Chapter 6 Pretending to Be in Perfect Harmony
Grace clutched the car door for a second before letting go. The air inside felt stifling.
Henry, fresh off a business trip and another visit to the Montague family manor, was exhausted. One hand on the wheel, the other rubbing his brow, he snapped, "How long are you gonna keep this up?"
To him, it was just drama. He didn't get that she was done.
Grace felt a chill in her chest. She sat up straight, staring ahead. After a moment, she said softly, "Henry, I'm serious. I don't want to be with you anymore."
Henry turned to look at her. He was handsome, with sharp features. Grace had once been smitten by his looks, but now she felt nothing.
Henry stared at her, unbuckling his seatbelt with one hand. "Get out."
With a faint click, he unlocked the car.
Grace got out immediately and walked towards the house, her back straight, as firm as her resolve to get a divorce.
Henry lit a cigarette before getting out and following her upstairs.
Their argument ended badly.
That night, Grace slept in the guest room. Henry was too angry to comfort her. He changed into his pajamas and lay down, but as he reached for the empty space beside him, he felt a bit off.
In the past, no matter how cold he was, Grace always used to hug him from behind while they slept. That would no longer happen, as she now wanted a divorce.
In the morning, sunlight streamed into the bedroom. Henry found it glaring and raised his hand to block it, waking up in the process.
Downstairs, there were faint sounds. He recognized it as the maids setting up the dining room. Usually, Grace would help the maids with these tasks, and she would also prepare his breakfast.
Feeling slightly better, Henry got out of bed, walked into the dressing room, and started changing. The next moment, he noticed that Grace's suitcase was missing. Opening the wardrobe, he confirmed that she had taken some of her commonly worn clothes.
He gazed at it silently for a few moments before shutting her wardrobe. He selected a business suit, dressed himself, and made his way downstairs, putting on his watch as he usually did. Casually, he asked a maid, "Where's Mrs. Montague?"
The maid replied cautiously, "Mrs. Montague left early this morning with her suitcase, without even calling the driver. She went out."
Henry remained silent, taking a seat at the dining table to have his meal. But his attention was caught by the news, which was filled with scandalous stories about him and Elodie, each headline more sensational than the last. After a while, Henry asked the maid beside him softly, "Did Mrs. Montague see the news before she left?"
The maid replied honestly, "Mrs. Montague left without having breakfast."
Henry glanced briefly at her before reaching for his phone to call Celeste. "Handle the situation with Elodie," he instructed before preparing to end the call. With an air of detachment, he adjusted his tie with his long fingers and added, "Also, find out where Grace sold her wedding ring. I want it back by 4 PM."
Celeste was stunned for a moment. After a while, she said softly, "That's impossible! Mrs. Montague loves you so much. How could she sell the wedding ring?"
Henry's response was to hang up the phone. He tossed it onto the dining table. Looking at the news, he had no appetite at all.
Grace returned to the Windsor family home. Clara had just finished making soup to take to the hospital. Seeing Grace, she was unsettled, pointing at the suitcase, her tone not very good. "Every couple fights. It's not uncommon for men to stray at times. That Elodie dresses so poorly and has a lame leg. I found out she's even divorced. Someone like that won't affect your status."
"What status do I have with Henry?" Grace laughed self-deprecatingly and packed the soup into a thermos, adding, "I'm going to the hospital to see Dad."
Glaring at Grace for a moment, Clara wiped her hands with a cloth, her tone laced with anger. "If your father knew you wanted a divorce, he'd probably be furious! Grace, let's reconsider this. Even if you can't continue living with him, have you considered the aftermath of a divorce? The Windsor family is currently in disarray. How do you plan to sustain it?"
Grace tightened the lid on the thermos. After securing it, she lowered her head and said softly, "There will be a way. The money from selling the wedding ring will cover Dad's medical expenses for half a year. For Oliver's legal fees, I plan to sell this house. And I'll go out to work and support the family."
Tears welled up in her eyes. This house had been her mother's legacy, a place she had never dared to disturb, no matter what.
Clara was taken aback. She understood Grace's resolve but couldn't shake off her inner disagreement. Still, she chose not to push further, sensing it was pointless.
After settling things, Grace and Clara went to the hospital. Nathan Windsor's condition had stabilized after treatment, but he was still worried about Oliver's future. Grace didn't mention the divorce for now.
In the afternoon, the attending doctor came to check on him. Lucas Fitzwilliam, a young neurosurgery expert, was very handsome, standing 6 feet tall with a great demeanor. After the examination, Lucas glanced at Grace. "Let's talk outside."
Grace was taken aback. Setting down what she was holding, she turned to Nathan and spoke softly, "Dad, I'll be right back."
A moment later, they walked to a quiet corridor. Seeing Grace's nervousness, Lucas gave her a reassuring smile. Then he looked down at the medical records, stating, "Last night, I discussed with several department heads, and we unanimously recommend that Mr. Windsor undergo customized rehabilitation therapy. Otherwise, it will be difficult for him to return to his previous state. However, the cost is a bit high, around $150,000 per month."
$150,000 was an astronomical figure for Grace at that moment. However, without hesitation, she declared, "We'll proceed with the treatment."
Lucas closed the medical records and looked at her quietly. Actually, they had known each other before, but Grace had forgotten. When Grace was very young, he lived next door to her. He remembered that every summer evening, the little stars would light up on the terrace outside Grace's bedroom, and they would sit together closely.
Just like when they were kids, when Lucas looked at Grace now, he remembered seeing her wedding announcement three years ago when he returned to the country. He thought she had married for love, but she wasn't happy. Henry was cold to her, treated her harshly. Lucas never expected Henry to be so cruel to her. If he had known she was unhappy, he wouldn't have gone abroad to study.
Lucas was about to speak when a cold voice sounded from the other side, "Grace."
It was Henry. Henry was dressed in a business suit, a dark gray shirt, and a black jacket, looking like he had come from the office. He walked over, the sound of his leather shoes crisp in the corridor.
Shortly after, Henry positioned himself in front of them. He extended his hand, his voice laced with a lazy tone tinged with mockery. "Lucas, long time no see!"
Lucas looked at the hand in front of him, smiled faintly, and shook it. "Mr. Montague, nice to meet you!"
Henry released his hand immediately, turning to Grace. "Shall we go see Nathan?"
An undercurrent of tension simmered between Henry and Lucas. Unaware of the tension, Grace made a conscious effort to maintain composure. She didn't want to display any negativity towards Henry in front of Lucas, so she simply nodded and said, "Lucas, I'll head over first."
Lucas replied with a slight smile. Grace walked towards the ward with Henry, neither of them speaking. Since deciding to divorce, she no longer tried to please him or win his favor.
Near the ward door, Henry suddenly grabbed Grace's wrist, trapping her between him and the wall, his gaze complicated. Just now, the way Lucas looked at Grace was the way a man appreciating a woman. In that gaze, Henry saw admiration and affection, which made him very uncomfortable.
Henry gently touched Grace's cheek, which was very delicate and inviting. He inquired with a slightly hoarse voice, "What did you talk to him about?"
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