Perfect Yet Imperfect

CHAPTER 3

“Not every time that benevolence will be exchanged with benevolence.”

A week prior and the day after the ‘scandal’...

A pair of crimson red eyes slowly fluttered open under the morning light. The owner of the unique color of orbs blinked a couple of times, still dazed and sleepy. They looked around the room they were in. And after some time, they finally realized that they are back once again inside the confinement of their room.

The crimson-eyed beauty is named Grace Lilith Salvador, also known as the heiress of the Salvador Enterprise.

Grace is the only child of this year’s Salvador family. She is the beloved daughter of the well-known entrepreneur and billionaire — Brian Hamlett Salvador — and the unparalleled beauty and award-winning actress Felicity Jewell Hale - Salvador who unfortunately died due to her sickness at Grace’s early age of five that resulted in the big change of the household. No, it’s not the usual blame-to-the-kid’s cliche plot in every novel. It is because the whole household becomes more guarded in every new person that is visiting them or in general, those who came from the outside. Because everyone is aware of the danger that will befall the young miss if they let their guard down against the outsiders.

Pride, Greed, Wrath, Lust, Envy, Gluttony and Sloth - these known seven deadly sins are things that humanity naturally has. Ever since they were born in the world, everyone has that. Some cases that they only have six, five, four or even three of them. But there are no cases that there are none of them inside the depths of a human. And these things are what the people outside the walls of the Salvador mansion have. And those people are the kind that do not show any mercy even if the target would be a child, let alone a pure five years old heiress who lost her mother at a very young age.

At the very age of five, Grace is already aware of what lurks outside their home. And not even one month after the loss of her mother, she started to further her knowledge, whether it's academical, or not. At the age of seven, she also started to even study the arts of business. In the same year, she also started to train herself in weaponry and self-defense. And the next year, she finally stepped inside the domain of their underground business.

Brian who is originally and supposedly happy about his daughter’s knowledge and expertise, cannot help but be worried. It felt so wrong to let his daughter grow so mature despite her age. But with the affirmation and reasoning of the young Grace, she reluctantly relented and let his daughter do what she pleased.

And about the reason she played orphan and poor? It's a story for another time.

Grace pushed herself from the comfort of her fluffy bed and leaned her upper body at the headboard to sit and to rest as she realized how worn out she actually is. Whether it is caused by her role playing for a year or because of her emotional exhaustion due to the scandal she witnessed yesterday and the truth of Jerome’s ‘love’, she actually does not care or give a damn abut it anymore. She’s tired, that’s what she knows.

Suddenly, a series of knocks echoed from the door. Grace sighed and just continued her sightseeing from the window near her bedside. She didn’t utter a word or make a sound at all. She is tired and has no time for who is knocking at all. To her surprise, it opened and a very familiar handsome ravenette showed himself with a bouquet of red roses in his hands. Grace gave him her full attention after seeing her favorite flower that elated the young man.

“Jaycee,” Grace mumbled with slightly widened eyes. She knows him as a Montenegro and all, but didn’t know that he knows her true origin.

Why, you ask? Well, he is the one who brought her home yesterday though.

Jaycee, on the other hand felt the air in his lungs get knocked out from him as his eyes were blessed with the ethereal beauty of the newly-awakened lady, and the way his name sounded from those heart-shaped lips of hers. It’s making him so elated, ecstatic and even high. Grace is like a drug he will not let gio at all. And he truly wishes for ‘that day’ to come. He wants his every mornings, afternoons, evenings and midnights with her by his side. Oh how badly he wants to pounce at her on her bed right now. But he held it in. He doesn't want to scare her with his lovesickness and obsession with the fair maiden in front of him.

“Yes, Grace?” He asked breathlessly. Oh how perfect her name is to herself. How it felt so perfect against his lips.

“How?” She asked curiously. Though she is actually fighting a blush just by him saying her name like it’s some sort of prayer or mantra.

Jaycee grinned and then motioned the huge bouquet in his hands to her. She nodded her head meekly and then went to receive it as their hand and fingers brought against each other that sent shivers down their spine. Her attempt to fight off her blush failed that made Jaycee smile amusingly to this lady as he finally dropped the bomb.

“I guess, I need to properly introduce myself to you,” he boldly reached out for her hand, leaving the other to hold her flowers. He leaned his face to her hand and with his face and hand inches apart, he looked at her and continued, “I am Jaycee Winston Montenegro. The heir of the Montenegro Enterprise. And Lady Grace Lilith Hale - Salvador’s fiancee,” he ended his introduction with a kiss on the back of her hand.

Though, as he looked up again. She is already broke.

[Grace.exe is not working]

Oh! How he started to panic after that.