Grace“ Uhm… ” Celine stands in front of the door, her nervous eyes scanning the room, lingering on Tristin, and then landing on me. “ Am I disturbing— ”“ No. ” I force a smile on my lips. “ You came just in time. I am getting discharged today. ”I heard that she got discharged three days ago and Tristin arranged for her to stay at a hotel. Given that she has no passport and we were literally shipped into this country illegally, she has no choice but to stick with Tristin’s plans for now.And I feel bad. It’s all because of me that she has to go through all this.“ Oh, that’s great news. ” Celine smiles widely but that gesture falters when her gaze meets Tristin’s stoic face.I murmur under my breath. “ stop scaring her. ”“ Am I? ” Tristin says, still staring at her but a cryptic smile creeps up his lips. “ Am I scaring you Ms. Vitana? ”“ N—No. ” Celine stutters, shifting her weight from one foot to another.“ Tristin. ” I sigh and rub my temples.What does he have against her?Is
TristinFuck, Fuck, Fuck no!What the fuck do I do now?I pace back and forth, panic settling into my bones.Earlier, I took Grace back to our penthouse and helped her settle in. She was all quiet and compliant, not saying a word or asking about what will happen with that obsessive Ethan situation now. It fucking melted my heart but the stabbing pain started spreading again as soon as I told her that I have matters to take care of and left for my office.Now, I can’t help my nerves. I made a mistake. A grave fucking mistake. To make sure that Grace helped me in my elaborate scheme of revenge, I showed her fake pictures and lied to her that Ethan had been cheating on her for a long time.He was an asshole to her. An abusive piece of shit who hit her, liked to make her cry, and killed their child. He did everything to make her walk away from his life and for that, I consider him the biggest fucking idiot in the world.But now, I am on the verge of getting pushed down the same rabbit
GraceThe soft glow of candlelight bathes the elegant dining table, casting a warm glow over Tristin’s face.Tristin has chosen a cozy restaurant with a view of the city lights, and it feels like the perfect setting for our first date because I have never visited this place before. We are sitting across from each other, and for the first time in a while, I feel a sense of peace.I admire the city view while Tristin’s eyes remain on me, causing my cheeks to heat up every time I have to look at him. I haven’t felt this giddy in a long time and it is making me dizzy. Tristin looks relaxed, almost too relaxed as if he is trying hard to make the evening perfect. His efforts show…but the way he keeps moving cutlery around once in a while gives away some kind of unease.As we start our meal, he speaks up for the first time. “ Do you like it here, Little Butterfly? ” I chew on the juicy piece of steak in my mouth and nod quickly. “ It’s…perfect. ”“ You won’t mind coming here with me ever
GraceI stare at him for a moment, then avert my gaze to the city view. The lights are still twinkling and everything seems so bright under the dark night but the beauty I saw in this view before is gone.Maybe, it was not even about the view.When Tristin was here, even the simple arrangement of the table seemed out of the ordinary.“ He gave you these pictures. ” Ethan speaks up when I don’t say anything for a long time.I glance at the pictures he has placed on the table and they are the same that Tristin showed me.“ How did you get your hands on— ”“ They are fake. ” Ethan says, his voice dropping.A cold shiver runs along my spine and I stop myself from shuddering in front of Ethan. “ Some convincing poses, right? ” Ethan runs his forefinger down his face on one of the pictures. I look up, and meet his gaze. “ what’s the point of it, Ethan? ” “ Do you not get it or are you pretending to be dumb? ” His eyes darken, and he pushes the pictures towards me.But I don’t take them.
