Chapter 47 Alexander's Suspicion
The listening device was crafted to look like an inconspicuous button.
Alexander gently rubbed it between his fingertips, hesitating.
This didn't feel right.
But when it came to Grace, he simply couldn't bring himself to trust her completely.
Liam had developed a blind attachment to Grace. If she really was mistreating Liam when he wasn't around, and he failed to discover it in time, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Grace returned to her room to change clothes. When she emerged, Alexander was still sitting on the sofa. "I'm... heading out now," she said.
"Wait."
Alexander stood up abruptly and walked over to her.
Grace looked puzzled. "What is it?"
He suddenly moved closer, gently adjusting her collar while discreetly placing the listening device into the folds of the scarf around her neck, where it adhered firmly.
Grace didn't notice anything amiss, only feeling caught off guard by Alexander's sudden gesture.
She stepped back half a pace, warily asking, "What are you doing?"
Alexander said, "Your scarf was a bit crooked."
Grace adjusted it with her hand while checking herself in the mirror.
It was indeed slightly askew.
"I'm leaving now," Grace said.
She went down to the underground garage and got into the car, feeling that something was off but unable to pinpoint what. The scarf felt strange, as if something was irritating her skin.
Grace tugged at the scarf and soon felt a small, hard object.
After some fumbling through the folds, she extracted the foreign object stuck to her scarf and discovered it was a tiny button.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a button at all.
Grace quickly identified it as a listening device.
Who had attached this to her?
Could it have been Alexander?
Had he placed this on her when he was adjusting her scarf?
Grace felt a chill run through her.
This listening device was crafted to look like an unremarkable button—most people would never notice it. If her skin hadn't been so sensitive, she never would have detected it.
Why would he do this?
Was he distrusting her, or worried that she might secretly mistreat Liam behind his back?
Grace couldn't think of any other possibilities.
He kept her around to care for Liam because Liam was dependent on her, but he clearly didn't trust her one hundred percent.
Grace felt a pang of hurt. Being distrusted like this didn't feel good at all.
She wasn't afraid of Alexander's surveillance—after all, she was an honest person who treated Liam like her own son. Even if he had bugged her, she had nothing to hide.
Since he wanted to listen in, she'd let him hear his fill!
Grace casually dropped the listening device into her pocket and leaned back against the seat as if nothing had happened.
The car pulled out of the apartment complex but was suddenly blocked by a Maserati.
The car was positioned sideways in the middle of the road, cutting off their path.
The driver hit the brakes hard, and Grace nearly crashed into the seat in front of her.
Surprised by the sudden stop, she looked ahead to see the Maserati blocking their way, with Mia stepping out of the vehicle.
Grace felt a surge of irritation.
What the hell was Mia trying to pull? Had she lost her mind?
Grace pushed open the car door and walked toward Mia. "Mia, what do you think you're doing?"
"Grace, you bitch!" Mia lunged at her, raising her hand to slap her.
Grace pushed her away. "Are you insane? Mia, you're acting like a rabid dog!"
Mia shouted angrily, "Grace, you're absolutely vicious! You can't stand to see me happy, can you? You set me up, didn't you?"
Grace found her ranting incomprehensible. "I have no idea what you're babbling about!"
Mia demanded, "Was it you who put that Hermès bag up for auction? Was that the bag you snatched away from Amelia?"
Grace was momentarily stunned.
How had Mia found out? Had the auction site leaked her information?
Grace didn't bother denying it. "So what if that bag was mine?"
Mia said, "I knew it was you! You paid tens of thousands for that bag—what gives you the right to auction it for $5.6 million?"
Grace laughed. "Mia, it was an auction site. I didn't set the reserve that high. The final price was based on willing bidders. If you hadn't been so desperate for that bag, who could have predicted that Jayden would embezzle $5.6 million from his company to buy it for you? I certainly couldn't have calculated that he'd bid $5.6 million."
After a pause, she continued, "That money has already been deposited. You're not here asking for a refund, are you? What's wrong? I heard that Jayden's mother called off the engagement with the Foster family because of that bag. Is that really true? Don't tell me Mia got dumped by her fiancé over a $5.6 million purse?"
Mia's expression shifted.
Unable to bear such humiliation, she said stubbornly, "Who told you the Brown family called off the engagement? Jayden and I are perfectly fine! Even if there was a breakup, it would be because I don't think Jayden is good enough for me! Why would I marry a man who won't even spend $5.6 million on a bag for me? I'd just be miserable!"
Grace said, "Then you should thank me! If it weren't for my bag, you never would have figured out your worth to Jayden. Mia, you're worth $5.6 million!"
Hearing this, Mia felt as disgusted as if she'd swallowed a hundred flies.
She was just putting on a brave face. The truth was that the Brown family was now breaking off the engagement over $5.6 million. In their eyes, she wasn't even worth as much as a Himalaya bag!
But she was too proud to admit to being dumped, so she said through gritted teeth, "Who exactly is the man you married?"
Grace replied, "Why are you asking about his identity? You're going to be part of the Brown family—how could my husband possibly compare to them?"
Mia clenched her teeth.
Grace's words were clearly sarcastic. The Brown family's status wasn't even comparable to Amelia's, yet everyone had witnessed how deferential Amelia had been to Alexander that day. This man had to be someone important!
Grace was tight-lipped and wouldn't say anything, which infuriated Mia even more. "Grace, you're really something! I wonder what underhanded methods you used to climb into high society! How could such a distinguished man be willing to marry a lowly woman like you!"
Grace said, "You're right, how could he be willing to marry a divorced woman with a child like me, but not a socialite like you? I'm curious about that too."
Mia was deeply stung by this remark.
Unable to hide her emotions, her facial muscles contorted with rage. "Don't get too cocky! I've done my research—Max is the son you had with Henry, isn't he? Does that man know about Max's parentage? Does he know you're making him raise another man's child? A woman like you—he'll see through your true nature sooner or later and kick you to the curb!"