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
Grace“ Did you… ” I swallow the lump in my throat to prepare myself for asking the terrifying question. “ …try to kill Tristin? ”Ethan’s hand falls by his side as a cold look flashes across his droopy eyes. “ he is all you care about… ”“ Did you? ” My chin wobbles. “ did you do it because of me? ”Ethan stares into my eyes. I don’t know what happens, but in that moment, the look in his eyes becomes detached and it feels like we have finally chosen a separate path at the crossroads. We are no longer lurking on the edges, desperately trying to stick together. Now we know, there is no going back. Maybe, we knew, when I tried to kill him. Maybe he realized the truth when he almost ended up dead.“ No. ” Ethan shakes his head and looks away from me first. “ I had nothing to do with his accident. ”The weight on my shoulders becomes less heavy. The numbness leaves my body and my eyes water. I have been so scared in there. The voices still ring inside my head. But the thought that haunt
Grace“ What are you doing here, Grace? ” Alma blocks my way to the room Tristin is staying at.The reception people refused to talk about his condition so I had to come up personally. But before I could go inside, Alma appeared before me and refused to step away.“ Alma. I am here to check up— ”“ I heard what happened. ” She says, not letting me finish. I was about to tell her that I would check up on Tristin and then leave, but she didn’t look ready to hear any of it. She looks…different. Her eyes are not kind, and her lips are not smiling anymore. My chest tightens. “ Ethan…didn’t cause that accident. ”She must be angry because she thinks I am responsible for Tristin’s condition. “ I know. ” Alma blinks calmly, surprising me.“ Do you know who did this? ” Unconsciously, I step ahead and ask.Alma looks down at my feet and then looks up. A cold glint flashes across her eyes but it’s gone before I can understand the reason behind it.“ It was an accident. A drunk truck driver hi
Tristin“ You did the right thing. ” Mom says, stepping ahead to fix my shirt’s collar.“ Why do you dislike her? ” I wonder. “ we have common enemies. She shouldn’t bother you like she does. ”Mom’s soft eyes flicker towards my neutral gaze. I sigh, taking a step back and turning towards Luca so he can fix my collar instead.“ I need to meet with the shareholders before they cause a commotion over my absence. Carlos has been plotting for some time. He will get out of hand if I don’t put him into his place now. ” I grit my jaw as the injuries on my back and chest stretch, sending a wave of pain down my whole body.“ He is your cousin. Be kind to him. ” Mom sighs.I press my lips in a thin line. I can always count on Mom to judge every person wrong. Once, she thought Lily was an angel. I told her she was a devil under that sweet smile but no one listened.Now she thinks Grace is terrible, and she is wrong again. To think that she is taking the side of my so-called cousin in front of
TristinBy the time I step onto the rooftop, it starts raining. Luca is closely behind, asking me to stay in and not get myself wet but I can not stop to listen.Cold air sways my jacket before I feel the rain drenching me. My eyes scan the dimly lit area, searching for her. “ Where is she? ” I mumble.Maybe, she wanted to get some fresh air and came here. She was not suicidal and all that.I walk around the front, and onto the back, sighing in relief. She was not here. “ Did someone— ”The words die on my tongue. I have been watching the area, wanting to find her but I was expecting to find her on the tall wall. Her thin T-shirt moves with the breeze, as she walks along the line, her eyes downcast and her arms wrapped around herself.The color drains from my face as memories flash across my mind, causing me to freeze after a long time.“ She only wants my money. ” My brother’s voice is carried by the wind, emotionless and determined. “ It’s my fault that I didn’t understand this b
Grace Shock will be an understatement. My head spins as Tristin’s lips crash against my mouth. It’s rough, desperate, and breathtaking.There is nothing gentle about the way his arms tighten around my waist and coax me into his lap or the way his teeth sink into my bottom lip, urging me to open my mouth for his tongue. I shudder, the unforgiving rain still pouring over my cold body. The contrast of his heated mouth and his warm hands on my body amidst the biting cold leaves my mind numb and my hands hanging in the air. What…Tristin separates our lips and pants against my aching lips. “ think about pulling this shit again and I will make sure you never step a foot out of your room again. ”I blink, completely still in his arms. What does he think I was doing? “ Luca. ” Tristin yells, his glare still on my confused face. “ go prepare the car. Turn on the heaters. ” “ Yes, Boss. ” Luca’s voice sounds over the rain before I hear his retreating footsteps.Dumbfounded and nervous, I
