Chapter 9
Grace went to the hospital alone. Luckily, the cut wasn’t deep. After a quick bandage, the doctor said she’d need rabies
shots.
“But I’m leaving the country soon and probably won’t come back,” she muttered, though the doctor heard her.
“Then get them abroad. They’ve got rabies vaccines too. No worries. Life goes on,” the doctor reassured her.
Grace smiled, thinking to herself, “Yeah, life goes on.”
Her phone buzzed with another message from Janelle. “Got my period, unexpectedly. He’s worried, so he washed my underwear for me.”
First, Janelle bragged about Antonio washing her feet, and now this?
Janelle was laughing while he cleaned the bloodstains.
She sent the message to rile up Grace, but Grace didn’t fall for it. Instead, she just got busy cleaning the apartment.
Nicole had called a few minutes ago, saying Lewis had sorted everything out, and Grace could leave anytime.
Then Nicole texted: “Come and get your stuff.” She shared her location.
Grace headed downstairs to catch a cab, but as fate would have it, she ran into Lewis at the entrance.
0.00%
O
III O <
Chapter 9
288 Vouchers
She tried to act like she didn’t see him, but their eyes locked.
“Mr. Morton, what a surprise,” she said, feeling awkward.
“Not really, I’ve been waiting for you.” Lewis stood beside her, his shadow completely covering hers. “So, you wanna stay here or head abroad?”
Just then, Antonio showed up with Janelle trailing behind.
Antonio stood there, his eyes wide in disbelief. “You two are on the same team?” he demanded through gritted teeth.
Seeing Grace stay silent, Antonio assumed she felt guilty. His face darkened. “Did you betray me for money or him?” he
spat.
Grace started to respond, but Lewis stepped forward, shielding her. “Mr. Kaufman, making baseless accusations is beneath you. Is this how the Kaufman family grooms its heirs?”
Antonio was too appalled to speak, his frustration simmering beneath the surface.
Knowing he couldn’t outargue Lewis, he turned on Grace. “When did you start scheming with him? Wasn’t what I gave you enough?”
Before Grace could even get a word in, Janelle jumped in, her tone deceptively sweet. “Oh, they’ve probably known each other for a while. I heard Grace got chauffeured to the training in a fancy car. Tino, don’t waste your time on her. Let’s go.”
Now Grace realized Janelle had been spying on her all along
26.65%
ออ
> O III
Chapter 9
and was likely behind today’s “encounter.”
1288 Vouchers
Grace didn’t understand why Janelle, having Antonio’s heart, wanted to destroy her so desperately.
She wanted to ask, but Lewis stopped her, putting a finger to his lips. “Hush, ignore them. Let’s go.”
He headed to the car, and Grace followed.
Lewis’s presence made her feel so safe.
Antonio clenched his car keys so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Seeing Grace not even glance back, he rushed over and grabbed her arm.
It was then Antonio really saw her–almost skeletal, her cheeks sunken and her skin ghostly pale.
When had Grace gotten this skinny, and how had he missed
it?
The questions burned in his mind, but instead of asking, he snapped, “If you leave now, don’t ever come back!”
“Alright,” Grace replied coolly, her eyes devoid of life.
It finally dawned on Antonio–not just Grace’s fragility, but the utter devastation of their relationship.
Antonio’s grip loosened, his fingers slipping from her arm. He watched her walk away without a backward glance. “She’s not the same Grace I knew,” he thought.
Janelle caught up, noting the defeat etched on his face. She
57.95%
O
Chapter 9
甘
sighed, pressed her lips together, and gently took his hand. “Let’s go home.”
Before he realized it, Antonio found himself back at Grace’s
house.
He caught Janelle’s confused look and started apologizing.
“It’s all right, Tino. People catch feelings over time, especially since she used to be your right hand,” Janelle said, pretending not to know the truth. She maintained her gentle,
understanding facade.
Antonio hugged her tightly, telling himself, “I love no one but Nellie.”
But Grace’s frail face kept popping into his mind, like she might break any second.
