TristinHe must have sent her something by now. I rotate the phone in my hand, watching the blank screen. Luca sits on the other side of the desk, watching me closely.“ Boss, you should have explained everything to her. ” He suggests.I lean back and drop the phone on the desk. I have been waiting for her to call me and ask if I have slept with Serena.But Grace has not done that. Now I think she will come here personally, to confront me. In about an hour or so. Luca is right. I should have explained everything to her. But what do I tell? Do I say…Oh Grace, you know what? We have a new family now and you can just accept them. Or maybe she will readily accept everything even if I do not want to.I am…a selfish bastard, and the only people I care about in this world are my mother, sister, my wife, son, and my friend sitting from across me.The rest of the people…They can burn for all I care.It has always been this way.That’s why…I don’t know how to handle this sudden slap in th
Tristin“ Leave, Luca. Do what I said. I want them gone. Tonight. ” I tell Luca while keeping my eyes on her.“ Yes, Boss. ” Luca hurries out and moves past her.Grace walks inside once he has left and closes the door behind her. I straighten up, my gaze flickering to her fingers that are turning white around the envelope she is gripping too tight.“ What is this? ” Grace’s voice stays low as she comes to stand on the spot where Luca sat moments ago.“ What? ” I blink calmly.Her hands shake as she rips the envelope open and takes out some pictures. Before I can open my mouth, she throws the pictures towards me.They fly across the space and hit my chest before dropping on the desk. Instinctively, my hands clench into fists, and my jaw grits. She is rightfully angry—I reason with myself. But a voice inside me keeps whispering…I have seen her in a more compromising position. But I have not reacted this way. I look down at the pictures. Just like I thought…That bitch kneeled between
GraceTristin underestimates my understanding of him.I know when he is lying. And when he said that ‘no’, he was clearly, desperately trying to make me believe that there is nothing he is hiding from me. But everything I wanted to know was written right on his face.The question is…Will I ask him that question again? No. I gave him a chance. He didn’t take it.Now, I need to find out everything in my own way. As he tells me that we will go home together and that he just has one meeting to attend, I nod and tell him that I will wait for him.After he leaves, I take out my phone and see the contact information Talia has sent to me—the private detective.Her Aunt has already told the detective about me. So, I click a picture of Serena from the photographs and sent it to him with her name.A message appears on the screen, asking me about what kind of information I seek.I stare at the screen for a moment. What do I want to know? Her connection with Ethan or why Tristin looks so uncomfo
Grace“ Whose child is that? ” I question.An eerie silence falls in the space. Looks are exchanged. Heavy breaths are released.The question must be too hard to answer even if it is so clear. I look into the child’s blue eyes and don’t look away. He stays rigid on his spot, never wavering, even under my penetrating gaze. “ What is your name? ” I find myself asking when the silence stretches for too long.A frown forms between the child’s brows, and he replies without hesitation. “ Sebastian. ”My breath hitches, my chest tightening as if the air has thickened around me. My fingers tremble slightly at my sides, and I curl them into fists to stop the shaking.Sebastian. My son’s name. A dizzying wave of nausea rolls over me, tightening its grip on my lungs. I can barely breathe.I swallow hard, my throat dry, and my heart pounding in my chest.“ Sebastian… ” I whisper, the name foreign on my tongue even though I have said it a thousand times before.The boy tilts his head slightly,
GraceI finish packing Sebastian’s things and glance at the bed, my chest tightening when I see him curled up. He fell asleep when he saw me packing for too long. His tiny fingers clutch the edge of the blanket, his breathing soft and even. He looks so peaceful. For a moment, my heart wavers. He loves his Daddy so much. How will he live away from him? I walk towards him and press a gentle kiss to his forehead, lingering for a second longer than intended.If we stay, my son will get more hurt when he realizes he has a brother who shares the same name with him.I straighten up and call the nanny over. She comes rushing and stands by my side. “ Stay with him… ” I say, my voice quieter than usual. “ Don’t leave him alone until I come back. ”She nods, and I force myself to walk away.When I reach my room, I head straight to the walk-in closet and pull out my suitcases. This time, I pack my own things. My fingers move automatically, folding clothes and stuffing them into the bag. I fe
TristinI watch as Grace pushes against my chest, forcing distance between us. The fire in her eyes is like nothing I have ever seen before—not directed at me. Not like this.Her words echo through my head. ‘ We are done here. I am leaving. And you can't stop me. ’I can’t breathe.She turns away from me and grabs her packed suitcase. I want to say so much more, but no words come out of my mouth.She leaves me standing there and moves toward the door without hesitation. I should let her go. I should step back and give her space. I should fix this in a way that doesn’t involve desperate measures.But right now…This doesn’t feel like something that can be handled by giving her space. She looks like if she leaves, she won’t return and will never talk to me again. Panic surges through me like wildfire. My body moves on its own, faster than my mind can process, and before she can even reach the handle, I slam the door shut.Click.The sound of the lock twisting into place is deafening.
GraceI sit stiffly in the wing chair, my arms crossed across my chest and my glare fixed on Tristin. He stands by the locked door, his back against the wall, looking calm—too calm. He has lost his mind. That is the only explanation for this whole thing. I scoff. He cannot stay here forever. That bitch is in the house, and sooner or later, he will have to leave. I tell myself that is why I am so composed right now—because I want to see how long he can keep this up. But deep down, I know the real reason.When I saw Serena here, a dark thought crept into my mind. Maybe another woman had given him a family. Maybe he did not need me anymore. And that thought nearly shattered my heart into pieces.Before I can dwell on it, my phone rings. I glance down, and a frown etches between my brows.Why didn’t I think about calling someone? I reach for my phone and see Talia’s name shining on the screen. Before I can answer the call, Tristin’s shadow looms over me. Not even giving me the chanc
Grace“ Wait— ” I hiss quickly, stepping closer to Tristin to squeeze some space for myself. “ Tell Mom to come here and—”Before I can finish, the door slams shut. I let out a scream of frustration just as Tristin’s arm wraps around my waist. A startled gasp escapes me as he lifts me off the floor and carries me to the bed easily. “ Tristin, put me down! ” I thrash against him, but his grip is unyielding.He presses me down onto the mattress and hoves above me, leaving me no room for escape. “ Do not act like I am holding you hostage… ” He mutters, his voice returning to the soft note he has reserved for me. “ We are just having a couple’s fight. ”Is he being serious?!I laugh bitterly. “ This is not a couple’s fight, Tristin. When Mom comes, I am leaving, and you will never see my face again. I will make sure of that. Never! ”His jaw tightens as I smirk. I think I have won. But then, in one swift motion, Tristin flips me onto my stomach and yanks my zipper down. My breath cat
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