Chapter 153 Chapter 153
Grace hesitated briefly before giving him Wendy's phone number and adding, "Just text me."
With that, she hung up without a second thought. She deleted the call log, returned the phone to its place, and moved with practiced calm—this wasn't her first time doing this. By the time Benjamin emerged wrapped in a towel, she was already lying on the bed as if nothing had happened.
The TV was still on outside. Benjamin turned it off before returning to the bedroom. He stood by the bed, looked at her, pulled back the covers, and climbed in.
The mattress trembled slightly under his weight. She shifted toward the edge of the bed, as if trying to distance herself from him. Benjamin paused, slowly withdrawing his extended arm. After a moment of silence, he forced a casual tone. "Stop moving to the edge. You might fall."
Grace didn't want to engage with him or argue at that moment. She buried her face in the pillow and mumbled, "Shut up! Let's sleep!"
Her dismissive response instantly lifted his spirits. He couldn't help but want to move closer to her, to hold her. He thought about it for a long time and raised his hand to reach for her, but ultimately feared upsetting her and abandoned the idea. He simply replied, "All right, sleep."
He was used to staying up late, though. It was barely past nine, and lying in bed, he couldn't sleep. He just lay there with his eyes open. Around midnight, Grace, who had been sleeping soundly beside him, stirred. She seemed to be having a nightmare, struggling and moaning unconsciously. He quickly turned on the bedside lamp and propped himself up to look closer. He called her softly. "Grace? Grace?”
Her forehead was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Woken from her nightmare, she opened her eyes drowsily. Whether she mistook him for someone else or simply couldn't make out who he was, she suddenly threw herself into his arms and began to shiver violently.
Benjamin froze for a moment, then raised his arms to hold her. He patted her back gently to soothe her. He didn't ask what the nightmare was about. He didn't dare speak, afraid that she had mistaken him for someone else and that his voice would shatter the moment.
In that moment, her dependence on him was enough.
They stayed in the hotel for several days before returning to the apartment.
The study door had been replaced, and a large section of the wooden floor in the living room on the first floor had been replaced. Though not obvious, a closer look revealed the difference. Noticing Grace's gaze lingering there, Michael hastily explained, thinking she was bothered, “A few planks got scratched accidentally. Mr. Norman thought it looked ugly, so he had them replaced.”
Grace didn't believe that the flooring would get scratched. Even if someone had fired a gun that day, no one mentioned shooting at the floor. And such a large section? The only plausible explanation was that something had been spilled on it.
What else could it be besides blood?
She smiled, choosing not to dwell on it. Her only concern was the study's keypad lock. Since the entire door had been replaced, she feared that the code might have been changed.
Her worry proved justified. Later that afternoon, when no one was around, she snuck to the study door and tried the old code, but it no longer worked. Michael was still downstairs in his room and was likely to emerge for his rounds at any moment. She dared not linger and returned to the living room in a sour mood. She stared blankly at the TV, consumed by thoughts of the password. Without it, she couldn't enter the study. Even if she knew where the USB drive was hidden, what good would that do?
She racked her brain all afternoon but couldn't devise a perfect plan. That evening, when Benjamin returned, he unexpectedly took her to the study to collect her fingerprints and input them into the door's lock. Grace was baffled and feared her actions might be exposed. Was he setting a trap? Unable to contain herself, she asked, "Benjamin, what are you doing?"
Benjamin kept his head down, still configuring the lock. Without looking up, he replied, "Michael might not always be here. If something like that day happens again, you can just hide in the study yourself."
Though he never showed it, he was still terrified. If Michael hadn't stayed behind that day and Grace hadn't hidden in the study in time, perhaps they both would have died at Old Norman's hands.
The thought had robbed him of sleep these past days. He scanned her left and right fingerprints, then added, “If the fingerprint doesn't work, you can use the password. The password is your birthday.”
Grace hesitated briefly before replying, "Got it."
He looked up at her and flashed a grin. "This will make it easier to read whatever books you want. Good for prenatal education."
Humans were such strange creatures. Even with identical faces and features, at certain moments, they could appear utterly unfamiliar.
Right now, his smile was simple, and his eyes were bright. He didn't resemble the cold, ruthless criminal, Alex, or the deep-thinking CEO of the Norman Science, Benjamin. He was just an ordinary man eagerly awaiting the birth of his child.
Grace instinctively shook her head, trying to dismiss this absurd thought. Benjamin asked, "What's wrong?"
"Just a bit dizzy," Grace replied flatly, ignoring him as she rose and headed toward the bedroom.
Benjamin froze, unable to fathom Grace's thoughts or why she'd suddenly become upset. He followed her, reaching out to take her arm from behind. "Do you need to see a doctor?"
Grace's face was grim, and her anger was impossible to contain. She yanked her arm free and glared at him. "Benjamin, do you know what kind of wounds heal the fastest?"
He didn't answer, only pursed his lips slightly and watched her calmly.
She snorted. "The ones on other people. The ones that don't hurt you. Only those who've never felt pain think any wound can heal."
She shook him off, took two steps forward, paused, and then turned around without looking back. "Don't follow me," she said sharply. "I don't want to see you today. Not even for a second!"
It was rare for Grace to be this stubborn and unreasonable. She was usually too rational, hiding her true emotions most of the time. Whatever emotion she showed him—whether joy or anger—served a purpose. Today, however, he sensed her authenticity. Benjamin just smiled. "Fine. I'll sleep downstairs tonight."
