Chapter 82 Henry, Don't Push Me! Let's Separate!
Grace got back to Evergreen City and headed straight to the cemetery from the airport.
It was early winter, and the cold wind cut through her. In a black coat, she held a bouquet of daisies, Donna's favorite, and stood there, staring at Donna's smiling face.
Donna had died in a car accident. Grace remembered her as gentle and loving, deeply in love with Nathan. In the evenings, the sound of a car would echo in the courtyard of Tranquil Heights, and Donna would carry her downstairs to greet Nathan. Nathan would kiss Donna first, then take her in his arms. "Grace, did you miss Daddy?"
"Grace missed Daddy! Grace wants to go pick up Oliver from school with Daddy."
"Alright! We'll pick up Oliver together and not disturb Mommy while she paints," Nathan agreed.
Young Grace sat in the black car, looking at Donna through the rear window. Donna, draped in a shawl, stood in the courtyard with a blooming rose beside her, a gentle smile on her face.
A tear fell. Grace bent down and placed the bouquet of daisies in front of Donna's tombstone.
Grace thought, come spring, she should plant a rose here. When winter comes again, Donna would be holding her, waiting for Nathan to come home from work.
In the evening, Grace returned to the villa. The servant saw her return, looking quite nervous and speaking cautiously, "Mrs. Montague, you are back! Mr. Montague called from the office..."
Grace stood still on the staircase, her resolve firm. "No need to prepare my meal. I won't be eating at home. Sorry for the trouble."
With those words hanging in the air, she ascended to the second floor, her steps purposeful. Retrieving a sizable suitcase, she commenced the task of packing her belongings. Today marked the beginning of her decision to part ways with Henry!
Perhaps she lacked the immediate resources to depart from him, but the mere thought of sharing a bed and residing in the same abode with him became unbearable.
Grace packed a few sets of clothes and important documents, then zipped up the suitcase. Before leaving, she quietly looked around the bedroom where she had lived for three years, feeling a bit sentimental. Her gaze finally fell on the wedding ring on her finger.
She had worn it for only a short time, and now she took it off and gently placed it on the nightstand. With a calm determination, she removed the jewelry Henry had gifted her, and those platinum and diamond cards representing a life she never sought. Without a hint of hesitation, she left them behind, for they held no value in the unfolding chapters of her heart.
Grace opened the door with her suitcase, and Henry was standing at the doorway, his face dark.
Gazing at the suitcase she held, he entered the room and nonchalantly loosened his tie, his voice soft and questioning. "Back already, and packing for a getaway?"
Grace said softly, "I'm moving out."
Henry wrapped the tie around his long fingers, nodded at her words. "You mean separation. Why not just ask for a divorce? Or are you too afraid to say it?"
Grace stood her ground, her back against the wall, as Henry approached, his gaze penetrating. His voice softened as he spoke, "The matter has been resolved. I'll have Tranquil Heights renovated. The pebble path she walked on and the sofa she touched will all be replaced. Once it's done, we can go see it together. If you want to move back, it's up to Nathan and Clara."
Grace's voice grew even softer. "Henry, is this your way of compensating me?"
Henry pressed against her, his tie gently binding her slender wrist without tightening, a slight struggle would free her. The gesture was intimate and private for a couple.
Despite his intention to mend things, Grace's heart remained closed. She rejected his offers of recompense, his presence, and the very idea of salvaging the marriage. The haunting image of Elodie in her slip dress lounging on Donna's beloved couch lingered in Grace's thoughts, a painful reminder that she couldn't bear to face.
Grace remained resolute in her decision to depart.
Henry's demeanor shifted, his temper flaring. His once warm gaze turned icy, his words cutting like a winter wind. "It seems you've made up your mind, even if it means sacrificing Oliver to leave me! So, let's talk about terms. I said everything comes with a price in this world. If we can't reach an agreement, it just means the offer isn't tempting enough! Apart from securing Oliver's release and aiding the Windsor family's resurgence, Grace, Mrs. Montague, what more do you desire? Is this ample to sway you, to have you by my side each night?"
