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
Without hesitation, Benjamin replied, "I only want her."Feeling frustrated, Grace declined, "Mr. Hawkins, this might not be appropriate."Benjamin's expression grew serious, the displeasure evident on his face. But he couldn't forcefully insist in front of so many people, so Geraldine eventually led him away.After they left, Elizabeth hurried over to Grace and asked, "Are you okay, Grace?"Grace returned to her senses. Shaking her head, she said, "I'm fine, Grandma. Are you feeling better?""I'm fine, just the usual ..."Ava came downstairs, holding the ear of a boy covered in paint. They were talking. The boy had two paintbrushes, and his tearful face was distressed as Ava led him down."You idiot, look at the mess you've made!"The boy burst into tears, his cries echoing through the hall.Elizabeth looked displeased and scolded coldly, "Enough. Don't embarrass yourself."Ava hadn't expected that she would make Benjamin look so disheveled instead of Grace. If Benjamin foun
Geraldine couldn't suppress a self-amused smile as she saw Benjamin walking away. She was sober now. She looked down and clenched her fists.Her face showed how frustrated and embarrassed she felt after being rejected. She couldn't help thinking about the incident downstairs when Benjamin protected Grace almost instinctively ...Weren't they divorced? Why did it seem like there was still something between them? Geraldine's eyes darkened at the thought. After Benjamin finished showering and returned to the hall in fresh clothes, he searched around but found no sign of Grace.Seeing this, Elizabeth sighed, saying, "Grace has already left …"Benjamin was surprised. He sounded a bit reproachful as he asked, "Grandma, didn't you ask her to stay?""Tell me the truth. What are you thinking? I told you to take care of Grace, but you insisted on causing trouble. Now that you're divorced, you're eagerly chasing after her. Isn't that foolish?" Elizabeth was clearly unhappy with him.
Emily interrupted Grace's thoughts. "By the way, since you're here, I suddenly remembered something. We had a customer who specifically requested that you design a dress for her." "What kind of dress?" Grace asked.Emily flipped through the customer order forms on the counter and handed it to Grace. "The offer is three million dollars, and there's no deadline. As long as you're available within six months, it's fine."Grace raised an eyebrow and took the order.The order was quite straightforward, with no extravagant details, only leaving a name and a phone number."So weird. Does she have any specific requirements for the dress?""She didn't say anything. She just mentioned that she wants to discuss it with you in person whenever you're available. Should we take this order?"Grace smiled, looking pleased. "Why not? Accept it. This can be considered a big order for our boutique, so we should definitely take it."Leave this matter to me. I've been busy at the office recently, b