting how easily she had brought up ending things. He was so consumed right now that he wasn''t listening to anything.


    She sat up, wanting to talk things through properly, but he seemed to be in another world. Hepletely ignored the wordsing out of her mouth.


    The constant repetition of ''please don''t leave me'' wore down Grace''s ability to resist.


    After what felt like an eternity, he seemed calmer. She, however, was spent. Her hands gently framed his face.


    A dull ache spread through her limbs, but he, on the other hand, seemed to possess an almost mechanical stamina.


    "Ed, it''s okay. We''re not breaking up. Please stop."


    Her hand rested on his cheek, and she was surprised to feel the wetness of tears.


    She snatched her hand back as if it stung, only to have him seize it firmly.


    He pulled her hand back and held her palm against his cheek. He rubbed his cheek against her hand like a gentle Golden Retriever seekingfort.


    Grace''s fingers twitched slightly as she mentally berated herself. How could she have taken her frustrations out on him because of her own issues? He had done nothing wrong.


    For someone as withdrawn as him, he must have been terrified toe to her room and wait this long. He was terrified of being abandoned.


    She gently wiped his cheeks with her palm and made sure the tears were gone before cupping his face again.


    "Alright, I haven''t been myself recently, and I shouldn''t have taken it out on you. The breakup was just something I said without thinking. We''re not breaking up-not yet anyway."


    "What do you mean ''not yet''? Am I just a dog you can throw away whenever you


    feel like it? You sweet-talk me when you''re in a good mood and kick me to the curb when you''re not?"


    Grace''s brows furrowed. He had the wrong idea.


    "Ed..."


    Her initial thought was to try and soothe him, maybe apologize, so that they could both cool off and have a proper conversation. But something she said must have hit a nerve because he suddenly bit down on her shoulder.


    "Isn''t that the truth? Aren''t you just with me because it''s convenient? showed up, and you didn''t mind, so you''ve been keeping me around like a pet. And you''re certainly satisfied with my performance in bed, right?


    "You don''t even care what I look like. Anyone could be here, and it would be the same to you, wouldn''t it?"


    His voice trailed off after that outburst.


    Grace could hear his heavy breathing. He was furious.

 Chapter 263

    Grace had always vaguely felt that Ed wasn''t easy to coax, but she hadn''t expected him to be this difficult-he even had his own set of principles.


    Suddenly, she couldn''t find the words to exin. Instead, she stood up and straddled hisp.


    Mature rtionships didn''t always require lengthy debates. Sometimes, a hug was all it took, so words weren''t always necessary.


    For someone already emotionally fragile, words could easily be twisted and misunderstood.


    Taking the initiative, she leaned close and whispered in Ed''s ear, "You can have me however you want tonight, okay? Please don''t be angry."


    He wentpletely still for a beat, and then he was all over her, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.


    The problem was solved, but Grace''s lower back was screaming.


    She didn''t wake up until noon the next day, and her legs nearly gave out when she tried to get up. Biting back a groan, she hauled herself up using the bed and massaged her temples. She had given him permission to do as he pleased, and he really did, keeping her up until 6:00 am.


    Below the waist, everything felt strangely numb, like all sensation had beenpletely worn away.


    When she went to the bathroom to get ready, she was almost shocked by the evidence of such intense indulgence in her own reflection. Her face held a soft, dreamy quality, her cheeks were pink, and her grip on the toothbrush was slightly shaky.


    Sighing, she sshed herself with cold water. The flush on her skin lessened noticeably.


    Stepping into the living room, she noticed that her ce had been tidied up, though it was clear the person wasn''t exactly a natural at it. There were a few takeout containers on the table, and she recognized that the food was from a fancy ce where one had to order ahead. That was really thoughtful of him.


    And she''d been cleaned up nicely too afterst night. It seemed his anger had dissipated.


    Pulling out her phone, she saw her impulsive "breakup" message and cringed. She was definitely not saying that again so casually. The consequences were way too much.


    She quickly typed out a message. "Did you clean up my ce? Thanks."


    His reply was fast, but he was clearly still hung up on yesterday''s breakup. "Are you still breaking up with me?"


    Grace rolled her eyes, wondering if he was pushing his luck. If they were still breaking up, would he have just worn her out in bed like that?


    Grace: "Not anymore."


    Ed: "And what about down the line?"


    He was still stuck on her "not yet anyway"ment. He really hung onto every word.


    Grace sighed and rubbed her forehead as she replied. "Seriously, we''re not breaking up-not ever."


    A long silence hung in the digital air before his reply came through. "Yeah, well, I''m still mad at you."


    Grace briefly considered asking his reasons, but with her workday looming, she didn''t have the time for a detailed conversation. She opted for a quick dismissal. "Alright, alright. My bad. Just chill. I''m heading to work."


    With that, she bolted downstairs and drove straight to Henderson Group.


    When she arrived at Henderson Group, her workspace was once again wet. Without even needing to guess, she knew it was Jodie. Had shee to Henderson Group again today?


    She asked the person next to her, who peeked around to make sure Jodie wasn''t lurking before nodding.


    "The princess, said she''s going to make a point of stopping by your desk to ssh water each time shees to Henderson Group. Grace, I really think you should tell Mr. Henderson about it. You have a lot of important documents here, after all."


    Grace took some tissues from her colleague and dryly wiped her desk, inwardlyughing cynically. Surely, the untouchable Ethan was aware of Jodie''s antics, wasn''t he? The thought just fueled her anger.


    She had barely sat down at her workstation when Tim dropped a file on her desk. "Mr. Henderson will be making a trip for the project in Siltham, and you''re tagging along."


    Siltham?


    What had gotten into Ethan to suddenly decide on a trip to such a ce? She thought of Liam, and a wave of unease washed over her. "For how long?" "About a week."


    She stood up. "Mr. Bet, I might not be able to go."


    Tim gave her a once-over before stating bluntly, "Then you need to tell Mr. Henderson yourself."


    Grace really wasn''t keen on seeing Ethan. Seeing him would just remind her of that pain in the neck, Jodie. But she had no choice but to go to his office.


    She knocked on the office door, and a curt "Come in" echoed from within. She entered to see Ethan engrossed in documents spread across his desk. Stepping closer, she was about to talk when she spotted a tiny, light scratch on his neck.


    It took her a beat to ce it. Before


    Ed, she wouldn''t have given it a


    second thought. But after a few intense encounters with Ed, she had developed a habit of leaving little marks on him-sometimes identally, sometimes on purpose.


    The mark on Ethan''s neck had all the hallmarks of a woman''s fingernail.


    Had the Henderson family recently set him up on a blind date and he actually


    liked that woman? Had they slept together?


    That didn''t seem right. Wasn''t he still hung up on some long-lost love?


    She stood there silently, and Ethan finally looked up.


    "Yes?"


    "Mr. Henderson, I can''t go on the Siltham trip. You''ll need to find someone else. Liam is still finding his feet at thepany, and I''m not entirelyfortable leaving him."


    He set down his pen. "Is he still sucking his thumb?


    Grace was surprised by his


    Ethan''s fingers, which had still been on the papers, gave a tiny jump. He then grabbed his pen in a way that looked like he was trying to hide something-even though he had just set it down.


    "No."


    No?


    Grace was certain of what she had witnessed. Then, it dawned on her. "Did you get a cat? That''s a pretty nasty scratch. Hope you got it vinated." See? She knew it. Wasn''t he supposed to be celibate by choice? There was no way he''d let a woman leave a mark on him.


    Besides, he was Ethan Henderson. If he actually wanted to date, he could just snap his fingers, and a line of women would probably stretch around the block.


    Ethan remained silent, and his grip on the pen was tight. With hisshes lowered, his face was an unreadable mask once more.

 Chapter 264

    Half the time, Grace had no clue what Ethan was thinking, so she just said it again.


    "Seriously, I can''t do the Siltham trip. My bad."


    "You''re going."


    She scrunched up her eyebrows, briefly entertaining the idea of just resigning when he dropped, "Dn is back in town."


    "And who the hell is that?"


    "Levi''s younger brother. Trust me, he''s a lot nastier than Levi ever was. He''s digging into what happened to Levi, and I''m getting you out of here so that you don''t end up on the receiving end of his... unpleasant methods."


    Grace''s eyes narrowed slightly. "And how does this involve me?"


    "Grace, he''ll inevitably find his way to you. The substance Levi gave to you came from Dn."


    Ethan''s intensity made Grace weigh his words carefully. She wouldn''t be able to handle someone from the Henderson family on her own. And if Ethan himself was saying that Dn was bad news, then sticking close to Ethan was probably the smartest move.


    But why Siltham?


    Siltham was pretty far, and with Ethan in the spotlight right now, who knew if Dn might try to take him down too?


    But she also really didn''t want to be stuck in a car with Ethan. Lately, he''d been acting kind of weird, or maybe that was just her.


    "Fine, I''ll go. But Mr. Henderson, I can just take the train. Someone as important as you can''t be seen on public transport, so Mr. Bet can drive you."


    With that, she turned to leave. "Mr. Bet said it''ll be for about a week, so I''ll head home to pack a few things. I just booked my train ticket, so we can meet up in Siltham. It''s a bit remote there, and there''s only one five-star hotel, so we can meet there."


    Her hand was on the handle and she was ready to bolt when his voice stopped her. "Is being near me really that unbearable?"


    Grace''s body stiffened. Reluctantly, she closed the door once more.


    "Mr. Henderson, I thought some things went without saying. Your recent behavior has been unusual, and as such, I need to maintain professional boundaries. Furthermore, I don''t wish for senior management to perceive my advancement as being tied to you, nor do I want Mr. Henderson Senior to entertain any false impressions.


    "Above all, I have no desire to be drawn into the internal conflicts of the Henderson family. Therefore, regardless of your intentions-whether you''re just joking or otherwise-I must decline."


    Her tone wasposed and direct, her gaze steady and devoid of any personal sentiment.


    Ethan''s throat felt tight.


    Grace added, "I''m sure there are plenty of amazing women in Druville waiting for you. I know I''m definitely not your type, Mr. Henderson. I''m just trying to avoid any awkward situations, so I''mying all this out on the table."


    With that, her hand went back to the office doorknob.


    "Anyway, I have absolutely no interest in you, Mr. Henderson. I don''t like you like that, and I''m sure the feeling is mutual. Keeping our distance is best for both of us."


    Ethan justughed at her obvious eagerness to get away from him.


    Hearing hisugh, Grace could feel a chill run down her spine. She hurried out of the office, wanting to quickly get home and pack.


    On the train, Ethan''sugh still echoed in Grace''s mind. It was a disturbing sound that felt almost


    threatening. Had shepletemet


    misjudged the situation with her little speech about not beingo interested?


    Of course. Why would Ethan ever look her way?


    The women who pursued him were all stunning, supermodels with incredible figures, and he had ignored them. Why would he notice a regr employee like her?


    She sat down, yawned, and was about to try and sleep when she overheard the conversation across the aisle.


    "The Obsidian is brutal. You all need to be careful, especially around the man in the silver mask. I identally saw him once, and I nearly groveled."


    "You went in once and got cleaned out. You never got anywhere near the big shots."


    "Dude, seriously. After losing so


    badly, I had to take a leak. I was hunting for the bathroom, and that''s


    when I saw himing up the spiral


    stairs He just dropped these freezing words, ''Get rid of him.''


    Hearing that froze the blood in my


    veins, and I swear I almost wet myself."


    Grace turned to see who was talking and saw a group of rough-looking guys.


    After seeing a beautiful woman sitting opposite him, the man speaking realized hisnguage had been a little crude, so he gave Grace a sheepish grin.


    Intrigued by the mysterious owner of the Obsidian, Grace couldn''t resist asking, "Is he really that scary?"

 Chapter 265

    The guy''s eyes lit up. "Whoa, gorgeous, you''ve been there too? I''ve been telling these clowns, but they don''t believe me. They just keep going on about no gambling."


    "Yep, I''ve been there. I even ran into him once."


    "He''s scary as hell, right? After he said ''Get rid of him,'' he looked down at me and asked the other dude, ''What''s this good-for-nothing doing in here?'' I swear, my knees almost buckled."


    Grace couldn''t help butugh. What was with this overly dramatic talk?


    Clearly, this guy was just some lucky stiff who had gotten into The Obsidian once. She shifted in her seat, wanting to sleep, but she still left a finalment.


    "But if you saw him and he didn''t kill you, doesn''t that suggest he''s not quite as indiscriminately violent as you''re describing him to be?"


    The man''s expression hardened instantly. "That''s because I''m leaving out the important part. I opened the door to the bathroom, and there were seven or eight bodies inside. They were all brutally murdered. Their faces were unrecognizable, like they had been beaten to death alive. I was so terrified that I stumbled back, nearly peeing my pants."


    He had indeed peed himself a little, but in the presence of such a beautiful woman, he was trying to maintain someposure. But the memory seemed to grip him, and his face lost all color.


    "That would exin the blood on his hands! He had just finished killing them. The way he looked at me then was like I was nothing more than trash. I was paralyzed with fear. He felt like a soulless creature, a true monster.


    "When he called me a good-for-nothing, I genuinely felt insignificant, like he could crush me with a mere flick of his finger."


    Grace''s eyebrow arched slightly, and she pushed her unopened water bottle toward the man.


    The man''s lips were pale; he was clearly still shaken.


    "Thanks. Yeah, after that one time, I swore I''d never go back. It was all gold and glitter inside, real fancy, but the world of the rich is beyond anything we can imagine. Better to just go back home and work thend."


    Grace smiled faintly. "That''s probably true. Here, drink some water. Your lips are white."


    "Heh, my bad. Didn''t mean to scare you."


    Grace leaned back, trying to rx. She had another quick dream that was set in the same ce¡ªthat pool in the club. In her dream, she reached out while feeling disoriented and touched something icy and smooth.


    She dreamed she pulled off the mask, and her eyes widened in surprise and a bit of awe.


    The next moment, she snapped awake, her forehead damp with sweat.


    All that talk from the guy next to her must have gotten to her. She was actually dreaming about some random dude.


    She wiped her sweaty forehead and finally noticed that the train had stopped. "Siltham," the conductor called.


    She quickly got off with her luggage.


    At the hotel, she booked a room for herself.


    Siltham was a pretty happening county town. It wasn''t huge, but it had a great spot right on the coast. Plus, the country across the sea had just amounced that Eldorians didn''t need a visa to travel to Eastoria, so this ce was about to blow up as a major travel link between the two countries.


    The fact that Henderson Group was building hotels and malls here was definitely hitting the jackpot with that neighbor''s new policies.


    After dropping off her luggage, she called Tim to ask when they''d arrive.


    Tim nced at the backseat, where Ethan had been silent since they left, and said quietly, "Another three hours."


    Taking a car wasn''t as fast as the train, and they were taking a different route.


    Grace settled onto the bed. "Alright, I''ll rest for a bit. Call me when you arrive."


    Half-asleep, Grace heard a lot of noiseing from the hallway and thought she must have misheard. She sat up and listened carefully, but it was definitely Jodie''s voice. She was bossing people around about moving stuff.


    How had she managed to follow them all the way to Siltham?


    Grace''s head started to throb, but Jodie''s voice was still echoing from the hallway.


    "Be careful with that! These are all


    V


    for my Uncle Ethan. You think you can afford to rece them if you break them? This too! Sanitize everything. My Uncle Ethan is only staying in this cheap room because he has no other choice.


    "And this is mine! When he arrives, you tell him there are no extra rooms left. That way, I can stay with him!"


    Jodie''s voice was full of excitement as she continued to instruct the staff.


    Gracey back down on the bed. She knew this trip to Siltham was going to be anything but peaceful.

 Chapter 266

    After three hours, Ethan''s car finally arrived. Tim called Grace, but she pretended not to answer the phone since Jodie would pick them up anyway.


    And Jodie did go to pick them up. The moment she saw Ethan, she eximed excitedly, "Uncle Ethan!"


    She ran over and immediately clung to his arm. "I specifically asked Grandpa to let mee with you to gain some experience. So, don''t you dare find me annoying."


    Ethan''s eyes nced afar for a moment, but Grace was nowhere to be seen.


    Standing beside him, Tim quickly took out his phone and gave Grace another call. "Ms. Lambert, Mr. Henderson has arrived. Have you made your way down?"


    Grace pretended to let out a yawn. "I''m sorry. I overslept. You''ve probably settled in by now, right? I won''t be going down anymore. We''ll talk when we meet up tomorrow morning."


    Tim wanted to say something else, but she hung up before he could say anything.


    On the other hand, Jodie''s expression instantly turned vicious when she heard that Grace was also here. She couldn''t understand why Ethan always brought Grace along wherever he went. She was worried that Ethan might have taken a liking to Grace, just like Alice had mentioned before.


    She had visited Alice the day before yesterday. Alice had been locked up in a psychiatric hospital, and her state of mind had been quite unstable. She kept talking about how Ethan had a crush on Grace and that Grace would suffer a lot in the future because of it.


    Of course, Jodie didn''t believe any of it. Someone as distinguished as Ethan wouldn''t just have a crush and do nothing about it.


    However, she would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one get away.


    Her eyes were filled with venom, but her face showed an innocent smile when she looked back up at Ethan.


    Tim went to check into the hotel. As expected, Lucy Jones told him that there was only one room avable.


    Tim raised his eyebrows slightly and quickly understood what was going on. He pushed a business card toward her with a smile.


    Lucy''s face went pale when she saw the card and quickly checked their group into a few rooms. When Tim was pushing Ethan into the elevator, he saw Jodie walking straight toward Lucy.


    Jodie was filled with rage. She couldn''t understand why Tim was still able to check into another few rooms when she had already informed Lucy about it.


    She didn''t care for Lucy''s exnation and just gave her a p across the face. "Bitch, are you looking to get yourself killed? If I''m angry, all of you are going to be fired!"


    Lucy covered her face as she started to cry quietly.


    Jodie took a deep breath. She was afraid Ethan would be angry at her again if he knew about it, so she threw out a few hundred dor bills at Lucy, clearly annoyed. "Take it to treat your face. Don''t you dares anything unnecessary in front of Uncle Ethan!"


    She quickly turned around and followed Ethan upstairs.


    The other receptionists hurried over to console Lucy. They were all just regr employees. It wasn''t like they hadn''t dealt with such a spoiled heiress before, so they knew that there was nothing they could do.


    ...


    Tim wheeled Ethan up to their floor. When they passed by the room Grace was in, Tim deliberately mentioned it. "Mr. Henderson, this is Ms. Lambert''s room."


    Ethan hadn''t said a word in the car this morning, so no one knew what he was thinking about. When he heard Tim''s words, he lifted his head and looked toward Grace''s room. The door was tightly closed, and no sound came from the room.


