GraceI grit my jaw, barely controlling the rage that makes my blood boil. “ Maybe you know people that do things like that, Mr. Costello, but I am not like them. Please refrain from verbal harassment. ”“ Verbal harassment? ” He snarls, shooting up from his seat. I clench my hands into fists, standing my ground. “ Yes, Mr. Costello. It’s verbal harassment. You are saying things that are making me uncomfortable. ”He rounds the table with a speed that makes me take a step back.“ You think you are all that just because you slept with a higher-up, huh? ” He sneers, closing the distance between us. “ but you are just one of their adventures. They don’t give a fuck what happens with you down here as long as they have paid you by getting you this job. ” “ Why do you assume that I got this job because of a vulgar reason like that? ” My eyes narrow on him.He sizes me up, from head to toe, his gaze leering. Uncomfortably, I shift my weight from one foot to another.Suddenly, he grabs my u
Grace“ What happened to your feet? ”Surprised, I look down, and my nose scrunches. My feet don’t seem to be in a good condition.“ I spilled coffee on— ”I pick up my head and get stunned into silence. Tristin is already halfway across the office, approaching me with long strides. I close my hanging jaw and swallow. He rolls his sleeves up, displaying his veiny arms and blank ink peeking from underneath the white shirt. My gaze lowers to his forearms before I quickly lift my eyes to his face again. He stops one step away, his eyes narrowed on my feet.“ Who did it? ” He inquires in a grave voice. My shoulders stiffen. “ I spilled coffee on my feet accidentally. ”“ And you are walking around instead of applying ointment on the burns? ” Slowly, his eyes find mine, and a strange emotion flashes across them.“ I…didn’t get…the time. ” I whisper, uneasy about how he is investigating the whole situation.“ You didn’t get the time for what? ” He asks and grabs my arm without warning.“
GraceEthan’s gaze traces Tristin’s figure before dropping on my legs, his jacket, and slowly meeting my gaze again.His eyes become intense, almost promising torture and pain. If looks could kill, I would be long dead.“ Ah, Ethan Calder. ” Tristin rises, a cold smile playing on his lips.Ethan doesn’t take his eyes off me. It makes me nervous, and ashamed. It feels like I got caught doing something wrong.But I was not doing…anything like that.That line of thoughts makes me stiffen. Even if I do something wrong, what does it mean to Ethan?! It’s not like he is a saint.“ You are desperate for a divorce. Can’t wait to get in your lover’s bed without any remorse? ” Ethan scoffs, each word dripping with venom.I narrow my eyes on him. “ You are the one who was desperate for divorce, did you forget?! ”“ You refused it then. You were so whiny about leaving me. ” He walks closer, his eyes fixed solely on me.“ I was a fool back then. I didn’t know how cruel you were! ” I reply, standing
Grace“ Let me see. ” Tristin lifts his hand towards me, disregarding my words altogether.I sigh sarcastically. “ there is no need. I know just how much you care about these things. ”“ Grace. ” His voice hardens. I press my lips in a thin line and get to my wobbly legs. I need to get this through my head—if Ethan is a calculative man, Tristin is not too different. They are men of power, bred and raised into this cruel world to get whatever they want at any cost. Their care is only reserved for the people they find useful.“ I told you before, I will pay the price for your help. And I know that’s what you want. So as long as we are on the same side, you can drop the nice act and remain your true self—the man you were just now. The man who didn’t think twice before saying… ” I trail off, unable to keep going.My gaze lowers to his neutral eyes. For a second there, I was comparing him to others in my life, and believing that he is a little better than them.In that moment, I forgot w
GraceAfter surviving Mr. Costello’s taunts and jabs for the rest of the day, I feel like fainting. The side of my head has gone numb by the time I step out of the tall tower. To add to my misery, it’s raining. Workers rush to their cars in the parking or hail cabs to get home while I stand in front of the tower, looking around.My phone buzzes in my hand, making me sigh and glance at the message. As expected, it’s Lily.She could never stop herself from texting me to meet after watching the video that was circulating everywhere.I open her texts and read them.—We are sisters, Grace. How can you stoop so low as you try to harm my reputation? I roll my eyes at the tone she used. She still thinks she can manipulate me.The next text reads: I am ready to forgive you if you come over and meet at Club Euphoria at 8. I have made reservations in the VIP room. Just tell them my name and they will lead you up.I go over the two texts numerous times. Hate brews in my heart, while anger threa
