Chapter 173 Long Time No See! Grace, Is There Someone with You? 1
Three years flew by.
One evening, Henry's out at this swanky joint, Serene Petal Dining, with this lady. She's Cynthia Wright, the big shot senior VP of some partner investment firm and the only daughter of the group's owner.
Cynthia's got a thing for Henry and used the work talk as an excuse to get him to dinner.
When Henry walked in, he could tell what was up. The place was all romantic, and Cynthia's dress was way too sexy for just a business dinner.
But Henry played it cool. He talked shop with Cynthia, not giving her dress a second glance.
As the night dragged on, Cynthia started getting a bit antsy.
She raised her wine glass, giving Henry a flirty smile. "Alright, business is done. Let's get personal! Henry, I'm dying to know more about you!"
Cynthia was laying it on thick.
Henry didn't dodge. He looked at her, smirked a bit, and said, "Not much to tell. Just me, my wife, and the kids."
Cynthia pushed. "Aren't you divorced?"
Henry's smile faded. "An ex-wife is still a wife, and the kids are still my kids."
Boom. Rejected.
Cynthia felt the sting. She flicked her hair, trying to look all seductive, but didn't see the waiter, Angela White, coming with some French oxtail soup. Next thing you know, soup's all over Cynthia's dress.
Total mess!
Cynthia, already in a bad mood, snapped at Angela, "Do you even know how to do your job? This dress is custom-made!"
That dress? At least $30,000.
Angela was on the verge of tears, stammering, "I didn't mean to. You moved your hand suddenly, and..."
Cynthia, being the tough cookie she is, demanded Angela call the manager for compensation.
Angela, biting her lip, looked like she was about to lose it.
Then, a soft voice, smooth as silk, chimed in, "What's going on here?"
Henry's head snapped up. It was Grace.
She was rocking a white Chanel suit, looking all classy with her golden hair tied up and just a pair of pearl earrings. No flashy jewelry, just pure elegance.
Henry's blue eyes narrowed. He almost lost it.
Grace had been MIA for three years.
Just when Henry thought she'd never come back or forgive him, here she was.
Grace saw Henry too.
She gave him a calm look for a few seconds, then looked away like he was nothing.
Angela explained what happened, and Grace patted her shoulder, telling her to get back to work.
Cynthia, not knowing who Grace was, wiped the soup off her dress with a napkin, all high and mighty. "So, you're gonna pay for this custom-made dress?"
Grace smiled. "Of course!"
Cynthia was taken aback but figured someone who owned a chain like Serene Petal Dining could afford it.
She was about to agree when Grace said, "Ms. Wright, how about this? Let's check the surveillance footage. If it turns out to be our waiter's mistake, I'll cover the dress. But if..."
Before Grace could finish, Cynthia cut her off, "No need for all that. It's just a dress; I'm not that petty."
Grace got the hint and smiled. "Ms. Wright, thanks for being so understanding on Angela's behalf! Well, dinner's on the house for you and Mr. Montague. Enjoy your meal."
With that, Grace made a graceful exit.
Cynthia was still fuming, taking a moment to calm down. "Henry, how does she know us?"
Henry stared at the spot where Grace had disappeared, his face blank. "She's my ex-wife."
Cynthia was floored.
In the restroom, the golden faucet kept running. Grace pressed her hand to her heart.
Even now, her heart was racing. Despite being ready, seeing Henry out of the blue made her legs feel like jelly.
All those painful memories came rushing back.
After a while, she finally calmed down and was about to wash her hands when she saw Henry's reflection in the mirror.
Grace froze, and Henry leaned against the wall, smoking.
He turned, closed, and locked the door, then said softly, "You're back?"
Grace nodded, lowering her head to wash her hands.
Henry stared at her in the mirror, his gaze steady. He took a deep drag on his cigarette, his cheeks hollowing, looking particularly rugged and manly.
After a moment, he asked softly, "Why didn't you tell me when you came back? Did Taylor come back with you?"
"She's still in Vesper City for now," Grace said coolly. She finished washing her hands and turned to him. "I'm done, could you...emm, excuse me?"
Henry didn't budge.
After a bit, he flicked the ash from his cigarette and asked casually, "What about Mr. Morgan? Are you with him?"
Henry's gaze was intense. His long fingers holding the cigarette trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.
After three years, Henry had no clue what her life was like now. He figured Brent was the most likely guy to be with her, so at this moment of reunion, he couldn't help but ask.
It was undignified, shallow, impatient. He knew all that, but he still asked.
Grace shook her head lightly.
Henry felt a wave of relief, realizing he had been so tense he almost forgot to breathe.
Grace smiled faintly. "What about you? That woman seemed pretty nice. Henry, you're 33 now, right? Time to settle down!"
Grace's tone was calm, like an old friend making small talk.
Henry didn't respond. He raised his hand to smoke, exhaling a thin gray smoke, staring at her through it as if trying to see through her.
After a while, Henry straightened up and said indifferently, "Cynthia is a business partner. We only have a working relationship."
With that, Henry pushed the door open and left.
The restroom door was heavy, and as he closed it, it gently swayed the dazzling lights.
Henry returned to the table, only to find that Cynthia had already departed. Unperturbed, he remained seated alone for approximately two hours until the restaurant was on the verge of closing. At that moment, he retrieved his wallet, extracted $1,000, and settled the bill.
Exiting the restaurant, he made his way to a sleek black Bentley waiting outside. Henry sank into the plush seat, reclining back and shielding his eyes with his hand due to the discomfort.
'She is back, Grace is back!' Henry's realization struck him with full force, finally acknowledging her return.At this moment, Grace and Henry were on the same land. They had just spoken less than 20 inches apart. She looked gentle, as if the pain between them had never happened, and her demeanor drew him closer.
In the past, Henry wouldn't have hesitated to win her back. But now, he couldn't grasp Grace's intentions. She had returned to her gentle self, but he couldn't see through her anymore.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
