Chapter 23 Juniper, why are you so nice to Grace?
"Henry, it is none of your business. Give me back my phone," Grace said as she tried to snatch the phone from his hand.
Henry's deep eyes quietly glanced at Grace, taking a step back to prevent her from succeeding. With a teasing smile, he looked down at the message from Lucas on the phone: [Grace, how have you been?]
His magnetic voice carried a hint of mockery.
Sending a message to Grace in the middle of the night under the guise of friendship was a bit too far-fetched. They were all adults, and not just Henry, but Grace had long sensed it too.
Henry tossed the phone aside, loosened his collar, and pressed Grace down with one hand on her delicate shoulder. Leaning close to her ear, his voice was extremely gentle, like a lover's whisper. "Mrs. Montague, how does it feel to cheat in front of your husband in the middle of the night?"
His eyes reflected Grace's blushing face, her nose tinged with a faint pink, like a little kitten being bullied and only able to whimper in his arms.
"I didn't, Henry," Grace tried to explain, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Oh?" Henry's eyes were filled with mockery as he played with Grace's long hair with his fingers, his hands roughly handling her body without any tenderness.
Grace knew this was Henry's punishment for her. This was the real Henry. Their marriage had always been like this. Whenever he was dissatisfied with her, he would endlessly torment her, and no matter how much she begged, it was useless. The more she struggled, the more intense the humiliation she faced.
Grace held back her tears, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
She stubbornly bit her lip, refusing to beg for mercy. Even though her body was fiercely resisting, she endured it because she feared that if she begged, Henry would lose control.
Her forehead was covered in fine sweat as she helplessly endured Henry's punishment.
Henry gradually lost interest, his lips close to Grace's ear. "I remember you used to like moaning. But now, are you saving it for Lucas now?"
His distinct fingers played with Grace's hair, his voice icy. "Tell me, honey, how far have you and Lucas gone? Has he kissed you? Or have you already slept with him?"
His voice carried a hint of hoarseness, as if anticipating Grace's answer.
Grace shook her head, choking with sobs in his arms. "I didn't sleep with him."
Satisfied with the answer, Henry looked down at Grace in his arms. "I believe you."
His tone was gentle, his eyes reflecting Grace's pitifully bullied appearance, making her look very endearing.
His fingers brushed through Grace's hair, applying slight pressure. Grace thought Henry was going to bully her again and shrank her neck.
Henry stared at her captivating face, leaned down, and kissed her. His hand slowly slipped into her dress, and Grace was breathless, the atmosphere between them growing increasingly intimate.
Reluctantly, Henry released her lips, his eyes filled with a suggestive look. "Grace, you can only be mine."
Grace didn't speak, her eyes carrying a hint of confusion, looking incredibly alluring, making Henry want to possess every inch of her body and hold her tightly in his arms.
Grace recalled the past three years with Henry, filled with nothing but bad memories.
Her voice gradually choked up as she cautiously looked up at Henry. "Henry, can you let me go?"
Just as Henry was about to speak, his phone rang.
Annoyed at being interrupted at such a crucial moment, Henry answered the call.
His voice was impatient, but his gaze remained on Grace. "What is it?"
Celeste's anxious voice came through the phone. "Mr. Montague, Miss Williams' leg has suddenly worsened. We need you to sign and pay for the follow-up procedures."
Henry, feeling irritated, hung up the phone and glanced at the thoroughly bullied Grace. "I have something to take care of. You stay here. I'll come get you tomorrow."
Grace didn't say anything, just quietly watched him leave. She knew Henry wouldn't come back. He left in a hurry, probably afraid something would happen to Elodie. When she fell from the second floor and broke her leg while bringing water for Henry, he was right there, not only showing no concern but also kicking her when she was down, calling her useless.
In the past, she would have felt some resentment towards Henry's abrupt departure or eagerly waited for him to return in the middle of the night.
But now, she no longer cared about anything related to him.
Truly, ever since she stopped loving Henry, these past few days had been her happiest. She no longer had to live according to Henry's moods.
Now, no matter how cold Henry was to her or how sharp his words were, she didn't care.
Grace didn't reply to Lucas' message. Sometimes, not replying was the best protection.
She didn't want him to get hurt because of her. It was better for everyone this way.
Evergreen City, Azure Palace Hotel.
After sending Felix off, Frank pulled Juniper to the hotel's balcony.
Grace could work at the Azure Palace Hotel not because of Henry, but because Juniper had traded her body for it. Three hours of work a day, with a monthly salary of $100,000. Even top celebrities didn't get such treatment, showing how much Juniper had sacrificed.
On the balcony, in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, Frank directly tied Juniper up.
At first, Juniper tried to resist, pinching his waist hard. Frank found it amusing and whispered in her ear. "Who taught you this? Haven't seen you in a few days, and now you know how to pinch me."
Juniper was utterly exhausted by him, shamefully changing in various positions on the balcony. The entire balcony was filled with an atmosphere of their intimacy
Afterwards, Frank pulled up his pants and went to the bathroom to shower.
Juniper didn't mind, draping his coat over herself and sitting leisurely on the balcony chair, lighting a cigarette.
Not long after, Frank came out in a bathrobe. Seeing Juniper's indifferent demeanor, he teased. "You're getting more and more wanton."
Juniper didn't respond, just glanced at the water stains on the balcony floor, then got dressed and left.
Frank didn't stop her, just curiously asked. "Why would you go to such lengths for Grace?"
Juniper didn't answer, just put on her coat and sent a message to Grace before leaving the hotel.
Frank would never understand what was between them. It wasn't that she was good to Grace, but that Grace had been good to her.
She met Grace in middle school. At that time, her family situation was terrible. Her parents were addicted to gambling, selling everything they could, almost even selling her.
When they owed too much, they committed suicide, leaving her alone with a mountain of debt.
She was just over ten years old, insulted by classmates, called a motherless child, a nobody. If she resisted, she would bullied even more.
On her way home, debt collectors threatened and intimidated her, saying they would sell her to a brothel.
Without money, she soon received a notice of expulsion from school.
In her despair, she went to the balcony, and it was Grace who pulled her back, secretly took her home, gave her a hot bath, and fed her. Later, Grace begged Oliver to pay off her family's debts. Grace took care of her for six years, pulling her out of the darkness.
So to her, Grace was not just a good friend but also a benefactor. If she could, she would give her life for Grace.