Chapter 29 The Nominal Grace
Henry had a plan, and he stuck to it.
He walked into the tiny kitchen, wrapped his arms around Grace from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, tilted his head, and kissed the soft spot behind her ear.
Grace was caught off guard, her knees almost giving out.
She glanced down at the dishes in her hands and muttered, "Henry, you said you came up for some noodles. What’s this about?"
Henry tightened his grip and whispered in her ear, "Grace, come back with me."
Grace stiffened.
For the first time, Henry wasn’t ordering her to come back; it sounded like he was asking. That small change tugged at her heart.
She kept her head down and stayed silent.
Henry kissed her hair and looked up slightly. "Please, okay?"
A sudden ringtone interrupted them.
Henry frowned, not wanting to answer, but Grace had already snapped out of it. "You should get that," she said.
Henry glanced at his phone; it was Elodie. He ignored the call, feeling the need to explain something to Grace.
Grace guessed who it was. While washing the dishes, she said indifferently, "You should go. Don’t forget to transfer the $20,000 to me."
She acted like she didn’t care, only thinking about the money.
The earlier intimacy vanished.
Henry stepped back, staring at her back. After a while, he asked softly, "Grace, no matter what, you won’t come back with me, will you?"
Her back said it all.
Henry was proud, too; he wasn’t about to beg. He pulled out his phone, transferred the $20,000, grabbed his coat from the sofa, and left.
Grace kept washing the dishes.
She heard the notification on her phone, the faint sound of Henry leaving, the door closing, and she tried not to think about it, knowing exactly why Henry was so tender that night.
It was because of her value.
If she hadn’t secured Amara, if she hadn’t helped him get that project, he wouldn’t have given her a second glance, wouldn’t have come over just for noodles, and wouldn’t have spoken to her so tenderly.
Because he was Henry, the ruthless businessman.
They parted on bad terms, and Grace tried to convince herself not to care, but her eyes glistened. She wasn’t made of stone; she had feelings.
In the days that followed, Grace didn’t see Henry, and she felt relieved.
One day, she went to the hospital to visit Nathan. Shortly after she arrived, she noticed Clara seemed off, like something was bothering her.
Sure enough, around lunchtime, Clara made an excuse about craving steak and how boring it was to eat alone. Nathan, unsuspecting, smiled and said, "Doesn't Grace like steak too? Why not invite her so you can catch up?"
Clara adjusted Nathan's pillow a few times before leaving.
At the hospital’s restaurant.
Before the steak arrived, Grace asked softly, "Clara, what’s going on?"
Clara tried to hold back but couldn’t.
She asked, "Grace, do you know about Elodie's background?"
Grace only knew Elodie used to be a nurse, so she shook her head.
Clara was furious and let out a cold laugh, "Elodie's parents used to be a driver and a maid for the Windsor family! We never mistreated them, yet they raised a 'well-behaved' daughter who ended up stealing your husband! Now she's in the hospital, in a VIP room paid for by Henry, seeing top doctors. It’s ridiculous!"
Grace was stunned to learn that Elodie's parents had once worked for the Windsor family.
Just then, the waiter brought their steaks, but Clara had lost her appetite.
She was still fuming. "The Williams family must have planned something!"
Grace felt a pang of guilt. She gently squeezed Clara's hand and tried to comfort her, understanding her frustration.
Clara came from a good family. At 26, she was determined to marry Nathan, who was 40 and had kids, causing a rift with her own family.
Clara was proud.
She vowed to live well and prove to her family that her choice was right. But now, she was being overshadowed by a former servant's daughter. How could she accept that?
Grace comforted her for a long time. She also mentioned the $2000,000. "With this money, things will get easier. Clara, we'll keep improving our situation!"
Clara managed a smile, but tears welled up in her eyes. "Grace, it's not for me; it's for you! How can a driver's and maid's daughter, who isn't even good-looking, just..."
She paused, then continued, "Henry must be blind!"
Grace tried to cheer her up, agreeing with her.
After venting, Clara felt much better. Concerned about Nathan, she quickly finished her meal and left in a hurry, leaving Grace staring at her steak.
"Mrs. Montague!" Suddenly, a familiar yet strange voice sounded in Grace's ear.
She looked up and saw Elodie.
Elodie was wearing a hospital gown, sitting in a wheelchair, looking frail. But her seemingly gentle almond eyes were sharp.
Elodie had no choice but to find Grace.
These days, Henry wouldn't answer her calls or visit her in the hospital. When she called Celeste, she was mocked for clinging to Henry.
Elodie, feeling panicked, sought out Grace for help. Coming from a less privileged background, she naturally resorted to underhanded means.
Ignoring her status, Elodie looked at Grace with tearful eyes, even grabbing Grace's sleeve, looking pitiful. "Mrs. Montague, please, don't cling to Henry. We really love each other! If you let go, we can be truly happy together. Forcing yourself to stay with him won't make you happy, don't you think?"
Grace had been married to Henry for three years, and Elodie had been around for three years. But this was the first time she faced Elodie, who was so shameless and vulgar!
If it were before, Grace would have been at a loss.
But perhaps because she no longer cared about Henry, she was surprisingly calm. She even peacefully said to Elodie, "Ms. Williams, you should be saying this to Henry! If you can't get a proper status, the problem usually lies with the man, not his wife."
Elodie bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. She had always thought of Grace as naive, but she hadn't anticipated her to be so firm in her stance.
People around them were already pointing and whispering, humiliating Elodie. Just then, Grace, not wanting to argue, got up to leave. Elodie panicked and, disregarding her dignity, shouted after her, "He doesn't love you at all!"
Grace's steps halted.
Elodie showed a pleased expression, raising her head slightly and continuing, "If he loved you, why didn't he save Oliver?"
"If he loved you, why would he let your father stay in that rundown hospital room? While I, Elodie, stay in the best VIP room at Serenity General Hospital, enjoying the best medical resources! Mrs. Montague, he doesn't love you at all!" Elodie added.
Grace lowered her eyes and said calmly, "You needn't worry."
As she walked away, a deep ache settled in her heart.
How could she not see it? Henry didn't love her. After three years of marriage, she was all too aware of the truth!
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