    Ethan''s fingertips that were resting on the wheelchair''s armrests stiffened slightly. He looked away, wanting to leave just like that. However, the door opened at that moment.


    Grace showed up at the door. Because of how she had slept, the hair on the top of her head had stuck up slightly.


    Ethan stared at her for a few seconds.


    Grace exchanged a nce with him and immediately felt her mood turn sour. She figured luck was not on her side today for letting her run into Ethan the second she stepped out.


    Her change in expression was very clear in Ethan''s eyes. In the next second, however, she showed a professional smile.


    "Mr. Henderson, I thought both of you had already checked into the hotel. I didn''t expect you two toe up thiste.


    "The rooms here are a bit shabby,


    but you get a view of the sea. The view should be nice if you look out of the window." She spoke half-heartedly as she walked toward the elevator. "I''m going to grab something to eat. I''m a bit hungry right now."


    Grace didn''t care about Ethan''s response. As far as she was concerned, she had said everything she wanted to say and that was the end of it.


    Tim originally wanted to push Ethan to the room that he had checked in, but he saw that Ethan was still looking in Grace''s direction. So, he reminded Ethan, "Mr. Henderson, she has already walked away."


    Only then did Ethan finally look away while murmuring a soft reply in response.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 267

    When Grace went downstairs, she bumped into Jodie, who was just about to walk into the elevator. Jodie was in a hurry to chase after Ethan, and her face was filled with anxiety. But the moment she saw Grace, that anxiety instantly turned into


    anger.


    "Grace! You bitch!"


    Jodie was so angry that she raised her hand to p Grace, but Grace caught her wrist before that.


    The receptionists saw themotion over there and wanted to go over to persuade them. They were afraid that Grace''s conflict with Jodie would lead to them being med by the hotel manager again.


    But before they could get there, they saw Grace raise her hand and p Jodie. Jodie''s head tilted slightly as her lips quivered. "You dare p me?"


    Grace scoffed at her words and crossed her arms. "Ms. Henderson, this isn''t the first time that I''ve pped you. I''ve even put you in the hospital. Guess you haven''t learned your lesson, have you? If I were you, I''d be more quiet."


    The receptionists all stopped in their tracks.


    They had been afraid that Grace would get the short end of the stick, but it turned out that she was even more outrageous than Jodie. On top of that, it looked like she and Jodie knew each other. It seemed that Jodie had finally met someone she couldn''t push around.


    For some reason, they suddenly felt oddly satisfied. They wouldn''t mind if Grace gave Jodie another p across the face.


    Grace let go of Jodie''s wrist and moved to the side. "I remember you mocking me for being a simp not long ago. But look at you, chasing after Ethan for all these years. And yet, he still has no clue how you feel. Would you like me to tell him on your behalf?"


    Jodie''s face instantly turned white. Ethan had always treated her as his junior. The only reason she dared to act spoiled around him was also because of that.


    If he knew about her feelings toward him, Ethan would definitely keep his distance in the future.


    "Don''t you dare!"


    Grace''s expression became cold. She slowly approached Jodie, her eyes full of threat. "I can keep quiet. But it''d be best for you to be more respectful when you see me in the future. Otherwise, I''m afraid I won''t be able to control my mouth and I''ll end up letting the noble Mr. Henderson find out what kind of inappropriate thoughts his precious junior has of him. Tsk, tsk."


    "Grace!" Jodie was so angry that her body couldn''t stop shaking, but there was nothing she could do.


    Grace gave her a wave before going straight to the hotel''s restaurant.


    Jodie bitted her bottom lip fiercely, her eyes filled with malice. While cursing Grace in her mind, she swore to make sure Grace could never go back to Druville this time.


    After Grace was done with her meal, she returned to her room, only to find Tim already waiting for her.


    "Ms. Lambert, didn''t you say you''re good at giving massages?"


    Grace thought that this was probably a hint for her to give Ethan a leg massage right now.


    "Mr. Henderson was in the car for a whole day, and his legs are hurting. Moreover, his legs became like this because of you."


    Grace had nothing to say after being used of that. It was indeed because of her that Ethan''s legs were injured.


    She took a deep breath and went straight to his room. When she opened the door, Ethan had just finished his bath, so he only had a loose robe on him.


    With his hair down, he leaned against the bathroom door. After giving her a nce, he tried walk toward his bed with difficulty.


    Seeing that theyout of his room was different from hers, Grace knew that his room had been disinfected and altered. She also saw how much effort took Ethan to move, so she quickly walked over and grabbed his hand to help.


    "Mr. Henderson, are your legs still not healed after all that physiotherapy?"


    Grace had once said that she would be avable at any time until his legs were fully recovered. But she had been a bit cold toward himtely.


    She was holding onto his arm, so her fingers naturally brushed against his skin.


    Ethan''s robe revealed arge area of his chest, and his belt was tied hastily around his waist, looking as if it might slip off at any moment. With water still dripping from his hair, he looked like he had just stepped out of a beautiful painting.


    Grace squatted by the bed and started massaging his calves. When she lifted her head to tell him something, a drop of water dripped from his hair and identally fell into her eyes.


    She blinked her eyes, causing them to be red instantly. She couldn''t help the urge to rub her eyes.


    Ethan''s hand grabbed onto her wrist. "Don''t touch your eyes with your hands."


    She could only blink hard a few times before that foreign sensation finally faded away.


    "Why don''t you dry your hair first? Otherwise, water will still drip onto me."


    She found the clean towel Tim had prepared in the luggage and gave it to him. However, he didn''t take it.


    That was when Grace noticed the scratches on Ethan''s hands and arms. It was


    as if he had crushed something with too much force.


    "What happened to your hands?"


    "It''s nothing."


    "How could you say it''s nothing? You''re bleeding. Did you crush a cup? Let me


    call Mr. Bet to help take care of the wounds."

 Chapter 268

    Grace turned around to walk out of the room, but Ethan grabbed her wrist. His grip was so strong that it hurt a little. She quickly yanked her hand free and took a few steps back, massaging her wrist.


    The corners of Ethan''s mouth dropped as he said in defeat, "I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine. I''ll go call Mr. Bet." She left just as she finished her words and went to Tim''s room.


    "Mr. Henderson has some wounds on his hands. Go to the front desk to get a first aid kit and help him treat his wounds."


    Tim didn''t even open the door, but he was a bit confused about the situation. He didn''t understand how Ethan had injured his hands when he had been just fine throughout the ride here.


    "Ms. Lambert, I''m currently working overtime right now and don''t have the time. Sorry, but I''ll leave it to you."


    Grace took a deep breath, unable to refuse. She knew that she, as one of the employees apanying Ethan on this business trip, would be held responsible if he ended up getting tetanus.


    She quickly went to the front desk and asked for a first aid kit. But when she returned to their floor, she was stopped by Jodie.


    Jodie didn''t bother to hide anything anymore since Grace already knew about her feelings for Ethan.


    "Is Uncle Ethan hurt? Give the first aid kit to me. I''ll go take care of his wounds."


    Grace would be more than happy to let someone else go. So, she immediately gave the first aid kit to Jodie and went straight back to her room for some sleep.


    However, after lying down for a few minutes, she heard Jodie crying. It seemed that Jodie had been kicked out of Ethan''s room.


    "Serves her right," Grace thought.


    Just when she was about to drift into sleep, her phone made a sound. It was a message from Ed.


    "Are you asleep?"


    "No. Is there something going on?"


    After sending that message, Grace seemed to think it wasn''t appropriate. No one would talk to their boyfriend like this, acting as if he was not allowed to message her if nothing had happened. She took a breath and sent a new message.


    "I''m on a business trip right now. I''m just letting you know so that you won''t go to my ce during thising week. You won''t find me there."


    After she was done sending the message, she prepared to lie back down to rest. However, a message from Ethan suddenly popped up.


    "Are you asleep?"


    Grace saw that message and ignored it. It would be better for Ethan to think that she was already asleep.


    Ed sent another message. "I''ll miss you."


    Grace pressed her lips for a moment before quickly replying. "This ce is a coastal city. I''ll pick up some shells for you."


    "Okay."


    After seeing his reply, she put her phone down and yawned. She fell asleep straight away.


    ...


    The next day, Grace was woken up by her rm. When she was done getting ready and stepped out, she saw Jodie standing in front of Ethan''s door.


    Grace was just about to walk away when the door opened and Ethan was


    wheeled out. She stopped right in her tracks. She had no choice but to let him be in front while she walked behind Tim.


    On the way to the hotel''s restaurant,


    Jodie keptining that the wind was very strongst night, making her unable to sleep for the whole night. But Ethan, as expected, didn''t say a word.


    By the time they reached the restaurant, the local officials from Siltham had already been waiting there. They all stood up, wanting to shake hands with Ethan.


    But they didn''t dare to approach him after seeing his unhappy expression. They could only exchange a few polite words and sit down at the table.


    Jodie happened to sit beside Grace. She wanted to swap seats but was afraid of her actions being too obvious. So, she could only sit down awkwardly.


    Since they were in a coastal city, it was natural for them to eat seafood. The dishes served were all seafood. Grace got a bit hungry after smelling the aroma.


    She was about to lift her cutlery to eat when she suddenly saw Ethan''s wounds on his hands. They were redder than before, indicating he didn''t tend to themst night.


    He lifted his fork, but the fork fell from his palm. Since Grace had seen it, she couldn''t just pretend that nothing had happened. So, she immediately ced a portion of food on his te using the serving tongs.


    "Mr. Henderson, just let me know what you want to eat."


    Ethan lifted his head and gave her a look, but he didn''t say anything.


    Grace wasn''t sure if she was just making a fool of herself, but she dutifully peeled


    a few shrimps for him.


    Jodie was sitting opposite them. When she saw this, she let out a coldugh. "Grace, you don''t know how Uncle Ethan feels about


    finish her words, she saw Ethan


    seafood-" But before she


    eating the shrimp Grace had peeled for him.


    Grace was a bit confused and looked at Grace. "What about seafood?"


    Jodie''s face was a mix of conflicting emotions. She could only assume she had remembered it wrong. She could have sworn that Ethan was allergic to seafood before.


    Grace thought Jodie was just trying to seek attention, so she didn''t bother and continued to dutifully peel shrimp for Ethan.


    Ethan would eat the shrimp every time Grace finished peeling one for him. Seeing this, Tim couldn''t help himself and spoke up. "Ms. Lambert, why don''t you eat some yourself?"


    Grace quickly put down the shrimp shell in her hands. "Mr. Henderson, I''ll go ahead and help myself."


    "Okay."


    Ethan lowered his eyshes as red rashes started to spread along his neck. But


    Grace didn''t notice.

 Chapter 269

    Grace had two tes of seafood risotto before discussing the proposal for Siltham with the local officials. Since the ind hotel was also an important part of the area''s development ns, both parties agreed to take a boat trip to explore the ind.


    After finishing their meal, Grace ced her cutlery down. She instinctively tore open the pack of wet tissue beside her and gave one to Ethan.


    Due to Ethan''s wounds on his hands, Grace could only grab his hands and wipe his fingers gently. When Jodie saw this, she was filled with rage. She stormed over and shoved Grace aside.


    "Grace, get out of the way! Don''t think I don''t know what filthy thoughts you''re harboring. Stay away from Uncle Ethan!"


    Grace was pushed a few yards away. Seeing that Ethan was saying nothing, she thought that her previous actions had offended him. So, she could only quietly step back a few paces.


    Jodie''s face was filled with triumph. She lowered her head to talk to Ethan while pushing his wheelchair. She was not sure if it was just her imagination, but it felt as if the air around Ethan had turned icy.


    Feeling a bit ufortable, she started ordering Grace around. "Go buy some disinfectant. Uncle Ethan and I will wait for you on board the boat."


    Grace raised her brows. She didn''t feel like staying here anyway, so she turned around and headed to the store in the distance. But when she came back, she saw so many boats nearby that she wasn''t sure which boat they were using for the trip.


    She asked the worker near her. A dark gleam shed across the worker''s eyes as he recognized her. "Are you Ms. Lambert? Mr. Henderson and the rest have already gone to the ind to wait for you. So, you''ll have to take a small boat to catch up."


    Grace had a hunch that this was Jodie''s idea. She had no choice but to take the small boat.


    However, just as the boat was halfway there, the weather looked ominous. She even heard the sound of a siren going off in the distance.


    She asked the boatman, "Why did the weather suddenly change? Is it even safe to be out at sea today?"


    But just as she finished asking this question, the boatman jumped into the sea before Grace could react. She finally spotted huge waves swelling in the distance. She didn''t have time to think about who was behind this scheme and started rowing the boat to the nearby ind.


    However, the weather near the sea was unpredictable. Even after Grace reached the ind, she couldn''t see anything as visibility dropped to near zero. On top of that, she felt extremely cold due to the plunging temperatures.


    Grace took a deep breath and felt her way forward. But a nk of wood hurled by the raging wind came flying toward her, smacking her straight on the head. The impact made her nearly faint.


    Meanwhile, Ethan and the rest were supposed to go out to sea 20 minutes ago, but they received an emergency alert saying that a storm wasing and all sea travel was prohibited for the next three days. So, they could only retreat to the hotel.


    Jodie''s eyes shifted about as a hint of malice shed across them. She had bribed a boatman to coax Grace into going out to sea. It would be great if Grace could die alone out at sea.


    Rain had started pouring outside, and heavy raindrops were hitting the windows. The local officers from Siltham were apologizing to Ethan. They hadn''t anticipated that the weather would change so drastically.


    Ethan''s gaze was fixed outside. Grace still hadn''t returned, and the pouring rain made him worry as she didn''t have an umbre with her.


    He didn''t listen to what the local officials were talking about. Instead, he pulled out his phone and called Grace.


    But there was no signal on the


    ind. Grace was clinging to a tree for dear life so that she wouldn''t be swept into the sea by the violent winds. She took a deep breath,~ knowing that she couldn''t let herself die in a ce like this.


    On the other hand, Ethan saw that she wasn''t picking up her phone and furrowed


    his brows. He instructed Tim, "Go look for her."


    Tim knew who Ethan was talking about. He immediately grabbed the umbre near him and headed out.


    He came back after ten minutes, and his body was soaked. The umbre was actually useless in this kind of weather.


    "Mr. Henderson, I couldn''t find Ms. Lambert. Could it be that she thought we had boarded the boat, so she went to the ind by herself?"


    The face of the local official beside Tim had already turned ashen, and he quickly shook his hands. "That''s impossible. All of the fishermen must have already received the alert. No one would go out to sea on their own. It''s no different from getting yourselves killed."


    Ethan''s gaze suddenly fell on Jodie. Jodie had been looking very excited this entire time.


    "Jodie," he called her, his eyes dark.


    Jodie tried her best to restrain the smile on her face, pretending that she knew nothing. "What''s wrong, Uncle Ethan? I don''t know where she went either. Why don''t we give her a few more calls?"


    Even after she finished her words, Ethan still didn''t respond and kept staring at her.


    It took courage for people to look


    straight back at Ethan. Jodie was spoiled and didn''t have any experience. Seeing that he was. really angry, she got so scared that cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She couldn''t even talk properly.


    "U-Uncle Ethan, why are you looking at me? I didn''t do anything."

 Chapter 270

    Ethan''s expression turned even darker. "When we get back to Druville, don''te and see me ever again."


    Jodie''s face instantly turned pale as she looked at him in disbelief.


    No matter how big a mistake she made, Ethan had always forgiven her in the past. But this time, he told her not to see him ever again.


    She was on the verge of tears. She quickly knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his legs. "Uncle Ethan, I didn''t mean it. I was just joking with Grace. I didn''t know she''d actually go out to sea. I know my mistake now. Please take back what you said."


    After listening to this, the local officials were also starting to panic.


    "How is this a joke? Going out to sea in this kind of weather is deadly! The waves on the sea are huge, and there may be whirlpools!"


    Jodie sniggered internally. That had been the n all along. She wanted Grace to die in this storm.


    With her arms still wrapped around Ethan''s legs, she wanted to continue crying, but she heard him call out, "Tim."


    Tim quickly pulled Jodie up, and his tone was serious as well. "Ms. Henderson, please don''t make my job difficult."


    Jodie immediately stood up, but she couldn''t help feeling a little smug in her heart. She knew Ethan would forgive her in the end.


    The corner of her mouth twitched into a small smile, but tears kept running down her face. "Uncle Ethan, don''t be angry. I really know my mistake now. I promise I won''t do it ever again."


    But Ethan had already maneuvered his wheelchair to go outside. Seeing this, the local officials all tried to stop him.


    Ethan''s legs were already in poor condition. If anything happened to him here, they could forget about negotiating the Siltham project.


    "Mr. Henderson, it''s best for us to go out to sea three dayster. No one will dare to go out right now."


    "Yes, we won''t be able to handle it if something were to happen to you."


    Tim locked Jodie in her room and quickly went back downstairs. He looked at the local officials, whose faces were all filled with anxiety, with a smile.


    "Which one is thergest boat? Don''t be worried. Mr. Henderson will be okay."


    The group was supposed to stop Ethan, but they could only lower their heads after looking at Ethan''s expression. They immediately told Tim the location of thergest fishing boat.


    Since Siltham hadn''t been fully developed yet, theirrgest fishing boat couldn''t evenpare to Druville''s river cruise ships.


    Umbres were totally useless in this kind of extreme weather. Both Ethan and Tim were soaked as soon as they stepped outside.


    The local officials were so scared that they insisted on following them, but then they heard Ethan''s words. "When the rain gets smaller,e fetch us on the ind."


    The souls of the local officials almost left their bodies. They were shocked that Ethan was really going to the ind.


    "Mr. Henderson!"


    But Ethan had already been wheeled away.


    Tim pushed Ethan onto the boat, wanting to go along. However, he heard han say, "You need to s ba Can''te back in the end,


    there''s a lot I need you to handle."


    Tim wanted to say something but could only sigh in the end. He just reminded Ethan, "Mr. Henderson, please be careful with your legs."


    Ethan set off directly.


    The sea was terrifying in this kind of extreme weather. There was lightning and thunder, and it looked as if the world was going to be devoured by the dark clouds.


    Grace kept feeling her way and


    finally reached a bungalow. She was relieved that this ce was mentioned when she was chatting with the local officials during the meal. In preparation for Henderson Group''s visit, the bungalow had running water, electricity, and some food.


    She found the keys hidden inside a drill hole. However, the wind was so strong


    that she was almost blown away the moment she opened the door.


    She had a death grip on the doorknob, and her face was streaked with several bloody cuts. With a final push, she hurled herself into the house.


