Ch. 61..70
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 61-Although Grace said that he was her “little brother” in the morning, he felt that he had to see it for himself before he could rest assured.
The car arrived at the gate of a community of apartment buildings. The landscaping was sparse and while the buildings appeared clean and wellmaintained, there was no defeating that the residences were old. Sean parked, got out of the car, etilered through the footpath for visitors, and warched the spende wouts. After some effort, he finally stopped in front of a narrow door Was Grace really living here?
The unit was so small, he wondered if it was attting more that a since nom, and the paint was chippity from the door atro peeling trom the window shutters.
Sean was about to knock on the door when be heard helsteps.
Subconscioush he had in the shadow Youte sade and hooked in the direction which the hotsteps were coming from It turned out that there was a tall figure coming toward him As the figure got closer and doser Seat is man grew wadem vted widet. The occasional speculation that be that there was impossible had finalḥ become a possibilm Chapter 61 It was… Jason! It was really Jason!
There was no way it was just a resemblance. It was absolutely impossible for them to look this similar.
At this moment, Jason’s clothes were still the same as the ones he had seen yesterday. Why… Why is Jason here?!
Sean felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet, and his body was getting colder and colder.
Finally, Jason stood in front of the narrow door that Sean had come to and raised his hand to gently knock.
A moment later, someone opened the door and said, “You’re back.” The soft voice and sweet smile belonged to Grace.
His Grace.
Sean only felt a breath get stuck in his throat and he stood there, not breathing and motionless.
After a minute, he rubbed his eyes and sucked a deep breath.
Why? How?
Even seeing it with his own eyes, he could still scarcely believe it.
The person who opened the door was Grace.
Chapter 61 Grace is actually living together with Jason? What is going on? And why is Jason dressed like a homeless person?
Too many questions flashed through his mind.
Then, he heard Jason say, “I’m back.” Sean had heard Jason’s voice before, and the voice was the same as the one in his memory.
At this point in time, Sean had no doubt that the man he’d seen with Grace-that he was seeing with her now-was Jason Reed.
Just as Jason was about to enter the room, his steps suddenly paused. He looked towards the dark corner where Sean was hiding.
In an instant, Sean felt that all the blood in his body had stopped flowing, and he froze like an animal in the sight of a much larger predator.
“Jay, what are you looking at?” Grace’s voice sounded again.
“It’s nothing.” Jason’s lips curled slightly into a smile. Then, he walked into the apartment.
With a bang, the door was closed.
Sean took a deep breath. His palms and back were already covered with cold sweat. He felt as if he had just escaped death.
What was going on? Why was Jason together with Grace?
Sean walked out of the apartment complex with no strength in his legs and returned to his car. However, when he wanted to start driving, he found that his hands were shaking violently.
Looking at how Grace has been getting along with Jason, it seemed like they were already very familiar with each other. Furthermore, Grace had called Jason “Jay.” In all the years of doing business together, Sean still referred to him as Mr.
Reed.
He had never heard anyone call him so intimate.
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 62-Sean continued to repeat in his mind the scene he’d encountered at the apartment. Jason’s attitude toward Grace… could only be described as “gentle”.
But that didn’t make sense.
Mr. Reed was not… gentle.
The man was all ice.
Jason Reed had never been gentle to a woman. Not even Jennifer Atkinson, his fiancee, had been treated with such reverence. Sean recalled the cold interactions between the couple, and even Lily mentioned that their marriage was one of convenience, and for business.
Suddenly, the matter of the engagement advertisement being taken down flashed across Sean’s mind. Previously, they had always thought that it was because of Grace. They thought that Jason hated the Stevens Family because of her and did not like seeing the Stevens Family proposing in such a highprofile way.
But thinking about it, it was indeed because of Grace. However, the motive behind the action was completely different from what they had originally thought it was!
In the apartment, Grace was having a meal with Jason. It was the quiet time of the day that they looked forward to. The point where they ate and chatted and spent time together before they would go to sleep. Grace also told him about what had happened at the Sanitation Service Center. “I don’t know why, but the director actually fired Farah for picking on me.
I thought I would be the one getting dismissed.” “Isn’t that good?” Jason asked.
Grace said with some hesitation, “Of course, I’m okay with it since I’ve not been fired, but I don’t know if Farah will take revenge on me.” After all, Farrah had been about to hit her, before Chase interceded.
“She can’t do anything,” Jason said. As for Farah Steele, he would naturally help Grace solve any lurking issues. The thing on his mind was that someone was hiding in the dark outside. Although he had not seen the person’s appearance clearly, if he had guessed correctly, it was probably Sean.
