Chapter 252 Henry Seems to Have Started Sweet-Talking
They were clutching their phones, listening to the soft, gentle breathing on the other end, like a spring breeze tickling their ears.
Grace's ears turned red. Worried Clara might notice, she quickly hung up. When she looked up, Clara was lost in thought.
Grace couldn't help but grab her hand and ask, "Clara, are you thinking about Dad?"
Clara nodded. "Hearing Henry's voice just now made me think of Oliver. I wonder how he's doing! How are he and Sarah?"
Grace kept quiet about Lester.
If Oliver ever brought Sarah back to Evergreen City, for Sarah to have a good life, she couldn't mention Lester or that whole mess.
She just told Clara, "Sarah's six months pregnant! That's probably why she can't come back."
Grace tried to cheer her up, but Clara still looked down. She sighed, "The Windsor family is gonna have a new member; I should be happy! But it's Dylan's sister who's having the baby. Grace, if Oliver brings her back one day, I really don't know how to face her or if I should take care of that child!"
Grace felt torn. She gave a faint smile. "Let's deal with that when it comes! Sarah's innocent in all this. Clara, why should women make things harder for each other?"
Clara felt a bit better. "You're right!"
Grace grabbed a bottle of red wine from the cabinet, opened it, and poured them each half a glass. Clara couldn't drink, so it was more for the gesture.
Just then, a servant walked in with a fancy box. "This came from abroad! It should be from Mr. Windsor."
Grace opened it and found two sets of pricey jewelry inside; one set of rubies and the other of emeralds, probably one for each of them.
Clara liked it, and her mood lifted a bit.
Grace, though, was distracted. She'd been back for a few days but couldn't shake everything she went through in Dawnstar, especially the image of Sarah, six months pregnant, squatting on the second-floor balcony with eyes full of despair.
Grace stood alone on the bedroom balcony, quietly taking in the view. Even though she was alone, she felt her life was complete. The only thing missing was Nathan.
Her phone buzzed in her coat pocket. She pulled it out and looked.
It was a Facebook message from Henry: [Grace, may you be happy every day from now on. This isn't just a blessing; it's a promise.]
Grace stared at the message for a long time but didn't reply. She thought, 'Henry's really laying it on thick now.'
That night, Grace didn't fall asleep until after two in the morning.
When she finally woke up, it was already early morning, and sunlight was streaming into the bedroom through the curtains, gently warming her.
She grabbed her phone from the pillow and glanced at it. It was already 9 o'clock.
Grace lay back, staring at the ceiling, thinking she hadn't slept that well in ages. She wanted to sleep a bit more but was worried about Clara and decided to go check on her.
The villa was cozy, and the housekeepers were all older women. This made Grace feel at ease enough to step out in her lightweight pajamas.
She didn't expect Henry to show up early in the morning with two kids and a doctor. Right then, the female doctor was massaging Clara and had changed her medication. Clara kept saying how much better the new medicine felt.
Henry stood nearby, looking sharp in a snow-white shirt, a handmade three-piece suit, and a thin wool coat.
Under the crystal chandelier, his chiseled features looked even more striking. Henry's eyes and brows exuded a touch of mature charm.
Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Henry looked up and saw Grace.
The white silk robe she wore couldn't completely cover her body, semi-transparent under the light. He was all too familiar with her figure.
Henry's blue eyes darkened.
They were just a couple of steps apart. Grace instinctively wanted to go back and change, but Henry grabbed her wrist. He pulled her close and whispered, "Did you save this special moment just for me?"
Grace rolled her eyes, not wanting to give him the time of day.
She asked, "Where are Taylor and Avery?"
Henry's gaze stayed on her, and he said casually, "Sawyer's outside with them, building a snowman."
Grace felt relieved. She gently pulled away from him, greeted Clara with a good morning, and slowly went upstairs to change.
Henry didn't follow. He stayed by Clara's side, discussing her injury with the doctor. Clara felt bad seeing him so concerned and kept saying, "The new medicine is much more comfortable! The injury isn't serious, really. Thank you for being so considerate."
Henry naturally replied, "You're the elder in the family, of course, I care."
After a while, Grace came downstairs for breakfast.
Taylor ran in, tugging on Grace's hand excitedly. "Mom, it's snowing like crazy outside! Will you come build a snowman with us? And the roses have bloomed; they look amazing."
The roses have bloomed?
