GraceI thought about telling Tristin but I couldn’t bring myself to approach him. Silently, I slipped out of his mansion and sat inside the car awaiting me. It felt unfamiliar.While we were pretending to be a happily married couple, Ethan never made the effort to bring me to these events. He used to ask me for formality and I always refused because I was not comfortable. That’s it. He never insisted or asked me why I was not comfortable going to these events. He never cared to know that the high society people called me a whore, schemer, or shameless sister. Despite everything I did to save my family’s reputation and Ethan’s special day, I became the villain in everyone’s eyes. Which sister takes her sister’s groom—people used to ask me. And I had no answer to this.Sighing, I got out of the car in front of the building where a famous designer’s boutique was. In the next few hours, I was forced into a sparkly silver dress, that clung to my skin and shimmered under the lights. My
Grace“ Ethan, I need to— ”“ Stay. ” Ethan holds on to my waist, nudging me in the direction of the influential men approaching him.He doesn't let me go, no matter what excuse I present or how I try to pull away from him. In the sea of irrelevant people, I find myself constantly searching for Tristin and when I locate him, I can not look at him for long. The web of search resets, pushing me to continue the same cycle of push and pull again.My heart is beating too fast and my hands are sweating, making me unable to hold still. “ Look at her. Isn’t she Lily’s sister? ” I hear a group of women talking from somewhere behind us.Ethan is engaged in a tense talk with the two expensively dressed men in front of us, while his arm remains around me, keeping me in place.“ Didn’t she recently report her sister for attempted murder? ”“ I bet she was jealous of her and thought Ethan would ditch her for Lily after all. ” Another one sneers.“ Lily is better in every sense. This bitch just pr
Grace“ Tristin, you need to listen to me. ” Instinctively, I leap behind him.He takes long strides, walking away with a predatory ease that makes my heart heavy.Before I can reach him, a hand closes around my wrist and pulls me back. I glance at the hand, and then the face of the man holding me back.Anger simmers beneath my skin, threatening to spill over. Desperate, I take my eyes off Ethan and look in the direction where Tristin disappeared.He didn’t even spare me a look. Not even once.“ Was it you? ” Ethan asks, his fingers digging in my flesh.I wince and jerk my hand free. “ I wish. But you are just too stupid to fight Tristin, Ethan. You should give up now. ”“ This is only the start. A little setback can not stop me, Grace. ” Ethan says, grabbing my wrist again.I grit my jaw, ready to retort but a familiar voice makes me halt. I move towards the railing, my wrist still clenched between Ethan’s hands.Lily stands on the stage, wearing a glittery black dress that highlights
GraceEthan doesn’t look shocked this time. He grits his jaw and looks back at me, his eyes raging.Suddenly, Ethan grabs my arms and pulls me towards him. Silence falls in the Hall, all eyes on us, waiting for this formidable man to take his revenge.“ What? ” I smirk. “ Do you not like your wife anymore? Do you want to kill me? ” “ Forget about it. ” Ethan hisses under his breath, his hold tightening over my arms.“ What?” I search his face.“ Forget about the divorce.” He whispers and pulls me closer. “ Even if you beg and cry— ”“ Ethan.” Lily screams.My brows lift as my gaze rises to Lily. She grabs the side of her head and faints close to the edge of the stage.Before she can drop from the height, Ethan crosses the distance between them and catches her in his arms. “ Lily. ” Concern reflects in his voice, and in the way he holds her body close to his chest.The silence breaks as people start whispering among themselves. “ Did you see that? ” “ Mr. Calder clearl
Grace“ You just never change. How many times has it been already? ” I murmur, attempting to get up but he hovers above me, pressing me down with his weight.“ I will never let you go. ” Ethan seethes, leaning in to press his lips to mine. I turn my head away and glance at the lamp placed on the side table. Ethan grips my chin harshly and makes me face him again. I hold my breath, staring into his half-lidded eyes. “ Your lover boy knows you are here with me. Josh caught his men spying on your whereabouts. ” His lips curl into a sinister smirk. “ what do you think about that? ”I blink, my hands going still by my side. My blank face makes Ethan frown.“ He doesn’t give a fuck if you sleep with me or what I do to you here. ” He hisses, grabbing my left wrist to pin it above my head. “ Why do you think I care about it? ” I sigh, finding it hard to panic.He is on top of me, drunk and furious, yet I find it hard to react. His Tristin talk doesn’t bother me either. Tristin probably re
GraceI sit on the floor silently and stare at the blood that still stains my hands. After the rush of emotions, everything has gone numb inside me again.“ They have asked us to make life difficult for you. ” Detective Marlo stands on the other side of the bars and reveals.“ Did Ethan’s family return from abroad? ” I wonder.“ They want you to suffer for hurting Mr. Calder. Eventually, they will bring some people inside and get them to torture you. ” He discloses, without answering my question.I nod. I expect nothing less from the Calder family. Ethan usually kept them out of the country because they were problematic but now that they are back, and Ethan is not conscious, they will do everything to make life hell for me.“ I didn’t expect you to be such a woman. Why did you do that Mr. Calder? ” He sighs.I don’t know why he came or why he is being so nosy. “ You could have run away instead of calling the police and ambulance for him. Mr. Calder’s people would have dealt with the