    The storm was immediately blocked outside. Grace was shivering from the cold and went to turn on the heating while sniffing softly.


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 Chapter 271

    Grace had no signal on her phone, so she couldn''t contact anyone at the moment. She also didn''t know when the storm would pass, but it shouldn''t take more than a week at most.


    She couldn''t do anything right now besides changing her wet clothes. It was a good thing that there were extra bed sheets and covers in the cab, and the bed had also been neatly made with a clean nket.


    She sneezed and hunched her shoulders against the cold.


    After taking off her wet clothes, she went for a hot shower. She finally started to feel warm andfortable.


    After that, shey on the bed, listening to the sound of the storm outside. She decided to get some rest and see what things looked like after she woke up.


    However, her phone suddenly rang after some time.


    Grace was surprised to see she had a signal on her phone. She quickly got up from bed and answered the call. It was Tim calling.


    The signal wasn''t stable, so she didn''t understand what he had just said. She could only hear one sentence-"Mr. Henderson went to the ind by himself to look for you."


    Grace thought she had heard it wrong and quickly confirmed with him again. "Mr. Bet, are you kidding me? You let Mr. Henderson go out on his own in this kind of weather? His legs are still recovering!"


    But the sounds from the other side of the phone became broken again. She couldn''t hear anything.


    Grace took a deep breath. When she heard Ethan was willing toe find her by himself, she was indeed touched but was also worried about him. It was like an apocalypse here on the ind as pieces of wood would asionally be swept away by the wind. If someone was hit by it, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    She couldn''t possibly sleep with that on her mind, so she quickly got up and changed back into her wet clothes. Then, she went out again with the storm raging above her.


    The rain seemed to be heavier than before. It was a little painful when the raindrops fell on her cheeks.


    It took her so much effort to walk forward that she needed to cling to tree trunks to keep herself from being blown away. After walking for a few hundred yards, she saw a figure not far from her.


    She wasn''t sure if it was her imagination, but that person seemed to have looked at her for a moment before falling.


    "Mr. Henderson!"


    Grace wanted to walk faster to Ethan, but the wind was too strong. She couldn''t really even open her eyes because of it. She took ten minutes before finally reaching Ethan.


    "Mr. Henderson!"


    Ethany on the floor, his bodypletely drenched. His cheeks were also pale.


    Grace kneeled beside him and patted his face. "Mr. Henderson! Ethan Henderson!"


    Ethan slowly opened his eyes. He sat up and pulled her into a tight hug.


    Right now it felt like the world


    was falling apart, so this hug didn''t seem toe with other intentions.


    Hence, Grace didn''t push him away and even let out a sigh of relief.


    "There''s a bungalow right in front. It''s a good thing that it was mentioned when we


    were talking with the local officials. Let''s go. I''ll take you there."


    Ethan didn''t say anything and just stretched out one arm. The message was loud and clear he needed her help to stand up.


    Grace had the urge tough but couldn''t let it out. She quickly helped him up. Both of them supported each other as they made their way to the bungalow in the distance.


    She was a bit surprised that the direction Ethan had been heading in was correct. She wondered if he had been listening in while she was talking to the local officials.


    The bungalow was not far from them. After bringing Ethan inside, she closed the door with difficulty.


    Ethan was tall and had long legs. Worried his legs might experienceplications, she quickly kneeled beside him right after closing the door. "Do your legs hurt? Where''s your wheelchair?"


    "I lost it."

 Chapter 272

    Grace''s fingertips pressed tentatively on his calves. "Does it hurt?"


    "It hurts."


    Grace felt anxious, thinking that his legs had gotten worse. "The condition here is pretty basic. I know you''re a clean freak, but bear with it this time. Let''s take off your clothes and let me massage your legs."


    Just as she finished her words, she hurried to unbutton his shirt. However, she was shocked to see arge area of red rashes on his skin just after undoing one button. "What''s with these red rashes?"


    Ethan closed his eyes and leaned against the table beside him. He looked a bit dejected. "Maybe it''s because I''m allergic to seafood."


    Grace felt like the world was spinning. She couldn''t believe that he would eat the shrimp that she had peeled for him when he was allergic to seafood. He didn''t have just one either; he had all of it.


    She threw his expensive suit aside and unbuttoned all of the buttons on his shirt. Beside his chest, there were also rashes on his back.


    Grace''s face was pale with fright. Seeing that Ethan was dozing off, she quickly patted his face. "Mr. Henderson, don''t fall asleep. Are you having a fever right now?"


    She raised her hand and tested the temperature on his forehead. It was so hot that she almost whipped her hand away.


    She couldn''t believe that Ethan hade to find her all by himself with a body that was in terrible condition. Holding back her anger, she grabbed onto his belt.


    Ethan slowly opened his eyes, his temperament noticeably less imposing than usual. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m taking your clothes off and then wiping your body with some warm water. After that, you need to rest in bed. Your clothes are wet right now, and you''re going to make the bed wet if youy on it like this. There''s only one bed here."


    Ethan''s eyes flickered. He turned his head away after learning that there was only one bed avable. Grace noticed that his ears were getting red and became a bit flustered herself.


    "Mr. Henderson, pardon me."


    She helped him to sit on the couch and took off his pants. Then, she fetched a basin of warm water from the bathroom and began wiping down his body.


    Seeing Ethan''s fit body, Grace was curious how he managed to stay in such good shape despite being in a wheelchair for two years.


    With a red face, she wiped his whole body before helping him into bed She tucked him in with his nket, then checked his forehead again, only to realize that he still had a fever.


    She quickly got up and rummaged through the room, but she couldn''t find any medicine.


    She went back to the bed anxiously. "Mr. Henderson, how are you feeling?"


    "Cold and itching." Ethan''s voice was a bit raspy as his cheeks were red due to the fever.


    Grace couldn''t care about formality


    at this moment. In a rush, she went back to the bathroom to take a


    shower and took out the bed sheets from the cab. After covering herself with the sheets, she crawled underneath the nket to where Ethan was.


    She thought the warmth from her body would keep Ethan from feeling cold. She didn''t want something to happen to him when he was with her. However, she could see his face up close with this minimal distance between them.


    They were facing each other at the moment. Ethan''s eyes held a hint of confusion


    as he slowly raised his hand to touch her cheek.


    Grace suddenly pulled away, causing the cold wind to sweep under the nket. She also heard him saying, "It''s cold."


    She took a deep breath and moved a bit closer. However, she didn''t sleep face-to- face with him this time but was facing the ceiling instead.


    She heard him tossing and turning in bed, so she finally asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "My allergy is acting up. It''s itchy."


    "Ethan, you''re really something. Even a celebrity diva wouldn''t be this demanding," she thought to herself.


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 Chapter 273

    Grace had no choice but to turn around and face him. "Is it your chest or your back?"


    "My chest." Ethan lowered his gaze. There were a few beads of sweat on his nose, making him look more vulnerable.


    Grace gritted her teeth and put her hand on his chest. His body temperature was abnormally high and even higher in ces with red rashes. Her fingertips trembled from the heat.


    Ethan''s hand suddenly covered the back of Grace''s. Her fingertips curled up as she wiped the inappropriate thoughts from her mind.


    "Let go of your hand. I''ll help you to scratch it."


    Ethan''s gaze was fixed on her face. Seeing that she wasn''t looking back at him and seemed ufortable, the corner of his lips curled up for a moment. "Okay."


    He moved his hand away, letting Grace''s fingertips softly scratch his skin. She asked after a few scratches, "Are you feeling better now?"


    His breathing grew heavier, and she could feel his body getting even more heated and harder than before.


    Ethan didn''t say a word and kept his lips pressed tightly together. Grace thought her actions were helping, so she kept scratching his chest for a long time.


    After ten minutes, his eyshes trembled as he suddenly grabbed her hand. "You can stop now."


    Grace let out a sigh of relief and wanted to ask if Ethan was feeling a bit better now. But before she could say another word, her knee identally bumped into something hot and hard.


    She didn''t dare to move an inch as her face burst into a bright shade of red. She quickly turned her back to Ethan.


    She kept trying to convince herself that Ethan''s reaction was normal as only his legs were crippled and not his whole body.


    While lost in her thoughts, she felt a pair of burning hands wrap around her waist. She had ayer of thick bed sheets around her, but even so, she could still feel how high the temperature of that pair of hands was.


    Grace froze. Her voice was very low as she quietly inched away from Ethan. "You can go ahead and sleep if you''re feeling better now. I think people will being to fetch us after the storm."


    But Ethan only tightened his hold around her waist. It was so slender that it felt as if it was made to fit into his hands.


    She took in a deep breath and sat up. She tucked the nket tighter around him with a serious look on her face. "Mr. Henderson, I really don''t have any other feelings for you. I don''t know if it''s your male instinct or something else that''s driving you right now.


    "But if you need a woman that bad, Mr. Bet and I can help you find one you''ll be satisfied with when we get back to Druville. You can let her be your secretary if you like."


    Ethan''s gaze fell on Grace''s face. He saw that she really meant what she said.


    He turned around, facing his back to her. Grace suddenly felt a bit awkward, wondering if she had been thinking too much again.


    She wrapped the bed sheets tighter around her and got off the bed to sleep on the couch. However, she heard him speak up. "You can just sleep here. I''m the one who overstepped."


    For some reason, Grace heard a hint of bitterness in Ethan''s words. Feeling a lump in her throat, she was unable to refuse his offer for a moment.


    After lying down again, she moved a little closer to him. "Don''t sleep so far away. You still have a fever, and the heater isn''t warm enough. That was just a normal male physiological reaction just now. I understand." She closed her eyes and went to sleep after finishing thatst sentence.


    Ethan had never seen a woman this heartless before. Listening to her soft


    breathing, he turned around and quietly looked at her face.


    The calm in his eyes changed into something wild and intense. He spent a long time making sure that she was fast asleep before slowly turning his body toward her. He gently held her chin with his fingers as he pressed his lips onto hers.


    Grace didn''t wake up and continued to sleep. Ethan kept kissing, slowly going into


    a trance. The pressure he had on her chin gradually became bigger as his tongue intertwined with hers, unwilling to let go.


    It wasn''t until she furrowed her brows that he suddenly snapped out of it and let


    go of her.


    His fingertip brushed her lips, making them even redder with each stroke. He then turned his intense gaze back to her face.

 Chapter 274

    When Grace woke up, the storm outside was still going on. Her head was heavy, and the room spun as darkness overtook her vision. She had a sinking feeling she wasing down with a fever.


    She saw Ethan, who had just walked out of the bathroom, and froze for a moment. When she snapped out of it, she quickly turned her gaze away.


    She hadn''t taken a good lookst night, but it seemed that there were nail scratches on Ethan''s body. She could argue that the scratches on his neck were done by a cat, but it couldn''t be the same for the ones on his back. The scratches on his back looked undeniably intimate.


    Grace wasn''t in the mood to think about it, so she went to brush her teeth. The toiletries here were very basic-only disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste that cost a few dors.


    She thought about it while brushing her teeth with a cloudy mind. Ethan had truly suffered this time for being stranded here.


    Someone suddenly appeared in the cramped bathroom just as she was deep in thought. Ethan was standing behind her, seemingly wanting to wash his hands.


    Without a second thought, Grace stepped aside to make room. But no matter how much they tried, their shoulders would still touch each other in the cramped bathroom.


    Ethan didn''t have his shirt on at the moment. He was washing his hands in a slow andposed manner as if he were in a presidential suite.


    Grace could feel the heat radiating off his body, invading into her space without restraint, from the thin fabric of her clothes. She hurriedly lowered her head and scooped up some water. After spitting out the foam in her mouth, she quickly turned around and went back to the bed.


    However, a hand suddenly reached out in front of her. Ethan''s hand was beautiful and well-shaped, much like the rest of him.


    Grace gave him an awkward smile. "What''s the matter?"


    Ethan leaned in, gazing intently into her eyes. Upon seeing the alert look in her eyes, he slowly put down his arm. Grace let out a sigh of relief and quickly put on the jacket that she wore yesterday.


    Their clothes were already dry after being in front of the heater all night. The only problem was that they were still a little ufortable to wear.


    There were some crackers left in the house, so Grace had some. But she stopped for a moment after seeing Ethan walk out of the bathroom.


    Ethan walked toward her, making her almost jump off her seat. Her movements were stiff as she was contemting whether she should get up.


    Lowering his eyshes, Ethan slowly opened a bag of crackers and had a bite of them. Grace turned her head away, lost in thought.


    He slowly sat beside her, but she suddenly stood up and darted toward the couch, acting as if he had some kind of virus. He didn''t say a word and neither did she, causing the atmosphere to be very awkward.


    After ten minutes, he threw the empty packaging into the trash can and wiped the crumbs off his fingers using a tissue. Grace looked down at her phone even though there was still no signal, trying to act busy.


    She suddenly heard Ethan let out a smallugh. He asked, "You were actually awakest night?"


    As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere in the room instantly froze. Grace stiffened for a moment before forcing out a smile. "What do you mean?" Ethan lowered his head and opened another bag of crackers. He didn''t look at her this time and asked in a softer voice, "You were actually awake when I was kissing youst night?"


    Grace''s expression changed a few


    1.n


    times, but she said nothing. She kept scrolling through her phone, wishing she could disappear into a hole Actually, she wanted to act as nothing had happened this morning, but Ethan had brought everything to light.


    She didn''t know how long the storm wouldst, and both of them still needed to stay in this ce which was barely 200 square feet. It would be bell. After a long pause, she finally raised her head.


    "Mr. Henderson, we''re both adults. In that kind of situation, it''s very normal for you


    to be swept up in the moment. When we step out of this door, we''ll pretend that it never happened."


    "Are you so generous like this to everyone?" Ethan lowered his eyshes after finishing his words. Looking at his crackers, his voice suddenly became very low. "What if I say-"


    But he was cut off by Grace before he could finish. "There''s no ''what if.'' Mr. Henderson, I want to marry a normal person and live a normal life. Maybe I''m overthinking it when I''m saying this, but these are my actual thoughts. My boyfriend is also a normal person, and I don''t want anything more than that."


    Ethan''s face suddenly turned pale for some reason as his fingers trembled. She had mentioned this in the past, saying that she didn''t want anything more than just a normal life.


    His lips pressed into a thin line. He suddenly turned his head toward the window and looked at the storm outside. "I''m sorry."


    After hearing his apology, Grace forced another smile. "It''s nothing. I knew that you weren''t really in your right state of mind."


    "I¡ª"


    "Mr. Henderson, let me get a ss of water for you. It seems that you''re still having a fever."


    Ethan''s Adam''s apple rolled for a moment before he got up and went back to the bed. "Okay."


    Grace had initially been sitting on the couch, but she stood up, wanting to get a ss of water. However, dizziness suddenly hit her, causing her to fall back onto the couch.


    Ethan reached out to her and brought her to the bed. "Did I pass my cold to youst night?"


    They both knew how it happened. Grace had actually been acting tough before this, but when she made contact with the bed, her mind instantly became groggy.


    Ethan helped adjust her pillow. "Get some sleep."


    Grace didn''t sleep wellst night because of the kiss. It had tortured her with thoughts and questions. Now that her head had hit the pillow, she quickly fell asleep.


    Looking at her face, Ethan sighed.


    He had known it was just foolish hope. It was like that then and even now. It had never been possible-not with Ethan Henderson.


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 Chapter 275

    When Grace woke up, she realized she was back at the hotel.


    She heard Jodie crying out the words, "Uncle Ethan, please don''t be mad at me."


    They were behind the door. Ethan''s tone was icy, but there was a tenderness in it now. "Just this once."


    Jodie immediately became excited. "I knew it! I knew you wouldn''t stay mad at me. Uncle Ethan, when are we going back to Druville? Grace has been sleeping for so long. How irresponsible of her!"


    Grace could feel the blood boiling in her. She was absolutely sure that this incident was all Jodie''s doing. But she didn''t have the right to say anything since Ethan had already let it slide.


    Her head was throbbing with pain right now. When she took out her phone for a look, she found out that she had slept for two days.


    She heard the sound of a wheelchair just as she was sitting up. Ethan opened the door and came inside.


    The kiss that night came into Grace''s mind, helping her return to her calm and rational self.


    "Mr. Henderson, I''ve made up my mind. After going back to Druville, I''m going to resign. Liam still needs me, so I think I''ll stay at Lambert Group for a while."


    The sound of the wheelchair instantly stopped as Ethan sat there without moving one bit.


    Grace turned to him and smiled at him. "I hope you''ll approve my resignation."


    He swallowed hard, his throat moving with much effort as his hands gripped tightly onto the handles of his wheelchair. All of his emotions were hidden beneath the surface, but Grace could still feel a chill creeping out from him.


    "Why?" he asked.


    "I think we need to keep some distance between us, especially since that kind of thing has happened. I can''t pretend that it never happened before.


    "Besides, I have the feeling that Mr. Henderson Senior will have you go on blind dates soon. Since so much has happened to the Henderson family recently, it''s time for some happy events to take ce."


    She got off her bed and checked the project itinerary on her phone. On the second day after she was brought back to the hotel, Ethan and the rest of the team went to the ind for a reconnaissance. Both parties then spent the entire day and night discussing the project.


    Grace had slept for two whole days, missing everything. But it also meant that she could go back to Druville.


    Ethan kept staring at her as he tried to find a trace of any other feelings on her face. However, her face was filled with ease when she talked about resigning.


    His breathing immediately became heavy, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged. After a long pause, he finally turned around and said in a hoarse voice, "Do whatever you want."


    "Thank you, Mr. Henderson. I think I''ll be taking the train back. I''m going to buy the ticketter and will probably leave tonight."


    Ethan''s back went stiff for a moment, but he gave an affirmative response before leaving the room.


    After the door was closed, Grace let out a sigh of relief andy back down on her bed. The memory of that night grew clearer as her fever had already subsided.


    It was so clear that she could remember how Ethan''s tongue had intertwined with hers and how his breath had invaded hers. She remembered the pressure of his fingers on her chin. She also remembered the dark and brooding look in his eyes as if they were full of unspoken thoughts.


    If she stayed at Henderson Group, something beyond her control might happen. So, it was best for her to stay away as fast as possible.


    When they were eating in the evening, Tim couldn''t help himself and asked Grace, "Did you and Mr. Henderson fight?"


    Grace was confused as to why Tim would think someone in a position like hers would fight with Ethan.


    "No, we didn''t. I just told him that I''m going to resign after we go back."


    Tim looked at her with a difficult expression. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you really have to leave? Your sry at Henderson Group is not low, and Mr. Henderson treats you very well. Did something happen on the ind?" C¨®ntent


    A hint of unease shed across Grace''s eyes. "Nothing happened."


    "Grace."


