Chapter 54 Point of No Return
On the sofa lay an elegant evening gown delivered from the Givenchy boutique.
This was at Liam's insistence.
The garden party would conclude with a formal dinner that evening, followed by a ballroom dance segment.
He wanted to see Grace in a beautiful dress, dancing with Alexander.
Alexander couldn't understand how such an odd notion had popped into the little guy's head.
Was this kid playing matchmaker for his own stepmother?
In Alexander's eyes, Liam was like a little Cupid with wings.
Still, Alexander never denied Liam's requests. He'd had Givenchy deliver a white halter evening gown.
The housekeeper approached. "Lunch is ready. Should I call Ms. Foster?"
"Go ahead," Alexander said.
The housekeeper headed toward Grace's room.
Within minutes, she returned. "Ms. Foster didn't answer, and I didn't dare enter her room."
Alexander stood and walked to Grace's bedroom door, knocking gently. No response.
"Grace?"
Silence.
He pushed the door open, and immediately the soft, sweet fragrance of her room enveloped him.
Her space carried a natural scent mixed with the lingering aroma of her bath products.
Alexander entered the bedroom to find Grace lying on the bed. She'd changed into a silk camisole nightgown, lying on her side with her back to the door. Her tousled hair spilled softly across the pillow, and her delicate face showed the clean, translucent pallor of someone freshly washed, with a hint of natural pink.
He approached the bed and saw her eyes closed, apparently asleep.
Having slept poorly the night before, Grace had laid down after her shower and dozed off without realizing it.
She looked serene and captivating in sleep. Her full, red lips held a lustrous sheen—both innocent and alluring. The sight made Alexander's breathing irregular again.
He prided himself on not being ruled by base instincts, but this genuinely arousing scene created a powerful visual impact.
Alexander slowly sat on the edge of the bed, his long fingers trailing through her silky hair. The soft strands flowed through his fingertips, their fluffy, clean fragrance carrying an inexplicable allure.
For a moment, he seemed to lose control completely—point of no return.
When he came to his senses, he was already leaning down, his lips covering hers.
Her mouth was as soft as he'd imagined, the enticing sensation spreading from his heart like wildfire. Like a predator who'd captured his prey with precision, he savored the taste with elegant enjoyment.
Even with his exceptional self-control, it was difficult to restrain his desire to go further.
Control yourself.
If he didn't stop now, something would happen.
Alexander straightened, wiping away the lingering warmth from his lips with his fingertip, his gaze falling on her peaceful sleeping face.
Grace kept her eyes closed, her small hands clenched into fists beneath the covers.
She was a light sleeper and had been awakened by his rough kiss, but she didn't dare open her eyes—she could only keep them tightly shut and pretend to sleep.
She heard footsteps retreating, and only after the door closed did Grace open her eyes, her back damp with nervous perspiration.
What was he doing?
She was wearing only a nightgown—with one lean, he could easily see everything underneath.
This bastard!
How dare he do such a thing to her?
Grace remained shaken, tossing and turning restlessly.
She'd have to start locking her door from now on to prevent such incidents!
That afternoon.
Grace changed clothes and left her room.
The housekeeper approached. "Ms. Foster, are you awake from your nap?"
"Yes." Grace asked uncomfortably, "Where's Alexander?"
"Mr. Hayes is in his study." The housekeeper added, "Are you hungry? Should I prepare something for you?"
"Please." Grace checked the time. After eating, it would be about time to pick up Liam and Max.
...
During the final study hall period that afternoon.
The homeroom teacher had assigned work and appointed group leaders to supervise the children's homework before leaving the classroom.
The moment she left, gossip began.
"Did you guys see? Yesterday Max took the subway home."
"His family doesn't have a driver or nanny. When his mom picked him up from school, they took the subway home!"
Max looked up to see a small boy announcing this in a mocking tone.
Liam glared at him angrily.
This boy was used to bullying others in class. His mother was a board member's wife at the school, and he was Amelia's youngest son. Being spoiled rotten in the Thomas family, he had plenty of followers in class who helped him bully others.
A girl with pretty hair clips sitting in front of Max said indignantly, "So what if he took the subway? I've never even been on a subway! Max says it's really fun."
The boy scoffed. "Don't let him fool you! Only poor people take the subway! People without money who can't afford drivers and nannies have to take cheap public transport. My mom says if I want, she could buy me an entire subway train!"
He stood with his hands on his hips, nose practically pointing skyward.
The little girl couldn't stand his arrogance and smiled at Max. "Max, don't listen to him. He's just jealous of you! My family has a castle—you should come play at my castle sometime."
The girl came from money too. Her doting father had built her a fairy-tale castle on a hillside, fulfilling her princess dreams.
Her words really got under the boy's skin.
She'd hit the mark!
From Max's first day in class, his handsome, adorable appearance had won over many classmates. All the girls in class liked playing with him, which naturally made this boy target Max out of jealousy.
The boy walked over to Max's desk, pointing at both Max and Liam. "I'm jealous of him? This fatherless bastard? I'm jealous of him?"
The other children all turned to look at Max.
The boy pointed at Max and Liam. "One without a dad! One who's retarded!"
Liam suddenly stood up and shoved him.
The boy tumbled to the floor.
Max quickly stood to comfort Liam, pulling him back to his seat. "Liam, it's okay."
He knew Liam was angry.
Max said, "Liam isn't retarded. He's smarter than you."
The boy wasn't hurt badly and scrambled up from the floor, ready to shove back. But Max stepped protectively in front of Liam, grabbing the boy's collar. "Try touching him and see what happens."
Liam was his good friend—no one was allowed to bully him.
Liam looked at Max, his eyes flickering with recognition of Max's protection.
The boy lashed out desperately: "My mom says your mom can't get a man, and nobody wants you either!"
"My mommy is beautiful! She's younger and prettier than your mom, who's old and ugly!" Max shot back.
The other children chimed in: "We saw Max's mommy yesterday! She's gorgeous!"
"Max's mommy is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!" Children don't lie—they spoke honestly about Grace's youthful beauty.
"You!" The boy looked around. "You're all siding with this bastard?"