Grace glanced outside. Sure enough, the snow was coming down hard, and the roses in the corner of the yard were in full bloom. Those flowers had been transplanted from Tranquil Heights, and she wanted to go see them.
Henry wasn't having it. As she was changing her shoes, he grabbed her slender wrist and whispered, "The snow's heavy, and you're not strong enough. Stay inside, okay?"
Grace looked up, their eyes meeting, and saw the tenderness in Henry's eyes.
She knew what he meant.
After giving birth to Taylor, she'd been confined in a dark, cold place, which left her with health issues. She'd been weak ever since.
Grace gently pulled away and said softly, "I'm fine now."
She went out anyway!
Sawyer was holding Avery, who was bundled up tightly. Grace and Taylor built two little snow bunnies, which turned out super cute.
Grace stood in the snow, feeling the cold seep into her bones, but she unintentionally met Henry's gaze.
He stood on the steps, just a couple of steps away from her.
The soft sunlight on the snowy day wrapped around him, and Grace quietly watched, suddenly recalling his youthful appearance and his current charm.
Time seemed to freeze. Grace spoke softly, "Henry, this year's snow is the best."
She hoped this heavy snow would wash away their past.
Henry gazed at her, his eyes showing emotion, his Adam's apple moving. After a moment, he said, "Yeah! It's the best!"
He then brought her back inside to warm up.
The hall was empty, and the fire in the fireplace was burning brightly. Grace took off her down jacket, wearing only a thin red wool dress, and removed her stockings, revealing her soft feet.
A servant brought a basin of hot water.
Grace soaked her feet in the hot water, sighing comfortably. She leaned lazily on the sofa, casually flipping through a book.
Henry sat across from her.
Suddenly, the water rippled, and Grace's foot was caught by him.
She tried to pull it back but couldn't, her voice a bit hoarse. "Henry."
He was washing her feet.
Henry looked up, his gaze deep and unreadable. After a moment, he dried her feet and placed them in his lap. He held them to put on her socks, creating an intimate scene.
Grace bit her lip.
Henry looked up again, staring at her, his voice barely a whisper. "Does it feel good?"
Even though no one else was around, Grace felt embarrassed. She kicked him lightly, "Let go of me! Stop messing around!"
Henry released her foot.
At that moment, he noticed an invitation on the table. Picking it up, he saw it was from Owen.
Grace saw it too and guessed he was going to mock her. Sure enough, Henry's first words were not kind. "Your ex is getting married! Feeling a bit upset?"
Grace snatched the invitation, her tone light. "It's none of your business."
Henry, being quite magnanimous, didn't argue further. He said, "I got one too! Shall we go together?"
Grace curled up on the sofa, wrapped in a wool blanket, lightly flicking her slightly curly, waist-length hair, pretending to be reserved. "Henry, you are you, and I am me! We don't need to be that close."
Henry leaned back on the sofa, took the book she had been reading, and casually flipped through it.
After a while, he said nonchalantly, "Just now, when I touched your feet, I sensed a connection, and now it's 'you are you, and I am me'?"
Grace wanted to kick him out. Henry looked at her. "Do you really want me to leave?"
He always missed her. With no one else around and having just been tempted, he couldn't help but want to kiss her.
Taylor ran in from outside, covered in snow but warm from playing. She hugged Henry, acting spoiled, asking him to stay for dinner and sleep over.
Henry brushed the snow off Taylor and looked at Grace, his eyes full of meaning.
That burning gaze made Grace's body tremble slightly. She pretended to be busy.
That night, she didn't let Henry stay over, even though it was still snowing. Henry kissed the two kids and was leaving in the middle of the night.
Taylor's eyes were full of tears.
After he left, Clara couldn't help but say, "His leg still isn't fully healed! How can you let him drive at this hour?"
Grace quietly watched the snow outside the floor-to-ceiling window. "He has a driver."
Clara said anxiously, "Sawyer left in the afternoon! Henry is driving now. I'm really worried! You should go check on him."
Grace hesitated for a moment but still put on her coat and went out.
At the bottom of the villa steps, a black Bentley was parked. It was the same model he used to drive, but clearly a new one. The roof was covered with a thin layer of snow.
Henry sat in the car, smoking a cigarette.
The car window was half down, and the faint smoke drifted out, quickly torn apart by the night wind.
Grace opened the car door.
Henry looked up, meeting her gaze in the night. He asked gently, "What's wrong?"