    "Yeah?"


    "Why... Why don''t you just stay in thepany? Even if you go back to Lambert Group, we''ll still call you when Mr. Henderson can''t sleep. You promised this before."


    "About that, I''m sorry, Mr. Bet. I have something to take care of right now. I''ll be taking my leave."


    "Grace!" Tim was a bit anxious and wanted to follow her, but Grace had already disappeared.


    Standing there, he suddenly sighed when he looked at the person who had been sitting not far away the entire time.


    Grace rushed back to her hotel room and packed up her things. Then, she quickly went to the train station and hopped on the carriage. When she made it back to Druville, she was exhausted.


    She didn''t go to Henderson Group to hand in her resignation letter but just sent Ethan an email. After that, she skipped the office without hesitation and stayed home for two days.


    It went on until she woke up on the third day. It was pitch-ck in her house, but she remembered she had her lights on before she fell asleep.


    As she was rubbing her eyes, she finally saw a figure sitting on the couch by the window. She didn''t know how long he had been sitting there.


    "Ed?" she called out to him. It was then she finally remembered she hadn''t been in contact with him for a few days.


    His voice was a little hoarse as he asked, "Where are the shells?"


    Grace froze. She totally forgot about the shells after what had happened with Ethan when they were in Siltham.


    "I''m sorry. I forgot about them. If you still want them, I''ll go pick up some for you next time."


    Ed strode over and stood in front of her. "What can you remember? You''ve been back for days and didn''t even bother to send me a single message. Even a dog gets a little treat now and then! You''ve never seen me as your boyfriend. You''re only pitying me."


    Grace''s expression darkened. It was true that she had been running away from things these past few days. It was because she didn''t really know how to tell Ed that she and Ethan had kissed. She was scared that it would make him angry.


    But it would be a bad idea not to tell him about it at all. So, she ended up avoiding everything after being caught up in the confusion.


    Now that she heard him questioning her, she suddenly felt a bit tired.


    "Grace, you''ve never liked me at all. If


    I don''t contact you first, you won''t


    remember to contact me. You still hate me as much as before. After you sleep with me, you''ll just turn away and chase after that guy you''ve always liked. You only have eyes on him. You hate me. You-"


    He was rambling to himself like a madman when he suddenly froze. His voice


    became sharp and dangerous. "Are you ying me?"

 Chapter 276

    Grace had a lingering sense that something about Ed was amiss. His demeanor


    had shifted, and he had grown strangely fixated¡ªalmost to the point of


    obsession.


    Also, "that guy" he had mentioned-who was that supposed to be?


    "I''m not ying you." She reached out and took his hand, guiding him to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. "And I don''t hate you either, so don''t let your thoughts get carried away."


    "What about the shells?" Ed pressed.


    There was something relentless in how he clung to her words, even the ones spoken in passing, as if each word held the weight of a vow.


    Grace began to wonder if she had really gone too far this time.


    "I forgot," she said. "I''ll make it up to you next time."


    Ed fell silent. His lips trembled for a moment before he finally said, "You''re just making a fool of me, Grace."


    She was beginning to grow weary of it all. Needless to say, she wasn''t someone who knew how to coax orfort another.


    The atmosphere between them instantly became tense. She simply admitted, "If that''s what you think, then we should break up."


    No sooner had she said it than she felt an overwhelming sense of hostility, a wave of killing intent that seemed to roll in from all sides. Yet she knew that it wasn''t meant for her personally but for the world in general.


    He slowly rose, then abruptly framed her face with his hands and brought his mouth down in a fierce kiss.


    The metallic taste of blood spread between them when a jolt of pain bloomed on her lips as she reflexively tried to push him away, but he only bit down harder, to which she furrowed her brows in pain.


    "Ed!" he called out, and he finally released her.


    His voice came out raspy with frustration as he said, "You''ll regret this, Grace. You''ll regret this."


    Grace pursed her lips, wincing from the pain. Nothing about that kiss held tenderness in it.


    She reached out, intending to hold him, but he shoved her away. He moved toward the door, then paused as if waiting for her to stop him.


    Grace touched her lips, her mind a whirl of thoughts. After a long silence, she finally said, "Never mind. I''m tired too, Ed. Maybe you''re right. You were just someone who happened to show up when I was desperate."


    The moment the words left her mouth, he left. However, this time, he was faster than ever.


    She listened as the main door mmed shut, the sound resonating through the silence. She took a deep breath and slowlyy back down, but after avoiding reality and sleeping for two days just before, sleep was now a distant prospect.


    Frustration mounted as she went to wash her face to clear up her mind. The sky outside had darkened, and just as she felt the weight of the evening settle, her phone suddenly rang.


    It was Liam.


    "Grace, you''re back in Druville?"


    Hearing his voice, Grace felt a warmth spread through her chest, easing the relentlessness that had been gnawing at her.


    "Yeah. Have you gone through the materials I prepared for you?" she asked.


    "I have. But there are still a few people causing trouble."


    A flicker of darkness crossed Grace''s eyes. Without dy, she got into the car and drove straight to Liam''s vi.


    When she arrived, she noticed the dark circles rimming his eyes. He was only 19 years old, but he looked as though he had matured overnight. Even his chin was stippled with the onset of stubble.


    Grace reached out and ruffled his hair. One nce at the stack of documents on the coffee table was enough to tell her that he had been working diligently for the past few days.


    In the next moment, Liam threw his arms around her, his face full of dependence. "I''ve been so obedient while you were gone. I read through everything. Mr. Fenwick has even been teaching me how to manage thepany. But you''re still the best, Grace. I only need to nce at the materials you prepare to understand them."


    Grace felt the thrill of relief. In truth, Liam wasn''t actually dim-witted, just spoiled. He was simply mischievous and had been sheltered to such an extent that his sense of right and wrong had been diminished.


    But when he put his mind to it, none of these concepts was beyond his grasp.


    As he released her, his eyes immediatelynded on the wound on her lip. He had never encountered anything like that before and looked genuinely surprised. "What happened to your mouth?"


    Grace''s lips were swollen with a faint cut marring their surface. Even the slightest movement sent a sharp twinge through her, making speech an act of quiet endurance.


    She raised a hand to touch her lips before stepping toward the coffee table. "Has Edric been bothering you again?"


    "Yeah. He even brought some of his senior executives with him, saying I''m too young to manage thepany," Liam replied.


    Edric was, without a doubt, a man driven by great ambition.


    Grace sat down on the couch, her gaze falling on the stack of documents before her. Each page was filled with thick markings of annotations in handwriting that she recognized belonged to Liam.


    A faint smile tugged at her lips as she spent the next ten minutes carefully reviewing them before settling to a firm conclusion-Liam would turn out just fine. She had just opened her mouth to speak when the doorbell rang from outside. Edric hade again.


    As long as Liam refused to relinquish his shares, peace would remain a luxury.


    What made it worse was that Edric now held 10% of Alice''s shares and was therefore the secondrgest shareholder. Half of the senior executives had already sworn their allegiance to him.


    As for Liam, the young man who was shoved into the presidency overnight, the majority treated him with barely concealed disdain. Everyone knew how frivolous he had once been.


    Liam drew in a deep breath and instructed someone to open the door.


    The minute Edric and his entourage stepped inside, they spotted Grace seated on


    the couch. Yet no one paid her any heed. After all, she held no shares.


    With a smile, Edric pped Liam on the shoulder, taking on the air of a seasoned elder. "Liam, have you given it some thought? If you agree, we can sign the papers right now," he said with persistence. "I''ll offer you 30 million dors, and in return, you hand over all your shares. Surely, you don''t want to see your father''s hand-earned legacy copse under your hands, do you?"


    Anger twisted Liam''s facial features. He was on the verge of cursing outright, but after catching a glimpse of Grace in his peripheral vision, he forced himself to hold back. "Mr. Trenholm, I''ve already told you I''m not selling my shares." Edric gave a cold chuckle and brushed past him as he stepped toward Grace.


    "Grace," he called out. "I was a bit too harsh in the officest time, so I''m here to apologize. You''re about the same age as my son. There''s no need for hostility between us. I could introduce you two. After all, we should work together for thepany''s benefit."


    A well-spoken and carefully considered calction, indeed. Everyone was aware that Liam adored his sister, Grace. If Edric could have her under his thumb, then Liam would be malleable.


    Edric pped his hands, and a young man who had been standing behind the entourage stepped forward.


    The young man''s name was Thomson Trenholm. To her surprise, he was a rising star, a fresh face in the entertainment industry. Rumor had it that he came from a wealthy family, though it had never once urred to Grace that he was Edric''s son-at least not until now.


    The moment Liam saw Thomson''s face, his expression shifted. It wasn''t for any


    other reason than the fact that Thomson was genuinely good-looking.


    Grace wouldn''t be interested in him, would she?


    She had always been overly romantic in the past. Back then, she was so infatuated with Yancey that she was willing to throw everything aside just to chase after him. Now, she had learned her lesson-but who knew if she would still fall for a captivating face?


    Grace''s gaze lingered on Thomson for a few seconds. Her brows drew together


    as a frown formed almost instinctively. She couldn''t immediately exin why there was something oddly familiar about him.


    Then, realization struck. Thomson bore a startling resemnce to Yancey.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 277

    Edric''s lips curved into a smile as he turned to Thomson. "Come, say hi to Grace. You youngsters will have more to talk about with each other. Also, Grace, Thom''s poprity has been growingtely. With our support, he''s bound to be a top star."


    He grinned affectionately as he continued, "Imagine dating a superstar. That would certainly make you proud to take him out in public."


    A flicker of annoyance crossed Thomson''s eyes.


    He had already been thoroughly prepped beforehand to behave well in front of Grace and make her fall for his looks. Once the marriage certificate was signed, he could do whatever he wanted-cheat on her, abuse her, and even drive her to ruin. Domestic violence wouldn''t lead to any serious consequences, after all.


    What mattered was marrying her and gaining control over her, thereby keeping a leash on Liam.


    However, upon seeing Grace''s face, his irritation yielded to astonishment. He hadn''t expected her to be so stunning-far more beautiful than any A-list celebrities. Sleeping with a woman like her wouldn''t be a loss at all.


    The smile on his face softened, bing unexpectedly sincere as he stepped forward and offered her his hand. "Hi, Grace. I''m Thomson."


    Grace stared at his hand for a moment before slowly reaching out to shake it. "Hi."


    Not far from them, Liam was growing increasingly anxious. He feared Grace might fall for this ploy. Unable to hold back, he called out, "Grace!"


    Edric quickly pressed his arm down on Liam''s shoulder. "Liam, this is your sister''s personal affair. You really ought to stay out of it."


    Liam felt a wave of difort, coupled with deep disappointment in Grace. How could she be so easily swayed by every man she met?


    Seeing the subtle shift in dynamics, Edric and his men were visibly pleased, their expressions smug with satisfaction.


    "Thom, why don''t you spend more time with Grace these days?" he suggested casually.


    Thomson settled beside Grace, feeling utterly satisfied. She was breathtaking, and all he could think was how badly he wanted to sleep with her.


    "Alright, Dad. Don''t you worry," he said.


    Edric soon took his leave, leaving Thomson alone behind.


    Ignited with rage, Liam pointed straight in his face and started cussing him out, "Get the fuck out of my house!"


    Thomson didn''t even acknowledge him as he reached out to take Grace''s hand. "Grace, your brother wants us to leave. Let''s go. It''s still early. We can go hang out."


    Grace''s gaze remained on his face, a faint crease forming between her brows. It wasn''t that she was falling for his charm but there was something familiar about him, something that brought back whispers of a memory.


    She rose to her feet and walked out without a word.


    Thomson quickly followed behind, throwing a taunting nce at Liam.


    He said, "Liam, your sister''s an adult. She has a life of her own, so you don''t need to worry about her anymore. Besides, your father just passed away recently. Aren''t you supposed to listen to her now? I''m confident that soon enough, she''ll ask you to hand over your shares to me."


    He said it with confidence because for a moment-just a moment-Grace had looked at him and faltered.


    As Grace approached her car, a collection of broken fragments of memory drifted through her consciousness, yet they remained stubbornly unconnected.


    Thomson stepped forward and gantly opened the door for her. "Grace, where shall we go tonight?"


    She turned to him, her gaze lingering on his face as her thoughts slowly came to rest. "Have we met before?"


    Thomson paused for a split second before curving his lips into a smile. "No."


    However, he knew exactly why he was here. He looked too much like Yancey. That was the point.


    Grace slid into the passenger seat and closed her eyes briefly as difort enveloped her. Leaning back, she murmured, "Just take me to a restaurant. I''m hungry."


    Thomson slid into the driver''s seat at once. "Perfect. A friend of mine owns a ce nearby. The food''s pretty good."


    Grace had no interest in humoring his attempts at a conversation. All she wanted was a quiet moment to make sense of the disjointed images in her mind.


    After she and Thomson left, Liam wasted no time in calling Yancey.


    "Yancey, here''s what happened. Grace just went off with that man. I''ve no idea where they went or what they''re doing."


    On the other end of the line, Yancey could no longer keep hisposure. Wasn''t she already dating someone? How could she fall for such an obvious trap?


    He wanted to see firsthand just how good-looking that man could possibly be.


    "Don''t worry, Liam. I''ll find her now," he replied.


    It had been a while since Yancey had indulged in the illusion that Grace was madly in love with him. Yet when he arrived at the restaurant


    and spotted her sitting with


    Thomson, he was momentarily bbergasted.


    Thomson bore a striking resemnce to him. If Grace no longer had feelings for him, why would she be drawn to a stand-in?


    The realization sent a surge of exhration through him, and without hesitation, he strode forward as he called out to her, "Grace!"


    Grace hadn''t expected to run into Yancey here. Judging by his appearance, his injuries had mostly healed.


    Thomson had been attempting to charm her with idle talk. Upon hearing Yancey''s voice, he turned his head, and his expression instantly changed for the worse.


    Yancey, on the other hand, was feeling triumphant. He directly walked up to Grace. "If you still love me, juste back to me. Why bother with a cheap knockoff?"


    Grace had originally nned to use this quiet restaurant as a ce to clear her thoughts, but the sight of Yancey only gave her a headache.


    He leaned in close, his eyes brimmed with self-satisfaction. "And to think I almost believed you when


    you said you had gotten over me You just couldn''t get past what happened between me and Alice, could you? Don''t worry. Once we''re married, everything I have will be yours."


    He lifted his hand, ready to swear some grand oath, but Grace had no interest in hearing it. Her gaze rested on Yancey''s face for a brief moment before moving to Thomson''s face for a simr duration.


    Yancey was beaming with excitement, barely holding back his amusement. "So?


    Now that the real thing is in front of you, doesn''t the imitation lookpletely


    ridiculous?"

 Chapter 278

    Thomson was displeased with Yancey''sments. "Mr. Henderson, Grace no longer has any affection for you. I suggest you conduct yourself with some dignity."


    No sooner had he said that than Yanceyshed out, kicking over his chair with a brutalck of restraint. As a result, Thomson tumbled to the ground with the overturned chair.


    The Henderson family''s standing was unquestioned. Even if Yancey wasn''t the designated heir, with such a name behind him, he could stroll unchallenged through Druville. To him, the insolence of a minor celebrity was beneath notice.


    Thomson was offended to a degree. His lips trembled before he let out a scoff. "No wonder Grace doesn''t like you, Mr. Henderson."


    Yancey stepped forward without hesitation and pulled Grace into his embrace. His expression was triumphantly arrogant as he said, "Take a good look at your own face before you speak. You''re nothing but a substitute!"


    A hot wave of shame surged through Thomson. He had been certain he had captivated Grace, certain his charm had begun to work. Yet here he was, humiliated on the floor, and she wasn''t reacting at all.


    All at once, he forgot every instruction Edric had given him. Turning on his heel, he strode away, though not without casting a final threat over his shoulder. "If you really want to be with me, Grace, you''d best get rid of the men around you first."


    He spoke as if convinced she would chase after him no matter what.


    Anger simmered within him as he left. The more he thought about it, the more unbearable it became. So, he decided to meet up with friends, intending to drink the insult away. However, he ended up hearing Grace''s name mentioned once


    more.


    "The other day, I was at Northbrook working on a project. Who would''ve thought Grace was so well-known over there?"


    "Grace? Who''s that?"


    "She''s Quentin Lambert''s daughter, the one who used to follow Mr. Henderson around like a puppy. She''s gorgeous, too. Thomson should know her. His father is an executive at Lambert Group, isn''t he?"


    The group turned their attention to him almost immediately.


    Each one of them was a child of privilege, born into wealth and connections, though none of them were involved in the true power circles.


    Still seething from his earlier humiliation, Thomson lowered his ss onto the table. "Of course, I know her. She''s been chasing metely, but I haven''t agreed."


    Everyone''s eyes lit up with curiosity, and everyone was instantly in the mood for gossip.


    "She''s chasing you?"


    Thomson''s captivating visuals were undeniable, and his sudden rise to fame as a fresh-faced celebrity had made him wildly popr among young women.


    He let a smug smile y on his lips, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Yeah. She even asked me out for dinner tonight, but I turned her down. She''s beautiful, no doubt, but her appeal? Fairly average. With women, once the lights are off in bed, who cares what they look like?"


    The atmosphere erupted in cheers andughter.


    "Seriously? You got her into bed? I''ve met her once, and she wouldn''t even look at me."


    Thomson sneered, finally reiming the dignity he had lost to Yancey earlier. "She''s not that hard to deal with. She was dazed a few times when she saw me. I invited her out, and she agreed. Now, she''s considering whether to take it further."


    More words of admiration were exchanged.


    As Thomson thought about Grace''s face, a burst of heat surged through him, leaving him ufortable as he quietly thought to himself, "That bitch has probably already been toyed with by Yancey more times than one could count."


    The fact that she had the audacity to act all high and mighty despite that! Once he


    had her in the palm of his hand, he would make her pay in full.


    He was about to boast further when a sudden chill swept over him as though a predator''s gaze had locked on him from the shadows. When he lifted his head, his eyes met those of a man on the second floor. Cloaked in the shadows, the man''s face was obscured by a silver mask that caught the light with a metallic gleam.


    A sense of foreboding crept into Thomson''s heart. In a panic, he quickly lowered his head.


    ...


    After the gathering, Thomson made his way alone to the parking lot. Just as he reached for his car and was about to open the door, he was ambushed and kidnapped.


    When he regained consciousness, he found himself once again facing the man from the shadows. The silver mask had that same cold gleam that sent shivers down his spine.


    Fear struck him in an instant as he yelled, "Who are you?"


    The man, however, said nothing. He advanced in silence, his movements measured and unhurried. Then, he raised a knife and coolly lifted Thomson''s chin with its tip.


