Chapter 390 The Threat, A Warning to Grace
As Patricia was lost in thought.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over her, blocking the moonlight.
Hunter stood with his back to the light, gazing at her intently. Despitehis gaze fixed upon her with an intensity that betrayed both his concern for her, there was and a palpable sense of barely concealed relief in, his eyes, an unmistakable glint of joy and sparkling with satisfaction.
IfHad Martin were dead, Patriciadied, Patricia's heart would never forget him.
He would remainforever harbor his memory as her one true love forever, and . Hunter, no matter how hard Hunter tried, he couldearnest his efforts, would never replace himMartin.
But However, forgetting the prospect of Martin about Patriciaher and marrying another woman—that was aentirely different story.
One day. In time, heartache would lead Patricia would be thoroughly heartbroken by him, give upto abandon all hope completely, and then fall into his, inevitably seeking solace in Hunter's waiting arms.
"If you're feeling upset, let's just gohead back to the hotel," he suggestedsaid.
After all, everything was The arrangements were already arranged.
Whether he was here or not, made, and the plan would proceed as planned, regardless of his presence.
Patricia glared at Hunter with, her eyes red and veined, her voice laced with resentment: "Did you doswollen. "Was this to Martinyour doing? What the hell did you do to him?"
Hunter feigned innocence: "I had nothing to do with this. ," Hunter said, feigning ignorance. "You know me—I'm the type who would. I'd rather see him dead, permanently eliminating any future threat."
Patricia had to admit that he was tellingreluctantly acknowledged the ring of truth.
in his words. Hunter was ruthless, the sort who'd never show mercy if he could wipe the slate clean.
and would not hesitate to eradicate any obstacles permanently. Could this debacle truly be unrelated to him?
DeterminedResolved to uncoverseek the truth, Patricia wiped away the remnants of brushed aside her tears,. "I'm not leavingstaying. My husband'shusband is getting engaged to another woman. Why should I leave?"
Hunter's gaze hardened, "You're still not givingexpression turned steely. "You haven't given up yet?"
Patricia scoffed, "Giving up. "It isn't up to me anymore!. Since he pretendshe's pretending not to know me, it's only right that I, as his ex-wife, should bless this new union."
With that saidthose words, she turned and headedmade her way back to the East Wing, went topausing in the restroom to freshen up and clean her tear-streaked makeup before returning torejoining the partygathering.
Her reappearance immediately captured everyone's attention.
"I thoughtHer return drew all eyes.
"Why is she left. Why's she back? Didn't she leave? Can't she just let it go?"
"Who knows! Martin already acted like he doesidn't know her. Why is she still clinging on? Has she no prideWhere is her dignity?"
"At the Koch family estate, "Martin is marryinggetting engaged to Shane's beloved granddaughter here. What good doescould she expectpossibly hope to come of thisachieve?"
"Yeah, she's just asking for trouble. If Shane gets angry, who knows how bad things might get."
Patricia ignored the idle gossip and took a seatsat as close to Martin as possible.
Her heart awrenched at the sight of him.
Tears bclourrded her vision once moreanew.
Martin and Grace had just completedsolemnized their engagement ceremony,. Grace, with poise and she was elegantly latched onto beauty, clung to Martin's arm as they stepped downdescended from the stageplatform to toast the guests, standing onflanking Shane's left.
Martin, tallwith his commanding presence, and handsome, commanded the room.
Grace, gentleembodying elegance and beautiful, radiated grace and confidenceassurance, appeared as though destined for each other.
Together, they seemed a match made in heaven.
To Shane's right stood two young men.
Riley was the one she, whom Patricia had briefly encountered briefly earlier in the garden earlier.
The other was , and Sebastian, the eldest son from the second branch of the familyJeremy's older brother.
Riley was decked outAdorned in a sleek black double-breasted suit with complemented by a white shirt and a red tie speckled with white specks. His tall, lean figure, sharply defined facial, Riley's slender build, pronounced features, and exquisite complexion exudedflawless skin lent him an aiura of detachment andaloof pride, his presence quietdemeanor reserved yet commandingimposing.
