Chapter 71 Saw Grayson Again?
Sloane's POV
He finally let go of my hand and turned around. Those deep eyes were churning with complex emotions I couldn't read in the darkness.
"I'm sorry." He looked at me, his Adam's apple bobbing as he spoke in a hoarse and serious tone I'd never heard before. "What happened today, and everything before... it was all my fault. I neglected you."
His apology came so suddenly, yet so sincerely.
Looking at the clear regret and exhaustion in his eyes, the humiliation and hurt I'd just suffered in that private room were strangely soothed a little.
He took a step forward, his tall figure completely enveloping me, his tone carrying a hint of careful probing. "Sloane, I promise it won't happen again."
I lowered my eyes, avoiding his too-intense gaze, my mind in chaos.
I didn't know how to respond to his promise, because I couldn't even see clearly myself whether this was another carefully staged act or his belated sincerity.
Just then, something flashed through my mind and I suddenly remembered.
"Jessie!" I cried out. "I... I came here with Jessie. She's still inside waiting for me."
I couldn't leave that innocent, enthusiastic girl alone in there.
"I'm going to find her," I said, turning to walk back into the restaurant.
"I'll come with you." Jared immediately followed, taking my hand again. This time, his movement was much gentler, as if afraid I'd run away again.
We returned to the restaurant entrance. I was about to go in when my gaze was firmly caught by a figure by the floor-to-ceiling window in the lobby.
The person had their back to us, standing by a large potted plant talking on the phone, slender and upright, wearing a simple gray trench coat.
Just an ordinary silhouette, yet it struck my deepest memories like lightning.
Those familiar shoulders, that posture with the head slightly tilted to one side...
My breathing stopped instantly, blood seeming to flow backward to my heart.
How could... how could it look so much like...
That boy who had been swallowed by fire and smoke, who had long disappeared from my life.
"Grayson..."
I didn't know how I made that sound. That single word seemed stuck in my throat for so long, finally breaking free, carrying a trembling and hope I hadn't even noticed myself.
The man seemed to hear my call. He paused mid-conversation and slowly turned his head.
Through the bustling lobby and flickering lights, I couldn't see his face clearly, only a blurred outline.
But just that turning motion drove me instantly crazy.
It's him! It must be him!
I violently shook off Jared's hand, ready to rush toward him without thinking.
"Sloane!"
My arm was grabbed by a strong force. Jared pulled me back hard. Looking at my pale face and unfocused eyes, his voice was full of alarm and tension.
"What's wrong? What did you see?"
It was like he'd called me back from a dream. When I looked up again, the area by the floor-to-ceiling window was empty. That familiar yet strange figure had disappeared without a trace, as if it had never been there.
Overwhelming loss and panic instantly drowned me.
I leaned against Jared's chest, trembling all over, my fingertips ice-cold without a trace of warmth.
"I... just now..." I looked at that empty space, my voice broken beyond recognition. "I think I saw Grayson."
After saying this, as if I'd exhausted all my strength, I laughed self-mockingly, but tears uncontrollably welled up.
"Am I going crazy?" I looked up at Jared, my eyes full of despair and confusion. "To actually think he's still alive."
Jared's embrace was solid and warm, like the only island to dock at in a storm.
I leaned against his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. The storm stirred up by "Grayson" gradually calmed under his silent comfort.
"Let's go find Jessie first." I withdrew from his embrace and collected my thoughts.
He clasped my fingers even tighter and led me back into the restaurant.
Jessie was anxiously looking around at the entrance. When she saw us, especially our tightly clasped hands, she first froze, then her face broke into a big smile, with a hint of understanding and envy.
"Sloane, I thought you got lost in the bathroom!" She ran over, her gaze bouncing between us, finally landing on Jared, her tone full of amazement. "You're really handsome, and so protective of our Sloane! So... do you have any brothers or friends as great as you? Could you introduce me to one?"
Her carefree joke diluted the oppression from the private room and relaxed my tense nerves a bit.
Jared glanced at her and, surprisingly, didn't put on his usual unapproachable ice-cold face. He just slightly curved his lips, neither agreeing nor refusing.
After putting Jessie in a taxi, the atmosphere in the car on the way back was no longer heavy, but a subtle kind of quiet. I looked at the rapidly retreating neon lights outside the window, my thoughts in disarray.
The car suddenly stopped by the roadside.
I looked at Jared questioningly, but he just dropped a "wait for me" and unbuckled his seatbelt to get out.
I watched his tall figure walk into a 24-hour flower shop at the street corner, my heart uncontrollably rising.
A moment later, he came back with flowers in his arms.
A large bouquet of white daisies in full bloom, fresh and clean, just like the flower field behind the orphanage.
He stuffed the flowers into my arms, restarted the car, and looked straight ahead, but his voice was lower than usual. "Move back to Montclair Manor, okay?"
My fingertips curled slightly, instinctively wanting to refuse.
That manor carried too many cold and humiliating memories.
But thinking again about these past few days at the orphanage—him sleeping with me on that small single bed, clumsily frying burnt eggs for me—the cold manor suddenly didn't seem so hateful anymore.
I held the bouquet of daisies, the petals still cool from the night air, and murmured my agreement.Back at the manor, the butler and servants looked surprised and delighted to see us return together.
The long-absent sense of familiarity hit me, and I was startled to realize I actually felt a bit of belonging here.
Just then, the phone in the living room rang.
Jared walked over to answer it. An elderly but vigorous voice came through. Even from a distance, I recognized it as Jared's grandmother.
The old lady seemed to know about what happened at the restaurant. Learning that not only hadn't we divorced, but our relationship had actually improved, she was overjoyed. She rambled on over the phone, "Jared, you brat, you finally came to your senses! Sloane is a good girl. You were terrible before and hurt her. You need to treat her twice as well from now on, you hear me? If you dare bully her again, I'll be the first one who won't let you off!"