    "She was dazed a few times when she saw you?" the man asked.


    For a moment, Thomson couldn''t quiteprehend who "she" was. The realization struck a beatter, apanied by a searing pain that tore across his cheek. His eyes flew wide as dread crashed over him. As a public figure, his face was his livelihood. To him, it was worth far more than life itself.


    "You psycho! What do you want from me? Let me go now!" Thomson yelled even louder.


    Yet the masked man remained unnervingly silent, his gaze devoid of warmth¡ª much like a creature stripped of human sentiment.


    It wasn''t until Thomson had been shed three times that he finally pieced things together.


    "You mean Grace? Yes, she did seem dazed when she saw me the first few times, but go after her if you have a grudge not me! She''s nothing but a cheap bitch!"


    The words had barely left his mouth when the knife plunged into his shoulder.


    Thomson instantly turned pale. The searing pain and his overwhelming will to survive forced him to untangle the web of possibilities. The man


    before him was no ordinary


    stranger. Perhaps he was one of Grace''s admirers. Scorned and


    maddened by rejection, he was now seeking retribution in the most direct ways.


    His bravado crumbled in an instant.


    "She doesn''t like me at all! She never has," he choked out the words. "I never touched her either. Everything I said was a joke. Maybe she only sees me as a stand-in. She even asked if we''d met before, but that was actually our first time meeting. I might resemble Yancey to a certain extent, but I swear, I don''t know anything else!"


    His eyes widened in fear as he watched the knife hover, dreading the moment it might slice across his throat.


    However, the man paused. With deliberate slowness, he took the handkerchief and began to clean the bloodstain from the steel de.


    Thomson was on the verge of tears, the looming threat made more severe by the man''s unhurried, even elegant actions. Each gesture solidified the horrifying image of Thomson as nothing more than amb on the butcher''s block.


    "I''ll stay away from her," he said in a panic. "I swear I will. Just let me go. You and she..... are the perfect match for each other¡ªa match made in heaven!"


    The man''s slender fingers stilled for a moment. His lips then curved into a faint smile. "Is that so?"


    Thomson, having spent time in the entertainment industry, knew exactly what to say to appease someone like this. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees. "Yeah, of course! Grace likes you a lot! You two are meant to be!"


    A bitch and a monster-what better pairing could there be?


    Thomson had no idea what sin he hadmitted to deserve this. All he had ever done was indulge in a little bragging, and now, he hade face to face with a devil in disguise.


    The man''s mood seemed to have shifted as amusement flickered faintly in his eyes. He tossed the knife aside, his tone light as he said, "We''re meant to be."

 Chapter 279

    Goosebumps prickled across Thomson''s skin. He was certain now that the masked man standing in front of him was a psychopath. His lips trembled uncontrobly as he kneeled on the ground, too frightened to rise.


    The masked man slumped into a ck chair nearby, resting his face against one hand. With the silver mask obscuring his features, no one could possibly tell what he was thinking.


    Thomson dared not speak. Silence stretched between them until the masked man finally said, "She broke up with me."


    Thomson stiffened, his goosebumps prickling once more. Though this time, he wasn''t sure if the "she" the man was referring to was Grace. However, as far as he knew, Grace had never had a boyfriend. Hadn''t she been hopelessly following Yancey like a puppy?


    Who the hell was this lunatic, then?


    If Thomson wanted to survive, he needed to say what the man wanted to hear.


    "I''m sure she didn''t mean it. Maybe she''s waiting for you to reconcile with her. She probably can''t let go of you," he said carefully.


    The masked man tilted his head slightly. Though his expression remained hidden, Thomson knew he was weighing his words.


    "Grace probably cares for you the most," he pressed on. "Women are stubborn. The breakup is probably just her way of testing you."


    Thomson scrambled to think of something pleasing to say. He was now certain that the man before him was nothing more than a delusional monsterpletely lost in fantasies about Grace.


    The so-called monster finally asked, "She''s testing me?"


    Thomson let out a sigh of relief, knowing that he had yed his task to perfection. He quickly nodded in agreement.


    "Oh, yeah. She''s probably afraid that you don''t actually love her, that all the promises you made were just empty words. You can try meeting up with her again. Maybe that''s all it''ll take to clear up the misunderstanding."


    The masked man lowered his head, seemingly contemting the suggestion.


    A glint of malice flickered through Thomson''s eyes. If this monster actually sought out Grace, would she survive the encounter? That would serve her right!


    It was all because of that bitch that he now found himself groveling for survival. "She doesn''t love me," the masked man said coldly.


    At these words, Thomson expended everyst ounce of energy to retort, "No, she sure does! She loves you the most! It''s just that Grace isn''t the type to wear her feelings on her sleeve!"


    "Is that so?"


    "Oh, yes. If you don''t believe me, just text her and ask her out. She''ll definitely agree. Or pretend you''re hurt¡ªshe''ll definitely be worried sick!" Thomson yelled in desperation, wishing nothing more than for the man to go find Grace and release him immediately.


    The masked man paused to consider the words before pulling out his phone. He began to type out a message.


    Thomson wondered if he was really going to reach out to Grace.


    His heart raced. He gulped nervously, feeling as though his life now rested entirely in Grace''s hands.


    If he managed to survive the night, he vowed that the sight of Grace in the future would send him running in the opposite direction.


    ...


    After ignoring Yancey''s persistent advances, Grace was on her way to find Joanne. She sent a message to Liam, instructing him to remain patient and wait.


    Though Liam''s trust in her was implicit, he still feltpelled to ask, "You haven''t really taken a liking to Thomson, have you?"


    "No," she replied shortly.


    Still not satisfied, Liam immediately gave her a call.


    "Where''s your boyfriend?" he asked. "Why haven''t you brought him to meet me? Did he leave the cut on your lips? Did you two fight?"


    Grace touched her lips, momentarily unwilling to delve into matters concerning Ed. "We''ve broken up. Let''s not talk about that now. Let''s focus on stabilizing thepany."


    Liam fell silent for a moment, sensing that her mood had taken a sharp downturn. When Grace arrived at Joanne''s ce and sat down with her on the couch, she fell into a daze, staring nkly at the soda on the table.


    Joanne''s shoulder wound had mostly healed, though she couldn''t lift heavy objects for the time being. Seeing the cut on Grace''s lip, she asked, "Did your boyfriend do that?"


    Leaning back against the couch, Grace''s gaze shifted to the ceiling. "Yeah. But we broke up."


    ?


    Joanne''s expression stiffened. She poured them both some soda and asked, "Why the sudden breakup? I


    heard you went on a business trip with Mr. Henderson recently Did something happen during the trip?"


    Grace pursed her lips and took a sip of the soda. "We broke up because we''re not suited for each other."


    Joanne tightened her grip around her ss. By the time Grace looked over, her expression had already gone back to normal.


    "What do you mean by ''not suited''? Weren''t you really into him before?" Joanne asked.


    1.n


    Grace sank deeper into the couch. "Fragments of old memoriese back to me. sometimes, but they''re too scattered to make sense of them. It''s irritating. Just now, I met someone who looks a lot like Yancey, and it only made things worse. I suppose I''ve never had


    much resistance to that face."


    Joanne visibly rxed, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe you still can''t let go of him. Besides, you pursued him for years. Even if you''ve lost your memory, you can''t help but stiff like him."


    Grace didn''t respond.


    At that moment, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Ed, which read, "I got hurt."


    Along with those three words was a photo that showed a deep gash in the center


    of his palm. It was so deep that the bone showed through with blood gushing out of the cut.


    Leaping up from the couch, she immediately dialed his number, but there was no answer. Even on the third attempt, the call went unanswered.

 Chapter 280

    Upon seeing how anxious Grace looked, Joanne quickly asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "My boyfriend''s hurt, and he''s not picking up the phone. I''m a little worried," Grace said.


    "But I thought you two broke up. Why are you still worrying about him?"


    Grace stared at the photo on her screen, her lips drawn into a thin line. "I don''t know. Maybe I still like him a little. I just don''t know how to deal with him. He''s sensitive, and his temper is... peculiar."


    He had never truly believed she loved him. That doubt was nted deep within him, almost pathological in its persistence.


    She set her phone aside and took another sip of her soda. Just then, Joanne asked gently, "Grace, do you like Mr. Henderson?"


    The sudden question somehow took Grace aback. She couldn''t quiteprehend why Joanne would be curious about that.


    Her brows furrowed as she said, "No, I don''t have feelings for him. Besides, the Henderson family''s internal struggle is far tooplicated. I don''t want to be caught in it, especially since I''ve already resigned from Henderson Group."


    Joanne looked startled. "You resigned? When?"


    "A few days ago." As she spoke, she noticed Joanne''s mood shift. There was a lightness in her expression that hadn''t been there a moment ago.


    She said softly, "Grace, why don''t you reconcile with your boyfriend? If you still like him, you should talk to him."


    Grace massaged her temples. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to talk to him. It was Ed''s obsessive nature that made it so difficult to approach him.


    Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a video.


    In the clip, Ed''s feet were perched precariously on the edge of a cliff. The sound of the wind was deafening, its howls reminiscent of tortured souls. It was far more terrifying than the storm in Siltham a few days ago.


    Grace''s heart leaped into her throat when she saw his feet dangling over the abyss. She immediately dialed his number again, but the call remained unanswered.


    Her heart pounded violently as she hastily typed out a message. "Ed, don''t do anything stupid. At least think about your family."


    After the message was sent, it suddenly hit Grace that his brother had passed away and the gravestone was just outside his residence. A stabbing ache gripped her chest, and she quickly sent another message. "Think about me."


    Her palms were slick with sweat. Deep down, something in her knew that he just might actually do it.


    She had never truly understood his temperament, but through the times they had spent together, she hade to realize that beneath his stubborn obsessiony something deeper. And it wasn''t something she wished to discover.


    Still, there was no reply. Gritting her teeth, she sent another message.


    "I want to hold you right now. If you jump, I''ll never get to hold you again. I''ll regret breaking up with you. I like you. Shefts are too cheap, and they don''t suit you. I bought you


    vef


    something else. Do you want to


    open it yourself?"


    Anyone with a discerning eye could see that she was only saying this to bring him back.


    Yet he believed her. Finally, a reply came through. "Really?"


    Grace couldn''t help butugh through her tears. She seized the moment by saying, "Really. I''ming to find you now. If I don''t see you, I''ll look for another man."


    "Don''t look for anyone else. I''lle back," he replied.


    She let out a quiet breath of relief, her hands trembling slightly as she wiped away the sweat from her palms. She had initially visited Joanne to spend the night, but now, she had no choice but to leave.


    Rising from the couch, she said, "Joanne, I have something to take care of. I need to go now."


    Joanne walked her to the door, asking, "Is it about your boyfriend?"


    "Yeah, he''s throwing a tantrum."


    "Grace, you care for him a lot."


    Grace said nothing, her mind fixed solely on getting to Ed as soon as possible.


    After Grace left, Joanne gazed at the pile of items on the table, among whichy an exquisite bracelet worth hundreds of thousands of dors. It was a gift Grace had bought as an apology.


    She snapped a photo of it when an idea formed in her mind. She quickly posted it on her social media ount.


    "Grace stopped by and brought so many gifts, yet her mind was entirely on her boyfriend. How lucky he must be. I wonder if they''ll get married. I''ve already prepared their wedding gift."


    After posting it, she kept her eyes fixed on her feed. Before long, she received a notification that an ount with a familiar profile photo had liked her post.


    A glimmer flickered in her eyes, and


    the spark of joy lifted her mood. Yet just as quickly, the fragile smile on her lips stowly faded away as reality caught up. It was because, just as always, he only ever liked posts that involved Grace.


    Her grip on the phone tightened, and in that instant, a cold gleam shed beneath


    her gaze.


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 Chapter 281

    Grace arrived at the mall and selected a modest gift-one that wasn''t particrly costly yet one that she believed Ed would appreciate nheless.


    Just as she prepared to leave, two bodyguards suddenly stepped in her path. "Ms. Lambert, Mr. Dn Henderson has requested a brief conversation over coffee."


    Her brows furrowed as her gaze drifted toward the nearby caf¨¦. Seated inside was a man she couldn''t recognize.


    Yet soon, the recognition hit her. The man resembled Levi Henderson-just enough for her to connect the dots. This was Dn, Levi''s younger brother who had just returned from abroad. It was rumored that he had been investigating his brother''s mysterious disappearance.


    As Grace parted her mouth to decline the invitation, one of the bodyguards cut in first by saying, "Mr. Henderson would prefer to avoid using force."


    A flicker of annoyance crossed Grace''s face. With no room to refuse, she turned and walked toward Dn.


    Dn, in stark contrast to Levi,cked the brooding intensity that always seemed to cling to him. Instead, he had the easy charm of a man who seemed destined to be liked. There was an undeniable warmth to him, almost sunnily so.


    It seemed like his visual was another legacy of the Henderson family''s genes.


    After Grace took her seat, Dn smiled. "Grace, long time no see. I heard from Yancey that you''ve lost your memory. Seems like you''ve been quite close to Uncle Ethantely."


    With an effortless grace, he slid a ss of orange juice toward her. In a light tone, he said, "It''s gettingte, so let''s skip the coffee. Orange juice would be better."


    Grace left the ss untouched, wary that something might have been added to the drink. "Is there something I can help you with?"


    "Nothing in particr. I''ve just returned from overseas and thought it would be nice to catch up with old friends. Maybe you don''t remember, but we used to get along quite well."


    Grace, of course, didn''t believe a word of it. She had just parted her lips to refute him when her phone suddenly rang. She pulled out her phone and nced at the screen. It was another message from Ed.


    This time, there was a fresh gash across his palm, his blood stark against his skin. The photo was almost theatrical in its threat. He seemed to be saying that if she didn''t show up soon, he would resort to self-inflicted amputation.


    Her expression shifted as she once again dialed Ed''s number, only for him to continue ignoring her calls. The dial tone echoed endlessly.


    Leaping to her feet, Grace knew she couldn''t afford to waste any time. She turned to Dn and said curtly, "I''m so sorry, but something urgent hase up. We''ll have to talk another time."


    She had barely taken a few steps when she heard his voice behind her.


    "Was it a message from Uncle Ethan?" he asked. "Of course, it was. You used to despise him. Now that you''ve finally begun to smile at him after losing your memory, he must be desperate to keep you from recalling the past-from remembering the person you loved most."


    UM


    Her steps faltered. The person she loved most?


    Everyone in Druville knew she had once pursued Yancey for years, clinging to him


    like a puppy. Had she not loved him most of all?


    Behind her, Dn''s lips curved


    faintly. He lowered hisshes and swirled the drink in front of him with deliberate elegance. "Grace, I know why you used to detest Ethan. Let me tell you something-if you get too close to him now, you''ll regret it when your memories return."


    She turned back slightly, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "Why are you so certain


    that it was Ethan who sent the message?"


    Dn set his ss down and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Call it instinct. He''s aware of my intentions, and, of course, he''ll do anything to keep you away from


    me."


    Grace couldn''t help but recall how Ethan had insisted on taking her to Siltham. It made sense now, given Dn''s recent return.


    A flush of unease stirred in her chest, followed closely by a dull ache in her temples. No matter how she tried, she couldn''t recall what grievance she might have once held against Ethan.


    Ever since waking up, she had only seen him as a man of refined manners and measured restraint. If not for what had happened on the ind, she would never have resigned. He had, after all, been an excellent boss.


    Dn rose slowly to his feet and stepped toward her. "Grace, perhaps the rest of Druville doesn''t know, but I do. The person you truly loved was never Yancey. It was-"


    Before he could finish, the shrill sound of a phone ringing cut him off.


    Grace nced down at the screen, her eyes narrowing as she caught the name shing across it. She lifted a hand to silence Dn. "Apologies, but I really do have to go now. It''s my boyfriend who sent the messages, not Ethan. There''s nothing between us, and we''re


    hardly close. I''m sorry."


    Without waiting for a reply, she answered the call and strode out of the caf¨¦.


    On the other end of the line, Ed''s voice sounded low and guarded. "You''re lying to


    me again, aren''t you?"

 Chapter 282

    A sharp throb pulsed in Grace''s head, and her thoughts were thrown into disarray by Dn''s words. She didn''t know whether to believe Dn or dismiss the unease wing at her chest.


    "No," she said into the phone. "I just ran into something. I''m heading out now. I''ll be there in an hour."


    His voice carried a trace of confusion as he said, "Don''t lie to me, Grace."


    "I''m not lying." Grace felt her heart somehow tighten.


    Meanwhile, back in the caf¨¦, thest trace of warmth drained from Dylon''s face as he stared after Grace''s retreating figure. A beat passed before he turned to the bodyguard beside him and ordered, "Find out who''s her boyfriend."


    It couldn''t be Ethan.


    But that man, arrogant as he was, would surely know there was someone else in her heart. Would a man as proud and untouchable as him really take advantage of her amnesia and slip into the role of a nameless third party?


    Dn let out a coldugh. Whatever had happened to Levi, Ethan was undoubtedly involved. He had simply covered his tracks too well for anyone to trace them; at least, not yet.


    However, that didn''t matter. Now that Dn had returned, he had all the time he needed to y this game. Besides, he had a clear understanding of Ethan''s weaknesses.


    The corners of his lips curved slightly as he settled back into his chair. Things were about to get very interesting in Druville.


    ...


    Grace arrived at the small vi just as the clock struck 10:00 pm. The night had fallenpletely, and the house stood shrouded in darkness. There was an unnatural silence that saturated the house, and the air was thick with foreboding. She had intended to ring the doorbell, but the door creaked open on its own.


    There was nothing but darkness in sight as she reached out to find the light switch on the wall, but her fingers met nothing.


    "Ed?" She closed the door behind her. The sound was muffled as though she were imprisoning herself in a bottomless void.


    She slowly made her way toward the couch from memory after herst visit. Halfway there, an arm suddenly slipped around her waist.


    A low voice then brushed against her ear. "Did you buy the gift?"


    Relieved, Grace quickly turned around and grasped his hand. However, in the absence of light, she couldn''t see a thing. She could only feel the rough texture of a bandage wrapped around his palm.


    Had he treated the wounds himself?


    "Yeah," she answered. "Can you walk me to the couch?"


    Ed didn''t respond. His hand closed firmly around hers as he guided her toward the couch per her request.


    Grace knew something was off. There was a strange tension in the atmosphere, and something metalled the scent around him. It was faint, but the smell was unmistakably the scent of blood.


    She reached out, cupping his face between her hands. She pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. "Next time, don''t threaten me by pretending you''ll jump."


    He didn''t respond and turned his face away, unmoved by her gesture. Noticing that, she hurried to kiss him again, nting soft pecks at the edge of his mouth.


