Chapter 16
While everyone else had given up, Lewis kept digging. On his knees, he clawed at the ground with his bare hands, his fingers bloody and raw from the rocks and dirt.
Grace was still missing. He collapsed in despair, his eyes void of life as he looked around. He burst into tears.
Just then, someone spotted a pair of shoes in the corner.
Lewis rushed over and saw they were Grace’s. Hope surged through him. Wiping away his tears, he started digging like a madman. Finally, he found the unconscious Grace.
Overwhelmed with joy, Lewis scooped her up and rushed her to the ambulance. In the ward, he stayed glued to her side, his eyes never leaving her face. Seeing her bruised and battered, he couldn’t even begin to imagine what she’d been through.
Theo could see that Lewis was worried sick and tried to comfort him. “Mr. Kaufman, she’s alive, and that’s what really matters.”
Theo’s words did the trick. Relieved, Lewis watched her sleep, his mind wandering. Then, it all clicked. He finally understood why she had asked him to wipe out all her traces with that death certificate.
Leaving behind that past felt like a fresh start. After everything she’d been through, she wouldn’t be the same solitary Grace anymore. Now she had Lewis, and he vowed to stand by her forever.
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“I got this. You go help Grace get a new identity. The old Grace is history,” Lewis told Theo.
Two days later, Grace woke up. Lewis was dozing off next to her bed, but the second she moved, his eyes snapped open.
Seeing his weary face, Grace managed a faint smile. “I knew you’d come for me.”
Lewis pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice barely above a whisper, “Yeah.”
Fear still clung to Grace as she struggled to sit up. “When I was stuck, all I could think about was you. After the explosion, I thought I’d never see you again. Lewis, I owe you an answer. I’ve made up my mind. It’s my turn now. Will you accept me?”
Moved, Lewis squeezed her hand and nodded, “You need rest. We’ll talk later.”
Lewis stayed by Grace’s side for days in the hospital, never leaving her.
Finally, the day came for her discharge. As she looked at Lewis’s haggard face, tears welled up in her eyes. “Thanks for everything.”
Lewis pulled her into his coat, wrapping her in his warmth. He smiled gently, “We’re in this together. There’s no need for thanks.”
Meanwhile, Antonio found Kylie and asked about Janelle. Her smile froze, and after a long pause, she replied, “I haven’t talked to her in ages.”
In the adult world, friends often drifted apart without any
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Chapter 16
fuss. They simply stopped talking.
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Antonio got the hint and didn’t push further. After some small talk, Kylie said, “If I were you, I’d cut ties with Janelle.”
He thought she was talking about Janelle ditching him.
“Back then, Janelle married that guy with 8 million dollars from your mom. If she loved you, would she have done that?” Kylie pulled out her phone. “Before she came back, she told us she was ready to make bank again. You were the first person I thought of. Antonio, you deserve better.”
Antonio was already doubtful about Janelle. Kylie’s recounting made him feel even worse.
He was already doubtful about Janelle. Kylie’s recounting made him feel even worse.
He took her phone and read through the group chat history.
Janelle: “I didn’t realize 8 million would go so fast. So naive. Should’ve asked for more.”
Kylie: “Antonio’s such a lovesick fool. He’s still hung up on you. He’ll chase you when you’re back.”
Janelle: “This time, I want more than 8 million. When I get the money, I’m throwing a massive party, girls.”
Now he knew money was the real reason Janelle had left him, despite him giving her his heart.
Antonio let out a chilling laugh. He couldn’t tell if he was laughing at his own stupidity or Janelle’s scheming.
His laughter quickly turned to despair, leaving him looking
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pale.
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After a long silence, Antonio finally said, “Kylie, you must come to my wedding.”
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