That night, he slept in the guest room downstairs.
Grace, however, lay awake. Landon still hadn't replied, and time was ticking away. With the wedding approaching, a sudden wave of restlessness washed over her.
What she couldn't ignore was the child growing silently inside her—a fear more profound than anything else.
For days, she couldn't control her emotions.
Benjamin avoided provoking her. At some point, he'd learned to yield and endure. If she didn't want to see him, he made a point of staying out of her sight.
Yet, he couldn't help but worry about her. Seeing her cooped up in the apartment day after day, he urged, "Go out and clear your head! Don't stay inside all the time. Why not go out with Vania?"
Grace didn't want much contact with Vania, fearing it might involve her. She merely shook her head. "Not interested."
Benjamin hesitated, his mouth moving as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing.
Strangely enough, right after Benjamin suggested she meet Vania, Vania herself called Grace to invite her out shopping.
The coincidence felt deliberate, making Grace suspect Benjamin's involvement. She declined Vania's invitation. "I've been feeling lazy lately. I don't feel like going anywhere.”
Vania protested, "Don't be such a drama queen. Just push through it. Come on out. I'll treat you to dinner."
Grace sensed Vania's underlying meaning and agreed. "All right, I'll go out for a bit."
She hung up and went downstairs to ask Michael to accompany her. Benjamin had already told Michael to let Grace do whatever made her happy, so he didn't hesitate. He drove her straight to meet Vania. They met in the commercial district and, as usual, browsed from shop to shop.
Midway through, Vania pulled Grace into the restroom. Michael couldn't follow, so he waited outside.
Only then did Vania seize the chance to tell Grace, "Adrian's back."
Grace had a feeling that Vania wanted to tell her something, but she hadn't expected this news.
She was stunned. Worried that someone might notice her distress, Vania quickly whispered, "Calm down. Be careful Michael doesn't catch you. He seems honest, but he's as sharp as a tack.”
Grace took her words to heart and took deep breaths to suppress her inner turmoil. Her voice trembling, she asked, "Where is he? How did he get in touch with you?"
Hearing this, Vania couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You two are becoming more and more alike—almost like secret agents. He called the front desk at my office and was transferred through the internal line.”
"Didn't he leave a number?" Grace asked.
"He left a cell number. I wrote it down.” Vania pulled a small note from her bag and handed it to Grace. "Here. I don't have your memory, so I had to write it down."
Grace took the note and scanned the number twice to make sure she wouldn't forget it. Then she crumpled the paper and flushed it down the toilet.
Vania paused, then asked softly, "What are you going to do?"
Grace was lost in thought, her mind fixated on the news that Adrian was back. She took a moment to register Vania's question and raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
Vania hesitated briefly before speaking softly. "Benjamin said you're pregnant."
Grace paled, biting her lip lightly, unable to respond immediately.
Vania continued, "The day after I retrieved the file, he came looking for me. I gave him the file folder as you instructed. He said you're pregnant."
Grace had kept this from Vania all along, even though she was her best friend. It wasn't about trust; it was simply too embarrassing. Yes, it was humiliating—she was carrying Benjamin's child. Grace tried to curve her lips into a reassuring smile for her friend, but the corners of her mouth twisted into a bitter grimace instead.
"Grace, don't be like this," Vania murmured softly, placing a hand on Grace's arm. "You don't have to put on a brave face in front of me."
Grace forced a smile, nodded firmly, and took a deep breath to hold back the tears. "Don't worry," she said. "No matter what happens, I'll get through it." Then she remembered something more urgent. "Don't get involved in my affairs anymore. I'll contact Adrian myself and make sure he doesn't bother you again."
“What do you mean ‘bother’?” Vania asked, her tone tinged with displeasure.
Grace's expression turned serious. "It's dangerous, Vania. You can't imagine how terrifying Benjamin is. I can't drag you into this." She paused, then added, "If possible, leave Seattle for a while. I'm afraid I'll only hold you back."
Vania valued friendship, but she wasn't reckless. She had parents and family to consider, and naturally, her own safety mattered most. After a moment's hesitation, she agreed. “All right. I'll leave the country in a few days.”
Fearing that Michael might grow suspicious, the two didn't linger in the restroom. After leaving, they browsed the mall for a while before Grace received a call from Benjamin. He must have known she was out shopping with Vania, yet his tone remained gentle as he advised, "Don't overexert yourself. Shop for a bit, then head back early to rest."
Grace wasn't really interested in shopping, but she feigned annoyance. "I don't feel tired."
Benjamin had just finished a meeting and was still in the conference room. Hearing this, he rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He genuinely couldn't understand how a pregnant woman could walk around in high heels for two hours straight without getting tired. "By the time you feel tired, it'll be too late." He smiled again, coaxing her like a child. "Be good. Head back early. If you want to spend more time with Vania, why not invite her over for dinner?"
Grace was just starting to distance herself from Vania. Why would she invite her over for dinner? Besides, she had other plans. She followed Michael home alone, acting as if nothing had changed. Only after retreating to her bedroom alone did she lose control of her impatience and frantically search for Wendy’s phone. Still no message from Landon. But this time, disappointment didn't register. Her trembling fingers dialed the number Adrian had left.