Last night at the intersection, Sean must have seen that he was with Grace, so he had come to seek confirmation.
“Do you like living with me like this?” Jason asked.
Grace did not hesitate as she replied, “Of course I do.” “Then even if I were to change my identity in the future, would you still be willing to live with me?” he asked, staring at her with his deep eyes.
She blinked in confusion. To change his identity…was he referring to someone other than a homeless person? Her friend Lina had always said that she knew too little about him and was afraid that she would be taken advantage of.
As for her, she had never asked him about his identity. In fact, she only knew the name ‘Jay’. Other than that, she only knew that he did not have any family members.
Lina said that he didn’t seem like a homeless man. Sometimes, Grace also felt the same way.
But if he didn’t want to tell her, she wouldn’t take the initiative to ask. After all, every one had his or her own secrets.
“I’d be willing to,” she said gently.
“No matter what kind of status I have, will you be willing to accept me?” he asked again.
Jason’s gaze was intense.
He had supported her, protected her, defended her. Even knowing about her past.
Would she judge him or accept him? There was no question for her.
“Yes, no matter what, okay?” She smiled and said, “Eat quickly or else the food will go cold.” He also smiled, his lips rising in a crooked smile that was a little smug.
She was in a trance and felt that his smile was too beautiful and that no other smile could beat it.
She turned back to her food and pushed the thoughts away.
Her ‘brother’ might be hot, but as his ‘sister,’ she’d be wise not to think of him in that way.
“Babe, what do you think?” In the dress store, Lily was wearing a high-end gown tailor-made for her. This gown had been specially made for the engagement banquet and it had cost half a million.
Could he see the point in spending so much on a few bits of cloth and beads?
No. But she could and her family did, and like everything that marked the start of their relationship, it was about appearances.
And sparing no expense illustrated how committed the Atkinsons were to this engagement.
Sean looked at the noble and beautiful woman in front of him.
Everyone envied him for having such a girlfriend. She was a popular television star and the daughter of the Atkinson family. After the death of Jennifer Atkinson, Lily had become the only heir.
Marrying Lily was equivalent to getting into the Atkinson family.
“You look beautiful, Lily,” Sean told her.
He was very satisfied with himself, and he even looked forward to the engagement party.
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 63-But at this moment, when he looked at his girlfriend wearing such a gorgeous dress, what Sean was thinking about in his mind was the scene from last night and Jason and Grace’s faces.
Had Jason seen him? There had been a second where Jason stared knowingly into the darkness.
Had all of that really happened?!
Even at this moment, Sean felt that everything he had seen last night was like a dream. Could it really be that the most powerful and influential and wealthy man in the entire city was slumming it with his ex-fiancee who’d murdered Jason Reed’s first love, and got convicted for it!?
In what world was this even possible??
Looking at her fiancé’s absent-minded expression, Lily frowned. “What’s wrong with you? You have been zoning out a lot in the last two days. If you don’t want to get engaged to me, just say it.” Sean sighed and then quickly smiled and said, “Of course not. Why wouldn’t I want to get engaged to you? You know that my heart is only for you.” “Only for me?” Lily raised an eyebrow. “You really have no more feelings for Grace?” N Sean’s body stiffened slightly. Lily was sharp. And she could be cruel. He said uncomfortably, “Why did you mention her again? I broke up with her years ago.
How could I still have feelings for her?” “Well then why did you want to help her find a job before?” she asked.
“I just pity her,” Sean replied.
“What is there to pity about her? You should pity my sister. Because of Grace, she lost her life,” Lily snorted coldly. “If you dare to ‘pity’ her again when Jason Reed looks for you in the future, you’d better not blame our family for not supporting you.” Sean’s reaction was a bit delayed as he thought through all the possible scenarios for his ex-and her new… acquaintance. Before, he wouldn’t have thought that there was anything wrong with his current girlfriend’s words. But now… the existence of Grace might not be all it seemed.
After hesitating for a while, he said tentatively, “Lily, do you know if Jason has gotten involved with a new woman recently?” “Of course not,” Lily immediately denied. “Jason is notorious for keeping his distance from women. He’s as cold as ice and it was a miracle that Jennifer thawed his cold heart-and that she presented the only suitable partner for marriage.” From the way she said it, it was obvious that Lily too saw the former engagement to her sister as nothing more than a strategic alliance between two wealthy families. “Jason Reed has not had any other women for the past three years!” It was for this reason that the outside world thought that Jason loved her sister deeply, but only the Atkinson family knew that it was not the case.
But the Atkinson family would not take the initiative to expose that kind of misunderstanding. On the contrary, they even hoped that others would misunderstand more. It upped their value. Under the umbrella of the Reed Family, the Atkinson family could get more benefits from them all.
