Chapter 232 Not Mad About Last Time?
Grace didn't dodge. She looked Dylan dead in the eye and said, "I can't help you. They skipped town, and I got no clue when they'll be back. Even if they do, they won't stick around. You know Oliver's got Vesper City on lock now, way more than I do. If he wants to vanish, he's gone."
Dylan bought it.
He was banking on Grace's soft spot.
Grace smirked, a bit of sarcasm in her voice. "Didn't think kindness meant jack to you."
She wasn't up for more chit-chat. She threw on her shades and got up. "I'll holler if I hear anything."
But Dylan grabbed her hand, just like the old days, his fingers brushing the scars on her wrist. Back then, she was a scared little bird, but now she was tough, no longer that fragile girl.
He looked up at her and finally said, "Grace, I like you."
The place went dead quiet.
Grace pulled her hand back a couple of times. She didn't say anything, didn't push him away either. There was no spark between them.
She used to think of him as a friend, but she never had feelings for him.
Dylan just stood there, watching Grace fade away. His phone buzzed, snapping him out of it. It was Oliver.
His blood ran cold.
Dylan barely remembered how he answered, his voice tight. "Oliver, what do you want? What are you gonna do to Sarah?"
Oliver's icy voice came through, "Dylan, you scared? Chill, I'll take good care of Sarah. She's fine; we even have a kid. But every time she talks about your job, she gets all down. She thinks you've made too many enemies as a hotshot lawyer and can't sleep at night."
Oliver kept going, "Dylan, for Sarah's sake..."
Dylan's face was stone, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oliver, you threatening me? You want me to quit lawyering, right? Fine, tomorrow I'll announce I'm done with it. Happy now?"
Oliver chuckled, his tone turning all polite and smooth. "No need to be so dramatic. Just wanted to see how far you'd go for Sarah."
And with that, Oliver hung up.
Dylan shouted into the phone, "Oliver, you bastard!"
He lost it. Forgot he was a top lawyer; right now, he was just a brother freaking out over his sister.
Grace got home to find she and Dylan had hit the news. One pic showed Dylan holding her wrist, and the look in his eyes was clear as day.
Because of that, Juniper called.
Grace answered calmly, "It's nothing! He cornered me at the airport asking about Sarah! By the way, you guys settled in? How's Julia doing?"
Julia Morgan was Brent's kid and tight with Juniper. After Brent passed away, she'd been living with Juniper. Juniper came back to Evergreen City partly for Julia.
When Grace asked, Juniper said, "She's good. We're just school hunting for her."
That made Grace think of Taylor. She wondered how Henry was doing with the school stuff they talked about last time.
Later that night, on the second floor of the villa, Henry, in a white bathrobe, was chilling on the living room sofa with a blanket over his knees. The nurse, Mia, was giving him a pro massage, saying softly, "Today, Dr. Fitzwilliam said your leg's getting some feeling back, and your right arm's doing better too! Looks like the new experimental team is working."
A new experimental team? Henry realized he hadn't signed off on any funds for this.
Mia had slipped up, but now she had to come clean. "Ms. Windsor bankrolled it. The initial investment was $300 million, and who knows how much more it'll need. Dr. Fitzwilliam said if the lab runs for five years, it could drain Ms. Windsor's entire fortune."
Mia kept massaging and added, "Ms. Windsor is really dedicated to you, Mr. Montague."
Henry didn't say a word. He just stared at the photo on his phone, the one of Dylan holding Grace's hand.
When it hit the news, Henry had it squashed within two hours. He didn't call to ask, and Grace didn't explain.
Honestly, she didn't owe him any explanations.
That night they hooked up, he told her it was just for fun. Since it was just a game, what right did he have to demand answers?
But Henry wanted to see Grace. After the massage, when Mia left and shut the door, Henry called Grace.
After a few rings, Grace picked up, her voice soft. "Henry, what's up?"
Henry leaned back on the sofa, his blue eyes a bit downcast, his voice a little rough. "Tomorrow, I want to bring Taylor and Avery over for the day. That cool with you?"
"No problem at all," Grace replied.
Trying to keep his cool, Henry asked, "Should I come get them, or will you bring them over?"
Grace chuckled lightly, her laugh like a spring breeze that warmed Henry's heart. His fingers holding the phone trembled a bit.
He waited until she said, "I also need to discuss Taylor's school with you. I'll bring the kids over."
Henry let out a sigh of relief. After a moment, Grace still hadn't hung up, and Henry couldn't help but ask softly, "Still mad about last time?"
Grace responded with a soft "hmm."
This chat was a truce, a step towards making up.
For Henry, it was a weird mix of feelings, especially since he thought she was still with Owen. It was sweet and sour, with a dash of forbidden thrill.
That night, Henry didn't sleep well. He lay on the bed they had shared so many times, where they had been close so many times. Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered that night in the guest room, Grace's nightgown slipping to her waist as she straddled him.
It wasn't as wild as before, but maybe because it had been so long, the pleasure was almost painfully sharp, ranking among the best of their countless encounters.
The next day, Grace brought the kids over, and Clara didn't come.
When the car pulled up, Henry was already there. As soon as the door opened, Taylor jumped out, happily shouting "Daddy" and hugging him like a little puppy.
Grace got out holding Avery.
Taylor took Avery and proudly showed him to Henry, saying eagerly, "Avery is so well-behaved! Clara says he's super easy to take care of, except he sneezes a lot."
Henry patted Avery. The kid looked refined, much like Henry, and had a similarly aloof vibe.
Henry looked up and asked Grace, "Has his nasal thing gotten better since coming back to Evergreen City?"
Grace walked over and squatted beside Henry, also patting Avery's head, and said softly, "Much better. We'll go for a follow-up in a few days."
Henry's blue eyes locked onto hers.
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