GraceI push myself to my feet, ready to defend myself until the end. The woman on the right lunges for me.I raise my arm in front of my face protectively. A gasp erupts from my mouth as the blade slashes across my wrist. The other two surround me and grab my arms. I thrash, trying to free myself but they have more strength than me.They pull my arms down, exposing my face to the one with the blade. I twist and turn, and watch as she shoots me a vicious look.The glint of the blade appears terrifying in the darkness. My throat dries as I direct my gaze to her face.She grabs my cheeks and squashes harshly. “ Now stay still, Bitch. You don’t want me to poke your eyes. ”I grit my jaw and shake my head, refusing to stop fighting. She grabs me harder and brings the blade closer to my face.Instinctively, I lift my leg and kick her in the stomach. She shrieks, stumbling a few steps back. “ You slut! ” The one holding me from the left smacks my head so hard that my vision blackens for a
GraceFor another day, I stay locked up and the man stands guard. The Calders try to cause trouble, but their people are handled easily by the Robertos. As their power game continues, I find myself in a trance. He says Tristin had an accident right after leaving the event. This means he got into an accident when I was thinking of reaching out to him. Did Ethan really cause his accident? My heart clenches at the thought. But then, I am forced to think about the sudden disappearance of Lily.If…Ethan caused Tristin’s accident and Tristin is unconscious…Who took Lily? Did someone take her or she disappeared? The mystery around Sebastian Roberto’s death and the secret that Lily holds has become more confusing. In the end, the detectives call me to the interrogation room and ask me the dreaded questions. Where is Lily Whitlock? What did I do to Lily Whitlock? No matter how many times I tell them that I did nothing to Lily, they don’t believe me. I have no alibi. Ethan’s men destr
GraceSeb’s breath grows steady, his body soft and warm against mine as he drifts off to sleep. I hold him close a moment longer, feeling the rise and fall of his tiny chest. A fragile sense of peace settles over us.I rise from the couch slowly, careful not to wake him, and tuck him into bed. His small fist curls into the soft blanket as I smooth it over him. Just as I turn around, my breath catches in my throat.Tristin is leaning against the doorway, one shoulder pressed to the frame, his arms crossed. His eyes find mine with a quiet intensity that sends heat rushing to my cheeks.“ You are back… ” He says, his voice low and husky. I swallow hard and nod. “ I am back. ”The silence between us stretches. My heartbeat quickens, and memories swirl inside my head—his rough hands on my skin, his harsh mouth claiming me, the weight of his body. The air thickens with everything unspoken.Tristin’s gaze flickers, a subtle shift of emotion I can’t name. “ I thought you would stay and see y
Grace“ Mommy, I missed you! ” My son snuggles into my neck.He has been clinging to me since I came back unannounced. Now, I know my baby has one more similarity with his Daddy. He only pretends to be fine when I am away. It makes me reflect back on all the times when I was not there for Seb. Sighing, I kiss the side of his head and pull him in my lap.“ I missed you too, Baby. ” He grins, his cute two front teeth showing, before he wraps his small arms around my neck and hangs there. My heart melts. No matter what I am going through in life…Having my son cling to me can make it all better.“ Did you listen to Grandma? ” I ask, stroking his hair.“ Yes. I did. ” He nods, leaving my neck and sliding down my lap to settle on the couch beside me.I notice the sudden change and look down at his face to see him staring at his hands. An invisible, cold hand grips my heart.“ What’s wrong, Seb? ” I stroke his hair, fixing a few strands that have fallen on his forehead.“ You said…you wi
Grace“ I just saw the way he looked at her when I went to meet him. Doesn’t take a genius to guess what’s going on. I thought I should let you know… as a gesture of…goodwill. ” Ethan’s voice lightens, a playful lilt to it. The audacity he has…It will never fail to baffle me.I turn to face him. “ Tristin is not you, Ethan. Send a million beautiful women his way, and he won’t look at any of them the way you are trying to make me think he does. But you? ”I shift my weight from one leg to another as he watches me with all his attention. He lifts his brows, silently urging me to continue.“ You lose your mind over every woman who says ‘I love you’ to you because you…you are not a man, Ethan. You are an insecure little boy who wants to feel loved. But the truth? You are…so disgusting that no woman can actually love you after knowing the real you ” I snicker, noticing the look in his eyes.Judging from the way his jaw clenches and his hand turns into tight fists…I have hit the mark.“
