Chapter 8
Suddenly, Zane remembered how Grace had become increasingly hesitant to express herself over the last few days.
She was often in tears, which was unusual for someone as independent and devoted to her work as she had always been. Moreover, she had become unusually gentle with him.
It all clicked. She had suddenly decided to get married because she knew her time was running out, wanting to fulfill her final wish.
But what had he done? While she was coughing up blood, fragile and in need of comfort, he had been with other women.
Suddenly, Zane remembered the cameras. He quickly pulled up the footage, only to realize she hadn’t gone to work for several days.
Grace had been packing away her belongings, occasionally coughing up blood. Every time he saw her clutching her stomach, bending over in pain, and then helplessly swallowing painkillers, his heart shattered. The worst part was watching her curl up on the couch alone, wiping away tears.
She endured a piercing stomach ache, yet for him, the true agony lay in his heart. He knew she’d had stomach issues, but he never imagined it could be stomach cancer.
He had always been in control in Jadewood and never cried before. But today, he couldn’t stop his tears, especially when he heard the phone call Elena made to Grace. His face went pale with shock.
It turned out that she had known about his betrayal all along, yet she never confronted him about it. Even in the end, she never had it out with him.
After hanging up, she only let out a bitter smile. “Zane, it’s time for someone else to walk beside you in the future.”
The last footage captured her moving away, pulling her suitcase along with her.
As Zane recalled the moment yesterday when she had asked him to accompany her to Pimore, he wiped his tears. He quickly requested his friend, Dylan Voss, to look into it.
Soon, Dylan sent him a message. “Zane, I found Elena’s name on a flight to Pimore. The flight takes off in an hour.”
“It’s too late to make it now. Book me the next available flight.”
“Zane, you’re supposed to meet Ms. Nydia today to discuss the marriage alliance. You can catch up with Elena in a few days…”
“Shut up! Do you want me to leave her behind again? Get me the earliest flight. If not, arrange for a private jet!”
“Okay, don’t worry. I’ll handle it right away.”
While Zane was crying helplessly in the room, he failed to notice a hidden camera in the corner of the room.
Meanwhile, Grace sat in the VIP lounge, her chin resting on one hand. She grinned as she watched him in his pathetic state.
She thought, “Zane, go ahead and cry all you want. I’ve got another little surprise waiting for you.”
“Ms. Harper, it’s time to board.”
Zane would never know that if he hadn’t left so suddenly, he would have been on the same flight as Grace, crossing paths with her in first class.
Grace had planned everything down to the finest detail. However, just as she walked into the first-class cabin, she was met with an unexpected guest.
Cole sported a sharp suit with silver-rimmed glasses. He was rapidly typing on a laptop. His handsome features were tight with focus, and he carried a cold, sharp presence.
When he felt the gaze, he suddenly looked up. His eyes locked onto Grace with a menacing intensity. As soon as he realized it was her, the ice-cold look softened just slightly, replaced by a flicker of surprise.
The next second, his lips curled into a faint smile. “Ms. Harper, it seems we’re quite fated to keep running into each other.”
The moment Grace saw that impossibly handsome face, all she could think about was that reckless night. And now, under his unwavering gaze, her body inexplicably began to feel warm.
Her seat just so happened to be right next to his. She ignored him completely.
Then, she informed the flight attendant that she intended to catch up on some sleep and didn’t want to be disturbed.
She set her things down and reclined the seat. But even then, she could feel his eyes still fixed on her. She muttered, “What terrible luck.”
Then she pulled the divider closed, cutting off his line of sight.
Norelia was the southernmost city, and the flight there would take a full five hours.
Grace put on her eye mask and closed the window shade. Afterward, she put on her noise-canceling headphones to get some rest.
The plane cut through layers of cloud, occasionally shuddering with light turbulence. Her sleep was far from peaceful.
Once again, she dreamed of Serena. She jumped down from the rooftop, her body covered in blood, crashing down right at Grace’s feet.
“Mom!” Grace jolted awake, drenched in sweat. A sharp pain twisted through her stomach.
It had been a long time since her condition had flared up like this. Ever since she discovered Zane’s true colors, she hadn’t been eating properly or resting.
Someone tapped gently on the divider. She assumed it was the flight attendant and slid it open halfway.
In the dim light, a tall, slender figure stood before her. “What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing.”
Cole lifted the window shade slightly, allowing a beam of light to expose the woman’s disheveled appearance.
Her forehead was drenched in sweat, messy strands of hair clinging to her face. Her complexion was ghostly pale, the corners of her eyes faintly red.
She pressed tightly against her stomach, frowning. She looked fragile and pitiful.
“Stomach pain?”
“Hmm.” She barely managed a soft sound from her throat.
Before she could call for the flight attendant, Cole had already turned and left. Then, he returned moments later with a glass of water and a pill.
“I have painkillers. They work really well.”
Grace was curled up in pain. She was too weak to move.
The next moment, a shadow loomed over. Cole crouched between her legs, leaning in to support her back and gently lifting her up.
“Open your mouth.” His voice was firm, and his movements left no room for refusal.
Grace slowly parted her lips, allowing him to feed her the pill and help her drink the water.
He then laid her back down with care.
“Thank you,” she said weakly.
Without a word, Cole lowered the shade and quietly closed the divider behind him.
With the painkillers taking effect, she did feel much better.
After resting for a while, she got up to order a meal. Then, she touched up her makeup before the plane landed.
She purposely waited 20 minutes before leaving to avoid running into him. That reckless night had been nothing more than a drunken impulse. And now, with her returning home to fulfill a marriage alliance, she couldn’t afford to get entangled with someone as dangerous as him.
But despite all her careful planning, the moment she stepped off the plane and turned a corner, she ran straight into his chest.
He removed his glasses, and without the lenses to soften his gaze, his sharp eyes fixed intensely on her face. It made her feel a twinge of guilt. After all, he had just helped her not long ago.
With an awkward smile, she offered a greeting. “What a coincidence.”
“Not a coincidence. I waited here for you, Ms. Harper. We need to talk.”
Grace immediately became wary. Her gaze sharpened with caution. “You know who I am?”
Cole’s voice was low and smooth, with a magnetic edge. “The eldest daughter of the Harper family. It’s hard not to know. You left in a rush last time. I owe you a proper introduction.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’m not interested in who you are. Since you know my identity, let me be clear. I’ll soon be in a marriage alliance. What happened in Norelia isn’t my responsibility, and I don’t need you clinging to me. I hope that’s clear.”
He stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her ear. “Since you’re set on a marriage alliance. Why don’t you consider me?”