Sean heard Lily’s words and said nothing more.
When the two of them had finished trying on their clothes and walked out of the dress shop, a car drove up in front of the two. Sean and Lily both knew the person who got it. It was Jason’s personal secretary, Terrence Klein.
“Secretary Klein, why are you here?” Lily asked curiously.
But Sean was stiff, and there was a hunch in his heart.
Terrence smiled slightly, “I’m here to invite Mr. Stevens to a meeting.” Then, his eyes turned to Sean. “Mr. Stevens, Mr. Reed wants to see you.” His hunch was correct! Sean exhaled a long breath. “Okay, I’ll go see Mr. Reed with you.” He didn’t reflect on how Terrence knew exactly where they were or how he’d timed it perfectly to intercept them as they left the store.
“Babe, what’s going on?” Lily demanded.
Sean started toward the car. “We will discuss it, if it pertains to you when I come back.” After he’d finished speaking, he got into the car with Terrence.
Lily sputtered, but what could she say? The invitation had been clear and extended only to him.
Sean settled into the car and did not look back.
As Terrence pulled into traffic, Sean asked haltingly, “Secretary Klein, do you know why Mr. Reed wants to meet me?” Terrence met his gaze in the rearview mirror. “You’re about to find out…”
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 64-Sean cleared his throat. “What manner of business is this pertaining to?” Sean tried again.
Terrence said with a faint smile, “You will know when you meet Mr. Reed.” Sean undid the top button of his shirt. He was warm and getting more and more anxious.
The car stopped at the door of the Reed Residence. Sean followed Terrence into the house and saw Jason sitting on the sofa, playing with an invitation card in his hand.
When Sean approached, he saw that the invitation was for the engagement banquet that he and Lily had invited Jason to.
“We meet again,” Jason said faintly.
Sean was stunned. At this moment, Jason was wearing an elegant grey-blue suit. His hair was combed and tied back, showing his smooth forehead. The man had strong, even features, and while Sean wasn’t one to normally pay too much attention to another man’s good looks, it was impossible not to see Jason Reed and think that he was exceptional.
And it wasn’t just the bone structure or the expression, Jason Reed radiated power. The kind of quiet, absolute confidence that told anyone in the room with him that he held all the cards and called all the shots.
His smile now, was lazy, but every bit arrogant.
It was no surprise that he attracted the attention of so many women. In the upper circles, many young ladies tried their best to attract Jason, not only because of his background but also due to his appearance.
However… When Jason’s dark eyes took in Sean, Sean had the distinct sensation of being stared at by a wild beast.
His blood seemed to have frozen again, and even his breathing became ragged.
It was just like… the feeling of being stared at by that person last night.
But yesterday, he had been in the dark while Jason had been out in the open.
At that time, he had been able to see Jason, but Jason Reed should not have been able to see him clearly. But now, he was completely exposed to Jason’s line of sight.
Sean smiled dryly. “Yes.” He was trying to guess if Jason’s “again” was actually referring to last night, but then Jason Reed went and answered the question for him:
“Did you mention what happened last night to someone else?” Jason asked in a careless manner. A careless manner that was anything but.
Sean felt the threat as if it had been thrown out by the lip of a sword.
His hands trembled and his heart pounded.
Sean was frightened!
Sure enough…this visit was because of what happened last night! Although Sean already had a hunch, when he heard Jason ask in person, some of his doubts finally came to an end.
He realized abruptly, that Jason Reed was indeed the man he’d seen holding Grace at the intersection. He was the man visiting. Grace at her low-income housing. He was the man in ragged clothes with unkempt hair. And he was the same man, standing before him now.
So in the end, Jason and Grace were indeed together!
“I asked you a question,” Jason reminded him quietly.
“No, I didn’t mention it to anyone,” Sean said.
“That’s good,” Jason said. “I don’t want anyone else to know about this.” Sean swallowed past the lump in his throat. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what Jason Reed wanted. But if Jason wanted his arrangementwhatever it was, with Grace- kept a secret, then the fact that Sean knew of it… would not bode well for him.
He felt that his whole body was being crushed by the pressure in the room.
“Also, I don’t wish to see you there again. I don’t care why you were there or what you were doing. But since you chose to break up with Grace back then, don’t come and look for her anymore. Is that clear?” Jason asked.
Sean was rendered speechless with shock. Jason’s tone sounded threatening, but what was more confusing was the hint of possessiveness wrapped up in the words. Like Jason Reed wanted Grace…all to himself.
Could it be that Jason actually has feelings for Grace…? Sean couldn’t believe it. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, just thinking about it.
