Chapter 52 Chapter 52
Banjamin had been completely silent lately. Grace couldn't decide whether she should be relieved or worried, so she stuck to her plan. Her old classmate had replied, revealing that the Norman family had once been involved with the mafia. However, after two generations of effort, they had managed to clean up their act—at least, there was no evidence of illegal activities at present.
Grace suddenly thought of Garma. How could that place be clean?
Even if something were uncovered there, though, it wouldn't touch Benjamin's bones, let alone kill him outright. That path was impassable.
But if the Normans had once been mobsters—and considering the shady-looking men she'd seen at Garma that night—could they still be involved in illegal activities, just undiscovered? Following this line of thought, could Alex, who came from a low-life background, actually be from the Norman family? After all, he bore such a striking resemblance to Benjamin. If they weren't related by blood, how could such a coincidence exist?
But all this remained mere conjecture. First, she needed to uncover how Alex escaped prison and transformed into Benjamin. To do so, she had to wait for news from Mrs. Meyer—whatever information the old lady could find out.
The school Christmas party concluded smoothly. Nathan's reworked song proved to be unexpectedly popular. Given the academy's already skewed female-to-male ratio, his handsome looks and pretentious air of depth earned him a slew of female admirers. Grace didn't seek him out, or pay him much attention.
On Christmas Eve, Grace and Adrian dined at her parents' house. Afterward, they left early, hand in hand, skipping their car and taking the subway to the riverside for New Year's celebrations. The subway was crowded, even though it wasn't rush hour; people were packed in shoulder to shoulder. Neither of them found a seat. Adrian braced himself against the train wall and managed to carve out a small space for Grace. He teased, "Good thing you have a husband, huh? No matter what happens, I'll always protect you!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the doors opened and another wave of people forced their way in. Adrian lost his balance and ended up pressing against Grace. She let out a muffled grunt from the pressure, then couldn't help but laugh. Adrian felt awkward, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm happy," she replied with genuine sincerity, winking playfully. "Look, you're holding me so close in front of all these people. How romantic!"
Seeing her happiness lifted Adrian's spirits, too. He cautiously glanced around, then swiftly dipped his head to lightly kiss her on the lips. He immediately straightened up, pretending nothing had happened. Grace's lips curved upward as she tugged his sleeve and whispered, "Do it again."
Adrian flushed and glanced around furtively. He stood even straighter and stiffened his expression. "Behave yourself!"
Seeing that he wouldn't bend down, she simply stood on her tiptoes to meet him and finally kissed his lips before letting him go.
When they emerged from the subway, the streets were bustling with pedestrians.
Hand in hand, they drifted with the crowd, walking and pausing along the way. A little girl selling flowers approached them. Grace was about to ignore her when Adrian pulled out some money, bought a rose, and handed it to her. With a smile, he said, "Here, take it. It's tough for kids, too."
Grace smiled helplessly, glanced down at the blooming rose, snapped off the stem, and tucked the blossom into her hair. She turned her head and asked Adrian, "Am I look good?"
It was Christmas Eve, and she had dressed up carefully. Her luscious red lips looked even more beautiful with the rose.
He stared at her, utterly transfixed, as if his soul had been stolen. Only when she waved her hand in front of his face did he snap back to reality. He grabbed her hand, leaned down, and kissed her forehead lightly. Then he sincerely praised her, saying, "Of course."
She had only been teasing him, but he took her seriously. Tiptoeing closer, she whispered into his ear, "Bring this flower home tonight, and I'll dance Carmen for you!"
Their intimate gestures made them indistinguishable from any other couple in the crowd, blending seamlessly into the bustling throng. Yet, somehow, amidst the sea of people, Benjamin spotted Grace instantly.
"What are you looking at?" Landon emerged from the house and leaned lazily against the railing. He followed Benjamin's gaze downstairs, saw the dense crowd, and exclaimed, "Wow, so many people!"
Benjamin remained silent, standing there lost in thought as he watched the street. Landon glanced in the direction Benjamin was looking several times, but he couldn't figure out what Benjamin was watching. He then beckoned Benjamin inside, adding with a laugh, "The women who came today are all fresh. Not only did Xena show up, but Isabella also brought two virgins. If you don't pick first, the guys won't feel right about going for it.”
Benjamin finally spoke, lifting the corner of his mouth slightly. "Go play. Don't mind me."
"Not even a virgin?" Landon feigned surprise, leaning closer to Benjamin and lowering his voice. "You're okay, right?"
Benjamin shot him a glance. "Get lost."
"Got it!" Landon chuckled and darted back inside. As the glass door swung open and shut, the raucous noise from the room spilled out, making Benjamin frown slightly. The chaos downstairs was just as loud, but the distance and the cover of night made it less irritating than the noise right behind him.
Benjamin turned his gaze back to the street and spotted Grace in the crowd. He dialed her number and waited patiently, watching her startled reaction. When she answered, he commanded her in a detached tone. "Look up. Behind you."
She obeyed, turning to look behind her. Her gaze lingered low for a long moment before she realized she needed to look up. Then, she saw him standing on the balcony.
"Come up," he said. “Alone."
Flustered, she turned away as if she were afraid that Adrian might spot him. She took two deliberate steps to the side, lowered her head, and bargained with him over the phone in a tone laced with resignation and resentment. "Can't we do this another day? I'll come find you in Garma tomorrow. Okay?"