GraceGreen eyes. And dark hair. A gaze that’s lazy but deep. Ethan.His arms are locked around me, his hands gripping my waist as if he is afraid I will disappear. His dark eyes meet mine, wide and intense, but there is something else—something off.He is blinking too much as if fighting to stay awake. My gaze drops to the crimson liquid beside his head. Blood.It’s pooling on the sidewalk, a stark contrast to the concrete.The color drains from my face. “ Ethan. ” I can’t take my eyes off the blood that keeps flowing and staining everything. It touches my fingers that are placed over his shoulders, and suddenly, the night when I almost killed him flashes before my eyes like a haunting ghost that refuses to leave me alone.I whisper, my voice trembling. “ Ethan, you are bleeding.”His eyes flutter closed, and for a terrifying moment, my heart almost comes to a stop.“Ethan!” I shout, shaking his shoulders, panic rising in my chest like a tidal wave.His head lolls to the side, and
GraceI was in a daze the whole night. I sat in the corridor outside Ethan’s room and stared at the doctors and nurses who passed by.I should have been scared of him. But staying here seemed like a temporary escape. I had a hunch that Tristin wouldn’t come to find me here, and I was right.He didn’t come. Unconsciously, a little of revenge had been served cold to him. It must have hurt him to know that I was here all night.Or maybe not. What if he didn’t even care about me enough to worry over such things now? I thought and then lost the ability to think.I sat there—numb, cold, empty inside. And it was better. Memories didn’t haunt me as long as I focused on the accident and not what happened before it.Just when I was beginning to get used to the numbness, two familiar bodyguards arrived and stood beside me. They didn’t say anything—they didn’t have to.He didn’t come himself. But he sent his two minions to ensure my safety. It was funny to me.What was the point of keeping me s
GraceUntil you don’t hear genuine concern in someone’s voice for you, you stay cold, numb, and empty, but when someone sincerely asks…Is everything fine? It’s like the wall crumbles, and emotions flow out. I feel it now—the lump that I can no longer swallow, the pain in my chest, the sting in my eyes. Before I can control it, she speaks up again. “ Grace, where are you? Tell me right now. I will come to get you. ”“ Mom. ” I choke on my breath. “ I—I am not a child. I am just…busy with work. I—I will come back in a while. ”I don’t like lying. But how do I tell her what I have seen and where I am sitting right now?“ You don’t sound like you are busy. ” Her voice lowers. “ tell me what’s wrong. You didn’t come home, and Tristin didn’t come home. You two have been gone for the whole night, and now Luca says that he can’t tell me what’s gone wrong with you two. What is this all about? ”“ Oh. ” My shoulders slump.So, she has an inkling. I rub my eyes with my free hand and suck in a
Grace“ Mrs. Calder, Boss is resting. If you are going to stand there and disturb him, you should take your leave. ” A familiar voice says.A frown etches between my brows. I look ahead to find the same assistant addressing me as ‘Mrs. Calder.’It irks me out. “ I am Mrs. Roberto. Tristin Roberto’s wife. ”He remains unfazed and stares at me as if he is not even interested in what I have to say.I sigh, my gaze drifting to Ethan again. My mind was clouded with emotions before, but now, I can think a little.And I refuse to believe that Ethan’s heroic act is a coincidence. With Ethan Calder, coincidences are not only rare—they are nonexistent. I stroll inside and stop a few steps away from the bed. He still doesn’t look up.“ Are you deliberately ignoring me? ” I question, anger simmering beneath my tone.Slowly, he picks up his head, and his green eyes meet my narrowed gaze. He blinks and remains stoic before he looks down again.“ What are you doing here? ” He asks, his voice devoid
GraceThe car speeds down the road. Everything seems blurred in the broad daylight. My chest feels tight, constricted by the silence radiating from Tristin. His hand is locked around mine, his grip almost painful, but I don’t care about the pressure. I care about the way his eyes refuse to meet mine, fixed instead on the bright world rushing past the window.I don’t understand what’s happening and why he looks so…strange. And it’s making my heart race. “Tristin. ” I whisper, my voice low but edged with worry. “ Tell me what is going on. ”He doesn’t answer. His jaw is taut, and his expression is unreadable. Beside the driver, Luca stares intently at his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. Every few seconds, he dials a new number, but from the stiff way his shoulders hunch, I know he is not getting the answers he wants.“ Luca, at least you should tell me what is wrong! ” I hiss, unable to stay silent anymore.“ Mrs. Roberto. Please stay calm. We will be there soon. ” He rep
Grace“ But… ” He hesitates, glancing at me before focusing on Tristin. “ Young master was with them. He was taken to the hospital too, but… ”Young master…Sebastian.It’s like the world around me ceases to exist as I step closer to the man, demanding an answer. “ But what? ”The man swallows hard. “ He—He is not there anymore. We believe he was taken. ”The words don’t make sense. They can’t.“ What? What do you mean by taken? Taken where? ” My voice is barely a whisper, but the man hears me. He turns to me, his expression a mixture of pity, regret, fear, and so much more. Why…Why is he looking at me like this?My head is spinning. “ I am sorry, Mrs. Roberto. We believe the Young Master was kidnapped on the way to the hospital. We are looking for him and will find him soon. The kidnappers couldn’t have gone far.”Kidnapped. The word echoes inside my head like a broken record. I can’t hear anything else. My ears ring as panic claws up my throat. I turn to face Tristin, my hands
