Grace“ Disappearing on my second day of work won’t leave a good impression, right?” I nibble on my lower lip.Earlier, after talking to Ethan on the phone, I lost my mind and rushed to report him and Lily. I didn’t even inform Mr. Costello that I will be taking a day off.I don’t doubt he will have my head on a spike later for it.“ Your leave was approved by the CEO, Ms. Whitlock. Don’t worry. ” Luca answers instead of Tristin who is busy with his never ending documents.I steal a glance at his focused face and sigh. “ That only makes things worse.” Sulking, I slump into my seat and let out another exaggerated sigh. “ Luca, Ms. Whitlock is hungry. ” Tristin says, his tone busy and detached.“ Who said—”“ On it, Boss.” Luca interrupts.I press my lips in a thin line and fold my arms over my chest. It’s clear that no one is listening to me so there is no point in talking.After a while, I am stepping out of the car in front of a familiar expensive restaurant. Tristin str
Grace“ Come home with me, Grace. Come home and I will make it up to you.” He whispers, his eyes holding the longing, and plead.For a second there, my heart stops beating. My eyes search his gaze, now gentle, and focused solely on me.Didn’t I always want this? For Ethan to push Lily aside and reach me for once? I think.Then, I burst out laughing. “ Have you gone deaf on top of dumb, Ethan? Did you hear what I said, and do you hear yourself now? Come home? What home? ”“ Grace—” He takes another step closer.“ Leave me.” I whisper, interrupting him. “ and sign the papers, Ethan. I want nothing to do with you. Besides, you already got what you wanted from me, right? You took my grandma’s inheritance and got control over the Whitlock Corp. Now you are unstoppable.”“ No!” Ethan, grip tightens on my arm. “ I don’t want anything from you! Just come home, okay? I will return it to you. I will give you anything. I will forget you cheated on me and let you—”“ Are you serious right
GraceSilence ensues on our way back to Tristin’s home. I steal occasional glances his way to find his jaw clenched and his eyes glaring out the window.What Lily said is obviously a lie and it ticked him off. Before, I heard that she had killed Sebastian Roberto too.But...if she has murdered Tristin’s brother and Tristin is powerful enough to make her pay...Why is he not doing anything to her?What is he waiting for?“ Stop staring at me. ” Tristin mumbles.I flinch, realizing that I forgot to take my eyes off him this time.Awkwardly, I look out the window and watch the Roberto mansion getting closer. I thought what happened today will leave me shaken up again, but somehow, I am faring better than I expected.Once Lily is in, Ethan will do everything to get her out. But with Tristin’s influence, it won’t be easy.Sighing, I step out of the car once it stops in the driveway. Tristin moves past me, striding straight for the door without looking back.My eyes narrow. It fe
GraceThe next morning, I come out of my room, wearing another one of a grey pencil skirt and a white blouse sent by Alma. But, it fits me well now, instead of being painfully tight.Lost in my own thoughts, I walk down the stairs only to see Alma standing at the end of them, staring up at me. “ Grace. ” Alma calls me out and nods. “ I heard about your sister on the news. ”My body freezes on the second last stair as I look at her. Her eyes are soft, but there is a lingering wariness in them, which became a part of them after she realized that I am Grace Whitlock.“ I— ”“ I didn’t know they had done something like this to you before. Is that why you are staying with us? ” She interrupts me as if she can’t bother to hear what I have to say to her.My cheeks heat up. “ Uh—Yes, Alma. But as I said, it’s only temporary and— ”“ I don’t mind, Grace. This house is big enough for us to not cross paths even if we stay under the same roof. ” She cuts me again.I press my lips in a thin line a
GraceAs I stroll inside the RB tower, I notice the crowd gathered near the reception but don’t pay much attention.I take the elevator and go to my floor. When the doors ding open, some pair of eyes fall on me. Instantly, the atmosphere on the floor becomes chilling and uncomfortable as the always busy people gossip to each other.I have no doubt it’s about the direct approval of a mere leave from the CEO himself.“ How do you think she is connected to the CEO? ” I hear a Redhead talking in hushed voice to the two girls looming over her.“ How else? She probably slept with him. ”“ She is a looker, I must admit but Mr. Roberto can not take a liking to someone like her. He avoids women like plague. ”The comment piques my interest. Avoids women like plague huh? “ That’s true. I don’t think he is sleeping with her. Maybe it’s one of his personal assistants. ”The hushed gossips follow me until I sit down on my desk in the lonely corner of the floor, right beside Mr. Costello’s office.