“I understand,” Sean said with some difficulty.
“Alright, then you can go. Terrence, send Mr. Stevens back,” Jason ordered.
Terrence gave an affirmative nod.
When Sean was about to leave, he couldn’t help but ask, “Mr.
Reed, what is it between Grace and you…”
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 65-The cold glint in Jason’s dark eyes sent shivers down Sean’s spine.
“What gave you the impression you were permitted to ask questions?” Terrence remarked. “When you shouldn’t ask something, don’t.” Terrence shouldernudged Sean toward the door. Beneath his breath, he muttered, “How can you not understand this, Mr. Stevens?” Sean’s face went pale and he left feeling embarrassed.
That one question could’ve been a serious misstep on his behalf.
Sweat beaded on his brown as Terrence opened his car door.
Jason leaned against the back of the sofa and took out a cheap mobile phone.
There was only one number in the contacts list.
He pressed that number. After a while, a gentle female voice sounded from the other end of the phone.
“Sister,” he said slowly. “What do you want to eat for dinner? I’ll bring it back for you,” he said softly. The coldness in his eyes was replaced with tenderness.
At night, Grace was wiping the photo frame that held her mother’s photo with a paper towel. She had gone to buy a small desk just to house this photo and she made it a point to dust it every few days. All of her mother’s belongings had been left with the CumminsFamily. This photo was the only item she had left with which to reminisce about her mother.
As she wiped the photo frame, Jason sat to one side, looking at her quietly.
“Oh, right. Jay, it’s almost Thanksgiving. Do you have a… uh, a bus ticket?” Grace asked. In the past two days, many of her colleagues from the Sanitation Service Center had been struggling to get tickets for the journey back home to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.
“No, I don’t have a ticket.” “Okay,” Grace said. She nodded once. “I can pick one up for you tomorrow.” Jason’s brows drew together as he suddenly realized what she was trying to ask. “I don’t need to buy any tickets.” “You don’t have to go home?” she asked in surprise.
“Aside from here, I don’t have a home.” Even though he had stayed in the Reed Residence for so many years, he had never felt at home there.
She then remembered how he had said that he had no family, but… didn’t people normally have relatives or something? People would usually go visit their relatives during the holidays.
When she voiced her doubts, he smiled faintly and said, “I do have some relatives, but I don’t need to go around visiting them.” As for the old head of the Reed family, although they were grandfather and grandson, family affection was something that didn’t exist in the Reed Family. The only thing that his grandfather was interested in was an heir.
As long as he was good enough and powerful enough, grandfather wouldn’t care about anything else. But if he ever disappointed the family, even if he was grandfather’s grandson, he would still be kicked out.
What’s more, half of the blood in his body came from that woman’s.
It could be said grandfather even felt disgust for him because of it. He remembered how when he was a child, grandfather had looked at him in disgust several times and said with a ferocious. expression, “Why do you have that woman’s blood in your body? You shouldn’t exist at all!” At that time, Jason had been beaten by his grandfather many times already. The infractions ranged from a less than perfect score on a school test to speaking out of turn.
It was only after he had grown up and begun to show his capabilities in the boardroom that grandfather’s attitude towards him had slowly changed.
However, the fact that he had that woman’s blood in him was a fact that could not be changed.
Grace hesitated for a moment and could not help but ask, “What about your… parents? They are…” Jason’s face changed slightly. He looked at her with his extremely beautiful eyes. It seemed that his eyes were covered with a layer of silk, making no one able to see what he was thinking at the moment.
Grace bit her lip. “If you don’t want to tell me, just pretend that I didn’t ask.” “Would you really like to know?” he countered, his voice carrying a hint of unintended coldness.
Grace twisted her hands together. It was one of her tells, when she was nervous. Her fingers pained her a lot he knew, so when she did that, she was usually feeling especially anxious.
“Why do you ask, Grace?” Her big, pretty eyes batted up to his. “I just wanted to know more about you.
However, if you don’t want to talk about these things, then let’s not talk about them. In any case, the past isn’t important. We just need to look ahead, right?” He appreciated her giving him an out. But that was Grace, wasn’t it? Always thinking of others before herself.
“My father died. The day you met me was my father’s death anniversary. On that day, he died in the spot where I was sitting by the road.”
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 66-Grace was stunned. She had not been expecting the place where she met Jay to be the place where her father had passed away.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“He only had himself to blame for dying.” He shrugged. “Sister, there is no need for you to apologize,” Jason said in a low voice.
She suspected the story was not so simple as Jay depicted it. ‘He only had himself to blame?’ that sounded ominous. Grace was surprised. She hadn’t been expecting him to describe his father’s death that way.
