Chapter 112
Richard's POV
Hearing Grace's words gave me a flicker of hope, even as my world crumbled around me.
This morning, Harrison Group had been investigated for project vulnerabilities, forcing us to cancel multiple partnerships. Even our collaboration with the Wilson family couldn't be saved. This afternoon, Wilson suddenly withdrew their investment—a fatal blow.
The news of Wilson's withdrawal couldn't be contained. Without new investment quickly, our IPO review would inevitably be suspended. The consequences could destroy the company entirely.
But Grace agreed to meet.
The stock transfer wasn't just about preserving the Harrison family's dignity—it was about getting Grace back into the company. The project failures were largely due to the incompetence of whoever had taken over her responsibilities. Grace's ability to salvage projects and perfect data was unmatched. When Harrison Group had faced crisis before, it was Grace who'd pulled us through.
Even my mother had been forced to swallow her pride and compromise.
The company simply couldn't function without Grace right now.
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That evening, I returned to my room to find Laura rifling through my briefcase.
"I was just tidying up," she said quickly. "I saw a bug."
"I've told you not to touch my briefcase," I said wearily, loosening my tie as I collapsed onto the sofa.
I had bigger concerns than Laura's snooping. Tomorrow's meeting with Grace consumed my thoughts—how could I regain her trust?
Laura watched my expression carefully. She'd been on edge for days, torn between fear that Grace might make our relationship public and anger that Grace now held leverage over me. My mother had been working on Laura, urging her to consider the bigger picture and help stabilize Grace for now.
When Laura learned about Wilson's withdrawal from my mother earlier today, her face had similarly gone ashen.
Despite her reluctance to admit it, Grace was undeniably useful at a time like this. Even if Grace gained those shares, what did it matter? With the IPO indefinitely delayed, returning to Harrison Group would mean fighting the hardest battles with the heaviest burdens.
Even for profit, Grace couldn't swallow such a massive responsibility. In the end, it would only lead to her downfall.
Having analyzed the situation clearly, Laura could endure this temporary humiliation.
"Grace still won't accept your apology?" she asked carefully.
"She said she'll come to Harrison Group tomorrow morning."
Laura looked surprised. "She's coming back already?"
"Harrison Group represents her life's work too. If we go public successfully, she'll be the biggest beneficiary."
I paused, my voice hardening. "Even if not for sentiment, she has to consider profit."
Though I know Grace isn't someone who bows to money, I thought to myself. If she's willing to meet, it's probably because she can't let go of what we once had.
"I'll need you to cooperate for a while," I told Laura. "We'll need to pretend we've separated temporarily to stabilize Grace."
"I understand. As long as Grace doesn't provoke me, I won't cause trouble. After all... I'm far more genuine in my feelings for you than she ever was."
I watched Laura's smile, but something deep inside me had changed. Where once her gentle expression would have stirred warmth in my chest, now I felt only calm acknowledgment. The soft candlelight that used to make her eyes sparkle now seemed to highlight the calculating glint I'd begun to notice more and more frequently.
When did everything change?
My mind drifted to recent events—how Laura had used Emma and our relationship to threaten the Harrison family's interests. How she'd manipulated situations to her advantage while maintaining that sweet, innocent facade. The contrast with Grace's directness was becoming impossible to ignore.
Grace never played games. When she was angry, you could feel it. When she disagreed, she said so. There was something refreshing about that honesty, even when it stung.
"Richard?" Laura's voice pulled me back to the present. "You seem distracted."
"Just thinking about work," I replied.
Laura leaned forward, her voice dropping to that breathy tone she used when she wanted something. "Actually, I've been thinking... I'd love to learn more about Grace's work. You know, her perfume formulations and research data."
I paused mid-chew. "What for?"
"Well, I want to improve myself professionally. Maybe take some online courses in fragrance development." She tilted her head with that practiced innocence. "But I'd love to see what Grace has accomplished. Her private research files, the formulas she's developed over the years."
"You can find plenty of tutorials online," I said carefully. "Why do you need to see her personal data?"
Laura's smile faltered slightly. "I just... I want to know how good Grace really is. What makes her so special that everyone thinks she's irreplaceable."
I set down my fork. "Laura, those files contain years of Grace's work. Proprietary formulations, trade secrets. I can't just—"
"Please?" She reached across the table, her fingers trailing over my hand. "I'm not asking for her deepest secrets. Just... a glimpse into her professional world. I want to improve myself too, to help you in whatever way I can."
I stared at Laura's pleading expression, remembering how she'd once begged me to keep Emma's parentage secret. How she'd cried when my mother had thrown her out. How she'd endured years of hiding.
Against my better judgment, I found myself nodding. "Fine. But you can't keep them long, and you absolutely cannot share them with anyone. One week, Laura. That's it."
Her face lit up with genuine triumph. "Thank you, darling. I promise I'll be careful."
Twenty minutes later, I was unlocking my home safe, pulling out Grace's research folder. The weight of it in my hands felt like a betrayal.