Chapter 110 Chapter 110
Before long, the Christmas holidays arrived. Grace and Adrian took the bus to the supermarket to stock up on discounted items. They finally returned home at dusk.
The bus stopped at the intersection. Their arms were full of bags as they got off and walked a long way before reaching their doorstep.
Grace's arms were already aching from the weight. Looking for an easy way out, she dumped all the bags into Adrian's arms and called out, "You hold these. I'll get the door.”
She dashed up the front steps, fished her keys out of her purse, unlocked the door, and entered the house without noticing anything unusual. Only when she turned on the light and saw the tall man on the sofa did she freeze. Adrian had followed her inside. Seeing her suddenly go rigid, he asked in surprise, "What's wrong, Grace?"
Grace didn't answer. Following her gaze, he froze too. When he came to his senses, he immediately dropped the items in his arms and dragged Grace toward the door. Unfortunately, it was too late.
Michael had appeared at the door, his massive frame completely blocking it. He held a gun, its black muzzle pressed against Adrian's forehead. "Go back," he said coldly.
Adrian refused to retreat. With the muzzle still pressed against his forehead, he gritted his teeth and took another step forward. Grace stared at the silenced pistol. Seeing that the safety catch was disengaged, she realized that Michael wasn't there to intimidate them. He would pull the trigger and kill Adrian.
"Adrian!" She suddenly grabbed him from behind, her voice raspy. "Let's go back."
She wrenched herself free from Adrian's grip and slowly turned to face Benjamin, who was sitting on the sofa.
He was watching her, too, his gaze filled with resentment and greed.
She had changed so much that he almost didn't recognize her. Her once fair complexion was now tanned, and her long curls were gone, replaced by short, flaxen hair that gave her a sharp, capable look.
If he had passed her on the street, he might not have recognized her at all. Benjamin's lips curled into a mocking smile before he slowly said, "Long time no see, Grace."
His voice sounded like it came from hell itself; each word was like a sharp blade.
Grace's mind froze. The last shred of her sanity frantically spun around one thought: survive. She had to find a way for both her and Adrian to survive—especially Adrian!
But she couldn't think of one. She'd tried every method. She'd played weak, flattered, coaxed, deceived, and even threatened suicide. She'd tried every single one!
Grace stared calmly at Benjamin, her inner world teetering on the brink of collapse. She didn't understand how he'd found her. She had erased every trace, so how could he still locate her?
Adrian beside her seemed to sense her agitation. Ignoring Michael's gun, he stepped forward to shield Grace.
This made Benjamin clench his fists. He ordered Michael, "Michael—"
Grace knew Benjamin too well. She interrupted him almost simultaneously. "Benjamin!"
She suddenly called out, breaking free from Adrian's arms to face Benjamin directly. "Tell Michael to step outside. We need to talk." The words had barely left her mouth when her nerves steadied. Calmly meeting Benjamin's gaze, she added, "There's something... I think it's best if no one else knows about it."
Benjamin raised an eyebrow in mild surprise and shot Adrian a suspicious glance before turning back to Grace. "Just the two of us? What about Adrian?" he asked in a flirty tone.
"No, he stays. He knows about this," Grace replied without flinching.
Benjamin's lips twisted into a cold smile. "Grace, you think this gives you a chance to escape, don't you?"
She did indeed think so. Even though she knew that she and Adrian were no match for Benjamin, even if he were alone in the room, at least it gave them a slightly better chance of survival, didn't it? Grace clenched her teeth, refusing to admit it. She only said, "I don't want to escape. Not now, and not ever. Benjamin, I'm not begging you. I'm negotiating with you."
Benjamin fixed her with an intense stare, as if he had already see through every thought in her mind.
Yet he refused to call her bluff. Instead, he played along, eager to see what tricks she had up her sleeve. He tilted his chin toward the doorway and ordered Michael, in a flat tone, "Stand guard outside."
Michael nodded, glanced at Adrian, and walked out the door, gun in hand.
Benjamin lifted his legs and crossed them on the coffee table in front of him. Then he leaned back lazily. He tilted his head slightly to look at Grace and asked, "Go on, Grace. Let me see what kind of lies you can spin this time. Let's see if I fall for it again."
This version of Benjamin was more terrifying than his angry self because in this state, he was more rational, cold-blooded, and ruthless, leaving no trace of weakness.
Grace swallowed involuntarily and glanced at Adrian, who had been suppressing his rage, sitting behind her. Desperate, she blurted out, "Adrian, tell him who we found in Spain."
Adrian understood her intent immediately. He replied, "Dr. Robert Adleman."
Sure enough, Grace detected a subtle shift in Benjamin's expression. Her heart settled slightly. She stopped Adrian from continuing and took over, staring at Benjamin. "Benjamin—or should I say, Alex—did you truly believe that by destroying that original fingerprint, no one could prove how you transformed from Alex into Benjamin? Do you think I went to all this trouble just to avoid you?"
Benjamin remained unperturbed, even smiling slightly. "Go on."
Unable to read his thoughts, Grace steeled herself to continue the lie. "Alex, I compiled all the evidence I gathered—your fingerprints, the photocopy of the file with your prints, everything obtained from Dr. Adleman, and even Norman Science's shady dealings—into a dossier."
Benjamin let out a soft, dismissive chuckle. He looked at Grace and asked, "So you've changed tactics and are trying to blackmail me now? But Grace, are you sure that what you've compiled can actually blackmail me?”
Grace clenched her jaw and met his gaze without flinching. “Alex, not every trace can be erased. Even if you change your appearance and remove your scars, some things simply exist. They can't be altered—like your lungs, blackened by tobacco long ago. Once blackened, they stay black. Even if you never touch a cigarette again and your fingertips show no trace, your lungs will remain black."
The contempt on Benjamin's face slowly faded. He watched her silently, saying nothing.