    His anger seemed to dissipate slightly, and his voice was hoarse as he murmured, "Next time, I won''t pretend."


    Her hand began to tremble slightly. What kind of monster had she entangled herself with?


    With a deep breath, she reached for the nearby box and opened it. "I got you a ring. It''s part of a matching set. Let me put it on you, and you put the other one on me, okay?"


    The rings weren''t expensive, yet they struck precisely where it mattered. Even Ed''s voice possessed a rare touch of delight. "Really?"


    "Yeah, I picked it out just for you." As Grace spoke, she retrieved the ring and gently slipped it onto one of his fingers. Then, she ced her hand in his palm and continued, "Now you put mine on."


    His breath hitched at once. With trembling fingertips, he picked up the remaining


    ring and carefully slipped it onto her finger.


    Grace had meant to say more, but the moment the ring was on, his kisses rained down on her with an almost desperate intensity. They were ¡ì relentless that she could barely breathe. Each one gradually felt upon the very ce where the ring now rested.


    He seemed genuinely overjoyed. Even when their bodies entwined that night he let her take the lead. His hands gripped her waist as


    asked his tone brimming with et


    delight, "Have you ever given a ring to anyone else?"


    Grace, having lost her memory, truly couldn''t recall. However, now wasn''t the time for an answer that could potentially ruin the moment. "No, you''re the first."


    His movements paused for a moment, and then his voice dropped. "And I''ll be the only one from now on."


    That possessive air settled over them again, dense and suffocating. A faint unease stirred in Grace as she rested against his chest, her head full of uncertainties.


    There were times when she couldn''t distinguish whether it was care that kept her close to him or an unspoken fear of what he might do if she walked away.


    Her lips found his again and again in the darkness. Then, on a whim, she asked, "That guy you mentioned... Who is he?"


    All the tenderness evaporated in an instant. Ed''s movements stopped, and the atmosphere became ominous.


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 Chapter 283

    Realizing that Grace had asked something she shouldn''t have, she quickly leaned down and kissed Ed on the lips.


    However, he turned his head away from her, his tone hauntingly low as he asked, "Did you remember something?"


    "No. My head''s full of only you," she answered quickly.


    "Really?" "Yup."


    Her answer appeared to have pleased him as a faint smile tugged at his lips. He finally turned his face back toward her, allowing her to kiss him.


    Grace exhaled in quiet relief, but before her emotions could settle, his grip tightened around her waist as he pulled her back into another fevered round of intercourse.


    A wave of tiredness washed over her after it was done, and she drifted off to sleep while nestled in his embrace. Worn out and unguarded, she soon slipped into another dream.


    In the fog, a blurry figure stood in the distance. Yet when he spoke, his voice was unmistakably gentle. He called her Grace, her name sounding tendering from


    his lips.


    Her brows furrowed. Even in the dream, she seemed restless, caught betweenfort and unease. Then, as if summoned from the depths of her subconscious, a single line of something she once wrote appeared-"Never trust Ethan".


    Ethan...


    She felt as if her body were burning in a sea of fire and someone''s gentle hand was wiping the sweat from her forehead. She turned over, trying to escape the suffocating heat, only to be pulled back. His arms wrapped around her like creeping vines, holding her tightly.


    "Ethan..." The name slipped from her as she jolted awake, her chest heaving with shallow gasps.


    The arms wrapped around her waist tensed upon her sudden movement.


    "Who were you calling?" Ed asked.


    Grace swallowed hard as she scrambled for an excuse, but her mind was still caught in the haze of that surreal dream. She dropped her gaze, only to hear Ed''s insistent voice again. "Who were you calling just now?"


    She pursed her lips and nestled into his arms. "My boss. Maybe it''s because I resigned a few days ago and haven''t fully adjusted yet. Calling his name didn''t mean anything. I''m not that close to him."


    There was a hint of guilt in her voice as she said that.


    Ed sat up beside her and rested his head on the curve of her neck with a muffled hum.


    Grace''s thoughts were a chaotic mess. That warning "Never trust Ethan"-was unmistakably written in her own handwriting. Yet what had prompted her to write


    it?


    After what had happened between her and Ethan on that ind, she couldn''t possibly bring it up now.


    As for Ethan. She found it hard to decipher whether his actions were


    moreplex than she could imagine. However, one thing was certain-she wouldn''t be seeing him anytime soon.


    born from raw instinct or so ned


    Whatever consequencesy ahead, she would avoid him at all costs.


    The following morning, she awoke to find herself in her car. Ed was consistently


    enigmatic, and until now, she had never properly seen his face.


    Her gaze fell upon the isted tomb. A gentle sigh escaped her before she started the car and drove toward Lambert Group.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Dn''s lips curled into a cold smile as he studied the investigation reports.


    The person standing behind him lowered their head in apology. "Sir, we failed to find any information regarding Ms. Lambert''s boyfriend."


    Dnid the documents on the table, a crease forming between his eyebrows as he asked, "Are you sure Uncle Ethan never left Palm Bayst night?"


    "Yes, sir. We''re certain."


    Grace had said she was meeting her boyfriend, but the direction she went didn''t lead to Palm Bay. But if her boyfriend wasn''t Ethan, why would Ethan be so calm about this?


    Dn''s gaze darkened as he stared at the near-empty report on the table. Just as he was about to call Grace to arrange another meeting, one of his subordinates rushed in, saying, "Sir, the shipment at the port has been gged."


    Dn''s expression instantly shifted. The shipment was highly confidential, and he had invested nearly a third of his assets into it. How could it have been discovered so suddenly?


    He drew a long breath, convinced this was Ethan''s doing since he never wanted him anywhere near Grace.


    Rising swiftly to his feet, Dn strode toward the exit but paused halfway, his expression shifting into something unreadable. He let out a quiet chuckle as he ordered, "Send this photo to Grace."


    He pulled out a photo from the drawer. The photo was somewhat low in resolution, but two figures could vaguely be seen in it. One of them was, without a doubt, Ethan.


    His legs appeared to be fine at the time, and he stood holding a gun aimed at another person. However, the figure in the photo was only shown from behind, with their face hidden from the perspective.


    A thick fog clung to the scene in the photo, casting a pall over the destendscape. Yet the figure holding the gun was unmistakably Ethan. His very essence possessed an unforgettable quality.

 Chapter 284

    As for who Ethan was pointing his gun at, no one had a clue.


    Dn had someone send the photo over, and only he knew the reason for this.


    However, when the messenger was about to arrive at Lambert Group, he got hit by a truck and almost died. He flew out of the car andnded on a path nearby. The photo fell out of his hand. A few drops of blood sttered onto it.


    He tried his best to keep his eyes open. He wanted to see who it was that was standing before him, but all he could see was a pair of legs.


    Then, a hand with long and slender fingers reached down to pick the photo up. The person sauntered back to the car, disappearing almost instantly.


    Dn had been waiting to hear back from the messenger. However, even after three hours had passed, not a single piece of news came back. He yed with the cup in front of him as he let out a chuckle. It seemed that Ethan was really afraid of having that photo end up in Grace''s hands.


    All Dn wanted was to test Ethan, yet it turned out that this matter really was his Achilles heel.


    Grace had just settled down at Lambert Group when she saw Edric marching toward her furiously.


    "Grace Lambert!" he barked angrily.


    His eyes were filled with malice. "Why did you send people to screw Thom up?"


    Even if she did not like Thomson, there was no need to destroy his face. He was a celebrity!


    Grace appeared lost. She did not know anything about Thomson''s incident.


    Eric clenched his jaw so hard his teeth were about to break. He took a deep breath before saying, "Fine. I didn''t want to do this, but you forced me to. Just you wait, Grace Lambert. Seeing how you had the audacity to send someone to ruin Thom''s face, I, too, can also find someone to ruin Liam!"


    Thomson was Edric''s only son whom he adored and spoiled. When they found Thomson earlier in the morning, he was in a state of shock and was repeatedly telling them to stay away from Grace. He looked like he had seen a ghost.


    Edric''s bloodshot eyes looked like they were about to burst out from their sockets. He had to muster all the strength in his body to stop himself from hurting Grace then and there, but his gaze still made her feel uneasy.


    She went to look for Liam in his office. His face was filled with exhaustion, and more stubble had grown on his chin.


    "Grace."


    He was happy to see her.


    Grace sat down beside him. "Liam, have you heard what happened to Thomson?"


    Liam shook his head and rubbed his eyes a little before returning to review the documents.


    "I don''t know


    the


    details, but


    someone found him near thepany, and it seems that he''s been disfigured. He kept calling out your name as well. The executives are all saying that you''re the one who did that to him."


    Those who sided with Edric were scared witless and began calling in sick, afraid ofing to the office.


    In their eyes, Grace was someone who had effortlessly destroyed Thomson, so who was to say they would not be her next target?


    Initially, they wanted to help Edric revolt and get their hands on Lambert Group. However, what happened to Thomson felt like a warning to them. They were terribly afraid of moving forward with their n.


    Hence, Edric was the only one who came to challenge Grace.


    Grace was even more confused. The day before, Thomson had left on his own, which meant that Yancey could not have been the one who did that to Thomson.


    Yancey was a dunce. Even though he was an asshole when it came to rtionships, he was not a cruel¨¨ person. What was more, in his mind, he had won Thomson. This meant that Thomson was as insignificant as dust to him.


    So, who could it have been?


    She lowered her gaze. Then, she tilted her head and asked Liam, "Did Edric not call the police?"


    "He did. You missed it. He called the police an hour ago, and they were here earlier. The thing is, they


    checked the surveince footagen et


    and found out that it was Thomson himself who had cut his own face. But Edric refuses to believe it."


    After Liam was done talking, he raised his arm and rubbed the back of his hand. "Everything about this feels uncanny. To be honest, I did suspect you of being the one behind it."


    In that instant, Grace let out augh. "You think I''m that vicious?"


    Liam did not say anything. He just knew that Grace was never someone who could be easily trampled on.


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 Chapter 285

    Grace looked through the surveince footage once more. The incident had taken ce before dawn, so only a vague shadow could be seen. The footage clearly showed Thomson hurting himself. He seemed to not be in the right state of mind, but he was clearly fine the day before.


    Regardless of who the real culprit was, this incident did act as a deterrent to stop the executives from brazenly making things difficult for Grace and Liam.


    She reached over and gave Liam''s hair a tousle. "Go over these documents first. Those executives won''t be trying anything for the time being as they''re scared. You do have to be cautious about Edric, though. If he asks you to meet, you must give me a call."


    Liam was still learning the ropes. Since he was a smart person, it would not be long before he joined the elites of Druville.


    In order for theirte father to be at ease, Grace would do everything she could to protect Liam.


    Liam''s eyes were bloodshot. He had so much on his tetely that he did not even have the energy to think about all the things that had happened to their family. Seeing how Grace was concerned about him, he became teary.


    The tears were about to fall from his eyes, but he had promised her at Quentin''s funeral that he would never shed a tear again. Immediately, he forced his tears back in. "You be careful too, Grace."


    A pang of tenderness struck Grace. Quentin had died, and Carmen had be a


    nun.


    Her affection toward her parents was not deep. However, they had treated Liam pretty well, so the entire situation definitely had a bigger impact on him.


    She sat in front of him, sorted all of thepany''s documents from recent years, and settled on the project that she had worked on before.


    This was the project that Alice had signed with Henderson Group. In order to save thepany from jeopardy, Grace terminated the contract unterally by exploiting loopholes in the wording of the contract. Now, that plot ofnd would no longer be used to build a mall.


    Simr to the Yule family''s projects, thend would be used for residential development. However, all of thend nearby belonged to the Yule family. With that family''s strong financial resources, there was no way the Lamberts¡ª especially in their current state-couldpete with them.


    This project was very important to Lambert Group. Even if they manage to defeat Edric, it would be pointless if they were not going to make a huge profit out of it.


    Quentin had poured his blood, sweat, and tears into this project for two years as well.


    With the project proposal still in her hand, Grace fell into a daze. Seeing this, Liam could not resist asking, "Grace, are we really going to use thisnd for residential development?"


    Grace let her gaze fall to the floor. She felt a tad puzzled. She wondered if


    Quentin really won thisnd purely by luck.


    The Yule family had obtained the


    surrounding plots ofnd except this


    one. Given the Yule family''s


    rtionship with the higher-ups, it could be that they had already


    caught wind of something.


    Most importantly, back when she terminated the contract, Ethan had remained nonchnt the entire time.


    Instantly, she felt uneasy. After giving it some thought, she gave Tim a call.


    "Mr. Bet, I''d like to know if you''ve heard anything concerning thend that Henderson Group is nning to develop with mypany?"


    Tim pushed his sses higher up his nose bridge, darkness shing across his eyes. "You''ll have to ask Mr. Henderson about this. He''s been really busytely and hasn''t been answering my calls. You might need to go look for him in person."


    She still felt the need to keep a proper distance from Ethan. However, for the sake


    of this project, she had to meet up with him.


    After all, she would not be able to get any information from Simon. Simon was already dying to get rid of her. After giving it some thought, she felt that it would be better for her to look for Ethan directly.


    She took a deep breath before asking, "Where''s Mr. Henderson now?" Tim immediately sent her an address. It was a famous hotel. She was told that Ethan was currently meeting with some people at a restaurant in the hotel.


    Without any further hesitation, Grace grabbed her car keys to go to the hotel, but she didn''t forget to exhort Liam to look through the documents carefully before she went out.

 Chapter 286

    Once Grace arrived at the hotel, she made her way to the restaurant, but Ethan was nowhere to be seen.


    She could only approach one of the staff. Soon enough, she got the number of the restaurant Ethan was in. She had just turned a corner when she saw a woman in a red dress standing in front of Ethan.


    From her back view, the woman looked charming. It seemed like they were in the middle of an enthusiastic exchange, considering how she was leaning forward as she talked to Ethan. However, Ethan kept his eyes trained on the ground and remained nonchnt.


    Grace stopped in her tracks, almost backing up unwittingly as she thought that she had just interrupted his date.


    However, the woman suddenly turned her head and looked in Grace''s direction. Instantly, her facial expression changed.


    Before Grace could even figure out what was happening, thedy had already grabbed her purse and started walking toward her. She looked at Grace from head to toe and sneered, "He must be blind or something."


    The woman walked away right after she said those words. Her heels clicked on the floor loudly, almost drilling holes into the ground.


    Grace remained in the same spot, feeling stunned for a brief moment. Then, her eyes met Ethan''s.


    If she were to leave now, she might juste off as melodramatic. Seeing how there was no one with Ethan, she slowly walked over before grabbing a seat.


    "Mr. Henderson," she called out.


    She noticed that the cup in front of her had a lipstick stain left by the woman from earlier.


    Ethan maintained his nonchnt demeanor. He raised his gaze and asked calmly, "What can I help you with?"


    Instantly, Grace felt that what happened on the ind before had purely been a man''s physiological reaction. Now that he had calmed down, his demeanor toward her had be colder.


    Her turbulent emotions in the past few days stood in stark contrast to his nonchnce. This made her feel like a joke.


    Grace chuckled, looking relieved.


    "Mr. Henderson, do you happen to know anything about the contract between Alice and Henderson Group?"


    As this was somewhat of a trade secret, she had already thought of exchanging it for something in return. However, she had only just finished her sentence when a woman''s voice was hearding from behind.


    "Excuse me, this seat is mine. Are you in the wrong seat?"


    Grace paused for a moment. She lifted her gaze to find another woman who was dressed to the nines.


    The woman looked at Grace with hostility. However, the moment she met Ethan''s eyes, her gaze instantly softened. "Mr. Henderson, is this person also here for the blind date?"


    Ethan did not respond. His fingertips rubbed the rim of the cup in slow motion.


    Grace was about to get up. But when she saw that Ethan still had his gaze lowered and his expression was att nonchnt, she sat right back down and shot a smile at the woman.


    "I''m not in the wrong seat. You''ve lost your chance. Ethan and I have already finished discussing our wedding ns."


    The woman''s eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Ethan and asked, "Mr. Henderson, is that true?"


    Ethan''s lips curled into a smile. "Mm-hmm."


    The woman took a deep breath, her face turning ashen. Her lips trembled briefly before she left begrudgingly.


    Grace waited for the woman to leave before she allowed herself to sit back in a rxed manner.


    She didn''t expect Ethan to be in the middle of a blind date. Nheless, she could tell that he was already slightly miffed from having to meet an endless stream of women.


    Other than that one evening on the ind, Ethan had never shown any enthusiasm or interest in romantic matters. He was now high up on his pedestal once again, and it was where he belonged.


    She wanted to say something, but he spoke first.


    "My father''s men are watching us. What you''ve just said will be ryed to him,


    word for word."


    At that moment, the world seemed


    to have copsed before her eyes, and she almost cked out. She started looking around. It was only then that she noticed a few bodyguards donned in ck attire.


    It was no wonder her journey here was smooth. It turned out that everyone had


    mistaken her as one of the blind dates arranged by Jordan.


    It was also why Ethan was sitting here obediently for his blind date¡ªit was all Jordan''s arrangement.


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 Chapter 287

    Grace didn''t know how to respond and was breaking out in a cold sweat.


    Meanwhile, Ethan slowly pushed the cup aside before speaking in an even calmer tone. "My father might be in contact with you pretty soon."


    Before this, Grace had reassured Jordan that she harbored no other feelings for Ethan. But Jordan was not just anyone. He would never believe any excuses she had.


    She pursed her lips and kept silent as she quickly thought of a countermeasure. Unfortunately, she would not be able to wriggle her way out of this. All she could do wase clean. "I was just trying to help you, Mr. Henderson. You looked like you didn''t want to be here."


    "Did I ask for your help?" His tone was calm, even calmer than usual.


    Instantly, Grace became speechless. After all, he really did not ask her for help. It was a one-sided favor.


    If Jordan were to get himself involved, she would not be able to walk away from this. She only spoke after a minute''s pause. "What should I do now?"


    She had just finished speaking when Ethan maneuvered his wheelchair, leaving the ce.


    This made her panic a little. Immediately, she hurried over. "Mr. Henderson..."


    Ethan got on the elevator, and all she could do was follow after him. The elevator reached his presidential suite. When the door shut, they were the only ones in the room. He moved his wheelchair into the bedroom, and once again, Grace started following him.


    When Ethan came to a halt, he stretched his hand out and loosened a button. When he noticed that she was still following closely behind, he arched an eyebrow. "I''m changing."


    Grace was really panicking this time. She could not afford to offend Jordan during this period, lest Lambert Group fell further into jeopardy.


