Chapter 044 Xavier is Her Saving Grace
The next morning, Grace woke up to unfamiliar surroundings. The room was sizeable, its decor simple yet possessing an old-time charm. The bed felt incredibly soft, carrying the scent of warm sunlight.
Where was she?
Her mind felt foggy as she sat up, attempting to rub her eyes, only then noticing the bandage wrapped around her palm.
She remembered the previous night at the restaurant and the incident in the restroom.
She had been clutching a knife, desperately defending herself before her consciousness started to fade, and someone had burst in.
Her body didn't feel any different; it seemed nothing had happened last night. So, who had saved her? Grace got out of bed and walked toward the door.
Upon opening it, she found a maid standing outside.
"Ms. Lewis, you're awake," the maid said. "Mr. Montgomery asked me to show you to the bathroom for you to freshen up."
Grace paused, mumbling in disbelief, "Mr. Montgomery? Xavier?"
Was it Xavier who had saved her? So, he had not left Skigeth? He didn’t leave!
A strong, unexpected wave of joy spread through her, brightening her eyes.
"Yes," the maid answered.
"Where is he?" she asked the maid.
The maid informed, "Mr. Montgomery is likely in the gym working out at this time."
"Where's the gym?" Grace asked.
The maid pointed in the direction, and without a second thought, Grace dashed off in that direction.
Morning exercises were part of Xavier's daily routine. Even while exercising, Xavier didn't miss a beat, when dealing with international calls.
Grace could only watch through the glass as Xavier ran on the treadmill, immersed in his routine.
Xavier's leg muscles tensed as he ran, his towering height and disproportionately long limbs giving him a striking appearance. The muscles in his arms quivered with each stride, and the sound of his wrist chain clinking was a low, rhythmic accompaniment to his footfalls.
Grace remembered from the haziness of the previous night the sensation of being held in such arms, enveloping her with an unmatched sense of security. The sweat rolling down his cheeks only added to his intense allure.
Even during his workout, Xavier's voice was steady, lacking any hint of breathlessness, and his fluent French bore no trace of accent. His deep and resonant voice was magnetically attractive.
He was indeed handsome, captivatingly so, like an angel descended among mortals.
From behind the glass, Grace watched him and knew with certainty that no matter how appealing Xavier might be, she couldn't allow herself to fall for him. To do so would mean she would have no escape.
They were worlds apart, and perhaps his kindness was just a momentary gesture. Perhaps to him, rescuing her was a simple act, no different than lifting a hand. Moreover, he didn't want to get entangled in anything further with her.
After all, the first time they were intimate, Xavier had gifted her an expensive painting, a gesture that seemed to settle any debts between them, including the subsequent encounters. Although Grace didn't care for such transactions, as she found pleasure in their moments together, wealthy people like Xavier feared trouble and lingering attachments.
Given their relationship and Xavier's ability to manage his affairs, she assumed the rescue could have been a ploy to keep her silent. She figured this made sense since Xavier wasn't one to meddle in affairs that didn't concern him.
Perhaps it was Grace's intense gaze that gave her away, for Xavier turned his head during his exercise and caught eye contact with a not-so-quick-to-hide Grace.
She awkwardly waved at him, acknowledging his presence.
Xavier's lips moved slightly as if saying goodbye to someone on the phone, and then he powered down the treadmill and removed his Bluetooth headset, striding toward the exit.
"Mr. Montgomery!" Grace approached him as well.
"Thank you for helping me last night," she added, thinking of the several times he had come to her aid.
Xavier's mind flashed to Grace's stunningly beautiful face from the previous night, momentarily paralyzing him with the image.
Grace touched her face self-consciously, "Is there something on my face?"
He cleared his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, "Nothing. Just remember, you are part of the Montgomery family now. Be smart about it."
Was he reminding her of her place in the family while calling her foolish in the same breath?
Grace tactfully skipped over that comment, "Mr. Montgomery, haven't you gone back to Oakworth?"
"Who said I'd gone back? Did you look for me?" he asked.
She had indeed searched for him earlier, but that was not something she planned to divulge.
Grace shook her head, "Nope, just a guess. But it seems we're truly fated, ending up eating at the same restaurant. I won't forget your kindness. If you ever need my help, I won't hesitate!”
Even though Xavier might not necessarily need her help, she still offered.
Suddenly, Grace had an idea. “Mr. Montgomery, wait for me a moment!” She dashed back to the room they'd just left, remembering she'd placed her bag beside her.
Grace opened her bag, took out an item, and hurried back to the gym where Xavier hadn't left yet. He was tilting his head back, wiping his face and neck with a towel.
The line of his jaw and neck, along with the movement of his throat, made her heart race. Pretending as if she hadn't noticed anything, Grace approached, "Last time we met, I said I'd give you a bottle of perfume the next time I saw you. This is a mix I made myself. I hope you like it."
She had been carrying it with her, unsure when they would meet again, leaving it to luck.
Xavier had mentioned the scent of perfume on her before, but Grace hadn't used any. She had no idea what he could smell on her.
However, since Xavier liked it, she had tried to create a similar one.
It was a cool floral scent, not overly sweet. The top notes were like a breath of spring air, the middle notes lingered to the core, and the base notes were compelling, staying on for a long time.
Grace had named this perfume 'First Encounter.'
Xavier took the perfume bottle, "You've been carrying it this whole time?"
She explained, "I don't have your contact info. It's just a matter of chance to run into you, so I kept it with me. It isn't heavy anyway."
Unexplainably, something seemed to flutter through Xavier's heart, tickling him. He lowered his gaze and toned down his voice, "Give me your phone."
Grace unlocked her phone and handed it to him.
Xavier's fingers with distinct knuckles tapped on the screen briefly before handing it back to Grace, saying, "Don't call unless it's important."
Only then did Grace see it was a string of numbers—Xavier's phone number!
"I won't bother you," she promised as she saved the number quickly, taking the liberty to add a nickname to it as 'Get Out of Jail Free Card.'
It seemed like every time Xavier was around; no harm would come to her.
Was this some sort invisible of law?
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