Chapter 019 Who's Playing Who
Grace didn't have much of an appetite herself. She stood at the entrance of the restaurant, watching the rain pour down outside.
She had to go to the hotel later to sign a contract with Tom, and since Ryan had picked her up for work, she now needed to hail a cab.
Grace checked her ride-hailing app and saw that there were over a thousand people in line due to the rain; who knew when she'd actually get a ride.
She considered flagging down a taxi on the street, but there were too many people, and she never got the chance.
As time slipped by and she grew anxious, a figure caught her eye.
"Mr. Montgomery!" Grace exclaimed, recognizing the man exiting the restaurant.
Xavier must have been there on business, as everyone around him treated him with the utmost respect. He stood out in the crowd, quite different from everyone else.
Upon seeing Grace, Xavier frowned.
However, before he could speak, Grace had already darted in front of him. "Mr. Montgomery, where are you headed? Can't get a cab; it's raining cats and dogs out here. Would you have a spare car to lend me?" Grace asked, her eyes sparkling with a mix of hope and genuineness.
Xavier didn't respond immediately, but someone nearby seemed rather displeased.
"Who do you think you are, causing trouble here? If Mr. Montgomery's connections were that easy to exploit, do you think they would have booked him six months in advance?" The woman before Xavier was confrontational, and just when Grace thought he wouldn't even acknowledge her, he finally spoke, "What are you doing here?"
Was she following him with some ulterior motive, or...
The world was neither too large nor too small, but it wasn’t as though one could bump into the same person every day with such a coincidence!
It was no secret that he was meeting someone to talk business here. If Grace had been so inclined, she could have easily found out. She could very well be up to something...
Before Xavier could finish his thoughts, Grace spoke. "Ryan invited me to dinner, and after I arrived, his lover called him away."
Upon hearing this, however, Xavier showed no reaction. The rain was pouring down heavily, and someone held an umbrella for him until he got back into his car.
The glimmer in Grace's eyes dimmed. Why would she ever expect Xavier to offer her a ride?
He had always been a cold and heartless person. She had to think of some other way.
Just as Grace bowed her head to look at her phone, pondering if there was another option, an unequivocal voice reached her. "Aren't you getting in?"
Grace looked up to meet the deep, inscrutable eyes of the man in the backseat of the luxury car. She retracted her earlier judgment; Xavier really was a decent human being!
Sitting beside Xavier, Grace said, "Thank you, Mr. Montgomery, this is my first time in such a nice car!"
This car model was the only one of its kind in Skigeth, with just a few limited editions in the entire world.
Xavier didn't respond to Grace’s flattery. Where Grace was going, whether she had a car, or whether she got wet in the rain, really had nothing to do with him. It was just that the woman standing there looked so frail and helpless, almost pitiful.
Ever since he arrived in Skigeth, Xavier had been sleeping quite well.
The first time was with Grace at the hotel, the second after returning from the Montgomery Manor, and last night, it seemed that after every encounter with Grace, he picked up her scent.
That indistinct fragrance seemed to soothe his nerves. Perhaps it had nothing to do with Grace at all, and he was simply overthinking it.
"Where to?" Xavier asked.
Grace gave the hotel’s address, the same hotel where Xavier was staying.
"You're going to the hotel?" Xavier asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I have a meeting." Grace didn’t notice the flicker of emotion in Xavier’s eyes, nor the passing flash of ferocity.
Meeting at a hotel late at night, it was hard not to let thoughts wander.
"Ms. Lewis seems to have a rich personal life; are they different every day?" he remarked, snidely.
Was he just another fish in Grace's pond? And that first night, was it real or not?
When he walked in, he clearly felt resistance, along with Grace's awkward reaction. It wasn't like she was a seasoned pro at handling such situations.
Yet Grace's behavior, bouncing between bars and hotels daily, how different was it from Ryan's flirtatious ways?
"Mr. Montgomery really thinks highly of me," she mused. "Where do I get such clout?"
Grace checked her contract; it hadn't gotten wet. She was determined to have Tom sign it!
Xavier remained silent for the rest of the journey, but Grace chattered away to fill the void. "Mr. Montgomery, do you think we're fated or something? Bumping into each other yesterday and now today."
"Mr. Montgomery, perhaps you could be generous and speak to Ryan's dad. Maybe cancel my engagement to Ryan? It'd be a relief for all three of us. Ryan and Kelly are so in love. They would definitely be grateful to you," Grace added.
"One more word and I'll throw you out!" Xavier cautioined.
Contemplating her engagement, Grace decided she'd keep things to herself.
They soon arrived at the hotel, and Grace got out of the car. "Thank you, Mr. Montgomery!"
She had just closed the car door when she saw Xavier getting out from the other side. "Mr. Montgomery, there's no need for you to accompany me. I can go by myself."
If Xavier showed up now, it would scare Tom half to death.
"I'm staying here," said Xavier, his voice devoid of warmth.
Grace was momentarily stunned. She'd mistakenly thought Xavier was getting out of the car to go up with her.
This hotel was Skigeth's most luxurious, especially the penthouse suites that few could afford. Even the room Tom had booked was on the lower floor.
Grace got there first and as she headed out, she said, "Goodbye, Mr. Montgomery."
Xavier diverted his gaze. Who Grace met was none of his concern. Reaching the top floor, Xavier strode to his room.
Downstairs, Grace arrived at the designated private room and knocked on the door.
"Come in," Tom said.
Grace entered and saw the dim, suggestive lighting, the bed covered in rose petals, and at the head of the bed were an assortment of props.
There was Tom, in a bathrobe, sipping red wine. Seeing Grace, he beckoned eagerly, "Come here, Ms. Lewis, I've been waiting for you for so long."
The sight of his smile made Grace feel sick. "Mr. Reed, this is the contract," she stated.
"Do we have to start with business? That's such a buzzkill. Why not have a little fun first? If we enjoy ourselves, I’ll give you whatever you want, not just the contract," Tom said, as he reached out to pull Grace closer.
Grace dodged, not letting Tom touch her at all.
Mr. Reed, if you're up for some fun, I'm totally on board. However, since the contract isn't signed, I'm not really in the mood to play," said Grace.
"Why don't you sign the contract, Mr. Reed? Then we can have a great time together. How about it?" Grace coaxed.
"If you're just messing with me, making me come here with no intention of signing a contract and no sincerity, then I might as well leave right now." As she spoke, Grace prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Tom called out to her.
He figured that by signing the contract now and keeping Grace around, they could enjoy their time together. Then, once Grace was hooked, he could simply tear up the contract.
Tom congratulated himself on his clever plan and signed his name flamboyantly on the contract.
However, he didn't see the smile on Grace's face. The question of who was playing whom was still up in the air!
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