Chapter 65 Chapter 65
Grace was almost certain that Zach hadn't given Benjamin the dangerous secret phone. She just sat there in silence.
Even the slowest-witted Jasen had now noticed the tension between Benjamin and Grace. He turned to the bespectacled man with a puzzled look. The man winked at Jasen, pulled him toward the exit, and laughed, "Come on, Jasen. I didn't drive today. You're giving me a ride home.”
One by one, the others left. Within moments, only Benjamin and Grace remained in the vast room. Benjamin remained seated at the card table, fingering chips in his palm as he appraised Grace coldly.
Though a flicker of fear touched her heart, Grace's expression remained impassive. Ignoring him, she leaned back, picked up a magazine, and spread it across her lap to continue reading.
Benjamin chuckled softly and flicked a chip with a light flick of his wrist. It landed squarely on Grace's magazine. "What’s wrong with you?" he asked.
With another flick of his wrist, he sent another chip flying. It landed with a soft thud in front of her. He tilted his chin toward her, his tone laced with mockery. "You're just my mistress, not their boss."
Grace finally set down the magazine and met his gaze calmly. "New brooms sweep clean," she replied. "While you like me, I can keep them from insulting me."
Benjamin smiled appreciatively. "You're straightforward."
"I'm just better than you. I say what I think."
She added self-deprecatingly, "Unlike you, who's clearly annoyed that your men ogled my chest yet uses some girl as an excuse to rage."
Such sarcasm cut Benjamin deeper than direct insults. Even when she hated him the most, she had rarely attacked him verbally like this.
Benjamin was both angry and surprised. Seeing her pale face, however, he felt a pang of reluctance. Narrowing his eyes, he forced himself to control his emotions. “Why are you on the warpath?”
Grace also realized her irrationality. She pressed her lips tightly together and fell silent. After a moment, she said, "I'm irritable right now. Don't talk to me."
Benjamin continued to frown at her. "What's really going on?"
She didn't answer directly. Her lips pressed tighter and her face grew paler. Her hand instinctively covered her lower abdomen. Only when she looked up and saw that he was still studying her did she reply irritably. "What's there to look at? Never seen a woman with period cramps?”
He paused, then sighed helplessly as he understood. "No wonder you're acting crazy."
He paused and scanned her from head to toe before snorting softly. "If you're uncomfortable, stay home. Why did you come here?"
Grace ignored him and rose to find water. The room reeked of alcohol, and she struggled to find a bottle of plain water, only to realize that she couldn't twist off the cap.
Seeing her grimace, he chuckled. He walked over, took the bottle from her, unscrewed the cap, and handed it back to her in a teasing tone: "So weak?"
She said, "Thanks," but didn't drink immediately. Instead, she placed the bottle on the coffee table and rummaged through her purse.
He paid her no mind, settling onto the sofa beside her. His tone carried a hint of disappointment. "Your period sure knows how to pick a time. It never comes during the day; it only shows up at night.”
Grace had just popped a pill from its blister pack when she heard this. Without thinking, she threw the pill and the entire blister pack at Benjamin.
He froze, his expression instantly souring. He stared at her coldly. "Grace, I'm being patient because I'm in a good mood. Don't push your luck."
She cried, her voice trembling. "Benjamin, do you think someone else caused my pain? It's you! Do you think a few comforting words will make the pain disappear?"
He didn't understand. Instinctively frowning, he picked up the pill pack beside him and glanced at it. Seeing that they were painkillers, his expression softened slightly. However, he retorted, "Grace, is your period cramps also because of me?"
Grace trembled all over, refusing to speak. Only when he asked again did she reply. "Benjamin, during sex, you only care about your own pleasure. You never care about me. Do you know how many times I've used emergency contraception these past few months? Do you know how damaging that is to a woman? Do you think I want these cramps? My cycle has been completely messed up!"
Benjamin knew nothing about this. As a man, he had never paid attention to such matters and always used condoms with other women.
Only with her was it different. At first, it was to humiliate her. Later, he became addicted to the feeling of complete intimacy without barriers.
He fell silent.
She laughed self-mockingly, muttering, "But it doesn't matter anymore. Adrian's gone. No one cares if I take birth control pills or get sterilized.”
She stood up, clutching her handbag, and asked him coldly, "Mr. Norman, would you like to have sex with me while I'm on my period? If not, I'll leave first. I'm really uncomfortable today."
Seeing no reaction, she turned to leave. After taking a few steps, she returned and snatched the painkiller pack from his hand. Just as she prepared to leave, he grabbed her wrist.
She froze. "What? I'm still bleeding down there."
Benjamin replied helplessly, "Take the pills and go to sleep early. I won't touch you tonight."
True to his word, they shared the bed that night, but he didn't touch her.
Grace conceded, no longer nitpicking. She simply curled up in a corner of the bed and hugged herself.
It wasn't until midnight that she finally rolled over, drowsily nestling into his embrace. Like a kitten, she rubbed against his cheek, found a comfortable spot, and drifted back into a sound sleep.
Benjamin was a light sleeper and had been startled awake long ago. Beyond surprise, he felt something indescribable stirring within him.
He watched her tightly closed eyes, hesitated, and then finally embraced her.
When they woke up the next morning, she was clinging even tighter to him. She was wrapped around him like an octopus, with a trace of drool at the corner of her mouth. She looked like a baby.
This intimacy touched him deeply. His thoughts drifted for a few seconds, and before he knew it, a faint smile touched his lips. He held her for a little while longer, then rose gently from her embrace—unusually—and went for his morning run alone.
After his run and shower, she had woken up, and her complexion looked far healthier than the night before.
The nanny had breakfast ready. She sat at the table eating a sandwich and didn't speak to him until she finished. Then, as naturally as a wife might speak to her husband, she said, "Find someone to drive me to school. I need to go to school."
Benjamin was heading to the office, too, though not in the same direction.
He nodded, then paused before adding, "You can threaten Zach, but you're not allowed to actually cut off his finger."
Knowing her temperament, he was certain she would chop off Zach's entire hand if given the chance.
Since he had decided to keep her as his mistress for the time being, he didn't mind letting her establish her authority in front of his men. However, he wouldn't let her act without restraint.