GraceEthan’s face reddens. He strolls towards me, seething and blind with rage.All eyes follow him, surprise and curiosity painted across their faces. They must know him. He is the CEO of a rival company.I ignore the curious looks and sit down on my chair. He is here for drama again!How ridiculous! “ What do you want? ” I scoff just as he stops beside me and opens his mouth.His fists clench, a dark look crossing his eyes. But when his eyes fall over my stomach, surprisingly, the anger changes into doubt.A lump forms in my throat as Ethan stiffens and continues to stare at my stomach. “ Are you… ” Ethan’s voice lowers, turning into a whisper. “ Are you feeling better? ” “ After the forced miscarriage, you mean? ” I smile, hatred written over my face.Ethan meets my gaze and swallows. I ignore the way his eyes turn soft and focus on my computer’s screen instead.“ Don’t make a scene in my workplace, or you don’t want to know what I will do next to your precious lover. ” I warn,
Grace“ You said you would give my child to Lily if I was pregnant because I didn’t deserve to be a mother. ” I state, as a matter of fact, not sparing him a glance.I hear his breath hitch and smile wider. He is so good at his ‘hurt’ act. “ Don’t be hurt. You gave the child to Lily, after all. She wanted it gone and you did just that. ” I lean back and continue to stare out. “ Do you think I don’t mourn the loss of our— ”“ Don’t. ” I snap, pulling my wrist out of his palm. “ don’t go there, Ethan. ”To my relief, he goes silent and doesn’t push it. Our journey ends in silence but his eyes remain on me, making it impossible for me to not feel disdain.When the expensive hospital comes into my view, I straighten up. Out of nowhere, Ethan grabs my hand again and places a file in it.I lift my brows and finally direct my gaze to his face. His eyes meet mine, softening once more.“ Take it. ” He whispers. I eye the file and open it without delay. “ Everything you think I snatched fr
Grace“ Maybe I should…take it to the court after all. ” I mumble under my breath, my brows pinched in concentration.My lack of horror towards stabbing Ethan and hurting Lily surprises me. But I still can’t bring myself to regret it.Instead, I regret not doing it sooner.“ Or I should— ”A warm hand around my wrist makes me pause. I look down, to find my hand still holding onto to Tristin’s wrist.My lips purse, my eyes narrowing on my trembling fingers. It’s so stupid that I haven’t stopped trembling.It’s like something inside me is screaming at me to wake up, but I am still lost in an abyss, unable to think about anything else but the damn divorce.The sooner Ethan divorces me, the sooner I can leave this awful world. I can be at peace. I—Tristin pries my fingers off his wrist and turns my hand around to look at my palm. I blink at the deep gash on my hand that is bleeding profusely. The scissors must have hurt me too.After all, it’s not possible to hurt someone else and not g
GraceI pick up the phone and press it against my ear. For some moments, silence sounds from the other side.I remain still, my muscles still, and my breath lodged in my throat. I can recognize him even if he doesn’t say anything to me, and just continues to breathe into the speaker.“ Tristin. ” I whisper, running a hand through my hair.He remains silent. I close my eyes, and release a heavy breath, my body shuddering. The moment of silence takes me back to the last time I talked to him before going to meet Ethan.When I had asked him to trust me, he had told me he would always do that.Just when he had begun to wonder what I was being emotional about, I told him what I had planned to do.‘I want to give Ethan what he wants. ’ That’s what I had said. ‘If he has me close, he won’t hurt others. He will…stop controlling our one son to hurt another. He will back off as long as I am with him. And while I am at it, you can find out who is working with Ethan, and I can find out how he is
GraceEthan’s Grandmother has always been a symbol of terror in the family. Despite her old age, the silver hair, the sunken eyes, she exudes a kind of aura that makes one squirm. She was the spitting image of her own son, who had died years ago—Ethan’s father. The man who had the reputation of a devil back when he was alive. I shake my head, breaking myself out of my thoughts. So, she is here. That must mean she is already mentally torturing her grandson.My lips twitch. What a weakness to have your own grandmother breathing down your neck and threatening your position with every word she speaks.As expected, when she stares at me a little longer, her eyes turn cold. She has never liked me. That’s why Ethan had sent her away when we got married. But he was still powerful back then. Now, after being sent to jail, and ruining the Calder Corp, I am not sure he can still call himself the powerful leader he once was.“ You lied to me. ” She hisses and moves past me to go confront Ethan
Grace“ You killed my sister. ” I state as a matter of fact, and feel a chill down my spine at the lack of any emotions towards the truth.“ You wanted her gone. ” He blinks, his face becoming a mask of calmness again.I swallow the bitter taste in my mouth and shake my head. “ that doesn’t change the truth. You murdered— ”“ Your so-called husband is not better than me. He is even worse. He had planned on killing your whole family from the start, and he would have done it if I hadn’t. I did you a favor by keeping your beloved’s hands clean of your family’s blood back then. ” His voice rises, frustrating etching into his features in the form of a deep frown.My breath catches in my throat. “ but he didn’t do it. ”Ethan’s frown turns into a cold smirk. He taps the table with his forefinger, falling silent for a moment.At that moment, a wave of coldness washes down my back, leaving me shuddering. Why the change of emotions all of a sudden? “ You know….and I know…it was never about Li
