Grace snapped back to reality, looking puzzled. "What?"Timothy seemed to sense a unique atmosphere between Grace and Benjamin, so he said with a hint of disappointment, "If you're willing to go back to him, I'll respect your decision."Grace chuckled. "What's this? Are you suddenly lacking confidence?"Timothy quickly added, "If my rival is Benjamin, losing to him isn't something to be too embarrassed about. "But Milady, you need to think it through. The old issues are still there. If you two want to get back together, at least resolve those issues first."Upon hearing that, Grace retorted, "Who said I want to get back together with him?"Timothy's eyes lit up as he stared at her."Milady, do you mean ..."Grace shook her head slightly. "I have no intention of getting back together with him, at least for now."Timothy exclaimed, "Milady, does that mean I still have a chance?"Grace raised her eyes, meeting his gaze.She planned to make things clear with him today."Timoth
"Don't be modest. I just believe that you will find your happiness," Grace said sincerely. Timothy looked relaxed and nodded in agreement. He didn't say anything, but his eyes reflected how resolute he was in his decision.In the following days, Grace was busy catching up on the work that had been pending since she had been busy with the fashion show. When Saturday finally arrived, she could take a break.Early in the morning, she received a call from Elizabeth."Gracie, will you be coming to Hawkins Manor today?"Grace hesitated a bit. But she sensed the anticipation in Elizabeth's tone and decided to agree."Grandma, it's your birthday, so I'll definitely be there on time."Overjoyed, Elizabeth smiled. "Good, good, good! I'll be waiting for you here."After hanging up the phone, Grace looked out of the window. The morning sunlight streamed into the room, casting a warm glow. The weather was perfect today.Grace took out the emerald jewelry she had bought at the auction and
With a son as outstanding as Benjamin, Olivia couldn't help but feel overshadowed by Susan. Meanwhile, Olivia's whole life revolved around Geraldine, which strained their relationship."I'm just helping find a match for our dear Geraldine. What's it to you? By the way, I heard Benjamin had sent Celia to Astana. So it's not really your place to be concerned, is it?"Her remark hit a nerve. Susan's expression darkened. It felt like a jab to her heart."Well, Celia is just going to be in Astana for a while. She'll be back eventually," Susan replied weakly before retreating. Olivia claimed victory. Then, she pulled Elizabeth into the conversation. "Mom, check this out. Xander Fulton, the president of Futurelink Corporation. He is handsome and talented. He turned the company around in a few months. He's a real catch …"Elizabeth furrowed as she interrupted, "Enough for now. We can talk about this later."Pouting, Olivia reluctantly agreed, "Alright, Mom."Then, she turned her at
Frederick couldn't resist pressing on. "When they were causing all that trouble for Grace, why didn't it bother you?"Now that I've just made a few remarks, why are you having a strong reaction? Benjamin, it seems like you're taking this a bit too seriously, don't you think?"Benjamin responded calmly, "Are you feeling chatty today?"Frederick became even more curious after seeing his evasive reply. He reached out, hooking his shoulder. "Brother, aren't you waiting for someone?"The "someone" in Frederick's words naturally referred to Grace.A slight movement appeared at the corner of Benjamin's mouth. "Are you too free?"Frederick quickly denied, "No, just a bit curious.""Let me remind you—now that you've figured out your feelings and want to win Grace back, you need to show sincerity for the mistakes you made in the past. Just admit them and stand upright! Take the hits, and make it right! In simple terms, just treat her better," he continued.Benjamin remained unimpressed a
"I heard you're the new CEO of Amirate Corporation. That's quite impressive. Your uncle's company downsized recently, leaving him jobless. Please consider offering him a position at Amirate," Ava said.Grace remained silent, not immediately responding.But Ava didn't see anything wrong with her suggestion. "Your uncle used to be just a team leader. So I believe joining Amirate and becoming CEO should be no problem for him."Elizabeth overheard the conversation and wasn't pleased with Ava's remarks.Ava ignored the awkward atmosphere and continued, "Considering we're all part of the same family, arranging a job at Amriate shouldn't be difficult."Grace countered bluntly, "What are you talking about? He's still part of the Hawkins family. With the size and influence of Hawkins Group, finding a job shouldn't be a problem. Our family business might be small, but it can surely accommodate such a 'big shot'."Her response was straightforward. She had hit a nerve. Ava's demeanor shift
Nowadays, with Grace's elevated status, most people eagerly sought to align themselves with her and attempt to win her favor.This left Ava feeling quite uneasy."Aunt Ava, do you know why Celia was exiled to Astana?" Geraldine asked.Since Ava's marriage, she had rarely been involved in the Hawkins family's affairs. Hence, she was unaware of what had happened to Celia.Susan had only told her that Celia had gone to study in Astana.But what kind of place was Astana, exactly? Even if the Hawkins family were in decline, they wouldn't send their child somewhere like that.Ava was unclear about the specifics, so she asked, "Do you know the details?"Geraldine gestured toward Grace in the crowd."It's because of her, of course.""You mean Grace? Does she really have such influence?"Geraldine looked at Ava as if the latter were underestimating Grace. "Have you forgotten how Celia and Aunt Susan used to mistreat her? She's simply seeking justice. It's better late than never! "
In an instant, Grace was surrounded by everyone. She was the center of attention.Elizabeth was pleased as she watched. But Susan, who was sitting in a corner of the hall, felt frustrated.These people were so used to going with the flow. When circumstances had favored Susan, they had been quick to admire her. With Grace in the spotlight now, they were hurrying to align themselves with her.This reminded Susan of Celia, who was enduring hardships in Astana while Grace was thriving. She felt uneasy at the thought. "Mom, she's no longer part of our family. Why did you invite her?" Susan asked.Displeased, Elizabeth responded, "Grace is my guest. What makes you think you have the right to comment? If you have free time, go to the kitchen. Don't be a nuisance here."Seeing no other option, Susan headed toward the kitchen.At this moment, Elizabeth instinctively covered her chest, feeling a slight pain. Her old ailment was acting up again.She stood up and walked toward the stair
"What are you doing?"At the doorway, Benjamin's voice carried a hint of anger.Without a moment's hesitation, he strode over to Grace and forcefully took her hand without saying a word.Before Grace could react, he briskly led her outside."What's going on?" Grace looked up with disbelief in her eyes.Benjamin frowned but offered no explanation. "Regardless of what you just saw, don't dwell on it."Grace became increasingly puzzled. She felt like there were some dark secrets hidden in there."This is just too strange," Grace muttered, recalling what she had just seen.She stared at Benjamin's face and finally asked, "Why is your black and white photograph hanging on the wall like a dead man's? Are you a ghost?"Benjamin was annoyed. "Nonsense. You've got it wrong.""Really?" Grace asked again. As she spoke, she realized that she had unconsciously pulled her hand away from Benjamin's firm grip.Benjamin's hands were empty, but he patiently suggested, "The birthday banquet is