Chapter 5 She Took the Case
1018 Words
Grace glanced at Ethan and Lily for just a second before averting her gaze, pretending not to care about their similarities.
"This has nothing to do with Grace," Ethan said, his tone firm.
He lowered his eyes, gently patting Lily's head as he sighed. "You need to take better care of yourself."
Lily nodded tearfully, her voice trembling. "I won't make you worry about me again."
Only then did Ethan relax, taking the cup from the caregiver and helping Lily sip the water in small sips.
From start to finish, Grace stood silently to the side, completely ignored.
Her eyes lingered on Ethan, and she couldn't help but lose herself in thought.
For five years, she had been by his side, yet she had never experienced even a fraction of the tenderness he showed Lily.
The difference between love and indifference was devastating.
Even five years ago, when Lily left him at his lowest, Ethan harbored no resentment. Instead, he continued to wait for her unconditionally.
The ache in Grace's chest grew unbearable, each breath feeling harder to take.
"Grace..." Ethan suddenly called out to her.
Before he could continue, Grace interrupted him. "Stay with Lily. I have something to do, so I'll head out first."
Grace understood when it was time to leave.
But this time, the humiliation stung more than usual. Without sparing a thought for Ethan's feelings, she turned and walked away.
In the room, Lily's tearful eyes looked up at Ethan. "Ethan, did Grace misunderstand something?"
Ethan hesitated, then shook his head. "No, she's just busy."
"She's so generous," Lily said with a faint smile. "I thought she might be upset seeing how much you care about me. But I guess Mom was right—Grace married you for..."
"Lily," Ethan interrupted sharply, his voice tinged with irritation. "Whatever is between Grace and me is a Montgomery family matter."
"I'm sorry," Lily whispered, tears falling again as she lowered her head, looking as though she'd been wronged.
Ethan sighed, deciding to drop the subject.
After a long silence, Lily wiped her tears and looked up. "Ethan, you should check on Grace. I don't feel right about her leaving on her own."
Ethan rose immediately. "Alright, I'll come back to see you afterward."
"Of course," Lily said softly.
As Ethan left, disappointment flickered in Lily's eyes.
She had mentioned Grace casually, but Ethan left so quickly that it stung. Clearly, Grace was someone she needed to keep an eye on.
When Ethan found Grace, she was standing by the curb, trying to hail a cab.
The crisp autumn air carried a slight chill, and Grace stood there in a muted maroon dress. Against the backdrop of swirling leaves, she looked solemn and composed.
Ethan pulled up beside her, stopping his car.
Grace stepped back, refusing to get in.
But Ethan, stubborn as ever, ignored the blaring horns of the cars behind him. He didn't move an inch.
In the end, Grace relented and got into the car.
The drive was silent and tense. When they arrived at her workplace, Ethan handed her a card as she was about to step out.
"These past few days must've been hard on you. Don't overwork yourself."
Grace glanced at the card in his hand and felt a pang of bitterness.
For Lily, Ethan offered words of tenderness and care. For her, it was always money.
But she never wanted his money.
"Take it," Ethan said, tucking the card into her pocket. "You don't seem to like anything I give you, but this might help."
Grace hesitated for a long time before resigning herself to reality.
Taking the card felt like accepting that Ethan saw her as someone he could simply pay off.
She decided it was time to face the truth.
On the way, Chloe called Ethan. Her tone was sharp, a rare display of anger.
"Ethan, you and Lily broke up five years ago. It's time to draw the line. Let me remind you—five years ago, Lily abandoned you when you were gravely ill. Now, five years later, I won't allow her to set foot in this family again."
Before Ethan could respond, Chloe hung up in frustration.
After a brief silence, Grace pointed to the curb. "This is my stop."
The sign for Hargreaves Law Firm stood prominently.
Ethan had always known Grace was capable, but seeing her here as a lawyer still felt at odds with the image he had of her.
He realized he didn't truly know her at all.
"I'll pick you up tonight..."
"That won't be necessary. I'll get home myself," Grace said curtly before heading upstairs.
Unfortunately for Grace, her day went from bad to worse.
She was handed a case involving the Montgomery family.
"I'm sorry, Grace," her colleague said apologetically. "This is an important case. The partners agreed you're the best fit for it. They don't know about your connection to the Montgomery family."
The truth was, that Grace and Ethan's marriage had always been discreet. Few in Julbury knew he even had a wife.
Grace couldn't blame anyone but herself for diving headfirst into this relationship.
Nathan looked at the case file uneasily. "If you want, I could take it instead."
"You're a criminal lawyer," Grace said with a faint smile. "How would you handle a finance case?"
Nathan fell silent, realizing he had no comeback.
"I'll do it," Grace said, her tone calm but resolute. "You've got to keep moving forward, right?"
With Nathan's support and her own expertise, Grace quickly got a handle on the case.
After a long day of reviewing files, she finally headed home.
Ethan wasn't there—he was probably at the hospital with Lily again.
Grace reminded herself she had no right to feel upset. Suppressing her frustration, she collapsed onto the bed, utterly exhausted.
Her body gave in to the fatigue, and she fell asleep almost instantly.
But in her half-dreaming state, she felt someone's eyes on her.
The sensation was unnerving, making her skin crawl.
She opened her eyes, startled, only to meet Ethan's deep, piercing gaze.
- Writer
