Chapter 209 Behind Closed Doors
At last, quitting time rolled around, and after a rough day, Joshua struggled to distinguish between a few types of gemstones.
"Tanzanite, sunstone, ametrine, aquamarine," he mumbled.
Resentment towards Luann Weaver festered deep in his heart. When he trudged out of the factory, exhausted to the bone, he caught a glimpse of Luann climbing into Myron Curtis's car, which made his head spin and nearly sent him tumbling.
"That's it, I quit!" Joshua fumed as he dialed Grace, planning to ask her for assistance without waiting for today's pay.
"Meet me downstairs of the office block; I'll be there in ten," Grace's voice came through clear and decisive.
Joshua found an open spot to stand, steadying himself when a haunting voice drifted from nearby: "Where's my twenty bucks?"
His body shuddered, and he turned in surprise to see the beggar eyeing him expectantly.
"You said yesterday to hand back ten bucks, and you'd give me twenty today," the beggar reminded him.
Joshua's mouth twitched, his teeth clenched in frustration, "You've gotta be kidding me! You’re rolling in dough and hassling me over twenty?"
"I don't need the money; I expect people to keep their word. A deal's a deal; don't try to cheat me," the beggar scorned him, sizing him with disdain. "For someone who seems well off, you sure are broke."
The beggar flaunted a ten-dollar bill from his own small bowl.
"Here you go. Do you want me to bail you out again?"
But Joshua’s hand met the side of the beggar's head with a frustrated slap.
The honk of a car horn sounded, and Joshua got into the vehicle, seething angrily.
Grace looked at him disgusted, "What were you doing, fighting with a beggar?"
"He was asking for it," Joshua ground out through clenched teeth.
Grace shook her head, looking at his face, which was painfully awkward to behold, "What happened?"
"Luann Weaver happened!" Jason snorted coldly. "Bringing up her and her ex? Didn't expect her to explode like that."
"Her ex? Wilber Gilbert?" Grace raised an eyebrow.
"Who else?"
Grace's lips, a vibrant red, curled up subtly but with an underlying menace. "What do you think is the real score between Luann Weaver and Wilber Gilbert now?"
"Must still be some spark after two years of dating," Joshua glanced at her, "What’s your plan?"
Grace casually twirled a tendril of hair behind her ear, her smile light yet lethal.
"Nothing much. Grandpa’s throwing a celebration soon, and I was just thinking of adding one more name to the invite list."
Joshua fell silent momentarily, "Hey, you're not planning to stir up trouble, are you?"
Grace let out a cold chuckle.
"Maybe. Why should Luann Weaver get off so easy?"
She gripped the steering wheel and headed towards the diner.
"Look at the mess you've become since falling into her orbit. It's downright embarrassing."
Joshua bristled at the comment but patiently said, "Let's hear your plan."
"It's simple. Kicking Luann Weaver out of the Curtis family will be a piece of cake," Grace's eyes gleamed with a sinister light. "She's so friendly with Wilber Gilbert. Imagine if something happened between them, and it just so happened to be discovered by everyone..."
Joshua felt a sharp pang between his brows.
"You're not thinking of setting them up together, are you?"
"Yes."
"No way!" Joshua objected firmly. "If Grandpa finds out, your fate won't be any better than mine!"
Only a momentary cloud of rage had let him to harbor violent thoughts.
But when it came down to it, he sobered up and didn't dare act on them.
And for that, he had still been severely chastised by Vito Curtis.
"What's the panic for?"
Grace looked at his pathetic demeanor with a hint of disdain flickering in the corner of her eye.
"If it happens and so many people witness it, even if the old man wants to protect her, there's nothing he can do."
"Joshua, when did you become such a coward?"
Joshua fell silent.
"I'm not being a coward. I'm just being cautious."
Grace shook her head gently, "Don't worry. If I'm in charge, there will be no mistakes."
"We don't need to go to all this trouble." Joshua insisted, "Now I'm close to Luann Weaver. If there's any problem at work, I'll be the first to know. We can just use a work-related issue to easily kick her out of the head office."
The car screeched to a sudden stop in the middle of the road.
Grace gave him a sidelong glance.
"Joshua, have you lost your mind?"
"Didn't you see Myron Curtis and Grandpa coddling her?"
"Even if Luann Weaver screws up, Myron Curtis will just throw money at the problem to fix it!"
"Get it?"
Joshua swallowed hard, his anxious demeanor raising Grace's suspicions.
"Don't tell me you've fallen for her while working so closely?"
Joshua's expression changed, and he became angrily embarrassed as if the suggestion was a serious insult.
"Give me a break!"
"Fall for that kind of woman?"
"No way!"
Seeing his serious denial, Grace's tension eased.
"Good. Women like her; they're experts at luring men in."
"Just don't let her fool you with her looks."
"Also, if you don't want to be involved in what I just mentioned, feel free to stay out, I can handle it myself."
Joshua stayed silent for a while, contemplating, before finally letting out a subdued grunt of acknowledgment.
"Got it."
After dinner, Grace drove Joshua home, only to find that Myron Curtis was there too.
Seizing the opportunity, Grace asked her grandfather, "Grandpa Reginald, the invitations are all drafted. When should we send them out?"
Vito Curtis glanced at her, "Let's send them out tomorrow. I've got the venue all sorted."
"Right, okay," Grace turned to Myron Curtis and cheerfully said, "Curtis, make sure you bring Luann along to celebrate with me."
Myron Curtis responded coldly, "It's not like you won an Academy Award. What's there to celebrate?"
Grace's smile stiffened momentarily.
Vito Curtis, ever hopeful for the kids to get together, went along with Grace's flow, "Myron Curtis, bring Luann Weaver along. It'll be good to have a lively gathering."
"Oh yeah, I know so many celebs. If Luann likes anyone in particular, I could get an autograph for her," Grace offered thoughtfully.
Her phone chose that moment to ring.
Grace excused herself with an apologetic smile and walked over to a corner to answer it.
"James, what's up?"
"Are you free?"
"Yes, I am."
"I've got a newcomer I'd like you to meet. Can you come over?"
Grace quickly figured it out; James was trying to promote someone, using her fame.
She felt somewhat annoyed at that.
"James, I just remembered—"
He cut her off, "Her name is Juliet Weaver. You've probably heard of her."
Grace's expression flickered.
"I'll be right there."