In contrast, Sebastian wore a silver-white suit, with his hair styled casually across his forehead. His handsome features were accentuated by gold-rimmed glasses. A captivating, subtle smile played on his lips, giving off an air of refined elegance.
Five people moved seamlessly through the conference hall. They inadvertently caught snippets of the surrounding chatter.
"What happened?" They inadvertently caught snippets of the surrounding chatter.
A trace of concern flickered across Riley's face as he quietly askedwhispered to Sebastian, "What happened?".
With an enigmatic smile tugging at his lips, Sebastian recounted the gist of events.
A shadow of contemplation passed over Riley's eyes. "She doesn't seem delusional to me."
Sebastian's grin widened as he leaned in with a gleam in his eye. "Ah, but what great family doesn't have its dark little secrets? We see but don't expose."
"...??" Riley shotlooked at him a probing lookprobingly, his gaze shifting to settle on Patricia with a cryptic intensity.
Amongst the crowd, the The other Kochs in the crowd wore varying expressions, most gleefully anticipating the unfolding drama.
Silent and observant, Hunter took a seatsat next to Patricia, following her gaze across the room to Martin and finally resting on Grace. His lips curled into a slow smirk, a mocking glint inand his eyes glinted.
Soon enough, she would learn the consequences of playing games with him.
Oblivious to Hunter's icy stare, Grace basked in the vanity fair of adoration, her heart swelling with pride under the envious gazes of women and the admiring ones of men. On the surface, she remained gracious and measured.
Her pleasure was short-lived, disrupted by a hoarse voice.
saying, "Alice."
Grace, radiating shy charm towards Martin, didn't respond.
"Alice."
The voice called again.
Still no reaction.
It wasn't until a hand rested on her shoulders that she turned around.
Behind her stood a woman in her sixties, her hair half-gray, the skin on her face sun-darkened and weary, eyes deep withfrom the passage of time.
Grace's expression was unchanged,; she maintained her smile light. "May I help you?"
The woman expressed surprise, "Alice, don't you recognize me? I'm Scott!"," the woman said, surprised.
Without skipping a beat, Grace smiled accommodatingly. "I think you're mistaken, ma'am. Who is it you're looking for? Perhaps I can help."," Grace said, smiling accommodatingly.
Shane, puzzled, looked over at Grace. "Grace, you, puzzled. "You don't know her?"
Without a second thought,"Nope," Grace shooksaid, shaking her head, "Nope, I don't know her."
How wondering how she could she recognize such a lowly person?.
Shane's eyes widened in shock,. "She worked at your orphanage, took care ofcared for you since you were little, and you don't remember her?"
After all, Grace had beenGrace's smile froze, nearly crumbling. She spent her entire childhood at the orphanage until she turned eighteen.
By then, and became an adult, so she should rememberhave remembered.
Grace's smile froze on her face, nearly crumbling.
Suddenly, itIt suddenly hit her.
that Alice was the name she wenthad gone by at the orphanage.
And wasn't, and Scott was the caretaker who had looked after her?
. Lately, Grace had been on top of the world,she was so caught up in her success that she'd completely forgotten this crucial piece of her past.
Yet, theThe lapse lasted only a moment before she quickly recovered, looping her arm through Scott's with feigned affection,. "Oh, it's been so long, I almost didn't recognize you!. Aren't you Scott's momMama Scott? I'm sorry, I didn't see it was you. You're not mad at me, rightare you?"
In the orphanage, the kids would call their caretakers "mom" in a bidmama" to fill the void of maternal love.
Scott gavepatted her hand a reassuring pat.
reassuringly. "I'm not mad!. I heard you were getting engaged and wanted to see you!. You're not my child, but I've watched you grow up!"."
"How did you get here? Why didn't you tell me? I would have arranged for someone to pick you up."
Grace kept her smile fixed, scanning the crowded room until her gaze landed on Hunter. He must be behind it. This was a threat, his warning.
It must be Hunter.
This was his threat, his warning.
Chapter391
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