GraceHis lips press to mine again. This time, it’s gentle and considerate. I stagger back, but Tristin’s arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back to his front. I breathe, inhaling his masculine cologne and the minty taste of his mouth. Tristin tilts his head to the right, deepening the kiss. My lips part, letting him explore every inch of me. A shudder slithers down my cold spine, making me step closer to his warm body. My head is foggy. Even then, I know I shouldn’t do this.I clench his shirt and attempt to pull my head back. Tristin grabs my nape and kisses me harder, refusing to let me go until he has had his fill.Unconsciously, my hand moves up and grazes the skin of his collarbone. Tristin’s body shudders under my fingertips, sending waves of fire down my veins. He releases my lips with a harsh nip and stares down at me. I breathe, hold it in, and watch his unmoving eyes. “ I told you before. ” Tristin’s hand travels lower on my back until he reaches my butt and squeez
GraceTristin nods, his grip tightening. “ Is it really that painful? ”I smile softly. “ Do you not remember when I gave birth? I was screaming and— ”“ Stop. ” Tristin’s voice turns bitter. He turns his head, his eyes darkening. “ I don’t want to recall that, and I do not want you to go through that again. I would not even dare want more children after seeing you like that. ”I blink at him, caught off guard. Then I try to joke. “ That is because you already have two sons. Why would you want more? ”The words register after I have already said them. Silence falls between us right away—thick and uncomfortable. I regret saying it.Tristin looks at me for a long moment before sighing under his breath. “ That is not why, Little Butterfly. I just do not want to see you in pain ever again. ”I nod, swallowing the lump forming in my throat. We don’t talk after that. The awkwardness still hangs. We grab some sandwiches and coffee before heading back. I convince Mom to eat, and after a few
GraceThe corridor outside the operation theatre is filled with tension. Mom sits stiffly on one of the chairs, her fingers twisting together, while Tristin paces back and forth, his jaw tight. Every few minutes, he runs a hand through his hair and squeezes his eyes shut whenever Ania’s screams echo down the hall. The air is thick, heavy with worry and helplessness.I stand still, my hands clenched at my sides, my stomach twisting into knots. This is really nerve-wracking.The doctors have not said anything good about Ania’s condition. And it has been a long time since she went into labor. I can’t help but feel that the longer it takes, the harder it becomes to control my nerves. The sound of hurried footsteps reaches me, and I snap my head up just in time to see Luca rushing toward us. His eyes are wide, panic written all over his face. He stumbles to a stop in front of me, his chest heaving up and down heavily. “ Where is she? ” His voice breaks as he looks around wildly, search
Grace“ What? ” My heart misses a beat as I listen to her breathless cries from the other side. “ Ania, just hold on. Everything is going to be fine. Where are you right now? ”“ I—I am going to our hospital. ” She hisses, then screams in pain. “ and Luca—Luca is not here. Where is that asshole when I need him?! ” I open my mouth to say something when Ania starts cursing out and wailing as loud as she can. Panic grips my throat as I rush back to the dining room. My heart is pounding too hard in my chest. “ Mom! ” I shout, forgetting everything else, every grievance, every ounce of resentment. Right now, none of that matters.Mom’s head snaps up instantly. “ Grace? Why are you shouting? What’s wrong? ”“ It’s Ania… ” I say, barely stopping to breathe. “ She is in labor and on the way to the hospital. We have to go. Right now. ”For a moment, Mom just sits there, just staring at me. Then she jumps to her feet and gasps. “ My daughter is in labor? ”“ Yes. We need to— ” I start, but
GraceIt was nearly impossible to convince Tristin to adopt Sebas—That…child.But then again, Tristin was right in his own way.I couldn’t even bring myself to call that child by his name because…somehow, he shared the same name as my son, so how was I going to raise him? How was I going to deal with the hatred he had for me, and how was I going to lessen that hatred after pushing his mother away from him? I had a hunch.The adoption would prove to be just a setup for a bigger disaster in the future. What if…Sebastian and Seb turned out to be another Lily and Grace? What if one grew up to be used to snatching everything away from the other? There are too many questions.But there is no answer.I sigh as I watch Mom’s back. She is sitting in the dining room, piling up food in Serena and her son’s plates. The child keeps nodding, but he doesn’t smile—I notice.He is as serious as any adult who is weary of life or nearly done with it. A frown etches between my brows as I rest my si