GraceThe man walking me up the stairs opens the VIP reserved room. I don’t step inside until my eyes fall on Lily who is already lounging on the couch, glaring at the people dancing on the dance floor below.Instantly, a wave of anger and disdain runs down my body, taking over every inch of me.Every time that I see her, I hear her voice from that day. ‘ You stole what was mine. I never share, Gracie. You should have known. ’It’s like a constant jab at my heart before I recall what followed. The memories of bleeding out on the road and losing one thing that mattered the most to me, at the hands of the people I loved and trusted…Those memories will never leave me alone.“ Grace. ” Lily hisses, like a snake, and my trance breaks.I direct my neutral gaze at her. She smiles, her lips curling into a threatening gesture.“ Come take a seat. ” I take small steps towards the red couch opposite her and sit there, my eyes remaining on her coldly.“ Gracie. ” She sighs, leaning back.I take
Grace“ Catch her. ” The four men in the distance yell, sprinting towards me.My phone drops on the floor. I bend down to pick it up, only to see them closing in on me. So, I rise and make a run for it again.The doors of the VIP rooms on this floor are closed. The staff members who see those men chasing me only step aside to give them way instead of saving me or asking the men why they are after me.My breaths come out in pants as I take support of the wall and continue to stumble forth.What if…Tristin doesn’t come?Fear fuels my instinct to run faster but the drug’s effects are making it harder by the moment for me to see, to walk without stumbling over my feet.The heat has become a dangerous molten lava under my skin, making me shudder and writhe with every labored breath in.“ Do you think you can run away? ” The voice of the man from behind sounds so close to me.I glance over my shoulder, my blurry sight finding their wicked faces lit with leering grins. My feet tangle and I f
Grace“ I will help you. ” I hear his voice, so close to my lips.“ Tristin. ” I whimper, my lips pressing to his neck again.I am so aroused and needy that I feel like I will lose my mind if I don’t do something about it.My mind is in a haze, completely disconnected with reality.My fingers weave in his hair, scratching his scalp while my lips trail a path down his skin, roaming every inch of him that I can find.“ Grace. ” He calls me out. “ You will regret this. I am not Ethan. I am Tristin. ”His voice hits a cord deep inside me, making a full body shudder roll over me.“ I-I know. ” But I can’t stop.His warm breaths hit my ear, pushing me over the edge of control. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing myself to stop.This is wrong. So wrong Grace.The ache turns into a pain so strong that it makes me struggle in his arms. I can sense him moving quickly while he talks to Luca.“ Take these men. And let them know what happens when they touch a woman without her consent. ” His v
Tristin“ The reporter contacted us when he found out it’s about you, Boss. ” Adler, the lawyer who has taken Luca’s spot until he is with Ania, repeats what he told me before.I look at the file and the pictures. Serena didn’t wait—or it’s better to say—Ethan didn’t wait.Now that Serena and that kid’s presence alone has not worked in his favor, he has opted for trying to make this public. The article is not even about me. It's about her-my wife. It says that I had a son that I knew about and was forced to hide because my wife refused to accept him. This is aimed to make Grace become the third woman in our relationship because I have had that boy with Serena before she came into my life.To top it with a cherry, I knew Serena's sob story would be added later.It's clear that Ethan wants Grace to feel every kind of pressure, from every side, so she decides she can not take it anymore, decides that it’s better to leave me than to stick with me. She is right. Ethan is like a mad dog.
GraceI should have known. Serena won’t sit still. She has to keep provoking me because making me run away from Tristin is her final goal so she can take my spot and become the new Mrs. Roberto. With that goal in mind, she showed up at the hospital room with a fruit basket and flowers. Instantly, Mom, who had been caring for Ania, turns back into the sweet mother-in-law she insists on playing for her.Tired of the drama, I step out and walk towards a quiet lounge. It has been several hours since I have been running back and forth.Now, my head is beginning to spin.Rubbing my temple with my fingers, I take out my phone and dial Mary’s number. She picks up after a few rings, and her groggy voice sounds from the speaker.“ I apologize, Ma’am. I fell asleep just now, and I— ”“ Is Seb sleeping? ” I come straight to the point, too tired to listen to her ranting.“ Young Master? ” She gasps and then hurriedly continues. “ Yes, yes, the Young Master is sleeping. I stayed with him the whole
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