GraceMy phone keeps ringing. The familiar names on the screen just send a pang in my chest.Mom.Ania. Luca. Mary.Everyone has called. But Tristin has not. He must know everything by now and he won’t call me. He will never accept what I have done to deal with the mess Ethan was creating.Sighing, I turn the phone on silent and look out the window. Years ago, when I was still married to Ethan and under the illusion that he was falling for me, he had planted roses in the garden behind our house. When we fell apart, and Lily came back, he just ripped everything out and threw it away like it meant nothing.But now, the flowers are back. The garden looks so eerily similar to how it looked years ago that it gives me the ick. Even the things in the room—the decorations, the clothes…everything. It’s in the same place where I used to keep it. It’s like I have stepped back into the nightmare I barely escaped. The door to the room opens, and the familiar footsteps grow closer. I don’t t
GraceI groan, the pain in my arm registering before a strong headache. I try to move, but it’s like all my energy has drained, leaving me weak and helpless.Slowly, I take in a shuddering breath and look around. The room is too familiar. It makes me want to throw up, just so I can get the strong disgust out of my system.“ Did I faint? ” I murmur, glancing to my right. As expected, Ethan is sitting on a chair beside my bed, staring at me closely. I lift my brows, trying to judge his emotions from the look he is giving me but failing.Something is strange in his gaze.“ The doctor said you barely avoided the artery. You could have died… ” Ethan whispers, his gaze unfocused. A frown settles between my brows. I look down at my bandaged wrist before shrugging.I was not aiming to die, but…He should believe…I can go through it if he continues to push me around. This is good for special effects.“ Do you believe how ready I am now? ” My eyes narrow as I smile at his dazed face.Ethan pu
GraceI knew talking to him would be like talking to a wall. He will not be moved, and won’t understand what I am trying to say. He will just want me to do what he wants.“ My son has a father. He doesn’t need another. ” I murmur, then lean back on the couch. “ Then we have nothing to talk about. ” Ethan smiles, as relaxed as ever.He doesn’t feel an ounce of guilt over what he is doing. Instead, it’s like he feels proud that I am beginning to crumble under the pressure.Is this what…he calls love? I think it’s more of an obsession. I am the woman he once had, and he can’t bear that I am with someone else now. That’s all this is about. An obsession to get back someone that belonged to him before.“ I want you to stop now. ” I tell him, my head more clear than before. “ That wouldn’t happen unless— ”“ I want you to stop, Ethan. It’s enough. I don’t want to fight with you anymore. ” I clench my hands into fists and release a slow breath. “ You want me to go with you. Let’s go. I wil
GraceWhen you want to truly defeat someone who knows you better than you know yourself…You need to do something you would never usually do.And that’s what I am doing. I walk through the corridor of the VIP club, slowly approaching the private room I booked. Unlike my expectations, I don’t feel an ounce of fear. My heartbeat doesn’t escalate. My hands don’t shake. And my back never hunches. It’s like I have abandoned all emotions, and chosen to become a robot. As I reach the black double doors, I pause beside them. In the wall-length mirror, I stare at my reflection.I am wearing a plain black dress—something someone would wear to a funeral. It has a V-neck and reaches below my knees. It’s simple enough to not make him think that I was eager to meet him.I nod at myself and flip my hair to my back before entering the private room. Instantly, the familiar scent of an expensive cologne hits me.The control I had over my nerves slips, leaving me standing in the doorway for a few mome
GraceAs soon as Tristin and I enter our room, he grabs my arm and turns me around to face him. I continue to stare down, at his rapidly heaving chest. A sudden chill runs down my spine as the scene from last night flashes before my eyes. Ethan…can even harm my son to the point of no return. He had him kidnapped, and now he can even have him…No…“ What is happening inside that head? ” Tristin cups my cheek, and pulls my face up. “ why did you suddenly apologize? Why did you— ”“ Do you believe what I told you? ” I interrupt him, my voice barely a whisper.Tristin’s blue eyes peer into mine as if searching for something. I wait for him to hesitate, to avoid my gaze or give me any indication that he also believes I was dreaming last night, or worse, trying to implicate a child. But he just sighs and rests his forehead against mine.“ I told you from the very first day. That child was raised by a snake. He can never…come out all pure after spending so much time with someone like his mo
GraceThe maids look for the knife everywhere they can, but after hours of search, they return…empty-handed. I sit by the window, just watching the sun rise in the distance as Mom questions the maids. After receiving the answer she wanted, she turns to me smugly.“ What do you have to say about it now? ” She asks, and I have nothing to say.I can only think in silence. My doubt has been confirmed. Someone in this house is helping that child do this. Was it Serena who planted this mole or was it Ethan? I couldn’t tell for sure before, but now, that doubt is cleared too.It has to be Ethan. Because Serena is gone as Tristin told me. And so, she can’t give any more orders, can she? So…Ethan Calder is still pulling the strings.He planted someone in our house, and she helped that boy get to my son’s room, without getting into the video of any CCTV camera installed in the corridors. Even the knife Sebastian used disappeared as if it never existed.The only person who ever saw that boy