GraceYou can only scream until your throat starts burning and your voice falters. After that, all you can do is go silent. I am silent now.But something is still screaming inside me. It’s screaming so loud that I think something might burst out of me and break me for a lifetime.But…not now. My son is still waiting for me out there, waiting for his Mommy and Daddy to find him and bring him back home. He must be…So scared.My eyes sting as the tears run dry, and my head pounds like a drum. It feels like someone ripped my heart out of my chest, and I am still bleeding, desperately trying to get my heart back. I glance at the little bunny toy I have in my hands. It’s the only thing I can hold onto. It still smells like him after a whole day and night. A whole day and night…The thought keeps revolving inside my head. Did they give him food? Water? I want to think they did, or else I might lose my mind again. I close my eyes and recall the counselor’s words. When he showed signs o
Grace“ We can’t lose him, Tristin. ” I whisper, my voice trembling.“ We won’t. ” His hand cups the back of my head gently. “ I swear to you, Grace, I will find him. Even if it kills me, I will bring him back to us. ”There is something in his voice—an unshakable determination that makes me want to believe him. We stay like this for I don’t know how long. But in his arms, the panic subsides a little, and the energy I had lost returns.“ Please eat something. ” He whispers in my neck softly. “ I can’t see you like this. ”I nod, inhaling a moist breath, and keep my eyes closed. “ Okay. ”The door to the hotel room opens again, and the hurried footsteps rush inside. I pull back from Tristin and glance at Luca.I heard they had arranged a whole setup in the room beside this suite. They are trying to run face recognitions and other things to catch the people who took my son.He was in the ambulance with another guard. But after reaching the hospital, Mom and Ania were transferred to a h
Grace“ We can’t lose him, Tristin. ” I whisper, my voice trembling.“ We won’t. ” His hand cups the back of my head gently. “ I swear to you, Grace, I will find him. Even if it kills me, I will bring him back to us. ”There is something in his voice—an unshakable determination that makes me want to believe him. We stay like this for I don’t know how long. But in his arms, the panic subsides a little, and the energy I had lost returns.“ Please eat something. ” He whispers in my neck softly. “ I can’t see you like this. ”I nod, inhaling a moist breath, and keep my eyes closed. “ Okay. ”The door to the hotel room opens again, and the hurried footsteps rush inside. I pull back from Tristin and glance at Luca.I heard they had arranged a whole setup in the room beside this suite. They are trying to run face recognitions and other things to catch the people who took my son.He was in the ambulance with another guard. But after reaching the hospital, Mom and Ania were transferred to a h
GraceYou can only scream until your throat starts burning and your voice falters. After that, all you can do is go silent. I am silent now.But something is still screaming inside me. It’s screaming so loud that I think something might burst out of me and break me for a lifetime.But…not now. My son is still waiting for me out there, waiting for his Mommy and Daddy to find him and bring him back home. He must be…So scared.My eyes sting as the tears run dry, and my head pounds like a drum. It feels like someone ripped my heart out of my chest, and I am still bleeding, desperately trying to get my heart back. I glance at the little bunny toy I have in my hands. It’s the only thing I can hold onto. It still smells like him after a whole day and night. A whole day and night…The thought keeps revolving inside my head. Did they give him food? Water? I want to think they did, or else I might lose my mind again. I close my eyes and recall the counselor’s words. When he showed signs o
Grace“ But… ” He hesitates, glancing at me before focusing on Tristin. “ Young master was with them. He was taken to the hospital too, but… ”Young master…Sebastian.It’s like the world around me ceases to exist as I step closer to the man, demanding an answer. “ But what? ”The man swallows hard. “ He—He is not there anymore. We believe he was taken. ”The words don’t make sense. They can’t.“ What? What do you mean by taken? Taken where? ” My voice is barely a whisper, but the man hears me. He turns to me, his expression a mixture of pity, regret, fear, and so much more. Why…Why is he looking at me like this?My head is spinning. “ I am sorry, Mrs. Roberto. We believe the Young Master was kidnapped on the way to the hospital. We are looking for him and will find him soon. The kidnappers couldn’t have gone far.”Kidnapped. The word echoes inside my head like a broken record. I can’t hear anything else. My ears ring as panic claws up my throat. I turn to face Tristin, my hands