Grace's lips trembled, unable to hold back any longer.
Henry grabbed her wrist, stopping her slap. He threw her onto the bed, too angry to control himself, and grabbed her chin, kissing her hard.
She resisted, so he pinched her cheeks, leaving bruises. In no time, her stockings were off and tossed to the foot of the bed.
Henry pressed against her lips, whispering, "I won't let you go! I never liked her; I had my reasons! Be good, okay? We were so happy before."
Grace's golden hair spread out on the white sheets, her clothes disheveled, looking vulnerable and helpless. She looked at Henry, her voice hoarse and trembling. "Henry, don't force me!"
Henry's eyes darkened. "What do you mean?"
Grace's lips trembled. "We're still married. You don't want a scandal, do you? Henry, don't push me. If you push me again, I can't guarantee I won't do something drastic. Tomorrow, the day after, maybe a week later, the news of the Montague Group's president being betrayed by his wife will be all over Evergreen City's media. Compared to your scandals, people will care more about whether you were cheated on. How will your business friends see you? How will you negotiate deals in the future?"
Henry laughed instead of getting angry. "Who taught you this? Or did you figure it out yourself?"
Grace didn't answer. She stared into his eyes, watching his expression. Finally, Henry let go of her. He believed her. She hated him so much that if he kept her by his side, she might really do it.
She might find Felix or Lucas to humiliate him! So ruthless!
He didn't know how to judge her reaction. That she was more ruthless than him, or that she had let go, but either way, it wasn't something Henry was happy to see.
Standing by the bed, he spoke with unsettling calmness, "I'll let you go, but I won't divorce you! Grace, don't push me too far!"
Grace, a mix of relief and disbelief, walked away from Henry untouched. As she walked, she found her legs to wobble beneath her weight.
Henry walked out of the bedroom and into the study across the hall, closing the door. He sat on the sofa, took out a pack of cigarettes, shook one out, and lit it, smoking quietly.
Thin smoke rose, blurring his face. He remembered a similar evening when his father, Neil, was leaving with a suitcase. Aurora had screamed and begged him not to go, but she couldn't stop him. Neil left in a hurry, chasing his love, forgetting about Henry's situation. The rain was heavy, drowning out Henry's cries.
Years later, Henry still wondered, if Neil had known what he was facing, would he have still left? Would he have stayed?
Across the hall, there was movement. Henry heard the sound of a suitcase rolling, followed by Grace's footsteps down the stairs. Then he heard nothing, so he walked to the window and watched quietly.
Observing the servant in conversation with Grace, he noticed her faint smile before her departure. Grace exited with her suitcase in tow, much like Neil had left on that fateful day.
As the final remnants of twilight vanished from the sky, Henry remained rooted in place. Soon, the servant ascended the stairs, calling out to him, "Mr. Montague, dinner is served!"
He looked down at the half-smoked cigarette in his hand and asked softly, "Did Mrs. Montague eat anything when she came back?"
The servant shook her head. "No, she packed her things as soon as she got back."
"I'm not hungry yet. You can go," Henry said.
The servant left, and Henry slowly walked back to the bedroom, into the walk-in closet. None of the pricey clothes and jewelry had been taken by Grace; everything remained in its place. Additionally, she had left behind his cards.
On the nightstand were their wedding rings. He had just put it on her, and now she had taken it off. Contemplating her actions, he speculated that she didn't like the painting he had gifted her either.
Grace's departure had been sudden, a declaration of separation that masked the stark reality of a permanent exit. By removing herself from the Montague family and Henry's orbit, she had effectively severed ties with his world. The distinction between this act and a divorce was blurred; it was a calculated step, one that preserved a fragile facade while still relying on Henry for assistance in securing Oliver's release from prison.
Yet, why couldn't she endure it? Was it the perceived "dirtiness" of it all that gnawed at her conscience? In her heart, he had an affair with Elodie, just like she had said before, "Henry, you're too dirty for me to bear!"