    "Mr. Henderson, from now on, feel free to use me as an excuse to get out of these blind dates. You wouldn''t deprive yourself of such a useful tool, would you? Besides, you didn''t even stop me when I said those things. This shows that you still have a say in how things pan out."


    Her mind was clear once again. Earlier, Ethan had given his tacit approval when she said those words. She might not know him well, but the Ethan she got to know after waking up was someone courteous. He would not just sit back and watch as Jordan destroyed her.


    By this time, Ethan had already unfastened two of his buttons and had tossed his tie onto the bed next to him. He raised his neck slightly and his Adam''s apple bobbed. You don''t care about your boyfriend anymore?"


    "I''ll talk to him."


    "Talk to him?"


    His tone wasced with mockery. He seemed to be implying that no man would find this eptable.


    Grace herself was unsure because Ed had a very unreadable personality. It appeared that he would die if she harbored any feelings for anyone else, even if it was just to spite her.


    The reason she had said what she did earlier was to keep herself alive as well as dig some information about that plot ofnd.


    Ethan had already changed into another set of clothes. Then, he cruised toward Grace slowly, a smirk momentarily shing across his face.


    "Very well."


    Was that an agreement?


    She let out a breath of relief. Then, she ced her hand on the back of the wheelchair and pushed him out. "So, about thend, could you let me in on some information?"


    "No."


    Grace paused. She thought she had misheard.


    By then, Ethan had already reached the couch in the living room. He took the document next to him and began reviewing it. The sound of a pen scribbling across the paper could be heard. He had his head tilted downward slightly, seemingly having forgotten the other person''s existence in the room.


    Grace silently stood there for a moment. When she remembered how he had not eaten anything at the restaurant, she slipped out of the room discreetly, nning to bring some food over.


    Now that she was asking him for a favor, she needed to humble herself. What was


    the use of pride in a situation like this?

 Chapter 288

    As soon as she left, Tim opened the door and walked in. He stood before Ethan deferentially while his mind raced with many thoughts.


    Indeed, those people were Jordan''s bodyguards, and they were currently on their way back to Henderson Residence. If Ethan didn''t stop them, what Grace had said would definitely reach Jordan''s ears.


    Tim hade in to see what Ethan was going to do. He waited in silence.


    However, ten minutes had passed and Ethan was still reviewing the documents.


    The sound of the pen nib across the paper was sharp and clear.


    Only when Tim saw that it was about to hit the 15-minute mark did he ask


    tentatively, "Mr. Henderson, should I stop them?"


    Ethan''s hand stopped for a moment, and his eyes flickered a few times before he returned to his calm self. He responded, "No."


    "But..."


    If he did not stop them, Jordan might really do something.


    Sometimes, Tim had no idea what Ethan was thinking.


    Ethan put his pen down. When he heard footstepsing from outside, he knew that Grace had returned. The corners of his lips curled up for a moment. "I''d like to see what she chooses."


    Tim didn''t understand what he meant by this but did not prod further.


    When Grace opened the door, she noticed that Tim was here as well. She ced the tray next to Ethan before wiping the spoon several times. "Mr. Henderson, I noticed that you didn''t have anything to eat earlier. Have some of this."


    Ethan lifted his gaze, and their eyes met.


    Grace''s little thoughts wereid bare.


    Ethan did not eat the food. He lowered his head once again, picked up his pen, and resumed reviewing the document in his hand.


    Tim was the only one who knew that Ethan had already gone through this document.


    The food in the tray had cooled, so Grace went to heat it up. When the food became cold again, she reheated it once more, repeating this action several times. This went on for three hours.


    Only when it was 2:00 pm did Ethan put his pen down and pick up the spoon to take a sip of the stew. As the stew had already been reheated several times, the taste had gone unpleasant. Nheless, he was very satisfied, and his brows were even slightly raised.


    Tim, who was standing at the side, could tell that Ethan was happy. He looked at Grace with sympathy. No matter how smart Grace was, Ethan was far better when it came to ying these mind games.


    When Grace saw that Ethan was finally willing to eat the food, she let out a breath


    of relief, and her gaze fell on the back of his neck. Then, she looked at the wheelchair.


    Out of nowhere, an image shed in her mind. She was speaking to someone. "He''s dead. Why are you still alive?"


    All of a sudden, she could feel a stabbing pain in her head. She began rubbing her temples. At the same time, her chest felt tight.


    Who was this "he"?


    And who was she speaking to?


    Everything inside her head was a mess. Sometimes, images would randomly pop


    up inside her head, but she would not be able to connect them.


    When Ethan was done eating, she took the te away before serving him a cup of coffee.


    From a distance, Tim stood there watching her run around in a frenzy.


    Ethan had even held a meeting somewhere in the middle. The entire time, Grace stood beside him, serving him. When she noticed that he wanted water, she would rush over with a cup. Ethan would let his gaze fall on her before looking away nonchntly.


    Grace took a deep breath. Sometimes, she just felt that Ethan was someone hard


    to please. This was because she did not know what he liked.


    He had everything-social status, money, and power. Even if she wanted to give


    him a present, she didn''t know what she could get him.


    When his meeting ended, she pursed her lips for a moment before asking, "Mr. Henderson, is there anything you like?"


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 Chapter 289

    Ethan took his napkin out and wiped the corners of his mouth with light dabs. "Yes, but you wouldn''t be able to afford it."


    Grace felt slightly embarrassed. When it came to wealth, no one in Druville couldpete with Ethan. She pondered for a moment before a smile appeared on her face all of a sudden. It seemed like she had thought of what to give him.


    She took a deep breath before asking, "Mr. Henderson, I''ll go and pick a present for you. If you like it, can you tell me everything about that plot ofnd?"


    Ethan raised his brow slightly. Seeing how her face was beaming with confidence, anticipation shed across his eyes. He let his eyes fall to the ground to hide it from her. "Sure."


    Since she had already thought of what present to give him, there was no point staying there. She left the hotel right away and contacted Selene.


    Selene was a little taken aback to hear that Grace was trying to find out what Eleanor looked like. "Why are you asking this?"


    "If you have a photo of her, can you send it to me?"


    Every single person in Druville knew that Ethan''s first love had passed away. If she could find someone who looked like thete Eleanor, would it make him happier?


    Even though she knew that Ethan was not really a tacky person, seeing how he had already epted Jordan''s request to go on blind dates, he might just be able to ept a substitute.


    Selene began asking around and finally managed to get her hands on a photo of Eleanor. When she sent Grace the photo, she gave a few cautionary words. "Don''t go overboard."


    She had no clue what Grace was up to, but she could sort of figure it out.


    Grace replied with confidence. "That won''t happen, Selene. Thanks for your help." They were both neighbors and had already be close to each other.


    After Grace ended the call, she looked at the photo on her phone.


    Eleanor looked demure. It only took Grace one nce to tell that this was the sort of face that could be a man''s first love. "So, this is Ethan''s type, huh?" she thought to herself.


    She let her gaze fall. When she recalled how she had something to do with Eleanor''s death, she was afraid that Ethan might be angry if she found him a substitute. But now that it hade to this, she had no choice but to proceed. With the desperate situation at hand, this was the only solution she could think of. She started by visiting a few bars to find Eleanor''s doppelganger. Eventually, she did manage to find someone. It was a student who had recently started working at the bar. Due to her family''s financial situation, she was eager to start work but had not had the chance to serve anyone yet.


    The moment Grace saw her face, she fell into a momentary trance. This youngdy resembled thete Eleanor a lot. Her effort ofbing through thousands of people had not been in vain. The corners of her mouth curved upward as she tapped the youngdy on her shoulder.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Andrea."


    It was a great name, and her voice was gentle as well. She would definitely be Ethan''s type.


    Andrea felt awkward standing in front of Grace. She had grown up in the countryside and had never gone to any other ces before college. The fact that she could end up in a college in Druville was a testament to how much effort she had put in.


    After seeing the liveliness and prosperity of Druville, Andrea felt even more inferior. Those beautifuldies who donned pretty clothes always seemed so posh. This made her feel like a rat in the ditch all the more, like she was secretly watching others live their happy lives.


    Now that she was standing before Grace, that inferiorityplex of hers was surging once again. She kept wringing her hands. Then, Grace said, "From now on, all you have to do is listen to me and do as I say. I''ll have everything arranged."


    Grace had even given her ten thousand dors. She told Andrea that she would be bringing her to see a man and that she would not have to do anything else.


    Andrea was a little confused. However, Grace did not look like she was lying, so she agreed.


    Once Grace had everything prepared, she asked Tim for Ethan''s schedule. Once she had confirmation that he would be free tonight, she made an appointment with Ethan to meet at the hotel in the evening.


    The way she sounded made Tim feel uneasy.


    "Ms. Lambert, are you sure that Mr. Henderson will be happy with your present?"


    Grace had gone AWOL for two days. Along with the fact that she had resigned from Henderson Group, she had no idea what the atmosphere in the upper management was like.


    Nevertheless, there was a saying the higher you had your hopes up, the greater the fall.


    Tim had already given her a heads-up, hoping that she had truly prepared this present with great care.


    Grace smirked. As she looked at the youngdy standing in front of her, she felt very sure of herself. "Mr. Bet, is there still a vacant spot in the upper management after my resignation?"


    If Ethan was satisfied with her, they could let Andrea have her previous position right away. It would suffice as long as he could see her every day.


    Moreover, if he liked her, he could totally marry her. Even though this would not bring Eleanor back, it was still far better than him staring at a tombstone. Now that she had arrived at this point, there was no turning back. All she could do was try.


    Tim took a deep breath. "Yes. Are youing back?"


    "No. It''s pretty busy at Lambert Group, and I have a feeling that it''s going to be chaotic soon. Help me make an appointment with Ethan for this evening, 8:00 pm. I''ll be waiting for him at the hotel."


    When Tim heard these words, he felt a little relieved. It seemed like she had finally figured it out.


    When he conveyed this message to Ethan in a low voice, Ethan''s fingers quivered slightly.


    It was currently 2:00 pm, and he had a meeting lined up.


    But everyone in the upper management had already taken notice. Their workaholic boss seemed to be out of it today. He was even seen looking over at


    the clock on the wall several times.


    Everyone looked at each other but no one dared to ask any questions. They continued with the briefing as usual.


    The meeting only ended at 5:00 pm. Previously, Ethan would nitpick on every little imperfection in the


    reports. However, he did not sa


    anything today and just kept silent the entire time. After the meeting ended, nobody dared to leave


    because Ethan himself had not left.


    He had his gaze lowered, so they had no idea what he was thinking. The more he


    remained silent, the more everyone else in the room felt uneasy.


    The executives had beads of sweat on their foreheads. Some had even discreetly


    lowered their heads and began texting Tim.


    In the past, such meetings had often been extended. However, now that the briefing session had ended, Ethan was just sitting there without saying a word, making the others feel perturbed. They were even starting to worry if their position in thepany was in jeopardy.


    Tim entered the conference room, walked over to Ethan calmly, and said in a low


    voice, "Mr. Henderson, the meeting has ended."


    Ethan''s eyshes trembled. Only then did he lift his gaze. His eyes went toward


    the clock on the wall.

 Chapter 290

    Ethan gave a curt response before he was pushed out of the conference room.


    The atmosphere in the conference room was stifling. The pressure was finally gone when Ethan exited the room. Everyone could finally breathe again. They felt lucky to still be alive.


    After returning to the office, Ethan remained calm. There were still many documents he had to review, but he could no longer get himself to go through them. Usually, he could easily understand the data that was shown in the documents. Today, it all just looked like a bunch of tadpoles swimming up and down.


    He rubbed his brows before speaking to Tim, who was next to him. "I''m going to take a nap. Wake me up at 7:00 pm."


    "Will do."


    Ethan had always had a bad case of insomnia. He had been losing sleep for the past few days as well. Faint dark circles could be seen around his eyes.


    Hey down on the bed in the break room. He was probably in a good mood because the moment he shut his eyes, he dozed off right away. He had frequent dreams about the past and the messy disputes, and today was the same.


    His brows furrowed. Even in his dreams, he could not get a good sleep. Just then, that voice said something.


    "He''s dead, so why are you still alive?"


    All he could feel was a sword being pierced through his chest. That suffocating feeling was creeping up on him again.


    His eyes shot open, and he realized that only 20 minutes had passed. His face turned a little ashen as he called Tim over.


    Tim came over immediately. The moment he saw Ethan, he knew that Ethan had just had a dream.


    With practiced ease, Tim took a bottle of sleeping pills, shook out a few tablets into his hand, and ced them in Ethan''s palm. "Mr. Henderson, take some of these before you go to sleep."


    Ethan massaged the area between his eyebrows. With his voice all hoarse, he asked, "Have you not found any new sleeping pills yet?"


    Sleeping pills were made up of pretty much the same substance. He had be resistant to the type of medicine he currently used. Ordinary sleeping pills no longer worked on him.


    However, the ones with a stronger dosage had severe side effects, so Tim had never dared to let Ethan take those.


    "No. A new kind of drug has been developed overseas, but it''ll cause slight damage to the brain, and it''s irreparable. I wouldn''t rmend it."


    Ethan''s brain is extremely valuable. He could never suffer such damage.


    Ethan''s hands that were massaging his temples paused all of a sudden. He took a deep breath before saying, "Let me have them."


    "Mr. Henderson..."


    Tim was a little hesitant until he saw Ethan''s bloodshot eyes. If he continued losing sleep this way, the damage done to his health and brain might even be greater.


    "I''ll contact the foreign experts right away."


    Ethan nodded slightly. Then, he closed his eyes to rest and stopped talking.


    7:00 pm finally rolled around, and Tim sent him to the hotel.


    Even when they were on their way to the hotel, Tim still felt a little uneasy, so he kept sending text messages to Grace.


    Tim: "Ms. Lambert, are you sure that Mr. Henderson will like this present?"


    Grace: "Of course."


    This was because Ethan had visited Eleanor''s grave before. Even if he ended up not liking Andrea, he would definitely be shocked to see her face.


    Only then did Tim feel relieved. Through the rearview mirror, he looked at Ethan sitting in the back seat. As always, Ethan looked indifferent. He did not seem troubled one bit.


    Then, he tilted his head to one side as he looked out the window at the scene of the city that was passing him by. His lips curled up into a faint smirk. It was apparent that he was in a good mood.


    Instantly, Tim felt motivated. Very quickly, they arrived at the hotel.


    Grace had chosen to use Ethan''s presidential suite. She had already gotten the VIP ess from Tim. She then let Andrea wait inside the room.


    Andrea felt antsy. She was afraid it was going to be a sleazy man.


    Indeed, she was in desperate need of money. If it weren''t for that, she would never have gone to work at the bar.


    The fact was that if Grace had note to get her, she would have also sold her body to some other man. Besides, Grace had been incredibly generous in her rewards.


    She took a deep breath, and motivation shed across her eyes. If the man looked fairly decent, she would grab onto this chance tightly.


    Grace waited in the living room. She even had the bright lights switched off, leaving only the ambient lights


    on. She sprayed more perfume in the room. This citrusy fragrance was something that thete Eleanor liked a lot, and it was what Grace had asked Selene to help find out.


    The sound of a wheelchair could be hearding from outside, and Grace immediately stood still.


    Ethan was in his wheelchair. He gave a few light knocks on the door. As the door was not closed shut, it became ajar. He cruised into the room and noticed the fragrance.


    The lights in the room were dim, so only a vague silhouette could be seen. Grace walked over, shut the door, and pushed his chair from behind.


    Ethan was visibly nervous as his Adam''s apple bobbed a couple of times. He straightened his arms ever so slightly on the armrest, and the veins on the back of his hands could be seen.


    "What..."


    With the room so dimly lit, coupled with the scent in the air, it was hard for him not to let his mind wander.


    Grace stood behind him and nodded her head slightly. "Mr. Henderson, the present''s inside."


    Ethan''s hands clenched right away. "It''s inside?"


    She chuckled softly, her breath brushing his ear as she said, "Mm-hmm, I''m sure you''ll like it."


    Ethan''sshes trembled. His grip on the armrest tightened and loosened repeatedly.


    Grace pushed him toward the bedroom. The bedroom was even darker-it was pitch-ck.


    Grace covered Ethan''s eyes with her hands. "I''ve prepared a very special present for you."


    She had made the room dark on purpose. This way, she could stir up his innermost desire. When he finally saw Andrea''s face, he would be even more shocked.


    When she was done speaking, Ethan


    raised his hand to hers, his cold


    fingers resting on the back of her hand Her hands were covering his eyes. The moment she felt his cool hands on hers, she stiffened slightly.


    His cold wide hands suddenly turned warm, and the heat transferred to her. She squirmed. But when she thought of the events that were about to unfold, she brushed it off.


    "Mr. Henderson, I''ll turn on the lights when I uncover your eyes. Are you ready?"


    "Yes."


    It was a word he often said. However, this time, there was apparent delight in his


    tone.


    Seeing him like this, Grace became very pleased. She felt a little proud even, thinking that this present was, indeed, to his liking.


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 Chapter 291

    Grace was standing really close to Ethan when she spoke. The scent of her hair inadvertently filled his nostrils. His nervousness was apparent as hisshes trembled, brushing against her palm. They tickled her.


    Grace took a deep breath, brushing aside the strange feeling inside her heart. "Close your eyes."


    She half expected Ethan to be irritated, but to her surprise, he followed her words and shut his eyes. Grace suddenly realized that Ethan had been really cooperative with her tonight.


    For someone of his social standing, there were countless people who would want to butter him up. She was someone whose status was far lower than his, so she was surprised that he had been putting up with her the entire time.


    As a result, she tried to expedite the process. She turned the lights on and pushed him toward Andrea.


    Andrea was sitting on the couch. Once she saw Ethan''s face, a look of surprise shed in her eyes. Could this be the face of a real person? What had happened to his legs? Would he never recover?


    She felt a little sorry for him but immediatelyforted herself. Even if he had lost both his legs, nothing would change. With such a beautiful face, she would be willing to stay by his side forever-even if it meant she had to be a mere nanny.


    She was so nervous that her palms had be sweaty. However, once she saw that Grace had left the room, she said, "Open your eyes, Mr. Henderson."


    The corners of Ethan''s mouth curled up slightly, and his eyes were full of delight. However, the moment his gaze fell on Andrea sitting in front of him, his gaze turned ice-cold instantly.


    Andrea felt even more awkward. She recalled how other women usually seduced men. She raised one of her legs and rubbed against his leg lightly.


    "Hello, Mr. Henderson. I''m Andrea Sullivan."


    She was really nervous when she said these words because the man in front of her had stopped smiling. No matter how dull of a person she was, she could feel that something was wrong. Instantly, her expression became panicked.


