Chapter 164 Henry, the Biggest Regret of My Life is Falling for You
That night, Henry didn't catch a wink.
The bedroom was cleaned up, but the faint whiff of blood still hung in the air, a grim reminder of what went down a few hours back.
He and Grace had hit a dead end.
Their daughter, Taylor, bawled her eyes out all night. It wasn't until the crack of dawn that Henry managed to calm her down and hand her over to the nanny.
The night was deep and eerily quiet.
Henry wandered into the study, plopped down on the sofa, and lit up a smoke. Soon, a cloud of light blue smoke wrapped around him, making him look all hazy and distant.
He sat there, lost in thoughts about his past with Grace.
This study was like a vault of painful memories for Grace. Here, he had humiliated her, even slapped her once over a photo. After that, Grace's eyes were filled with nothing but despair.
If there was a moment that marked the end of their relationship, it was probably that slap.
Henry wanted to win Grace back, but as Aurora had said, he had too many responsibilities and couldn't always be there for her. Taylor also needed a mom with stable emotions. But these were just excuses. Deep down, Henry knew Grace might not come back well from her secret treatment.
In fact, Henry had given up on Grace.
Henry's eyelids started twitching, and his long fingers holding the cigarette trembled. He began drafting the divorce agreement, offering some pretty generous terms.
He made sure Taylor's rights were covered.
He gave Grace his real estate and most of his cash, plus the jewelry left by Seraphina and all the bling Grace used to wear.
Henry was way more generous to Grace than before.
He promised a lot, but he couldn't guarantee Grace's safe return.
Henry looked at the thick stack of papers in front of him. Suddenly, he waved his hand, and the papers scattered like snowflakes, just like his feelings for Grace, just like their marriage, shattered beyond repair.
Under the bright crystal chandelier, Henry slowly covered his sore eyes, thinking that the cigarette smoke must be too irritating.
The next afternoon, the snow had just melted, and it was freezing outside, but the ward was as warm as spring.
Grace, with her golden hair loose, leaned against the headboard. Her hospital gown hung loosely on her, adding a touch of fragile beauty.
Henry stood by the window, talking to her like it was just another day.
He told her about Taylor, assuring her that the nanny was taking good care of her and that she needn't worry. He also mentioned he had drafted their divorce agreement, which would ensure her a good life even if she did nothing.
Henry's tone was indifferent, like he was discussing the weather.
But Grace, having been his wife for many years, understood him. After he finished speaking, she calmly asked, "Henry, are there conditions to all this?"
Henry turned and quietly looked at Grace.
After a moment, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "There's a villa in the suburbs, a private sanatorium. I'm arranging for you to go there for treatment. The car is already downstairs."
After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Grace.
He thought that if she begged him now, if she said she didn't want to go, if she said, "Henry, I want to stay by your side," he would still soften. He would still keep her by his side, even if it meant mutual torment. But Grace didn't.
When Henry dropped the bomb, Grace just blinked, not even a hint of surprise. She'd seen this coming from a mile away.
Having endured Henry's aloofness for years, she was all too familiar with his demeanor.
Why did Grace concede? It was all for Taylor! Given her current state, Grace wasn't in a position to look after a child. As Taylor was maturing, the last thing Grace wanted was for her to live in fear and endure a tumultuous childhood.
Grace knew going to that place was a gamble, and Aurora might not let her go. But for her kid, she was willing to roll the dice.
She softly said okay, her voice trembling just a bit.
Grace didn't look at Henry. She didn't want to see his cold face, didn't want to think about how she had a kid with this guy, and didn't want to remember that she once loved him with all her heart.
Henry's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a rough voice, "Let's go after dinner. I'll go with you."
Grace lowered her eyes and gave a faint smile. She softly said, "Why bother, Henry? If you're gonna send me away, why fake a last meal together? Let's just go now."
After that, Grace started changing clothes.
She took off her hospital gown and put on her regular clothes, wrapping herself in a down jacket. Before leaving, she looked at Henry with a bleak smile. "I hope you keep your promise and .give Taylor to me."
Grace was done with him and had nothing more to say.
She turned to leave, but Henry quickly stepped forward and grabbed her slender wrist. His blue eyes were deep. "Grace, if you change your mind, you can still be Mrs. Montague."
Henry's grip hurt Grace. She looked into his eyes and softly said, "Henry, the biggest regret of my life is falling for you."
Henry was stunned, and she gently pulled her hand away, opened the door, and walked out.
Celeste was standing at the door, being close to Henry and privy to some of his decisions.
Seeing Grace's desolate look, Celeste was shocked and instinctively tried to stop her. "Grace!"
Grace paused. Looking at Celeste, she softly said, "Please take care of Taylor. I owe you this favor."
Celeste was heartbroken and choked up, "Don't say that, Grace, please don't say that. I'll go talk to Mr. Montague."
Grace gently shook her head. "When has Henry ever changed his mind?"
Her voice lowered. "Thanks again."
While Celeste was in a daze, Grace had already walked forward. The window at the end of the corridor wasn't tightly closed, and the north wind blew in, lifting Grace's golden hair. Her back was straight, but she looked desolate and lonely.
Celeste suddenly ran to the window, watching Grace go downstairs and get into the car. From start to finish, she didn't see Grace hesitate or show any weakness. It seemed Grace had long anticipated this outcome, that she had long known Henry would treat her this way. She was just waiting, just waiting for Henry to make his decision.
The car door closed and slowly drove away from the hospital.
Suddenly, Celeste's face was covered in tears.
Celeste clutched the window, crying uncontrollably, crying in utter despair. In just one year, she had witnessed the highs and lows of Grace and Henry, and now she had witnessed this tragic ending. She didn't know if Grace would ever come back.
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