“Jay, I’m not sure what you man by blaming him, perhaps it was some accident-” “Was it? I don’t think so. He fell in love with someone he shouldn’t have fallen in love with, then when she discovered that he was useless, he was cast aside. It didn’t matter even if he kneeled down and begged. No,” Jason’s eyes darkened into an abyss. “No, that’s not entirely true. The more he groveled and begged, the more she despised him.” He shook his head as if clearing the thoughts. “In the end, he died in despair and had frozen to death in the snow.” Jason’s expression was as indifferent as if he was just talking about something as ordinary as the weather-not a man succumbing to hypothermia and dying in it. Even his voice was as calm as usual. But… this was his father!
Grace felt as if he had returned to the first time she had seen him. He’d been distant then too. And… detached.
“Jay,” she called out to him.
He looked up, and her face was reflected in his dark pupils. “Tell me,” he goaded her. “Did he not bring it upon himself?” She felt her throat dry up as she tried to respond. After a long while, she finally murmured, “Is that woman your mother?” He was silent. There was no expression on his face, but there was a flash of pain in his eyes.
And so she knew the answer.
She didn’t know how to comfort him, feeling that at this moment any words she could provide would be useless. There were some wounds in the world that only people who had actually experienced them could understand the pain.
She stood up and hugged him as he stayed atop the chair.
His head was leaning against her chest, his nose was inhaling her breath, and her warmth was being transmitted onto his checks.
All of a sudden, the sound of her heartbeat came into his ears through her clothes.
This made him feel like… staying in this position forever….
“Mom, don’t go…” The thin and short figure was kneeling down on the ground, hoping that the woman, who had already packed up her luggage, would not leave.
But it was useless. The woman still insisted on leaving and did not even look back at him.
Seeing that his mother was about to leave, the boy wanted to reach out and grab her.
But in the next moment, his tiny hand was swung away, and he felt a heartwrenching pain in his chest… It was so painful… so painful!
No one could save him from such pain, and no one could stop his pain!
It was so painful that he felt like he was going to suffocate, as if he was going to die… “Jay! Jay!” A voice was calling out to him!
Who was it? Who was calling out to him?
“Jay, don’t worry. It won’t hurt anymore. I’m here, I’m here.
Don’t worry, Jay…” The gentle voice was filled with anxiety and worry.
Under this sound, the feelings of suffocation and pain within him faded away like a falling tide. He struggled to open his eyes and looked at the delicate woman in front of him…
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 67-Grace breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s great. You’ve finally woken up.” Woken up? When had he fallen asleep?
One moment he’d been in Grace’s arms. Soaking up her strength and scent.
The next, he must’ve drifted off to sleep and the memories seized him.
Wait, no. That wasn’t entirely right.
They’d chatted more after dinner. Then each taken time to wash up and change for bed.
He’d lay down on the cot and counted her breaths until she fell asleep.
Jason rubbed his eyes, the events of the evening coming back to him in short order.
He’d not had a nightmare like this in a long time.
In his dream, he had knelt down in front of the woman and begged her… Was it because he had talked about that woman tonight that he had had such a dream?
Jason raked a hand through his hair. He exhaled a long breath and lowered his head only to find that the button of his pajamas had been unbuttoned, revealing his chest. “My clothes are…” Grace saw the direction of his gaze and she pursed her lips as if she was embarrassed. “Because… you were shouting that it hurts so much. I was afraid that something was wrong with your body… So, uh, I just went ahead and unbuttoned your shirt to see if anything was wrong.” He stared at her, and her face slowly grew redder.
“But I can assure you, I… I didn’t even have the time to look before you woke up, so actually, I didn’t see anything,” she hurriedly explained, but the more she explained, the odder she sounded.
And the brighter her cheeks glowed.
“It doesn’t matter even if you see. You can look at my body,” Jason said.
She was blushing so hard, and it was quite adorable, actually.
“Your body… does it h-hurt anymore?” It took her a long time to stutter out this sentence.
“Mhm, it doesn’t hurt anymore.” He lowered his head and began to button up his pajamas.
She tried her best to keep her gaze above his neck, but she accidentally caught a glimpse of his chest, and then suddenly pulled down his pajama top again.
“Hey-you are hurt!’ She stared at his chest. There was a scar right above his heart. Although the scar was already faint, Grace could still tell that the wound had definitely not been a minor injury back when he had received it. “What’s wrong with you here…” “It’s just a small injury,” he said in an indifferent manner.
She bit her lower lip with her teeth and raised her hand to touch. the scar gently.