    In fact, the expression on Ethan''s face was indifferent, but she still could not help feeling scared. It felt like there were thousands of snakes slithering around her legs, with their cold and venomous bodies wrapping around her until everyst breath was squeezed out of her chest.


    Grace had closed the door shut. She sat outside, feeling utterly happy and satisfied with herself. She could not help but smile. It was at this moment that Tim entered the living room.


    He still felt a little unsettled about the entire situation, so he tapped his card and entered the suite. When he noticed that Grace was sitting in the living room, he immediately nced around the room. "Where''s Mr. Henderson?"


    "He''s inside the bedroom."


    Grace''s voice was very soft when she said this. In fact, she was afraid of disturbing the two in the room, so she hurriedly pulled Tim into the hallway.


    Before Grace lost her memories, Tim had met her on multiple asions before. He could never understand why Ethan would give someone like her such special treatment, but since Ethan liked her, he could not be bothered to bring it up.


    The two stood in the hallway. Eventually, Tim grew impatient and asked, "If Mr.


    Henderson is inside the bedroom, why are you in the living room?"


    Grace felt a little confused. Should she be in the bedroom, interrupting the two of them? Ethan was probably still immersed in the memories of his first leve Theres


    was no way she would go and disturb them.


    When Tim saw the confusion on her face, he felt even more perturbed. "What


    have you prepared for him in the bedroom?"


    He could even feel a chill go down his spine.


    Grace smirked. "A substitute, obviously. Wasn''t he really in love with thete Eleanor? I found her doppelganger Even though feel sorry for the deceased, I have no other choice. I have to find out everything I can about thend."


    A look of disbelief shed across Tim''s face. He was dying to p Grace right then and there.


    "You!"


    With one swift motion, he shoved her aside, and his chest began heaving violently.


    Grace crashed into the wall back-first, causing her to wince as it hurt a little. She couldn''t understand why Tim would have such a huge reaction.


    Tim swung the door open without hesitation, wanting to get to the bedroom. However, the moment his hand reached the passcode panel of the door lock, someone had opened the door from inside.


    Ethan appeared at the door with an unreadable expression.


    Tim felt extremely uneasy. "Mr. Henderson, are you okay?"


    Ethan lifted his head, his gaze falling on Grace.

 Chapter 292

    Grace had every intention of asking whether Ethan was pleased, but a sudden chill crawled up her spine, like danger had brushed against her skin. Ethan''s thoughts were a mystery to Grace. She gulped, unease curling in her chest.


    Tim wheeled Ethan right past her.


    Grace didn''t move a muscle, paralyzed by the sheer force of his presence. It wasn''t until the elevator doors had shut behind them that she blinked back to life. She darted into the room, throwing the door open.


    Andrea sat on the couch, looking perfectly fine. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were trembling with barely contained excitement.


    Grace wasn''t sure what had happened in the room. She asked eagerly, "Do you think he was satisfied?"


    Andrea''s face turned crimson, the blush crawling down her neck. "I think so. He just stared at me, not saying anything."


    Grace let out a breath of relief. Ethan never looked at people like that, so maybe he really was taken with Andrea.


    Perhaps the emotions had hit him too hard, which was why he left so abruptly. Even the most powerful men would unravel a little when faced with the person they had never really gotten over.


    Andrea clutched Grace''s hand, her voice trembling with excitement. "Do you think I''ll get to see him again, Ms. Lambert?"


    Grace had already given her a hefty sum. It was enough to pull Andrea out of immediate trouble. But now, Andrea didn''t even care about the money. She just wanted another glimpse of that man''s face.


    Grace didn''t know where Ethan stood on all this. Hence, she didn''t promise Andrea anything. She simply got her a new room and told her to wait.


    They exchanged numbers before parting ways.


    After leaving the hotel, Grace felt a creeping sense of unease she couldn''t


    exin. She called Tim, hoping for answers, but he didn''t pick up. She had hoped


    for a subtle debrief, but clearly, that wasn''t happening.


    The worry gnawed at her all night.


    Was Ethan satisfied or not? Why was he so silent?


    The next day, she called Tim again, and there was still no answer. She had thought he was just busy. Now, she realized he was just deliberately avoiding her.


    So, Ethan wasn''t happy about it? Did he think Andrea didn''t resemble Eleanor enough?


    Grace''s fingers hovered over Ethan''s contact info, her nerves buzzing. She didn''t dare to make the call.


    Just then, her phone lit up with a call from Liam.


    "Edric is buying up shares behind the scenes, Grace."


    If he seeded, Lambert Group would fall out of their hands.


    Grace frowned upon hearing it. The board was already tipping in


    favor would take over thepanypletely.


    If this continued, he del


    She immediately skimmed through the list of board members. Things weren''t


    looking good. Several had recently opposed Liam bing the CEO.


    It was no wonder Liam was calling in panic. He didn''t know what to do.


    Grace took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on a board member who held thergest stake 7% fia iam secured those shares, Edric wouldn''t be able to win no matter how many more he bought.


    "Focus on holding your ground, Liam. I''ll take care of the shares."


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 Chapter 293

    Liam''s voice was weary, but he pushed through. "I want to go with you, Grace. If something goes wrong, we can look out for each other."


    "Not this time, Liam. You have to memorize those reports front to back."


    Liam almost wanted to argue like in the old times, but something stopped him. He pursed his lips. "Okay. Just... be careful."


    After all, Edric''s hatred toward Grace had reached a point where anything was possible.


    Grace had intended to call it a night, but instead, she headed to the living room, opened herptop, and started digging deeper into the profile of the man holding that decisive 7% of shares.


    She had no idea that, at that moment, the executive she had targeted was groveling beside a man and trembling violently. He had no idea who he had pissed or why he had been dragged into this nightmare. His knees buckled beneath him, and the thick, coppery scent of blood in the air made his skin crawl.


    His throat felt tight, like invisible hands were wrapped around it. He couldn''t make a sound. Sweat dripped from his forehead, sttering against the floor. He was barely holding back tears.


    However, the man in front of him hadn''t spoken a word. He just sat there like the devil himself, quiet and terrifying.


    Edric hade to him earlier that day, and he had already agreed to hand over his shares. Now, his blood ran cold. Could this man be someone sent by Grace?


    Grace was the one who destroyed Thomson''s face, after all.


    The executive''s lips quivered for what felt like forever before he finally stammered, "I-If it''s the shares you''re after, they''re yours. Just please... Let me live."


    He was shaking like crazy when the man before him spoke.


    "Sell them to Edric."


    With that, the man was gone.


    The pressure in the room lifted in an instant, and even the dead body was dragged away.


    The executive felt like he had just been handed his life back. As he wiped sweat from his face, his phone rang. It was Grace. He rejected the call immediately and blocked her number.


    The next morning, just as he opened his front door, he froze-Grace was standing there.


    She was holding a thick stack of documents. It was a proposal she had clearly stayed up all night- writing. If thepany followed this strategy, its stock price could easily double within two years.


    Pn


    She had done her research. This executive, Nelson Langton, held thergest stake. It was a sign of the trust Quentin had once ced in him. Besides, he wasn''t part of Edric''s camp; he was just caught in the middle. If Grace dangled the right offer, there was a real chance Nelson would back her.


    Well, ifst night hadn''t happened, she''d be right.


    Yet now, Nelson''s life was tangled up in those shares. So, the moment he saw Grace, his face turned ghostly pale, and he instinctively stepped back. "Ms. Lambert, hi," he mumbled a greeting.


    Grace was taken aback at his reaction. Softly, she smiled and said, "Hi, Mr. Langton. I''d like you to take a look at this proposal.


    "You and my father started thepany from nothing. You know what this ce really stands for, and Edric has forgotten all of that. All he wants is power. I know you still care about thepany''s future, and that''s why I think we''re on the same side. So, would you let me borrow just a little of your time?"


    She expected an immediate yes, but instead, Nelson stepped around her and walked away. "Apologies, Ms. Lambert. I''ve decided to sell to Edric."


    "Mr. Langton, please. Do it for my father."


    Nelson froze for a heartbeat, then hurried away. "The deal is done, and I''m


    signing soon. Don''te looking for me again."


    If Nelson didn''t go through with the sale, he''d be a dead man.

 Chapter 294

    Grace bit her lip as she watched Nelson leave. She had truly believed the


    proposal would sway him, but he didn''t even bother to look at it. What had gone wrong? Still clinging to hope, she rushed up to his car.


    "Mr. Langton, I¡ª"


    Before she could finish her words, the engine roared to life, and Nelson was gone.


    Grace took a breath to steady herself, then jumped into her car and gave chase. Nelson arrived at Lambert Group first thing, with a share transfer agreement already drawn up overnight. His stance was unshakable. Grace could see that now, there was no persuading him.


    With Edric not in yet, Nelson waited in the conference room, packing up his things. Once the contract was signed, he''d resign from his position. He had enough money to live out the rest of his days anyway, and there was no point in risking everything now.


    Realizing there was no getting through to Nelson, Grace shifted gears. She inhaled deeply and hurried off to find Liam.


    Panic flickered in Liam''s eyes as he grabbed Grace''s arm. "What do we do now, Grace?"


    His heart was pounding wildly. If Edric got thepany, their father''s legacy would be destroyed.


    Grace steadied him. "It usually takes a year to go public in Virelia or maybe more. Dad alreadyid the foundation. If we push now, we might just make it."


    Going public would bring in fresh capital and dilute Edric''s control. However, it would also require an investment bank and a ten-billion-dor coteral.


    Lambert Group had been running on fumes for a while. Even after Grace sold off every property they owned, she was still nowhere close to the ten billion dors in cash they needed.


    Moreover, even if they managed to lock in an investment bank, they couldn''t afford a single scandal during the process. One misstep and the whole thing would fall apart.


    Neither condition felt realistic, not with how much chaos the Lamberts had been through recently.


    Grace sucked in a breath, her heart feeling heavy. That route was blocked too.


    What was left? Take Edric out of the equation?


    She kept a calm front for Liam''s sake, but inside, she was just as lost.


    "Grace..." Liam looked like all the color had drained from his face. He waspletely out of ideas.


    She lowered her gaze slightly and asked, "Did theymit Thomson to a psychiatric hospital?"


    "No. Edric''s got him locked in at home."


    Edric only had one son, and there was no way he''d let him be institutionalized.


    Grace gave Liam''s shoulder a firm


    pat. "You''re the CEO now, Liam. Keep it together. I''ll deal with this-your job is to study until you know everything backward and forward."


    Tears looked


    Ced up in Liam''s eyes. He cryineke he was on the verge


    Veloret


    but all he did was nod


    his lips pressed tightly together.


    Grace nced into the conference room. Nelson was still there, waiting for Edric to arrive. Once they signed the contract, there would be no undoing it.


    After a quick check, she found out that Edric was already en route.


    Without hesitation, Grace went downstairs, got into her car, and drove to see Edric''s mistress.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 295

    The private lives of men in power were rarely clean, just well-hidden. Once they had money, many grew tired of the wives who had stood by them during the lean years. Most of them had mistresses, and some had several.


    Grace didn''t sugarcoat things. She told the mistress that Edric had spent tens of millions of dors on his wife''s jewelry and even gotten her pregnant.


    The mistress had been with Edric for years. She always said she didn''t want his money, just his love. She barely took anything from him.


    She knew how to read a man; how to be soft when he needed it. Edric liked that, and their rtionship still had that honeymoon glow.


    Women like her, led by love, were easy to set off. All Grace had to do was mention the wife''s pregnancy and she''d snap.


    The mistress had been with Edric for years, always dreaming of having a child with him. However, Edric wasn''t dumb. He kept things purely physical, knowing a baby would be too messy. Thus, no matter how intense the romance was, fatherhood was never on the table.


    His mistress was lovesick and desperate for something permanent¡ªa baby. But he brushed it off every time, ming age, health, or timing.


    She had even tried ditching protection more than once, hoping he''d give in. Still, nothing ever happened.


    Now, suddenly, she heard that his wife was pregnant at nearly 50! That was enough to break her.


    Less than half an hourter, she showed up at Edric''s front door. His wife didn''t even know she existed. The moment their eyes met, it was war.


    And with Thomson losing it in the chaos, the whole house turned into a scene from a nightmare.


    Edric was almost at the office when a call forced him to turn back. Thomson had vanished, and it was all tied to the fight between the two women in the house. He had no choice. He told Nelson to dy the meeting and then sped home.


    When he got home, both women looked like they''d gone for a few rounds in a boxing ring.


    The moment the mistress saw him, she started sobbing.


    Edric''s temples throbbed, and his expression darkened. "Where''s Thom?"


    He''d always had a soft spot for his son, spoiling him beyond reason. Why else would he have let him pursue an entertainment career?


    In their world celebrities were considered low-tier, but if his son wanted it, he would give his blessing without hesitation. Even after the ident that ruined Thomson''s face, Edric''s devotion to his son


    never wavered.


    Furious, his wife went on a rampage, smashing anything she could reach. Ten


    minutester, the house was a disaster zone.


    Edric''s face hardened. "I told you to watch Thom. He''s not okay. What if something happens while he''s out there alone?"


    Yet she wasn''t listening. She was far too gone. The next thing he knew she came at him swinging, and suddenly, they were fighting. The mistress could only stand there,


    wide-eyed and helpless.


    In the end, the neighbors called the police, and all three of them were hauled off


    to the station.


    Grace, hearing the news, finally


    rxed and dialed Selene''s number.


    With herwork, Selene could keep them locked in the station as long as needed. She was the kind of person who had Grace''s back, but the only person she could reach was Damien.


    Damien, however...


    Selene truly considered Grace a friend. Knowing this was about Lambert Group''s survival, she didn''t hesitate and called Damien.


    Damien saw her name pop up and froze. He couldn''t believe Selene was actually calling him. He took a breath, steadied himself, and answered. "Selene?"


    Damien hadn''t been calling her "Sis" ever since he figured out how he really felt about her.

 Chapter 296

    Once Selene finished exining the situation, Damien nced down, a faint smile tugging at his lips.


    "Doesn''t sound hard. So, what do I get out of it?"


    Selene knew what he meant. There was no use pretending. Rubbing her temples, she asked, "What do you want?"


    "You. In my bed." Damien''s voice was low. It was like he had been waiting for this.


    Selene froze in ce. There were still moments she couldn''t believe this was the same Damien she had grown up with. They had grown up together like siblings, and she had never seen thising. She had always seen him as a little brother.


    When had he stopped being that? When did he get so bold, so filthy with his words?


    But for Grace''s sake, she didn''t have many options. And honestly, it wouldn''t be the first time.


    "I''ll be at your ce tonight."


    Since the day Selene ended things, she hadn''t set foot in the Jensen residence again. Later on, Damien packed up and bought a vi of his own, and she hadn''t been there either.


    Damien''s eyes went red the moment he heard her answer. He didn''t know what changed her mind, but just hearing her agree made something ze inside him.


    He texted her his address immediately. With the way Selene had been avoiding him like the gue, he was sure she didn''t even know where he lived now. That thought alone made his blood boil.


    She was the one to cross the line first, so why did he end up being the one treated like something dirty?


    Selene didn''t even know where he lived now, not until that address came through.


    She had been avoiding him for years now. Without the Jensen family tie binding them, they had no reason to run into each other. Anything she knew about him came through secondhand gossip from the rich.


    Selene took a deep breath before driving over without hesitation. When she pulled up outside the vi, she sent a quick text to Grace. "You have no idea how much I''m sacrificing for this."


    Grace didn''t know what Selene meant by that text. As she was about to reply, Selene sent another message. "You''d better not leave me hanging next time when I need something."


    That was a given. Selene had always been someone Grace admired.


    "Of course, Ms. Jensen. If you tell me to move, I''m already gone," Grace replied.


    Selene smiled, exhaled softly, and rang the bell. Footsteps echoed quickly toward the entrance, with Damien opening the door himself.


    When she called him earlier, he had been in the middle of a meeting. Once the call ended, he walked out right away without finishing the meeting.


    The moment he saw Selene, his face lit up. He pulled her in and kissed her like he had been starving for it.


    Selene had always had that elegant, dominant beauty. But now, she turned her head away, flustered.


    "Make your call first."


    With his face flushed, Damien tried to unbutton her shirt with one hand while using the other to dial the number for the police station. He rattled off a few words, then tossed the phone aside and scooped her up.


    Selene hit the bed with a soft bounce, staring wide-eyed as Damien unbuttoned his shirt. Each step he took forward thickened the tension in the room.


    Their first time was a drunken disaster, and they had never touched each other since then.


    This man, who used to be her little brother, now looked at her like she was the only thing in the world, and she wasn''t ready for it.


    Selene had always been sharp and in control when it came to business, even when handling flirtatious men. However, when it came to Damien, she never quite knew how to hold her ground. He was too impatient, too intense.


    The moment she let her guard down, he was already on top of her. Selene took a deep breath, gave up resisting, and muttered, "Cover my eyes, at least..."


    The second the words left her mouth, Damien gripped her chin tightly. "You really can''t stand looking at me, huh?"


    She frowned. "Damien!"


    Before she could finish, he leaned down and kissed her hard.


    "No blindfolds," he said against her lips. "I want you to see who''s with you."


    Selene''s face flushed red, then


    paled. She was used to yful banter, even teasing younger men but she had never crossed the line like this-especially not with Damien. She turned her head away, unwilling to meet his gaze, but he caught her chin again.


    "Look at me, Selene."


    Selene shut her eyes. Her posture was still and resigned; it was like she just wanted this over with.


    But Damien had clearly changed. Their first time had been clumsy and confused. They had both been drunk, and even then, Selene vaguely remembered being the one in control. He hadn''t even known what to do.


    Now, everything was different. He knew exactly where to touch, how to push her boundaries, and how to make her lose control piece by piece.


    And worst of all, he watched her the whole time, searching for cracks in herposure. He could tell that she was enduring or pretending it didn''t affect her, but that only fueled the fire in him.


    Every move seemed more deliberate than thest as if he was determined to break her calm. Then, just as her breath hitched and just as her resistance began to blur, he leaned close and whispered, "Say my name."


    Selene bit her lip hard, refusing to do as he said. So, he pushed further.


    He thought she would give in eventually, but Selene had her pride. She refused to break first.


    Damien''s expression darkened,


    frustration mixing with something


    far more dangerous. He didn''t let


    until her strength finally gave


    and she slipped into


    unconsciousness. And just like that,


    the room fell silent.


    Damien leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against her shoulder. The fire


    in him had burned through, but all it left behind was a hollow ache.


    What now, then?


    Why couldn''t he let Selene go?


    Why was it that his entire world had unraveled after that night while she had managed to walk away so easily, draw a clean line, and never look back? He wasn''t willing to ept it.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!