GraceThe car speeds down the road. Everything seems blurred in the broad daylight. My chest feels tight, constricted by the silence radiating from Tristin. His hand is locked around mine, his grip almost painful, but I don’t care about the pressure. I care about the way his eyes refuse to meet mine, fixed instead on the bright world rushing past the window.I don’t understand what’s happening and why he looks so…strange. And it’s making my heart race. “Tristin. ” I whisper, my voice low but edged with worry. “ Tell me what is going on. ”He doesn’t answer. His jaw is taut, and his expression is unreadable. Beside the driver, Luca stares intently at his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. Every few seconds, he dials a new number, but from the stiff way his shoulders hunch, I know he is not getting the answers he wants.“ Luca, at least you should tell me what is wrong! ” I hiss, unable to stay silent anymore.“ Mrs. Roberto. Please stay calm. We will be there soon. ” He rep
Grace“ Mrs. Calder, Boss is resting. If you are going to stand there and disturb him, you should take your leave. ” A familiar voice says.A frown etches between my brows. I look ahead to find the same assistant addressing me as ‘Mrs. Calder.’It irks me out. “ I am Mrs. Roberto. Tristin Roberto’s wife. ”He remains unfazed and stares at me as if he is not even interested in what I have to say.I sigh, my gaze drifting to Ethan again. My mind was clouded with emotions before, but now, I can think a little.And I refuse to believe that Ethan’s heroic act is a coincidence. With Ethan Calder, coincidences are not only rare—they are nonexistent. I stroll inside and stop a few steps away from the bed. He still doesn’t look up.“ Are you deliberately ignoring me? ” I question, anger simmering beneath my tone.Slowly, he picks up his head, and his green eyes meet my narrowed gaze. He blinks and remains stoic before he looks down again.“ What are you doing here? ” He asks, his voice devoid
GraceUntil you don’t hear genuine concern in someone’s voice for you, you stay cold, numb, and empty, but when someone sincerely asks…Is everything fine? It’s like the wall crumbles, and emotions flow out. I feel it now—the lump that I can no longer swallow, the pain in my chest, the sting in my eyes. Before I can control it, she speaks up again. “ Grace, where are you? Tell me right now. I will come to get you. ”“ Mom. ” I choke on my breath. “ I—I am not a child. I am just…busy with work. I—I will come back in a while. ”I don’t like lying. But how do I tell her what I have seen and where I am sitting right now?“ You don’t sound like you are busy. ” Her voice lowers. “ tell me what’s wrong. You didn’t come home, and Tristin didn’t come home. You two have been gone for the whole night, and now Luca says that he can’t tell me what’s gone wrong with you two. What is this all about? ”“ Oh. ” My shoulders slump.So, she has an inkling. I rub my eyes with my free hand and suck in a
GraceI was in a daze the whole night. I sat in the corridor outside Ethan’s room and stared at the doctors and nurses who passed by.I should have been scared of him. But staying here seemed like a temporary escape. I had a hunch that Tristin wouldn’t come to find me here, and I was right.He didn’t come. Unconsciously, a little of revenge had been served cold to him. It must have hurt him to know that I was here all night.Or maybe not. What if he didn’t even care about me enough to worry over such things now? I thought and then lost the ability to think.I sat there—numb, cold, empty inside. And it was better. Memories didn’t haunt me as long as I focused on the accident and not what happened before it.Just when I was beginning to get used to the numbness, two familiar bodyguards arrived and stood beside me. They didn’t say anything—they didn’t have to.He didn’t come himself. But he sent his two minions to ensure my safety. It was funny to me.What was the point of keeping me s
GraceGreen eyes. And dark hair. A gaze that’s lazy but deep. Ethan.His arms are locked around me, his hands gripping my waist as if he is afraid I will disappear. His dark eyes meet mine, wide and intense, but there is something else—something off.He is blinking too much as if fighting to stay awake. My gaze drops to the crimson liquid beside his head. Blood.It’s pooling on the sidewalk, a stark contrast to the concrete.The color drains from my face. “ Ethan. ” I can’t take my eyes off the blood that keeps flowing and staining everything. It touches my fingers that are placed over his shoulders, and suddenly, the night when I almost killed him flashes before my eyes like a haunting ghost that refuses to leave me alone.I whisper, my voice trembling. “ Ethan, you are bleeding.”His eyes flutter closed, and for a terrifying moment, my heart almost comes to a stop.“Ethan!” I shout, shaking his shoulders, panic rising in my chest like a tidal wave.His head lolls to the side, and
GraceThe music from the club thunders in my ears, but I barely focus on it. My attention is drawn towards the private room that is Tristin’s usual spot. I make up my mind about everything I will tell him. I will start by telling him that such projects are not as important as the trust between us. We don’t need to fight over such things and get angry at each other. Then, we can talk about everything that he has been keeping inside him. Yes—that’s the way. Mom says that communication saves relationships, and she has learned it the hard way. So, I should not let go of that important lesson.As I near the door, my heart starts pounding. What if he yells at me again?For a moment, I hesitate. I told him we should stay away from each other for a while, but I am the one running to him after just a few hours.This is so embarrassing. But no embarrassment is worse than the cold silence between us, I tell myself. Just as I reach the door, I find it open. When I peek inside, all thoughts dis