The piercing ring of Grace's phone shattered the serene morning stillness, pulling her from a dream where time stood still, and reality felt like a distant shore. She stirred, momentarily disoriented by the softness of the sheets and the warmth of Alex's steady breathing beside her. As she reached for the phone with a growing sense of foreboding, her heart clenched when Jake Lockwood's name flashed on the screen.
"Grace," came the brisk, unyielding voice of her father. "The board meeting has been rescheduled. You need to be back in the city by tomorrow morning."
The weight of the world settled back onto her chest. She whispered a quiet acknowledgment before ending the call with a sigh. Turning to Alex, she found him already awake, his sharp gaze locked on her, reading every emotion flick