Grace“ Leave me alone! I don’t want to see you. You are not my brother! ” I halt in my way when I hear Ania screaming from the other side of the door. “ Ania, I am still your— ”“ You are a liar! You knew what Mom did. You knew everything and you didn’t—you didn’t tell me. You all must be laughing behind my back, waiting for the perfect moment to ruin my life. ” She yells, before something heavy drops on the floor.I flinch, shooting Luca a side glance. He doesn’t say anything, but I know he also thinks it’s a terrible time for me to go in.With a heavy heart, I walk away from the door and take a seat on the bench in the corner of the corridor. I shouldn’t have come here. I should have waited for him at home.But…I still can’t bring myself to move, to just go away. Because it feels like my head will explode if I don’t see him soon or if I am not close enough to reach out to him.Luca stays outside the hospital room, his expression stiff while I stare at him. Occasional noises soun
Tristin“ I heard you met Ethan earlier. ” I say as she stops beside the car and turns to face me. Her eyes widen, and lower to my chest, a nervous look flashing across her face. I clench my jaw, mask the anger behind a hurt look, and keep my eyes on her. After witnessing her almost jumping down from that building, I have been doing my best to remain composed in front of her. One tick—one wrong move from me, and she might start climbing the railings again. She doesn’t say anything to me and slips inside the car, taking her spot in the passenger seat. I glance at Luca who is standing beside another black car, watching me. He nods in my direction and knocks on the window of the car, instructing the two men inside about what needs to be done. I will have to come back after I send her home, but the guards must remain outside the penthouse and ensure that Ethan doesn’t catch her off guard again.After I am satisfied with the arrangement, I slide beside her and start the engine. “ I—
GraceFor a week, Tristin didn’t come back. I didn’t contact him either.It felt like…he was too afraid to meet me instead of the other way around. And I? I didn’t know what to think or feel. Like an idiot, I looked forward to his return every day but he didn’t come and I had to stay inside the penthouse, staring at the city view, wondering what else I should do in life. Ethan didn’t cheat on me. But like I told him, it was not only about sleeping with Lily.He was always choosing her, putting her first, and thinking about her instead of me. Then why does it matter if he slept with her or not?Now, I was not even mad.I just felt disappointed in Tristin.I would have dwelled on my disappointment even more if I hadn’t received a surprising call this morning. My heart almost pumped out of my chest when I heard what she had to say to me.I would have expected anything…But I would have never expected Alma to actually ask me to come over, to the Roberto Villa. I thought about refusing
Grace“ Tristin. ” Alma releases me right away and turns to the man behind me.I swallow, and grip the hem of my dress, unable to do the same as Alma. “ I told you to leave her alone. ” His voice becomes low and cold. My stomach flips, as I lower my gaze to the floor. How hard is it to do things the right way? He can…come to me and tell me that he is sorry instead of giving explanations. “ I was not— ”“ Mom, this is enough. I don’t want you to— ”I turn around. He pauses. Our eyes meet, and a shudder runs down my back.A week. How can I miss someone in a week? I was away from him for three months before. Whole three months with no word, no meetings and I survived.Because I didn’t know what it was like to truly receive his affection back then.And now when I know what he has to offer…I keep wanting more. I have become greedy for his attention. “ Alma didn’t say anything to me. I am fine. ” I whisper, averting my gaze to the flowers.The greenhouse is beautiful, no doubt. But it
TristinI should have known he is one persistent bastard.“ Mr. Roberto, Mr. Calder is here to see you. ” The secretary’s voice sounds through the speaker.I am tempted to go out and beat the bastard half to death, but I control my temper and tell her to let him in.When his secretary reached out to schedule a meeting two days ago, I told him to tell Ethan Calder to stay hidden if he didn’t want me to disfigure his face. But that hasn’t worked.Like a leech, he has marched into my office and now wants to meet me.What is he here to do? Threaten or play some games?I lean back in my chair and watch the closed door. It opens a moment later, and he appears.The bastard bears no signs of suffering. It’s like he has just returned from a long vacation.I grit my jaw and stare as he walks ahead confidently. Without asking, he takes the seat opposite me and meets my unwavering gaze.“ Tristin Roberto. ” He nods, the corners of his lips lifting into a smirk.“ You caught me by surprise. ” I m
GraceWhat’s…happening? The secretary opens the door for us because the time is already scheduled. I lift my head and step inside just as all eyes turn in my direction.Mona, a senior in the same field, turns towards me. Her green eyes narrow in anger, and her red lips curl into a sneer.“ Good afternoon— ”“ Mrs. Roberto. ” Mona snaps, cutting me off mid-greeting.“ Yes, Mrs. Alfonso? ” I lift my brows, wondering why she is murdering me with her eyes.“ I heard you got the project. ” Her lips stretch into a blood-curdling smile. “ shall I say congratulations? Or shall I say ‘well done’? You used your husband, Mr. Roberto’s influence well, didn’t you? ”Husband. That word alone sets fire to my veins. I was about to ask why she was so mad at me, but I can’t tame my own anger anymore.“ Are you bitter about losing, Mrs. Alfsonso? If so, I suggest showing that bitterness somewhere else and refraining from using my husband’s name. Or else I will have to sue you for defamation. ” I hiss,
GraceI sigh, pulling Seb closer to me. He fell asleep after consoling me. That’s why I took him and retreated to my bedroom. I couldn’t face my family, and I am relieved they didn’t say anything to me.I look down at Seb’s innocent, peaceful face and flinch. I can’t get his scared face out of my mind. When he grows up and recalls this incident…will he think I am mad? Will he be scared of me from now on? My son…scared of me…That thought is doing something to my heart.After my little breakdown in the lounge, I feel embarrassed instead of calm. All these years of pretending that I am fine now, that I don’t remember what my past was like…seem like a joke to me now.The chain of my thoughts breaks when Tristin lays on the bed behind me, his arm around my waist, and gently strokes my stomach over my silk shirt. It was supposed to be a celebration—a happy moment. But now it has turned into something ugly.I close my eyes and release a heavy breath. “ how could you keep it to yourself
