Chapter 86
Grace was perched on the couch waiting for Will to walk in. By now, he would have seen the news. His father worked a lot faster than she thought he would. She’d have to pretend to be surprised when he arrived. She knew he’d be pissed if he found out she had planned this with his father. This was a well-orchestrated scheme, and she would have to play her part well.
Will found her still sitting there when he got home. Before he could speak, Grace began the conversation.
“You saw the papers, I take it?”
“Yeah,” he sighed. He sat beside her, and Grace couldn’t help but notice how despondent he seemed. But she didn’t care. The life she wanted was in her grasp, and she didn’t intend to let it go this time. “Listen, I…”
“I didn’t realize that’s what you wanted,” she interrupted him. “You’ve been so cold lately, so I thought you didn’t want me. I thought that maybe you had me here out of pity. It’s such a creative proposal,” she gushed.
“Grace, I didn’t…”
“Yes, I’ll marry you,” she squealed and threw her arms around his neck. Will was stunned for a moment. He pushed Grace away and looked her in the eyes. “A thousand times, yes.”
“I am not asking to marry you. My father did this. He thinks that by getting married, I can solidify my place as CEO of the company.”
“Oh,” Grace said pretending to be shocked. All a part of the plan. “Well, Will if this is what needs to happen for us to be together, then I’m okay with it.”
“This isn’t a marriage for love,” Will said. He furrowed his eyebrows at Grace’s happy expression. It was as though she wasn’t listening to him. “You know that, right?”
“Yes. And like I said, I don’t care. I’m ready to be your wife. I’ve always been ready.” She reached over to embrace him again, but Will dodged and stood from the couch. He stared at her with true confusion. “Did I say something wrong?”
“How can you be okay with this? This is an arrange marriage.”
“Well, we were heading that way before anyway, weren’t we? Your grandfather was going to marry us off. And then we fell in love. This is always where we were meant to be. Don’t you see that?”
“I…” Will was overwhelmed by her reaction. He was hoping he could talk to her and find a solution. She wasn’t supposed to agree with this. But she was elated about it. “I need some air.”
Will bolted from the couch and left. He got in his car and just drove. There was no destination in his mind, he just wanted to be away. And alone. His car moved him through traffic. Weaving him in and out of lanes, while his mind raced on different roads.
He ended up at the cemetery that his grandfather was buried in. He walked to Conrad’s grave, clearly his subconscious knew who he needed to talk to. He doesn’t come to visit as often as he wanted. There was something that bothered him about knowing that the greatest person in his life was reduced to a marble gravestone.
The cemetery was still and quiet. Not a whisper of wind broke through the trees. Time itself seemed to stop and hold its breath there. The silence was deafening and yet somehow soothing. There was a serenity that he felt he didn’t deserve. It was how his grandfather always made him feel. He knew he didn’t deserve Conrad’s love, but was somehow deemed worthy of it. Will knelt in front of his grandfather’s resting place.
“Hey, Pop. I hope you’re not too upset with me. Things have gotten harder since you left. I don’t know what to do.” As they often did, thoughts of Emma came to him without permission. He really loved you, you know, she had said of Conrad. You were all he cared about. All that mattered to him was that you were happy. “I don’t know how to fix this.”
The divorce had only been finalized a couple of months ago, and now he was getting married again. Will felt absolute loathing. For himself. How had he let things get so bad? He didn’t love Grace and found he didn’t know her at all anymore. His Grace would never have agreed to something like this. His Grace would have helped him figure a way out of this and lifted him back up. His Grace would never have left him.
No one was in his corner anymore. Even his best friend Alex was against him. All that he had left was his grandfather’s memory and the company he left behind.
“I’ll take care of what you left me, Pop. I’ll be the man you knew I could be,” Will sighed. “I guess I’m getting married.”
Back in Lyncrest, Emma was getting ready for another great day. The pregnancy was taking its toll on her. She fatigued easier, and her morning sickness was a bit out of control. But she was in good spirits. Her life was what she wanted for the most part, and things were going great. She was getting along with her coworkers, and they often invited her out. She was making friends and excelling at her career.
As she got to the office, she was browsing her phone and came across something that stopped her blood cold in her veins. William Stewart to Marry Childhood Sweetheart, Grace Cunning. Emma looked away from her phone. Her stomach churned and she ran into the office bathroom and threw up her breakfast.
“Emma?” one of her coworkers had seen run in to the bathroom. “Are you okay?”
“I,” she felt shaky and lightheaded. “I think so. But I don’t feel well.” Emma was struggling to keep her composure. He’s getting married. He’s getting married. The words were on a loop in her mind. A new round of vomit overtook her.
“Sweetie, do you think you should go home?”
“I think I should,” Emma was weak from the strain of throwing up. The truth was, she couldn’t take the news and didn’t want to be around people. The coworker called her a cab and Emma went home.
Spencer heard the news on the radio on his drive into Lyncrest. He arrived at the office and searched for Emma.
“Good morning, Mr. Lucas!”
“Good morning, Janet. How are you?”
“I’m well, sir. Better than poor Emma.”
“What do you mean?”
“Her morning sickness was really bad this morning. I called her a cab and sent her home.”
“Thank you, Janet. I’ll go check on her. Spencer dashed out of the office went to Emma’s building. Things had been going so well. He was afraid this news would set her back. He ran to her door and knocked.
She opened the door. Her eyes were red and puffy. Tears stained her too pale face.
“I heard the news,” he said. Emma stared at him, and a new bout of tears overtook her.
“He’s getting married,” she whimpered. “I knew he’d move on, but… and like I know I’m the one who asked for the divorce, but… He’s getting married. To her. I didn’t think it would hurt this much, but it does. It really does. It’s really over.”
Spencer scooped her up in a hug, and Emma dissolved into an ocean of sobs. He didn’t speak, he just held her and let her cry.
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