Chapter 115 Being Weak Is Disrespectful to Ourselves
Grace got home to find Clara still up.
When Clara found out Sherry had her period, she was shocked. "Dogs can have periods too?"
Grace put the pet diaper on Sherry, and they fit perfectly!
Maybe because of the pet diaper, Sherry seemed to regain her dignity. She ate, drank, and snuggled up to Grace when she slept.
The lights went out, but Grace couldn't sleep until the early morning.
Two days later, she and Juniper checked out the store Amara recommended. It was perfect, and Grace was thrilled.
Through Amara, she set up a meeting with Peter Evans from Skysoar Tower.
Amara warned her, "Mr. Evans relies on women and has a big ego. Don't offend him, and you'll be fine."
Grace felt reassured and thanked Amara.
Grace really wanted the store. She booked the best club for dinner and even offered to pay five percent above market price.
Peter was pleased. He was about to agree when he noticed Juniper pouring water.
He recognized Juniper; she used to be a model and was with Frank for years. After Frank got engaged, he dumped her, and Thalia even left her disabled.
Peter liked Juniper's type. Up close, he found her even more attractive. After a few drinks, he got handsy.
Juniper refused and kept pushing him away, which made Peter mad. He bluntly said, "If Ms. Davis spends one night with me, I'll sign immediately! I'll even waive a year's rent!"
Juniper wanted to slap him but held back for the store's sake. "I'm not here to sell myself!"
Peter sneered.
He looked at Juniper's hearing aid and mocked, "Not selling yourself? Frank must have worn you out! I'm doing you a favor! Who else would want you now?"
Juniper kept enduring.
Grace, however, threw a cup of coffee at him. "Dream on!"
Peter, drenched in coffee, sobered up a bit, then got furious. "Do you still want the store or not? You used to rely on men, and now you want to play pure? Isn't it a bit too late?"
Grace shielded Juniper behind her.
Grace sneered, "Mr. Evans, don't you also rely on women? Who's more noble here?"
This caused Peter to feel humiliated.
Grace pulled Juniper out.
Outside, Juniper looked at the neon lights, silent for a long time.
Though upset, she felt more apologetic towards Grace. "Grace, I've thought about it. I shouldn't work with you anymore. My past is a stain that might never wash clean. It troubles me and affects you. If it weren't for me today, with your connection to Mrs. Young, you would've secured the store."
Juniper's eyes welled up with tears, still unable to let go of that past relationship.
Grace choked up. "That past wasn't your fault! If anyone's to blame, it's Frank and his fiancée—Thalia! You were the victim. What did you do wrong? And Juniper, what's more important to me, the store or you? I can find another store, but I don't want to lose you. We promised to share each other's glory, to be each other's support! This is a wound, but we shouldn't run from it. If you want to hide because of Frank for the rest of your life, that's fine! I won't force you. I can even support you for life!"
"But do you want to live under Frank's shadow forever? Do you want to always be called Frank's mistress?" Grace asked.
Juniper cried, "I don't want that! Grace, I don't want that!"
Grace hugged her tightly.
Tears welled up in Grace's eyes too. "Good! Juniper, be strong. Hiding won't help, and being weak is disrespectful to ourselves!"
Grace told Amara about the incident.
Amara was shocked and cursed Peter. "I never thought he was that kind of person! I misjudged him! Grace, I'll introduce you to other stores. There will be one that's suitable."
Amara felt apologetic and said she wanted to send a gift to Juniper to make amends. She didn't want this incident to strain her relationship with Grace.
Amara picked out a gift and had a servant deliver it. Caleb happened to come in from outside and saw it. He leaned on the sofa and asked Amara with a smile, "You've been getting close to Grace lately? Didn't she divorce Henry? Why are you so concerned?"
Amara dismissed the servant.
She stood in front of the mirror, fixing herself up. For a moment, she caught Caleb's gaze in the reflection and smiled faintly. "Grace is very capable! She just needs a platform. Even though she divorced Henry, his heart is still with her. They'll remarry soon. It's easy to add to someone's success, but true friendship shows in tough times."
