Chapter 73 Chapter 73
Gia secretly printed dozens of accusatory letters that exaggerated Grace's "misdeeds" to the extreme. She sent copies to every office in the college, as well as to the university administration. Not content with that, she snuck back to campus late at night when no one was around. She posted several enlarged copies on the bulletin board in the college building downstairs, right over the exam schedule. She made sure no one could miss them.
Even the most foolish woman possesses her own cunning. Fearing exposure, Gia mimicked the writing style of a female classmate from the neighboring class. When addressing Grace's private life, she primarily focused on her relationships with male classmates, only mentioning Benjamin in passing and referring to him as "the wealthy man" without using his full name.
As midnight approached, the night grew deeper. A thick fog had descended unnoticed, enveloping the bustling city. Even the neon lights that had flickered all night seemed to show signs of weariness.
In the stillness, Grace opened her eyes. Behind her, Benjamin's breath came steady and long. One arm lay loosely draped across her waist, his muscles relaxed and slack—evidence that he was still fast asleep.
She had been staying at Benjamin's apartment for several days—it was his request, and she hadn't refused. During this time, he hadn't pressured her. Not even the incident in the bathroom had repeated itself. He simply held her close at night, sharing tender moments like lovers, and then they would both drift off to sleep.
Yesterday, after noticing that her period was late, he took half a day off, took her to the hospital, and arranged for the best gynecologist to examine her. Upon learning that it was merely a menstrual irregularity caused by birth control pills, he finally breath a sigh of relief. Yet he still rummaged through her purse, found the pills, and threw them away.
Her heart pounded violently; she was terrified he might notice the roll of clear tape hidden in her purse's inner pocket—the very thing she'd prepared to use to steal his fingerprints. Fortunately, he didn't notice. He merely looked at her. "You're not allowed to take these things anymore."
Grace feigned anger, snatching her purse back from him and sneering, "If I don't take these, do you want a child born in disgrace?"
His earlier words hadn't meant much, but the word “disgrace” ignited his fury. He shouted her name, "Grace!"
She'd only intended to divert his attention, not start an argument. She fell silent, saying nothing more. He said nothing more, either, driving her home with a grim expression. That night, he threw a pack of condoms at her and asked, "Is this enough now?"
She stared at him in surprise. He tossed aside the covers, climbed into bed, and made no further advances. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and impatiently ordered, "Sleep!"
After a while, Grace whispered, "Benjamin, are you thinking of a new way to torment me?"
Already drowsy, he buried his head in the crook of her neck and mumbled, "Maybe."
Silence fell between them. Just as she thought he was drifting off, he slowly said, "Grace, don't worry. I hate you so much that I have to find the best way to torment you, bit by bit, until my hatred is satisfied.”
"Fine," she replied softly. After a pause, she added, "You better be careful, or I'll slice you open."
He chuckled softly at her words and tightened his embrace around her. In a good mood, he reminded her, "The knife is in the kitchen. Remember to take the boning knife—it might be easier to handle. Do you know which one it is? If not, I'll show you tomorrow.”
She tugged lightly at the corner of her lips, offering no reply. His breathing gradually steadied, and he finally fell into a deep sleep.
But Grace knew that Benjamin was a very light sleeper, almost superhumanly so. Even now, though he appeared to be in a deep slumber, the slightest movement from her would surely wake him.
So she simply lay there with her eyes open, keeping her breathing steady as she waited for dawn to break.
Every minute she lay beside him was agony.
The night was silent, broken only by the faint ticking of the bedside clock. After another unusual click within three to five minutes, the faint sound of a door opening drifted up from downstairs, followed by low voices. Grace knew the nanny, who took care of Benjamin's daily needs, was arriving.
Moments later, the arm draped across her waist shifted slightly. After sleeping together these past days, Grace had begun to grasp Benjamin's routine. He would soon get up, wash quickly, and head out for his morning exercise, returning roughly an hour later.
This day seemed no different from the previous ones. They sat at the same table for breakfast. Halfway through, Grace's phone rang. It was her mother, asking why she hadn't come home.
Grace explained, "I've been proctoring exams at school lately. I've been staying on campus to avoid the commute because time's tight.”
Benjamin suddenly looked up at her.
Noticing his reaction, Grace deliberately addressed her mother. "I know Dad's been in a bad mood, but what can I do? Mom, how about this? You two go on a trip for New Year's. Or I could come home. You worry when I'm not here, but you'll worry even more if I don't come back."
After she hung up, he asked, "Had a falling out with your father?"
She glanced at him, her tone cool and detached. "Thanks to you, we're practically estranged."
He chuckled and opened his mouth to respond, but her phone rang again. She shushed him before answering, "Mom, I'm eating. If you need something, say it fast. I have to proctor an exam soon.”
Whatever Mrs. Hill said made her look impatient, but she clearly didn't want to argue with her mother in front of Benjamin. She stood up and started walking out. As she passed him, she tapped his shoulder, gestured toward the milk cup on the table, and signaled for him to hand it to her.
Perhaps pleased by this casual gesture of closeness, Benjamin smiled. Instead of reaching for the milk cup on her side, he handed her the one in front of him.
Grace, engrossed in her phone call, seemed oblivious. She took it, sipped it absentmindedly, and clutched the glass as she made her way upstairs, clearly wanting to avoid him while talking to her mother.