While he had been sleeping, he had been crying out in pain, and her hand had accidentally touched this area. Was he in pain because of this injury?
How bad was he hurt back then? Grace felt as if her own heart was being wrenched.
“How did you get hurt like this? When did it happen?” she murmured.
His body stiffened slightly. It had been many years since he had been injured, and other than the doctors, no one else had touched his wounds. She was the only one… It was as if all the blood in his body was pumping into the area near his heart. Beneath her touch, his heart was beating faster than usual.
“It’s been a long time. It’s no longer painful,” he said.
She was slightly relieved, and only then did she suddenly notice their current positions seemed to be a little inappropriate.
“That’s, that’s good. Hurry up and button up or you’ll catch a cold.” With a blush on her face, she quickly moved her hand away.
All of a sudden, the temperature in his chest seemed to fall, and he suddenly felt empty in his heart.
He buttoned up his pajamas slowly. “By the way, when I was dreaming, what else did I say besides crying out?” She hesitated for a moment and said, “Just… you kept shouting “Mom, don’t go.” His body stiffened; his hands gradually clenched into fists, and his nails dug into his palms.
She looked at him and couldn’t help reaching out her hand to touch his cheek.
The coldness from his face seeped into her fingertips.
“Jay,” she called out in a low voice.
He slowly raised his head.
His eyes looked as empty as they had been when he had spoken to her about his parents. Some wounds never healed. They only festered with time.
This man, for as stoic and resolute as he claimed to be, he was still suffering.
And it tore at her heart.
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 68-“Jay.” She called out to him, but this time more loudly. “Stay with me.” Grace held his face and stared deep into his eyes.
The memories were like a wave, sweeping him up and dragging him miles out to sea. He wasn’t trying to ignore her, but once he went down this particular path of memories, it was hard to shake all the details and feelings that came rushing in.
Because it wasn’t just his mother. It was the death of his father. The abuses of his grandfather. The absence of any family or familiarity.
Was it any wonder he turned out the way he did?
His past had sharpened him into this present man. One who could lie effortlessly and move people around as if life was some chessboard.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“It’s nothing.” Nothing anyone could do or change.
“That’s good.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “The way you looked just now was like…” She thought for a while and came up with a description. “It was like a piece of glass that was about to break. You scared me for a moment.” “Glass?” He chuckled and a dark and hostile glint flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared in an instant and his gaze returned to normal. “Sister, in this world, no one can break me.” Grace dropped her hands from his face. She looked…unsteady. As if she was seeing him, but only really seeing him for the first time.
Was she finally sensing that he was not some misshapen man in need of saving? Was she finally seeing that he had appointed himself her protector and he’d destroy anyone that came between them?
Why? He didn’t even have that answer. And he asked himself the question frequently.
“As long as you’re okay,” she whispered.
And there it was… the absolute trust.
Grace was too smart and too perceptive to think that everything was as simple as it was presented. But she didn’t pry. She didn’t force him to be anything other than what he claimed to be.
Would anyone else have indulged him with his secrets? He didn’t think so.
He stared at her and asked, “Sister, you’ll never leave me, right?” She smiled and said, “Didn’t we agree before? You won’t leave me, and nor will I leave you.
“Yes, I just forgot about it,” he murmured. He stretched out hist arms and held her in his embrace, appreciating her physical existence.
Of all the souls on this earth, he was most content with the one beside him right now.
She said that she would not leave him, but why did he feel uneasy? Was he afraid that one day when she discovered his true identity, she would desert him?
‘Brother’ Jay could stay by her side, but what about Jason Reed?
Could he as well?
In the living room of the Stevens Family, Mr. Stevens asked his son, “Sean, Lily said that Jason had his secretary pick you up to meet him. Why did he suddenly want to meet you in private?” When he started talking about Jason, Mr. Stevens had a hint of concern in his words. Sean recognized the tone. It was one his father seldom used, and he knew the reason for it.
After all, the Stevens Family was dealing with the Reed Family. Their business was getting worse by the day, and their soon-to-be marriage connection with the Atkinson family would be their ticket back to success.
Sean’s father was afraid that Jason was prejudiced against the Stevens Family, and that this would interfere with the marriage.
“What did he say?” Mr. Stevens pressed again.
“Nothing much,” Sean said.
“Nothing much because you say so, or because there actually isn’t much to tell? I can’t believe that, Sean. Why would Jason have his secretary pick you up for no reason?” Mr. Stevens asked angrily.
“That’s right, Sean,” his mother said as she entered the room. “Lily isn’t wrong to contact us-we should’ve heard about Mr. Reed’s visit directly from you.” She composed herself. “If anything did happen, you can just be honest with us,” his mother said persuasively.
