Chapter 11 Silent Rainy Night, The Missed Encounter
Aurora was fuming as she turned to see Seraphina on the phone.
"Freeze Henry's card and take back the company shares. He can only see me if he manages to win over Grace. Otherwise, he'll pay the price."
Seraphina had always been fond of Grace. It was fine when Grace didn't want a divorce, but now that she was about to, Seraphina was the most upset.
In the café, Grace stared at the message from her boss firing her, staying silent. Her red eyes glanced at the Bentley in the rainy night.
Their eyes met—it was Henry.
She knew Seraphina must have said something to Henry. After all, she still had some value to them.
She grabbed her violin case and left the café. At the door, the cold wind hit her, making her shiver.
Henry, in a white suit, probably just out of a meeting, looked relaxed. In contrast, she looked miserable in the rainy night.
Grace wiped the rain off her face, her lips trembling. She knew Henry had come here on purpose, and her firing was probably his doing too. All she needed to do was soften her stance and say a few kind words, and she'd have hot water and towels. She could lie on a big bed without worrying about paying for Oliver's medication.
But she didn't want to go back to being the lifeless Mrs. Montague.
Grace couldn't afford a taxi, since all the money she had should be saved for better use. Seeing the rain getting heavier, she hugged the violin close to her chest to keep it dry, and ran into the night. Rain dripped from her hair onto the bandage on her hand.
Henry opened the door and a black umbrella, stepping out of the car, and looking at the very downcast Grace. Just when he thought Grace would soften and return to him, she brushed past him.
At that moment, the air seemed to quiet down, and the splashing rain felt like it was falling on his heart.
He was about to speak, but his phone rang. Celeste, holding an umbrella, handed the phone over. "Mr. Montague, it's Miss Williams."
Henry glanced at the phone, then looked up at Grace's figure, getting into a black car and driving away.
Knowing it was Lucas' car, he felt very uncomfortable. It seemed Grace still had quite an attraction.
Putting away the umbrella, leaning back in the car seat, his expression was extremely gloomy. "Celeste, don't you have an explanation about Elodie?"
Celeste frowned, "What's wrong?"
"Do you think I'm easy to fool?" Henry pinched his brow, his tone icy, and the tension spread in the car.
Celeste felt embarrassed, knowing her boss had once again discovered her acting behind him—Every time Henry was at a critical moment with Grace, Elodie would call or message. And she, Celeste Johnson, was the one behind it, leaking the information.
She knew that if she didn't handle this well, she would be kicked out of the Montague Group, for this was the second time he caught her.
"Celeste, know your place. You should know what you need to do and what you shouldn't do. This is your last chance." Henry snapped, his voice icy and unyielding. His irritation simmered just below the surface as his thoughts inevitably drifted to Grace.
Why wouldn't she come back with him? He had already compromised. Didn't she used to like clinging to him?
The old Grace was so obedient, she would listen to him in everything. Even if he made her cry out in pain without any foreplay in bed, she never complained.
Was it because of Lucas? Because of Lucas, she wanted a divorce and then had the courage to go against him?
Henry admitted he didn't like Grace, or rather, he had never liked anyone, including Elodie.
He wanted to marry Elodie before because her violin woke him up. But ever since he woke up, her performance was no longer captivating. He wondered if that music was really played by Elodie.
Grace could also play the violin, and in his memory, she was a top violin student, once highly favored by the music master Gavin. But because of one ridiculous night, she married into his family and gave up on her career.
He had his doubts, but Celeste showed him a video, in which Grace's performance was such a letdown. Now, with Celeste's recent actions crossing the line, he wondered if that video was fake too.
Once the suspicion was planted in his heart, Henry found it impossible to escape his thoughts about these days without Grace by his side. The food lately didn't suit his taste, and Celeste tried to make up for it with various desserts. He liked desserts, but only the ones Grace made.
Today, he wanted to compromise again and bring Grace back. Having a wife who understood him at home provided a comfortable haven—a hot meal waiting when he returned, and Grace always ready to undress and fulfill his desires in bed.
Maybe, just maybe, he couldn't live without her.
But came to think of it, he knew it clearly that he only enjoyed Grace's affection while ignoring her feelings. He just thought Grace was suitable to be his wife, not out of love, but out of convenience.
'Forget it.' He tried to convince himself that he was only used to Grace's presence.
"Have a cup of hot coffee to warm up, and take a hot shower when you get home, don't catch a cold," Lucas said gently, handing Grace a thermos and a towel.
Grace took it and wiped her hair, looking at the hot coffee and taking a careful sip.
After closing the thermos, she looked at Lucas driving and sincerely said, "Thank you, Lucas."
After many years, there was always a barrier between them.
Lucas chuckled, "No need to be so formal with me. Why didn't you take a taxi today? If I hadn't passed by, would you have run back?"
Grace blushed, "I didn't get paid today."
Lucas chuckled, "Silly girl, if you need money, just tell me, I have money."
"As for Dylan, I heard he's abroad handling a tricky case, he probably can't come back within six months," he added.
Grace listened carefully, and upon hearing Dylan couldn't come back, she hesitated, "Is there no other way?"
"No," Lucas shook his head, "It's very difficult. That case is the most important one in his life. If he returns halfway, his career might be ruined."
Hearing this, Grace's expression turned gloomy. Another six months? But Oliver couldn't wait.
Lucas noticed Grace's gloom and added, "But I have connections abroad, let's see if we can get in touch with Dylan."
Grace nodded, not speaking anymore, just turning her head to look at the rainy night.
A lot had happened today, and she couldn't process it all at once. She wondered if she compromised, could Oliver come back?
But it was impossible.
To Henry, she wasn't important enough to make him spend a fortune hiring the country's top lawyer, Dylan, to drop his case and return.
Rain fell on the car window, Grace curled up, her eyes reddening. Lucas saw her pitiful look through the rearview mirror, his heart trembling, gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter.
If he had come back a little earlier, Grace wouldn't have suffered so much.
For Henry, she gave up her peak musical achievements, was it really worth it? He was jealous, tormented by the intensity of Grace's love for Henry.
In the end, Grace refused his umbrella, hugging her violin and rushing into the shabby neighborhood. In the rain, every step she took made his heart ache to the point of suffocation.
He noticed Grace's reluctance towards him. If it hadn't been for his insistence and mentioning Nathan earlier, Grace would never have gotten into his car and accepted his kindness.
In his memory, the child chasing him gradually overlapped with the current Grace. Over the years, she became mature, and it was Henry who had shaped her into this delicate and weak figure that aroused pity.
Back in the car, Lucas made a call, giving instructions about Grace. After a while, his car left the neighborhood.
And just after he left, a black Bentley drove into the shabby neighborhood. Inside the car, Henry glanced at Lucas's car and then looked away.
But this scene was extremely shocking to Celeste. Since when did Henry care so much about Grace? Was it because of Seraphina's words? Or something else?
Henry was gradually changing, although very subtly, but Celeste could feel it.