Though Amara was over forty, she still had her charm, and her eyes were especially captivating.
Recently, Caleb had taken a mistress and hadn't been close to her for a while. Feeling a bit stirred, he walked over and wrapped his arms around Amara's waist, wanting to get intimate.
Amara, thinking of his affairs, felt repulsed.
She lightly patted Caleb's hand, pretending to be annoyed. "It's broad daylight, and the servants are around! What if someone sees us? Besides, I'm on my period, it's inconvenient!"
Caleb felt a bit dejected. He quickly found an excuse to leave, saying he had business at the company, but Amara knew he was going to see his mistress.
Grace handed the gift to Juniper.
Juniper was touched. The gift was secondary; what mattered was gaining Amara's respect. She also told Grace that Peter had been pestering her, not doing anything harmful but just harassing her near her place.
Grace pondered, "He's really persistent!"
Juniper looked at her, waiting for her to decide.
Grace stared at her for a while and said, "I have a way to make him give up and secure the store. It just depends on whether you're up for it!"
Juniper held her hand. "There's nothing I wouldn't dare to do!"
Grace leaned in, her voice very low. "Mrs. Evans is an able woman, and Mr. Evans is famously afraid of her! If we... not only will he stop harassing you, but Mrs. Evans will also respect you. In the future, when others gossip, she'll defend you."
Juniper admired her after hearing this. Compared to Grace, her mind was too simple.
Following Grace's advice, she no longer rejected Peter.
After a few chats on Facebook, Peter felt it was time and invited Juniper to a hotel room.
Juniper readily agreed, but Peter had no idea this was a trap set by Grace.
As soon as Peter entered the room, he couldn't wait to take off Juniper's dress. When he couldn't undo the buttons, he tore it, eager to bury himself in her body.
Juniper resisted. "Mr. Evans, I'm here to discuss business."
Peter had no interest in business. He leaned in to kiss Juniper's neck, looking desperate. "We'll talk after I make love to you! I'm dying to, I'd die happy in your arms!"
"Really? Where do you want to die?"
A cold, authoritative voice rang out, and then Peter's wife, Michelle Lawson, walked out of the bathroom, followed by several bodyguards.
As soon as Michelle appeared, she slapped Peter twice, leaving him dazed. He was stunned.
But he quickly recovered and blamed Juniper. "She seduced me! I'm innocent, I wouldn't dare cheat on you!"
Michelle slapped him twice more. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
Peter didn't dare make another sound.
After he was dragged away, Michelle looked at Juniper. She looked terrible, her clothes disheveled, makeup smeared, looking anything but respectable.
Juniper was also nervous, fearing Michelle would blame her like others did.
To her surprise, Michelle's first words were, "I'll rent you that store!"
Juniper was stunned.
Michelle glanced at her, then had a bodyguard take off his coat. She personally draped it over Juniper and softly said, "Grace is waiting for you outside. Go home."
Juniper's eyes filled with tears as she slowly walked out. Grace was standing at the door. The two girls held each other's hands tightly!
Juniper hugged Grace and cried out loud.
After all this time, she finally stood up. From now on, she was no longer labeled as Frank's mistress; she was Grace's assistant.
"Grace, I never thought I could have a career again!"
Grace hugged her tightly, murmuring, "We have so much to do! We need to hire people, and I need to recruit several Michelin chefs!"
Juniper laughed and cried. "I used to eat all over the world, and I know quite a few!"
Grace was moved. "Then let's do our best!"
As they walked out of the hotel, their shadows stretched long under the streetlights. They had no background, but they had earned recognition and respect through their hard work.
Because they weren't weak, because they didn't give up their principles.
On the street, a luxurious black car was parked, the rear window half-lowered.
Henry watched quietly for a long time.
He didn't understand why Grace had to work so hard when she could have everything easily by being with him.