Chapter 113 It's Your Freedom to Date!
Henry's eyes darkened a bit. 'Did she just call me Mr. Montague?' he pondered.
For a moment, their eyes locked.
The woman next to Henry noticed the tension. She leaned in and asked, "Should I give you two a moment, Henry?"
Her hand rested on Henry's arm, looking cozy.
Henry was about to pull away, but seeing Grace's slight reaction, he didn't. Instead, he said softly, "No need."
Grace walked past them to her seat.
Henry lowered his eyes, and the woman pulled her hand back.
She was testing her place in Henry's heart. At first, she felt good, but after Grace left, Henry's face went blank, and she knew she had no chance.
The woman, dressed to impress, flicked her hair and said softly, "You still care about her, don't you?"
Henry had no appetite.
He put down his utensils, leaned back in his chair, and stared at Grace.
Grace had taken off her coat, showing a fitted lilac dress.
Her slender figure and wavy blonde hair made her look very attractive.
Even though they were divorced, Henry's gaze at Grace was possessive and dark. Maybe it had been a while since he was with a woman, and he had a unique allure.
The woman across from him wanted to win him over but knew his mind was elsewhere. Hence, their conversation grew dull.
Grace had just ordered when Amara arrived.
Amara's expression was interesting, probably having seen Henry. She comforted Grace, "Men are all the same! They fall apart without a woman at home."
Grace smiled. "We're divorced, Mrs. Young. I don't care."
Amara patted her hand. "It's good you're moving on."
They chatted and ate happily.
Amara liked Grace and shared her restaurant experience. Grace listened closely.
Halfway through, Amara said, "You need to position yourself well! Go for a high-end brand. There's a great spot on the first floor of Skysoar Tower. Make it grand. Your connections will help, and I can too!"
Grace nodded. "I'll check it out."
Amara asked about her health, and Grace smiled. "Nothing serious! Mrs. Young, I'm going to touch up my makeup."
"Go ahead!" Amara nodded.
Grace headed to the restroom.
She didn't expect to run into Henry. When she entered, Henry was leaning against the wall, smoking. The smoke curling around him, adding a mysterious aura to his sharp features. Hearing footsteps, he turned and met her gaze.
Grace stopped.
The light above brightened everything. If not for the cigarette, it felt like time had stopped.
Grace wanted to leave, but Henry grabbed her wrist, his thumb gently stroking it, hinting at intimacy.
Henry's face stayed indifferent, but his gaze felt like he was undressing her.
"Henry, are you nuts?" Grace struggled but couldn't break free.
With a slight pull, Henry drew her into his arms. She could smell the fresh tobacco mixed with something refreshing on him.
"How have you been?" Henry put out his cigarette and looked down at her, his voice soft.
Grace didn't answer. Her eyes reddened. "Henry, what do you want? We're divorced. You can't treat me like this!"
He stared at her, his blue eyes unreadable.
Henry loosened his grip. Just when Grace thought he'd let go, he pinned her against the wall, one hand around her neck, forcing her to look up. He kissed her hard.
Grace resisted, but he dominated her, melting her with his kiss.
"Henry, stop, let me go." Her voice was hoarse, broken by his kiss, making her tremble.
After a long time, he let her go. Grace slapped him.
Her eyes red, she glared at him. "Henry, you bastard! We're divorced! Do that again, and I'll bite your tongue off!"
"Go ahead! We'll make the news together," he replied.
Reasoning with Henry was pointless; he was a rogue.
Grace didn't want to touch up her makeup anymore. She tried to leave, but he grabbed her hand again.
Grace didn't look at him, her voice choked with sobs. "Henry, you promised to let me go! Now you're humiliating me! What do you want?"
Henry pulled her closer, examining her red eyes.
His voice was gentle. "I don't want anything."
"That woman earlier, she's just a family connection. There's nothing between us," he explained.
Grace said softly, "It's none of my business! We're divorced. You can date, have dinner with women, it's your freedom. No one will restrain you anymore!"
Henry wanted to say something, but his phone rang. He frowned slightly.
Grace saw it was Elodie calling, and her whole body turned cold.
Even though they were divorced, Elodie's name was still a nightmare. Her face turned cold, and she quickly walked out.
This time, Henry couldn't stop her.
Grace walked out, trying to hide her emotions, but Amara noticed.
Henry was powerful, and Amara didn't want to offend him. She handed Grace an invitation to a party. "Come over this weekend. I'll introduce you to some folks. They might come in handy down the line."
Grace nodded, "Thank you, Mrs. Young."
She parted ways with Amara and walked alone on the street.
Seeing Henry again brought back memories of their three-year marriage, all the things she wanted to forget, all the things she wanted to escape from, came rushing back, making her exhausted.
But she knew she couldn't avoid it. They live in the same city. Even in a bustling metropolis like Evergreen City, their social circles overlap, making the world seem so small!
She walked under the neon lights for a long time.
As night deepened, Clara called, "Sherry hasn't had an appetite all day and just threw up. Grace, should we take her to a vet?"