Chapter 330 Taken Home by Him
Xavier was like, "Yo, James kicked the bucket at the hospital this morning."
Grace had just seen James yesterday—the dude who wanted her dead. Sterling had popped him twice, but neither shot did the trick. They rushed him to the ER, so how the heck did he end up dead?
"Kelly did it," Grace said, totally sure of herself.
Grace couldn't think of anyone else who'd want James gone. If James was still breathing, Kelly's plan to hire a hitman might come out.
Plus, James might be the baby daddy, meaning he knew a ton about Kelly. With this golden chance, Kelly took him out. Maybe the Montgomery family had a hand in it too. One less person to spill Kelly's secrets. Kelly was cold-blooded.
James probably never thought that after all he did for Kelly, she'd be the one to off him. If James had succeeded back then, Grace would be dead, and James would be locked up for murder. Kelly would find another way to get rid of him, and no one would know her secret. Grace quickly pieced together Kelly's plan. With Kelly in the Montgomery family, it looked like they were really in for some serious trouble.
"Will Sterling get dragged into this?" Grace asked.
Sterling was the one who shot James. If James died, would Sterling be on the hook for murder? But Sterling shot to protect her. If something happened to Sterling, Grace would feel awful.
"Nah," Xavier said, "If Sterling could get nailed for something like this, he wouldn't have made it this far. Don't sweat it."
Grace nodded. "Got it."
Xavier added, "Hit me up when you're done. I'll come get you."
Grace replied, "Nah, that's too much hassle; I'll get back on my own."
Xavier didn't push it. After hanging up, Grace headed to her appointments.
She had to check out a few spots today, all in big malls. Lots of foot traffic, but the rent was sky-high.
After making sure the locations were good, Grace signed the leases.
With a bit of sprucing up, Iris would be moving in.
Grace used to think starting her own brand was just a dream. In a few months, her chain had spread to Oakworth. If Evelyn knew, would she be proud?
Besides scoping out the stores, Grace also checked out a building. Expanding into Oakworth wasn't just about opening stores; she needed a branch office too.
Grace had set things up before coming, but it was a bit out of the way. She wasn't gunning for the city center. Actually, a lot of their perfumers needed inspiration, so this spot would do.
It was a five-story building; Grace rented the whole thing, signed the contract, and paid up.
Lily and some other staff would arrive tomorrow to help out. There was still a ton of work to do, and they needed to hire a bunch of people. Departments like marketing and sales had to be set up.
Thinking about all the work ahead, Grace knew she'd be here for a while.
After wrapping up, Grace left the building and saw it was already past nine. She needed to head back; she was beat. No messages on her phone, and Xavier hadn't texted either. Was he still busy, or was he miffed because she said she didn't need a ride earlier?
Just then, a fancy car pulled up in front of Grace.
The window rolled down, and even in the dim light, Grace could tell it was Xavier.
"Mr. Montgomery, what a surprise," Grace said.
Xavier smirked. "Not really. I've been waiting for you."
Grace hopped into the passenger seat. "I feel bad making Mr. Montgomery my chauffeur. How'd you know I was here?"
Xavier replied, "You mentioned your plans yesterday. Figured you'd be here signing contracts."
"Mr. Montgomery, you're a genius! Handsome and smart!" Grace teased.
Xavier chuckled. "Your flattery is something else."
Grace grinned. "Oh yeah? How do others do it?"
Xavier shrugged. "How would I know? But they're definitely not as shallow as you."
Grace laughed. "I'm not being shallow. It's all genuine. I really think Mr. Montgomery's mind is on another level. I'm super grateful you took the time to pick me up. I must've been a saint in a past life to have such luck meeting you!"
"Alright, are you praising me or yourself?" Xavier's words were dismissive, but he was still smiling.
Grace asked, "So, you're not mad anymore?"
Xavier shot back, "Why would I be mad?"
Grace said, "I thought you were upset 'cause I said you didn't need to pick me up this afternoon. Guess I was overthinking."
Xavier asked, "Have you had dinner?"
Grace shook her head. She'd been too busy to eat.
"I don't know if you've eaten yet, but can I have the honor of inviting you to dinner tonight?" Grace offered.
Xavier asked, "What do you want to eat?"
Grace shrugged. "I'm not picky. Easy to please!"
Xavier glanced at his watch. It was already past dinner time.
He picked up his phone, sent a quick message, and then started driving.
Grace was exhausted. She hadn't slept well last night and had been running around all day. She leaned back in the seat, planning to rest her eyes for a bit, but she ended up dozing off.
When Grace woke up, she found herself being carried by Xavier.
"What?" She rubbed her eyes and saw his chiseled jawline.
Xavier was carrying her, walking forward, and stepping into an elevator.
"Sorry, I fell asleep. You can put me down; I can walk," Grace said, looking around and realizing they were in an elevator.
Xavier said, "We're almost there."
Grace asked, "Did I sleep long? Are we going to a restaurant? Won't it be closed by now?"
Xavier replied, "We're not going to a restaurant. We're going home."
Grace was confused. "Home?"
The elevator doors opened, and Grace saw they weren't at a restaurant or a hotel. Xavier had really brought her home.
Xavier scanned his face, and the door opened.
This was where Xavier usually lived, close to his office. He had thought Grace would come over yesterday, but she had booked a hotel instead.
He knew Grace had been busy all day and must be exhausted, so his original plan was to have a chef come over and cook at home.
"Mr. Montgomery, dinner is ready," the chefs said as soon as they walked in.
Grace was shocked. She hadn't expected anyone to be there, and she was still being carried by Xavier.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
