Chapter 389 Xavier Held Grace In His Arms.
The private room was packed with wine, and somehow Sterling had a deck of cards ready to go.
"Let's play a few rounds. Just drinking is boring," Sterling said, shuffling the cards. "Loser drinks?"
Grace took a sip from her glass first. "I'm terrible at cards. Might as well concede defeat now."
"We'll see," Sterling said, his long legs crossed as he expertly shuffled. "Perhaps you'll get lucky like last time."
Grace looked down, a bitter smile on her face. "There's no such thing as luck. You let me win last time, didn't you? If luck existed, it certainly wouldn't favor me."
She had thought that maybe, just maybe, Xavier was a gift from above, a treasure. But it turned out to be a cruel joke, sugar-coated poison.
Now, Grace had lost all faith in love and trust, especially in men.
She blamed herself for being naive. She had seen the likes of Zach, Patrick, and Ryan from a young age. Patrick's father was notorious for his affairs. The Montgomery family was all the same. She should've known better than to trust Xavier.
Grace's sarcastic smile deepened, and her heart ached even more.
She poured herself another glass and downed it in one gulp.
Drinking like this was pointless, she thought. She sat up and shouted, "Alright, I'll play. Maybe there is such a thing as luck."
Grace ended up losing badly. She drank most of the liquor herself, while Sterling only sipped a couple of glasses when he felt like it.
The drinking session dragged on for three hours, well into the early morning.
Grace was completely wasted, slumped against the sofa, looking miserable.
Cards were scattered all over the floor. Sterling, who hadn't drunk much, walked over to Grace and lifted her chin. "Grace, why do you have so many secrets? I wonder if what Patrick said is true or not."
It was the first time Sterling got a close look at Grace's face. Under the dim light, her complexion seemed even darker.
He pinched her chin and felt something dark on his hand.
Sterling raised his hand and touched Grace's face.
Before he could figure out what it was, the door was violently flung open.
"Mr. Wallace, what are you doing?" Xavier's voice was cold and menacing.
Sterling straightened up, looking at Xavier, who was striding in. "Mr. Montgomery," he drawled, "seeing you here, I almost feel like I'm back in Oakworth. Shouldn't you be home with your rumored fiancée? What brings you to Skigeth?"
"What did you do to her?" Xavier saw the motionless Grace, and his heart felt like it had a hole in it.
"Perhaps you should ask yourself that question, Mr. Montgomery," Sterling countered with a smirk. "But since you've clearly moved on, why the concern? Perhaps you should relinquish her to me. I find her quite intriguing."
"Don't push me," Xavier's gaze was sharp and terrifying.
Just then, Sterling's phone rang. It was his subordinate calling, saying there was some trouble on the streets that needed Sterling's immediate attention.
After hanging up, Sterling looked at Xavier. "Did you do this?"
Xavier stayed silent. Since Sterling had the time to come to Skigeth, Xavier had Mason find something for Sterling to do.
"You're ruthless," Sterling muttered, eager to leave and deal with the situation, not caring about Grace anymore.
"Wait," Xavier called out. "Next time you see Grace, tell her you took her home."
Sterling laughed. "Playing the anonymous knight, Mr. Montgomery?"
Xavier didn't explain.
Sterling quickly left to handle his business. As he got into the car outside the bar, he noticed a dark stain on his fingertip.
He rubbed it, wondering where he had gotten the black powder. He hadn't touched anything, and the cards were fine.
Suddenly, Sterling remembered touching Grace's face before he left.
A dark glint flashed in his eyes, and his smile deepened.
In the private room, only Xavier and Grace were left.
Xavier looked at Grace, his heart aching.
Grace seemed thinner, her chin much sharper. She must have been very sad recently, and he hadn't been there for her.
Her eyes were tightly closed, but her brows were furrowed. She was drunk and seemed to have fallen asleep.
Ultimately, Xavier couldn't help but worry about her, so when he heard that Grace and Sterling were in the private room and that she had consumed a lot of wine, his first instinct was to rush over.
Even though it was far, even though there were no flights at night.
It wasn't so much that he was afraid Sterling would do something to her, but more that Xavier couldn't control his longing. If he didn't see her, he might go crazy.
Xavier had never thought he could like someone so much, to the bone.
Xavier carefully watched Grace. Now, for him, being able to see her like this was a luxury. How could he dare to touch her?
These past few days, Grace must have been very miserable. She liked him so much.
Xavier had so much he wanted to say to Grace, but no outlet to express it. He didn't want to be with Stephanie. What he truly wanted was Grace in front of him.
But he had promised Joseph. His life was a debt repaid with Joseph's life.
The couch was too small. Grace, already uncomfortable from being drunk, moved and almost slid off the sofa.
Xavier quickly caught her, and Grace fell into his arms.
Xavier didn't dare move, even holding his breath, as if sensing something, Grace moved in his arms. It was a familiar embrace, one she wanted to get closer to even in her muddled state.
"Xavier," she murmured his name softly, like in a dream.
Her voice was soft, seemingly with a hint of grievance.
Xavier's heart felt like it was being squeezed, causing a sharp pain. He wanted to tell her he was there, he had always been there.
But it was he who had pushed her away with the harshest words. Xavier didn't dare stand in front of Grace when she was sober.
Even though Grace's mind was unclear, the familiar scent and embrace were etched into her bones.
She appeared to have moved on, but only her heart knew that the love was merely suppressed, ready to burst forth at any moment.
She suddenly reached out and grabbed Xavier's sleeve. "Xavier, don't go."
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