Chapter 171
Grace's POV
I woke to the sound of my phone ringing and Alex's gentle fingers stroking my hair. I realized he'd been awake for a while, just watching me sleep.
"Your phone," he murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.
I reached for it blindly, and Alex caught my hand, bringing the phone to my ear instead.
"Grace?" Julie's voice was bright and efficient. "Sorry to call so early, but I wanted to confirm your schedule for the board meeting this afternoon."
I was about to respond when Alex's voice rang out—deeper, more commanding.
"Is that Julie?"
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening.
After Alex's deep voice broke through our morning tranquility, the phone fell into an awkwardly long silence.
"Grace?" Julie's voice finally came through, pitched an octave higher than usual. "Did I interrupt you two?"
I glanced at Alex, who was watching me with an amused expression, his hair still messy from sleep. He seemed completely unbothered by announcing his presence to my assistant at seven in the morning.
"Julie, it's fine," I said, trying to maintain a professional tone despite being tangled in bedsheets with my very shirtless husband.
"I... um..." Julie stammered. "The board meeting this afternoon?"
Alex chuckled softly beside me, the sound rumbling from his chest. He leaned closer to the phone, using that authoritative tone that made boardrooms fall silent. "Julie, Grace needs time off."
"Oh, yes," Julie said quietly, then realized her mistake. "Grace already requested leave, I forgot about that. Sorry."
Julie hurriedly hung up the phone.
Alex pulled me closer, his fingers threading through my hair. "So, Mrs. Morgan," he murmured, "what should we do with our day?"
I was still half-asleep, feeling warm and content in his arms.
"I was thinking," he continued, his voice soft against my ear, "we could look at that house Lucas found. Pick out furniture, decorate our new home. I could cook for you. We could watch a movie."
I looked up at him, surprised by the domestic picture he was painting. "You want to do all that? Just... normal couple things?"
"Every normal couple thing," he said, his voice earnest. "I want to experience everything with you that I never thought I could have."
The sincerity in his voice made my chest tight with emotion.
"Being with you, whatever we're doing, I just feel happy."
He went completely still, as if my words had physically struck him. "I want to give you every reason to feel that way," he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Every single day."
By 10 AM, we were both drowning in missed calls and messages. Alex paced the living room, phone pressed to his ear.
"Yes, I understand the timeline," Alex said, his voice clipped with barely contained irritation. "But the answer is still no. Reschedule it."
Just as I was about to handle my own work, my phone chimed with a text from Eleanor. Warmth filled my heart as I read her message.
My dearest Grace,
I hope you're taking care of our grandson. I know Alex can be... complicated. He's been hurt so much, darling. But real love isn't about perfection—it's about choosing to stay when things get difficult. Don't let his past with that Cooper girl make you doubt what you two have. True love should start from the heart and end with the heart. You're exactly what he needs.
All my love,
Eleanor
I felt tears prick my eyes. "Alex," I called softly. "You should see this."
He immediately ended his call and came over. I showed him the message, watching his expression soften as he read.
"Grandma is worried about us."
Alex stared at the screen for a long moment.
"We should go tell them we're okay now," I continued.
Alex nodded.
On the drive to the Morgan family estate, Alex's hand gripped mine tightly, as if afraid I might disappear again.
Back at the estate, we showed grandpa and grandma our stability. Let them stop worrying about everything.
---
By evening, we stood outside the most spectacular property I'd ever seen. The Skyline Estate sat by the ocean, its glass walls reflecting the sunset like something from a magazine.
"The asking price is close to fifty million dollars," Lucas explained to the real estate agent and security team. "Mr. Morgan wants to make a direct offer."
I felt dizzy. "Alex, this is too much—"
"Nothing is too much for our future," he said simply. "Besides, I want you to design every room exactly how you want it."
The agent was practically vibrating with excitement. "This property has been featured in magazines for its sustainable architecture and—"
"We'll take it," Alex said, not even looking at the building. He was looking at me. "Lucas, handle the paperwork. I want Grace to have complete creative control over the renovation."
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and reds, Alex pulled me to a private spot.
I looked at him, then at the breathtaking view—endless ocean, sky painted in impossible colors, the kind of beauty that made you believe in forever.
When I turned back to Alex, I completely forgot about the sunset. The way he was looking at me—like I was his entire world—made everything else fade away.
"I can't decide," I said softly, "if the view is more beautiful, or if it's you."
---
Later that evening, we were grocery shopping. He pushed the cart while I navigated the aisles, our fingers intertwined.
"I can't remember the last time I did this," Alex admitted, looking around as if he'd discovered a new world.
"What, grocery shopping?"
"Shopping for a home," he corrected. "When I was a kid, I used to watch families here. Parents arguing over cereal brands, kids begging for cookies. It looked so... warm."
My heart ached for the lonely child he'd been. I could picture him standing in these same aisles, longingly watching other families. I picked up a package of colorful Jell-O cups, holding them up with exaggerated excitement.
"Honey, these look really delicious... do you want to try them?"
Alex's eyes sparkled with amusement and something deeper—maybe gratitude, grateful that I gave him this normal moment he'd always craved.