Sean took a deep breath and said, “It’s really nothing.” His father crossed his arms. “It had to be something. Quit playing games.” Sean could not say it. If Jason Reed were to learn that Sean had told anyone of his ‘relationship’ with Grace Cummins, Sean had no doubt the retribution would be swift and harsh.
Jason Reed did not make idle threats.
The old patriarch of the Reed family had been rumored to be a severe man, but Sean felt the true menace was Jason. Jason showed no fear of anyone or anything. And he was so powerful, his reach of influence seemed boundless.
Does Jason still have a grudge against the Stevens Family? Does he want to take action against us?” Mr. Stevens asked.
“It has nothing to do with the Stevens Family,” Sean lied. “The day Mr. Reed met me, he just talked about my engagement.” It was the only excuse he could come up with. “He wished us much happiness and success.” His parents finally breathed a sigh of relief and their expressions looked better when they heard that.
On the other hand, Sean’s sister, Zoe, said indignantly, “In the end, it’s all because of Grace. If it weren’t for her, why would our family be so nervous about this marriage?”
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 69-Upon saying Grace’s name, Zoe felt a belly full of anger.
When Grace had caused that car accident back then, she had often heard people in high-end parties talking about how the Stevens Family was doomed, and it had caused her much embarrassment.
It was not until her brother had started going out with Lily that they had finally stopped talking about it.
It took years.
She hated Grace for it.
“Grace is really a Jayx on our family. Fortunately, you broke up with her when he did. Can you imagine what would have befallen us if you’d stayed with that trash?” Sean sighed.
“I heard she’s a sanitation worker now. Fitting. How could the judge only sentence her to three years in prison? In my opinion, she should’ve been sentenced to at least ten or twenty!” Zoe kept talking about Grace with a disgusted look, but the more she spoke, the more her brother seemed to recoil.
“That’s enough. Zoe, don’t talk about her anymore. When you see Grace, you’d better behave yourself,” Sean said. “Better yet, stay away from her entirely.” “Sean, what’s wrong with you? I used to talk about her all the time, but you never said anything. Why are you protecting her now?” His parents chose that moment to come back into the room. His mom glanced nervously between him and Zoe.
“Sean, don’t tell me that you still have feelings for her?” When Mr. Stevens heard this, he immediately frowned and said, “Don’t even think about it. Grace Cummins is a blight on our name. She shouldn’t even think about stepping through the door of this house!” “I have no feelings for Grace, but she’s someone we can’t afford to offend!
That’s all I can say!” Sean gritted his teeth.
“Can’t afford to offend?” Zoe scoffed at his words. “Sean, what are you talking about? Grace is a sanitation worker. She’s a low-life. Totally insignificant. Why can’t we afford to offend her?” “Just listen to me. Don’t harm the entire Stevens Family later because you’re too stupid to listen to me now!” Sean warned sternly.
Mr. Stevens was no fool. He sensed that Sean was choosing his words very carefully. And certainly, his son wasn’t acting this way casually. “Sean, what exactly is Grace-” “Dad, there are some things that I can’t say. You’d beller all be a bit more careful. At least… at this stage, you should give Grace Cummins more respect,” Sean said.
Sean didn’t know why or how Grace could have inserted herself into Jason Reed’s life. And as the killer of Jason’s former fiancee, it made absolutely no sense. But, at least for the moment, Jason still seemed to consider Grace to be of extraordinary importance.
Sean’s visit to the Reed Family home had proven that.
The threat still weighed heavily on him.
Mr. Stevens was deep in thought, and Sean’s mom wasn’t saying anything. Only Zoe curled her lips as if she didn’t believe it.
“This is bullshit, brother. I don’t owe that heinous bitch an ounce of respect. She nearly destroyed this family-and you. Do you have feelings for her still? Is that what this is about? Sean, don’t be so foolish- “Zoe! That is enough!” Sean punched his fist through the wall.
Jason’s gaze fixed on the box of stomachache medicine on his desk. This was the medicine that Grace had left for him when he felt sick last time. He was fully recovered, and, had she not been so distraught, he wouldn’t have taken the prescription in the first place, but he hadn’t thrown the medicine away. Instead, he had continued to leave it on the desk.
“Terrence, what do you think Grace will do if she finds out about my true identity?” Terrence froze. He’d been in the process of collecting the contracts and budgetary reports that Jason had approved. He paused and said nothing.
“Did you hear me?” Jason asked.
Terrence nodded. “Uhh…” “Huh? Is it very difficult to answer this question?” Jason raised his eyebrows.
