Chapter 28 The Hidden Joy of That Time
Grace stepped out of the bathroom, looking pale.
Henry set down his wine glass and eyed her. "You okay? Feeling sick? I'll tell Caleb we're leaving."
Grace didn't argue.
Henry sent messages to Caleb and Amara, then left with Grace.
In the car, he glanced at her, his face unusually soft. "We should've nailed that project! Mrs. Montague, I owe you. Never knew you had it in you."
Grace sank into the plush leather seat; exhaustion etched in every line of her body. After a long day, she felt too tired to move.
After a moment, she met his gaze, her voice soft. "I've always been like this, Henry. You just never noticed."
In their three years of marriage, most of their time together was in bed.
The rest of the time, he was either at work or visiting Elodie in Harmony City. No matter how much love Grace had, it had worn thin. Now, his sudden gentleness couldn't move her.
Her calm demeanor had a captivating allure, drawing Henry in. Unable to resist, he leaned in to kiss her.
Grace covered his lips with her hand, looking up at him with the same gentle expression. "Henry, that $2000,000 doesn't include sleeping with you. You've always kept business and personal separate."
Henry felt a softness in his heart.
He kissed her palm, his voice rough. "You used to beg me to sleep with you. Even when I got up for a condom, you'd cling to my neck like a kitten, not letting go. Remember?"
A faint blush crept up Grace's cheeks as she looked away. "Stop talking," she murmured.
Henry didn't push it. He gently pressed the gas pedal and drove off. It was a good hour's drive to her place.
Half an hour later, exhaustion took over Grace, and she dozed off, her head resting against the seat. When she woke, the car was parked outside her building.
She was a bit disoriented, her voice raspy. "We're here already? Thanks for bringing me back. I'll get the dress dry-cleaned and return it."
Grace finished speaking and was about to get out of the car.
But the next second, Henry grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms. With a press of a button, the seat reclined.
Grace lay in his arms, her body tense. Henry's gentle grip on her waist made her hesitate, and she feared he might lose control.
Henry kissed her gently, changing angles as he kissed her.
His warm hand caressed her waist, kissing and touching her while asking in a husky voice, "Do you like this? Grace, do you like me kissing you like this?"
Grace stayed silent, unable to break free. Overwhelmed with embarrassment and uncertainty, she chose not to respond.
After a long while, Henry finally had enough of kissing.
He rested his forehead against hers, breathing heavily, his blue eyes fixed on her face, watching her reaction. Grace buried her face in his neck.
But this was even more moving than the kissing and touching earlier.
Henry turned his face and kissed her nose. Then he just held her, as if they were a loving couple.
But Grace knew they weren't. This brief gentleness was just Henry's desire at play!
"What are you thinking about?" Henry asked.
When he didn't get a response, his warm fingers found her lips, gently stroking them. "How about going upstairs and cooking something for me? I haven't eaten much all night."
Grace refused, "It's not convenient!"
Henry leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek before teasing, "How does $20,000 per meal sound, Mrs. Montague?"
For the money, Grace gave in.
Henry leaned over and opened the car door for Grace. As she got out, he suddenly grabbed her hand, and Grace turned to look at him.
He murmured, his gaze gentle, "The dress looks really nice."
This was probably the warmest moment in their three years of marriage. Grace felt a bit emotional but only smiled slightly. "Thank you."
They went upstairs one after the other.
The old facilities made Henry frown, but at least the broken light in the hallway had been fixed.
Behind them, a silver car was parked in the night.
Celeste sat in the car, quietly watching them disappear. Clad in the white dress intended for the party, she exuded a captivating beauty.
Having trailed them from the Young family's residence, Celeste witnessed Henry escorting Grace out. It was a side of him she had never seen—gentle and possessive, his hand almost always resting on Grace's slender waist.
Celeste had long believed that Henry was indifferent to Grace and had assumed that after three years in a loveless marriage, Grace would bear emotional scars. Yet, at the party, Grace commanded the spotlight! Her performance on the violin was nothing short of mesmerizing.
That was why Henry couldn't help but kiss her in the car.
Celeste clenched the steering wheel, a sense of disappointment washing over her. She couldn't come to terms with this harsh reality!
Swiftly, she retrieved her phone, chose a picture of Henry and Grace dancing, and sent it to Elodie through a social media platform. She was certain that Elodie wouldn't be able to remain calm after witnessing such an intimate moment captured in a photo!
A sly smile played on Celeste's lips as she glanced down at her phone. If she couldn't have certain things, then Grace shouldn't have them either.
The Windsor family's house was very small.
Henry, who was nearly 6.2 feet tall, had to duck to get through the door.
Once inside, he couldn't stretch out and looked cramped sitting on the only single sofa. Grace, however, was calm. She went into the room to change out of her dress and into something more comfortable, then went to the kitchen.
Henry took off his jacket and leaned back on the sofa, smoking a cigarette. His piercing blue eyes were fixed on Grace's silhouette.
In the days gone by, upon his return from work, Grace would often prepare meals for him. However, never before had he gazed at her in quite this manner.
Even in bed, he had never really looked at her. He only knew her skin was soft, her waist was slim, and her legs were long and straight.
He often indulged in their marital affairs, even if he didn't love her.
He watched quietly, the cigarette between his long fingers emitting thin gray smoke, creating a hazy atmosphere around him.
Grace made two bowls of pasta, the tantalizing aroma wafting through the air.
Henry put out his cigarette and went to the small dining table to eat. As an heir to a wealthy family, he wasn't used to such small tables and chairs, but he managed to adjust.
With the first bite, he discovered the exquisite taste of the dish.
Henry looked up, watching Grace eat her pasta elegantly, and said softly, "The Windsor family was once affluent. How did you acquire these domestic skills?"
Grace halted mid-bite, a faint look of surprise crossing her features.
Henry remained unaware that when they first married, she possessed no knowledge of household tasks. It was Henry's exacting standards that drove her to master these skills.
But whether he knew or not didn't matter anymore.
Grace said lightly, "These are simple things, not hard to learn."
Henry's gaze deepened, and he didn't say anything more.
After eating, Grace cleaned up the dishes.
Henry remained at the dining table, taking out another cigarette but not lighting it; he held it in his mouth as he watched Grace's back. His blue eyes were especially captivating when he was focused.
The kitchen light cast a soft glow on Grace's figure, accentuating her demure and compliant demeanor, a quality that often appealed to men. At that moment, Henry felt a strong desire to embrace her.
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