Grace“ What are the next big plans? ” Mom asks.I think about it for a second. “ I don’t know, Mom. This is a big project—bigger than I imagined. I will have to give it my all to ensure everything goes smoothly. And if it all goes alright— ”“ It will. ” Mom interrupts, her eyes fixed on me. “ Do not doubt yourself for a second, Grace. ”My heart warms as I nod. “ WHEN it all goes alright, I believe I can take on other big projects and make a name for myself. ”“ You wouldn’t have to work so hard if you had just joined the family business. ” She sighs, leaning back slightly.“ I wanted to do this on my own, Mom. I want to learn and reach the top on my own. ” I whisper and stroke Seb’s hair softly.“ And you will. ” Tristin presses a kiss to my forehead.“ Yes, you will. ” Mom nods, smiling at me gently. “ whatever you do, you will always succeed. And we will celebrate every win with you. ”I nod again, but no words come out. I can’t thank them enough for becoming the family I never h
GraceIt’s dark when Tristin and I step inside the lounge. I frown and blink to adjust my vision to the darkness.“ Why are the lights turned off? ” I mumble and turn around.Before I can walk to the switch, the lights all turn on. Instinctively, I close my eyes and stumble. Tristin catches my waist, holding me up.“ Be careful. ” He whispers.My eyes snap open to land on white and golden decorations, the flowers that are spread everywhere, and the grinning faces. “ Surprise! ” Everyone squeals at once.My heart misses a beat as I stand frozen, just admiring the view in front of me. A balloon bursts above my head, making confetti rain down on me.“ Congratulations, Grace! ” Ania rushes up to me, followed by Mom, Luca, and our little angel.“ We knew you could do it! ” Mom grabs my arms and pulls me in a hug. “ my daughter is so talented. ”A lump forms in my throat as Mom pats my back and releases me. Ania engulfs me next and shakes me excitedly.“ You were worrying for nothing. Beli
GraceMy words tumble out, barely coherent. “ I—I got it. They sent us the confirmation email. We got the project! ”His grin widens, and without giving me the time to process his expressions, he wraps his arms around me and lifts me off the ground with ease.I let out a startled laugh, feeling weightless, the whole world spinning around me. For a second, it’s just us and this moment.I can only feel true happiness when he is around. “ I knew you would get it. ” Tristin murmurs, holding me tight, his voice rich with a pride that makes my eyes sting. I hide my face in his shoulder, letting myself feel everything, knowing I don’t have to hold back with him.“ I was so scared. ” I admit softly, the words sounding hesitant as I say them. “ But I did it. I really did. ”He lowers me gently, his hands still on my waist. He looks at me, his eyes full of love and something that makes my heart beat faster. “ I never doubted you, Mrs. Roberto. Not for a second. ”And just like that, every fea
Grace“ We got it! ” Talia screams at the top of her lungs.I pick up my head and look at her, jumping up and down in excitement. “ we got it. We got it! I can’t believe we did it. ”Her blonde ponytail swings back and forth violently and her green eyes are filled with endless glee.“ Did what? ” My heartbeat escalates.She runs towards me like a child and grabs my hand. “ Come with me! ”Before I can even think, she pulls me to my feet and runs back to her desk. She pushes me down onto her seat and turns the desktop towards me.I glance at her wide grin before looking at the screen. My body turns stiff as the words on the email she received register in my head.“ They gave us the contract. We will be planning CBA’s new mall. All of it, Grace! ” Talia leans down and screams in my ear.Shock makes my jaw hang low. I reread the email and try to understand how this happened.“ Why are you not jumping in excitement like me? You worked for this for so long, and now we got the contract! ” S
EthanThey say love is relief. I don’t believe that now. When you love someone, you burn in a fire that keeps licking at your skin, peeling off another layer of you every moment of your life.You burn…and burn…until you have burned to ashes. Then, you rise to burn again.That’s what love is. It’s painful. It’s patient. It’s the name of enduring in silence.Three years…I have done all of it for three long years, and I have waited silently for the woman I love to take pity on me. If she only pities me…it will be better than the ‘nothing’ she thinks she feels for me.But as I stare at the pictures scattered across the desk once more, I slowly lose hope for that pity. She is happy. With someone she only came to love. With a small child that belongs to them. With her new family.And I have never seen her this happy before.“ You made a good decision. Sacrificing your whole life for a woman and staying in jail wouldn’t have melted that evil witch’s heart. ” My grandmother sneers and tak
Hi Lovelies, Many questions remained at the end of Grace and Tristin's story. How did Ethan kill Lily? Will Ethan stay in prison forever or return for Grace sometime in the future again? How will Grace and Tristin keep supporting each other in the future? To answer all those questions, I am writing a sequel for this story, "Haunting Love: Chased by my Ex-Husband." :) You can read the chapters in this same book right under this Author's note. Updates will be regular from tomorrow, so don't miss out on what's happening next! :) Synopsis: Just when Grace thinks she is finally free from the clutches of Ethan Calder, the man who tormented her in the best years of her life, he returns. But what is this? He claims he didn't kill Grace's sister and is a changed man now. But Grace has changed, too. She loves her husband, Tristin, and their three-year-old baby Sebastian. With her family by her side and her new business venture being successful, Grace has no time to focus on how much Ethan