“It’s not difficult, sir. But I don’t know if my boss would be willing to accept my answer.” “I don’t need to accept or reject what you say. I simply asked you a question.
Terrence nodded. “Very well. I think that Miss Cummins will feel deceived.” “Hmm.” Terrence took it a step further. “She has been subjected to much and is … vulnerable. She does not trust most people, and such a betrayal would cut her deeply.
My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Chapter 70-“Do you think she would still be willing to stay by my side?” Jason asked.
Terrence was slightly surprised. “Do you want Miss Cummins to continue to accompany you?” Since this was only a game, didn’t it mean that the game would come to an end once Mr. Reed told Grace of his true identity?
Or could it be that Mr. Reed’s feelings for her… had grown?
Thinking of this, Terrence clutched the papers he held. “Mr. Reed, you…” He opened his mouth in the middle of the sentence, but his words suddenly stuck at the back of his throat.
“What do you want to say? Speak!” Jason ordered.
Terrence frowned. “Mr. Reed, have you fallen in love with Miss Cummins?” Terrence asked.
So, that was why Mr. Reed had always been keen on this game and had secretly done so many things for this woman. It may have begun as a game, but it had morphed into something more. And if Mr. Reed was worrying about the future and whether or not Grace would be with him in it… then his feelings were strong.
Jason drew in a deep breath.
He had fallen in love? How could that be possible? No. That was not right. And Terrence was a fool for even suggesting it.
How could he have fallen in love with any woman? Was it not enough to have his father as an example? He would never be so weak or desperate, so pathetic as to be at the mercy of some other person. At most, he liked Grace’s company.
She was kind and uncomplicated. She kept her questions to herself and didn’t desire his company for what she could gain. The woman was selfless and patient. Her presence gave him a sense of comfort.
That’s all it was.
“Don’t say this kind of thing in the future,” Jason said coldly.
Terrence shivered and immediately replied, “Yes, sir.” Without another word, he bowed and left the office.
The lights were intoxicating.
Patrick Weiss looked curiously at Jason, who was sitting lazily on the sofa.
Jason had never liked to participate in these gatherings, but today, he had made an exception.
He leaned over and asked, “Why did you want to come here?” He and Jason could be considered childhood playmates. They had been classmates throughout middle school and high school.
Of course, he knew that this good friend of his had always liked to keep quiet and did not particularly care for social events.
In all fairness, most of the time Jason would be bombarded by businessmen seeking his company or women vying for his attention with dollar-signs in their eyes.
Jason wasn’t a partier. He didn’t drink to excess. He wasn’t someone who cared about being seen at all the new, cool places.
“Seriously, bro. I invited you only out of habit. I didn’t think for a second that you’d actually show. What gives?” Jason sipped his drink. “Do I need a special reason to come out? Don’t you guys ask me all the time to join you?” Jason asked.
Fair enough. But that was the point, really. They did ask Jason to hang out all the time, and he very seldom said yes. What changed his mind tonight?
Jason’s answer made sense, but Patrick still felt it was a little strange.
At this moment, a gorgeously dressed woman with exquisite makeup walked up to Jason and tried to start up a conversation with him.
Patrick thought his good friend would definitely reject her, so it was very unexpected when Jason actually let the woman sit by his side.
Patrick’s eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets, when Jason ordered her a drink.
Why was he willing to let a woman get so close to him today? Had the sun… risen from the west this morning?!
Patrick sensibly stepped away and turned to look at his other friend, Brian Hart.
Brian was of a similar height but bulkier, and while Patrick was light-hearted, Brian gave Jason a run for the money in the serious department. Well, not with women. When it came to girls, Brian was never seen with the same one twice.
Brian stood beside the bar, playing with a silver bracelet on his wrist. “Are you seeing this too?” Brian laughed. “It appears our boy Jason is in quite a mood this evening.” That was one way to put it. “You think he’s turning a corner?” Patrick shrugged. This wasn’t typical behavior for Jason. On the contrary, if anyone was going to go home with random women, that’d be Brian. Brian’s dark eyes glittered as if he was glad to see someone behaving the way he normally did.
Brian spun the bracelet on his wrist. Once. Twice. Again.
“What is with you and always wearing that silver bracelet?” As he spoke, Patrick reached out and tried to grab the silver band.
Brian jerked his wrist away, avoiding Patrick’s hand. His eyes darkened as he said, “Don’t touch it.” Patrick titled his head and looked at the person in front of him. If Jason was cold, then Brian was pure ice.
For as much as Brian partied and had flings with different women, he was detached. Sometimes, even when they were talking, it seemed like Brian wasn’t even in the conversation.
Patrick had never seen a woman who could truly occupy his heart.