Grace“ This deal can’t go through, Mr. Renaud. It requires a long stay here and I can’t stay for that long. I have family back home, and I need to return immediately. ” I state my reason, and keep my gaze steady on him. “ I apologize for the sudden notice, but it will be better if you start looking for other companies. ”“ Mrs. Roberto… ” He looks at me, and then at Ethan as if silently asking him what to do.My lips stretch into a smirk. Of course. This is all Ethan’s setup. A trap to get me to stay away from my family and get close to him. He wants to strike me when I am already vulnerable. He thinks I will return to him if I am cornered.But he doesn’t understand. After my whole life turned upside down, Tristin…held it together…and if I lose him too, then I will never love another man. And even if someday I find the courage to move forward, it won’t be with Ethan. There is nothing that can ever happen between us.“ This is not very professional of you, Grace. Backing out after
GraceWhen I wake up in the morning, Tristin is gone. I shoot up in bed, and look around but don’t find him anywhere.A strange fear fills me and claws its way up my throat. Did he leave me here alone?In a hurry, I reach for my phone on the floor but before I can dial his number, my gaze falls on the note placed on the side table.I grab it and stare at the message he has left me. —Fred needs to be taken care of, or it will become a problem. I have to go, but I am leaving Luca behind. Stick close to him, and don’t go anywhere alone. Swallowing the bile rising to my throat, I sit on the edge of the bed and turn the note around. The note is written in such a serious tone. It lacks Tristin’s usual smiley.I place it back on the table and look at the floor. My shoulders droop. He has not really gotten over what he saw. Ethan didn’t sleep with me, but I was in bed with him—Naked, with marks all over me. It won’t be easy for Tristin and I to put that past us. But…I am determined to put
GraceRelief creeps in slowly, but it doesn’t stay. Panic follows, threatening to drown me. I lift my gaze to Tristin’s face, my voice breaking. “ Is—Is that why you came to me? Is that why you slept with me? Because you know…Ethan didn’t…sleep with…me? ”His frown deepens, and I try to slip back on the bed, but he is faster. Tristin rolls to my side and wraps his arms around me. His grip tightens around me, holding me firm. His chest presses against mine, steady and warm, before he rests his forehead against mine. His breath is ragged.Tears blur my vision. I hate how easily they come now. One slips down my cheek before I can stop it. “ You didn’t care…” I whisper, my voice trembling with hurt. “ You didn’t care what this did to me. How it broke me. You only care if Ethan touched what’s yours. You left me alone when I needed you and you didn’t…care… ”Tristin sighs. He brushes a kiss over my damp cheek as if that could make this better. “ I was angry because he touched you. Beca
Grace“ Grace— ”“ Don’t call me that. ” I interrupt and press my forehead against his chest before his glare burns a hole into me. “ Please don’t start calling me that now. I hate it…but it’s true that I have had a very bad experience before, Tristin, and every time a problem arises, or you stop calling me by the nickname…I get scared. I can’t help it. It’s…rooted in my head that I am useless, that I am not worthy of anything good and… ”Before I can continue, Tristin grabs my hair, tilts my head back, and slams his lips over mine. I gasp, my breath whooshing out of my lungs. He doesn’t push his tongue in my mouth, but he presses our lips together so hard that a shudder runs down my spine. “ I love you. ” He pulls back and breathes. “ If I wanted an heiress, I would have married one. If I wanted someone else, I would have married someone else, Little Butterfly. But I married you. Because…you are you. And I love you for who you are. ”“ What is there to love— ”“ If you are going to
Grace“ Pathetic…isn’t it? ” Tristin drawls, his hand caressing my thigh as he continues to move on that easy rhythm, slowly bringing pleasure instead of rushing it. “ Pathetic because you don’t want to hurt me? ” My hand reaches for his face, fingers brushing his cheek.“ Pathetic because…you can say and do things to hurt me but I can’t do the same. ” He grunts, his eyes growing half-lidded with pleasure.I lick my lips, feeling the waves of pleasure hitting me in soothing waves. “ I…never want to hurt you, Tristin. I love you. ”“ And how many times have you really said it in our three years of marriage? ” He rolls his eyes, his pace picking up as we draw near ecstasy—a pleasure tinged with pain. “ it’s always been me. I move around you like a dog who is eager to wag his tail at someone who doesn’t give a damn about him. ”“ Don’t say that. ” I cup his cheek, my brows furrowing. “ I…am sorry. I love you. I can…say it every day. I will—I will make sure to— ”His lips press on mine b
Grace“ Sore? ” He rasps against my ear as I lie curled up on my side, my back facing him.I don’t know how many times we have done it. After he took me from behind, he turned me on my back and had his way with me again. Then, he laid me down flat on my stomach and kept driving in and out until I was begging him to stop.I never knew he had this side to him. He has always been so sweet and gentle and nice, always putting me first whenever we are in bed.“ On a scale of one to ten, how sore are you? ” Tristin asks when I don’t reply.My throat feels scratched after screaming so much and my legs ache as if they are going to fall off any moment. And my insides? I think something is rubbed raw in there, burning and satiated at the same time.I grumble under my breath. “ Hundred. ”“ Good. ” He whispers right away, and his hand grabs my bare hip to pull me back into him.“ Are you not done yet?! ” I scream before I can stop myself, my breaths growing labored again.I feel like crying becau