Chapter 105
Grace's POV
I was curled up on the couch, trying to focus on the quarterly reports spread across my coffee table, when I heard Alex's key in the lock. I glanced at the clock, surprised. Wasn't his board meeting supposed to run until after eleven?
"Alex?" I called out, setting down my pen.
"I'm home," his voice carried from the entryway, and something in his tone made my heart skip. There was a warmth there, a contentment that I was still getting used to.
I padded to the foyer in my bare feet, wearing one of his oversized sweatshirts over my leggings. Alex was hanging up his coat, his dark hair slightly mussed from the wind.
"You're early," I said, unable to keep the smile from my voice. "I thought Morgan International's board meetings were sacred."
"I canceled it."
"You canceled a board meeting?" I stepped closer, reaching up to smooth down his hair. "Are you feeling alright?"
His arms came around my waist, pulling me against him. "I missed you too much to sit through three hours of quarterly projections and acquisition strategies."
He turned to face me, and the look in his eyes made me breath catch. There was something intense there, protective and possessive.
"Actually, I need to tell you something." His arms came around my waist, pulling me against him. "Richard was downstairs."
I felt my stomach drop. The confrontation in the parking garage earlier—he knew about it.
"Alex, I should explain about today—" I started, but he cut me off gently.
"You don't need to explain anything. I know exactly what happened." His hands moved to frame my face. "But the fact that he's still harassing you makes me want to lose my fucking mind."
I reached up to touch his cheek, feeling the tension in his jaw. "I'm sorry. I know this complicates things for you, for us—"
"Grace." He caught my hand, pressing it firmly against his face. "I don't give a damn about complications. I'm not worried about you cheating or running back to him. I know exactly where your loyalty lies."
The certainty in his voice made my chest tight with emotion.
"What bothers me," he continued, his eyes darkening, "is that pathetic excuse for a man thinking he has any right to approach you. To make you uncomfortable. To exist in the same fucking city as you."
I felt a shiver run through me at the protective edge in his voice.
"If it helps," I said softly, "I made it very clear that I have a husband now. Someone he definitely doesn't want to cross."
Alex's lips curved into a cold smile. "I'm sure you did. But apparently, the message wasn't clear enough." He paused, studying my face. "He'll be spending tonight in the hospital. Just to help clarify things."
"You did what?" I stared at him, shocked.
"Nothing permanent," Alex said calmly. "Just enough to remind him that actions have consequences."
I should have been horrified. Instead, I felt a warm rush of gratitude. "Thank you," I whispered. "For protecting me."
"Always." He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "But Grace, I think it's time we made some changes. We need a new place."
I blinked, surprised by the sudden shift. "A new place?"
"A house that's just ours," he said simply. "I will never allow that scumbag to have any chance to show up downstairs at your apartment building again."
"Plus," Alex continued, his tone becoming more practical, "we should start planning the wedding. The real one. I want everyone to know you're my wife."
The possessive way he said 'my wife' made my pulse quicken.
"I'll have Lucas prepare some property portfolios for you to look at—villas, estates, whatever you prefer."
I nodded, warmth spreading through my chest. "Okay. Yes. Let's do it."
"Good." Alex's expression softened. "Now, show me what you bought at the auction today."
I led him to the dining table where I'd laid out the jewelry boxes. "I got these for your grandmother and stepmother. As a thank you for welcoming me into the family."
Alex opened the first box, revealing the emerald necklace. His fingers traced the delicate setting. "This is beautiful, Grace. They're going to love it."
"I hoped so." I opened the second box, showing him the pink diamond earrings. "I wanted them to know how much their acceptance means to me."
Alex looked up from the jewelry, his eyes intense. "You know what means more to me than anything?"
"What?"
"The fact that you thought of them. Your thoughtfulness will make them happy." He reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers. "But there's no one in this world who treasures your consideration more than I do."
The sincerity in his voice made my throat tight with emotion. I squeezed his hand, unable to find words.
"Speaking of treasuring things," Alex said, his tone shifting to something more serious, "I have some information you need to see."
He pulled out a thick folder from his briefcase. "Information about Elizabeth and Andrew. Their power structure, their methods, their vulnerabilities."
I opened the folder, scanning the first few pages. It was incredibly detailed—financial records, business dealings, personal relationships.
"Elizabeth has been systematically consolidating power since your father's death," Alex explained, moving to stand behind my chair. "The resources she could access from her own family were limited, but marrying your father gave her unprecedented family support."
I flipped to a section about Andrew. "It says here he was adopted when he was five?"
"After his parents died in a car accident." Alex's voice was carefully neutral. "His biological parents were core technical personnel at Elizabeth's family business. They'd discovered some financial irregularities and were planning to report them when the accident occurred."
I looked up at him sharply. "You think Elizabeth—"
"I think Elizabeth has always been very good at eliminating threats to her position," Alex said quietly. "And I think Andrew's loyalty to her stems from gratitude for taking him in when he had nowhere else to go."
The implications made my stomach turn. "She killed his parents and then adopted him?"
"I can't prove it," Alex admitted. "But the timing was convenient. And all the evidence of the financial irregularities disappeared shortly after the accident."
I closed the folder, feeling sick. "God. He has no idea, does he?"
"Probably not. But Grace, there's something else." Alex moved around to face me. "Wilson Holdings is planning to invest in Harrison Group."
"What?" I shot to my feet, the folder scattering. "They're investing in Richard's company?"