GraceMy body trembles with the intensity of the rage. I want to say so much more, but he releases a shaky breath, and I pause.“ I feel it too…We are drifting apart. ” His grip on me tightens, his voice dropping. “ But I won’t let you go. I can’t. Not when I have realized…that…my fears are…making us drift apart more than anything else. ”My heart clenches. I swallow the lump in my throat and shake my head. Unconsciously, I grab his wrist and lean into the warmth of his hand. “ What if I really insist on leaving? ” I want to know the answer, to know for sure where we still stand. “ Will you lock me up and keep me like a caged bird forever? Just like…you are doing right now? ”Something crosses Tristin’s eyes—a dark emotion. Then he swallows hard and shakes his head.“ If… if I can’t stop you…” He says, his voice hoarse. “ and you really leave…then I will…spend the rest of my life trying to win you back. I won’t let go, but I won’t try to…put you in a cage. Because you…will hate me fo
GraceTristin hangs up, and silence falls between us. He told Luca to bring the pictures from the office. My stomach twists. What pictures?My mind immediately goes to the ones of him and Serena. The ones Ethan sent me. Pictures meant to…break us apart.No.A cold shudder runs down my spine.Ethan wouldn’t… he wouldn’t send similar pictures to Tristin, right?But what could he possibly take pictures of? I didn’t…My vision darkens for a moment when I think about that night in the cabin. My throat closes up, making it hard for me to breathe.He…wouldn’t have fallen so low, right? I barely get a moment to process that horrifying thought before I feel something shift in the air. I blink, and Tristin is suddenly too close—too near, his cologne wrapping around me like a vice grip.I look up, only to see his hands at the collar of his shirt, unbuttoning it slowly. I blink, watching as he opens the last button and pushes the shirt off his shoulders with ease. My breath hitches in my thro
Grace“ No. It sounds tempting, but we are not doing it. You can not raise that boy, Grace. We can not- - - ”“ Why? ” I snap, cutting him off. “ because you want to raise him with Serena, who is unhinged and bitchy! ”Tristin’s lips press in a thin line. His eyes narrow as if silently reproaching me for saying it aloud.I stand beside the bed, just in my panties, and suck in a slow breath. Instantly, his gaze drops to my chest, and he sighs.“ Why would I want to do that? ” His voice softens.“ Because she is your mistress, and you are lying to me about everything you just told me. ” I fold my arms across my chest, hiding my body from him.We are in the middle of an argument, and his starved, heated look is not helping this. “ I did not lie to you about anything. ” Tristin whispers, then averts his gaze to the wall. “ Just like I told you, I just don’t want you to— ”“ Okay. ” I say, interrupting him. “ Okay? ” Tristin’s brows lift, his eyes still on the wall.“ Yes… ” I shake my he
GraceA deafening silence falls in the room after Tristin tells me the truth.Or maybe it’s another well-crafted lie to soften my heart and make me stay put. I don’t know anymore. But as I stare at his lowered head and tense shoulder…I know that he is suffering. And I never like it when he is having a hard time. Because it makes me forget about everything that concerns me and makes me focus more on how to fix what’s wrong with him.“ One attack after another… ” I whisper, keeping the duvet pulled to my chest. “ First, he drugged me, had a hand in kidnapping our son, brought that Mona to ruin you, then this Serena… Ethan won’t stop Tristin. And for a reason, I have a hunch that Serena and Seb—Sebastian…this child. We need to focus less on them and more on what Ethan is going to do next. ”“ He will try his best to break this news to the world. ” Tristin scoffs, his fingers running through his hair. I press my lips in a thin line as I look towards the locked door. I need to get out
GraceA moment of silence falls between us. It’s suffocating and heavy.“ Because…if I had told you, you would have asked me to accept that boy into the family. ” Tristin answers in a quiet voice. “ What? Why?! That boy—he…he is your child too. Why— ”“ Unlike Mom, I don’t believe Serena to be a saint. She will use that boy to stir up trouble. Besides, if he stays, he will hold the position of the firstborn son in this family. Did I not tell you before, Grace? The Robertos only care about the son who is born first, and not about those who come after. ”I stammer. “ That’s—we can— ”But he cuts me off harshly. “ You and I…can try to balance things, but…once the extended family gets involved, it will be more business than emotions. First, he will take Seb’s name, then everything else that belongs to him. Our son, no matter how little he is…knows he is the future of this family. I am sure Mom has fed this to him with every meal he shared with her before. Now, do you want to tell him wh