Chapter 115 Chapter 115
Benjamin said nothing, merely standing there and watching her. After a long moment, he slowly said, "Get out."
Wendy froze, realizing that he was speaking to her. Her eyes reddened as she stared at him in disbelief.
Benjamin was neither in the mood nor patient enough to indulge her now. Without even glancing at her, he repeated, "I told you to get out."
Grace couldn't help but snort, and that sound proved to be the final straw.
Wendy's face flushed crimson. She leaped off the sofa, yanked open the door, and bolted out.
Landon and Michael were standing right outside the door. They had heard the commotion inside but hadn't dared to intervene.
Seeing Wendy storm out, Landon hesitated before ordering his henchman, "Follow her and keep an eye on her. Make sure nothing happens."
He exchanged a glance with Michael. The two took a few silent steps back, not leaving entirely but standing guard nearby.
Inside, a tense silence hung in the air. Benjamin stared down at Grace with his lips pressed tightly together. Grace returned his gaze, her eyes filled with nothing but scorn.
Just as the two were locked in this standoff, Benjamin's phone suddenly rang. The abrupt ring shattered the silence. Grace, seemingly guessing who it was, curled her lips into a sneer. Leaning back on the sofa, she sneered, "Answer it. Don't worry; this time, I'll play dumb. I won't say a word against you."
Her smug expression infuriated Benjamin, but he couldn't help but laugh. He asked, "Do you really think Vania will believe you after all this? And even if she does, how can you be sure which she'll choose—love or friendship?”
Grace sneered. "I've done what I needed to do; I've fulfilled my part. The rest is beyond my control. Besides, not every woman is like Wendy, easily fooled by a few sweet words."
The phone kept ringing incessantly. If Benjamin didn't answer, Vania might call until the end of time.
Benjamin pulled the phone from his pocket and glanced at it. Seeing Vania's name on the caller ID, he didn't answer. Instead, he turned and walked out the door, instructing Michael, "Take her home."
Michael didn't dare ask a single question. He nodded quickly and watched as Benjamin led Landon away. Only then did he enter the house to find Grace. His expression was impassive. "Ms. Hill, I'll take you home."
Grace offered no resistance. She rose from the sofa and followed him back to the villa.
Benjamin didn't return until late into the night. He went straight to Grace's bedroom upstairs. He turned on the light and found her still awake, sitting on the sofa in the same clothes she'd worn that evening. She hadn't even changed her shoes.
Seeing her like this, he felt a pang of tenderness. He asked softly, "Why didn't you turn on the light?"
She looked up at him but didn't answer. Instead, she asked, "Did love win, or did friendship win?"
Benjamin watched her silently for a moment before walking over to her. He took off his coat and tossed it onto the arm of the sofa. Then he sat down at the coffee table opposite Grace.
"Grace," he said. "Have you ever considered what you're relying on to dare act this way?"
But Grace only smiled. She sat up straight, crossed her legs, rested her elbows on her knees, leaned closer to him, and countered, "How foolish must one be to not even know what cards they hold? Yes. I'm counting on the fact that you like me and can't bear to let me go. You don't need to guess. I'm very good at reading situations. The moment I see you're annoyed, I won't cross your boundaries."
He'd never seen her be so shameless. After a moment, he reached up and hooked his arm around her neck. Ignoring the thick lipstick on her lips, he leaned down and kissed her fiercely.
But she was clearly prepared. She jerked her body backward, lifted her foot slightly, and pressed the thin heel of her shoe firmly against his groin. Slowly, she said, "Don't kiss me. It disgusts me."
Her words darkened Benjamin's expression. He stared at her. "Too much of a good thing, Grace."
She responded with a seductive smile, lightly biting her lower lip. She pressed her foot down slightly harder on his groin and replied, "We can do this, but first, you need to disinfect that area properly. It's a public item, after all. Disinfecting before use is common sense."
This time, Benjamin turned pale with anger. He grabbed her ankle and yanked her foot away. Then he leaned forward and pinned her against him. Propping himself on the back of the sofa, he held her captive in his embrace, gritting his teeth. "You're asking for trouble."
She tilted her head back to avoid him, exposing her slender, delicate neck. She chuckled softly. "Then go ahead and kill me."
In fact, this version of Grace made her even more irresistible to him.
She had betrayed him again tonight. Yet, as he gazed at her smooth, milky skin, he found himself lowering his head to kiss her.
This time, Grace didn't pull away. In fact, she lifted her arms to wrap them around his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair. She let him kiss her, waiting until his desire threatened to overwhelm him. Then she suddenly said, "Alex, don't get involved with Vania, okay?"
His body stiffened. He lifted his head to look at her.
Her expression was calm, yet her eyes betrayed an unmistakable, faint disgust. She spoke softly, "Find someone else. Anyone. Just not Vania. It's not that I'm afraid you'll hurt her. I just find it disgusting. We're too familiar. The thought of you touching her and then touching me makes me want to vomit.”
Offended by her first statement, he glared at her and sneered, "Would someone else not disgust you?"
"They'd disgust me, too," she replied. "But I could barely tolerate it. Not with Vania."
Surprisingly, he didn't explode. Instead, he released her and sat down nearby. After a moment, he gave a self-mocking chuckle. "Why didn't you lie to me? Say you were jealous. Say you didn't want me touching any other woman—not just Vania, but any woman at all."
She couldn't help but laugh, too. "Would you have believed me?" she countered. "Feelings take time to build. Since you wouldn't believe me, why bother saying it at all?"
He nodded slowly in agreement. After a while, he turned to look at her again and asked, "You really can't stand it?"
"Yes. It's like two sisters sharing one man. It's disgusting beyond belief." As she spoke, she frowned. After a moment, she added, "So, if possible, maybe you should find someone else to marry. It's not like you have to marry her.”