CHASE’S POV

The bartender slid two glasses of whiskey toward us. Grace wasted no time, downing hers in one go.

She had taken me up on my offer to drink, and we ended up in a bar not far from my place—quite a distance from where she’d almost ended her life.

“Another!” she called out.

“Whoa, slow down, Grace. Maybe take a break before the next one.”

She smirked and shook her head. “You invited me for drinks, so I’m making the most of it. No time to waste. I’m going to drink as much whiskey as I can.”

Once again, she emptied the glass the bartender had just poured. I signaled him to stop refilling it when she set it back down.

“That’s enough. Don’t overdo it.”

She glared at me. “What, you broke? Can’t pay for my drinks?”

“This isn’t about money. Aren’t you worried about getting drunk around a stranger? You said you have no place to go, no one left. What if I had bad intentions toward you?”

Her eyes went wide. She pointed at me, covering her mouth. Then, without warning, she jumped down from her stool and tried to leave. I caught her arm.

“Let go of me! You’re a psycho! Don’t kill me—I mean, I want to die, but not by being murdered!” she shouted.

She struggled so much that I eventually let go. Grace ran for the door.

I left some cash for the bartender and followed her outside.

She stood there, looking unsure whether to turn right or left. I watched her closely—I wasn’t going to let her just walk away, but I also wanted to see what she’d do.

Then, a young man from across the street shouted at her.

“Hey, pretty thing! Come here! Let’s have some fun! That body of yours looks ready to be touched!”

I barked back, “Leave her alone!”

Grace turned to me as I walked over and slipped my arm around her.

“What’s it to you, idiot? If you want, we can share!” the man jeered, laughing.

“I’m not in the mood for a fight, but keep your filthy mouth shut. Don’t touch my wife—or you’ll regret it and end up in jail!”

I led Grace away, smiling at her, while she just stared at me in confusion.

Near my car, she shoved me. “Let go of me! I don’t want to be with some crazy guy!”

“Then who do you want to be with? That creep back there?”

“I can take care of myself! Thanks for saving me and for the whiskey, but I’ll repay you some other time!” she said firmly.

I grabbed her hand again and this time made her get into the car.

“Hey! You’re being rude! Don’t force me or I’ll scream!”

I ignored that. I knew Grace still wanted someone to protect her—I could see it in the way her body softened when I urged her into the car. She was just too proud to admit it.

When I started the engine, she quieted down and put on her seatbelt.

“I’m not letting you be alone, Grace. At least not until you’ve found your way back—when you’re ready to truly stand on your own, I’ll let you go.”

“Why are you being so nice? You don’t even know me, and that’s exactly what makes me suspicious! What do you really want?”

I turned down the radio volume, delaying my answer. My mind drifted to the memory of a woman I had longed for over the years.

The truth was, Grace reminded me so much of my late sister—the one I’d failed to protect. And oddly enough, her scent was almost identical to my late wife’s.

It was as if she had appeared to stir up all my buried memories.

“Answer me! Stop zoning out!”

I met her gaze. She looked impatient.

“I’m just a widower, Grace. Alone, like you. I know how brutal life can be—especially when you’ve just lost the people who mattered most. How could I possibly leave you alone?”

“Wait—you’re a widower?! Oh my God, what happened to your wife?”

Her tone softened, and it was oddly endearing. She really was a good person; I could see it in her manner and in her eyes.

“My wife died in a car accident. She was pregnant with our child. That was five years ago.”

“Ah, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“It’s fine, I’ve made peace with all of that sadness. You’re not alone—our problems may be different, but we’re both fighting on our own.”

Grace let out a long sigh. “I don’t know… Even though you helped me, I’m not sure what will happen next. I can’t just keep being a burden to you, can I?”

“Of course not. I know you’re capable. For now, what matters is that we rest tonight and clear your mind.”

“Thanks, but I don’t have money for a hotel. Are you going to pay for it?” Grace asked innocently.

I chuckled at her question. I didn’t answer, just focused on driving. Since my house was already close, that would be answer enough for her.

“Wait—where are you taking me?! Whose house is this?!”

I signaled the guard to open the gate by flashing the headlights three times.

Grace still looked at me with a questioning gaze, as if she couldn’t guess that this was my home.

I parked the car in front of the terrace and turned to her. “Welcome to my home, Grace! Treat it like your own—don’t be shy. Come on, get out!”

Grace looked stunned as she stared at the yard and the mansion. She seemed impressed—perhaps she thought only the mansions in her neighborhood were the grandest in the city.

“You’re amazing! Wow! What do you do for a living?” she asked.

“Uh, do you know the MCorrs brand?”

Grace’s eyes widened and she nodded quickly. “Yes, of course! MCorrs is one of the suppliers for my father’s company, and my ex-fiancé works as a legal officer for one of MCorrs’ subsidiaries. You work with them? Oh my god, what a small world!”

“More accurately, I own MCorrs.”

“What?!” Grace pointed at me, then her expression turned panicked. “Shut up! You’re the MCorrs owner who’s famous for being so private?!”

“I didn’t even know I had that reputation. It doesn’t matter—don’t see me for my status, I’m just a regular person too.”

Grace chuckled, rubbing her forehead lightly. “This world is ridiculous. I can’t even imagine my family’s reaction if they found out I was saved by the owner of the company they’ve always hoped would invest in ours.”

“Wait—you haven’t told me your family’s name. Who’s your father, and who’s your fiancé?”

“Benjamin Hart is my father, and Hunter Cole is my fiancé. My family’s company is called Hart Brothers.”

I immediately pulled out my phone and checked the guest list for the charity event happening tomorrow.

Sure enough, both names she mentioned were on the list.

“You know, I have something that will really surprise them.”

Grace frowned. “What is it?”

“I don’t usually like events like this, but… would you come to the charity event tomorrow? They’ll be there too.”

A sly grin spread across Grace’s face. She nodded firmly. “That’s a brilliant idea!”

Grace’s POV

The alarm woke me exactly at eight in the morning. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling reminded me once again that I was now in a completely new environment—one I had never imagined I’d ever set foot in.

I had talked with Chase until three in the morning. He told me about the pain of losing his sister and wife. His life story was heartbreaking—tragic, even.

He had suffered since childhood, been betrayed by many, and carried grief so heavy that it made sense why he was known as one of the wealthiest yet most private men. There were even rumors that the owner of MCorrs dabbled in the dark arts, which explained why he rarely appeared in public.

At just forty years old, he’d lived a long and winding road. His kindness only made me admire him more—especially since last night, he said he wanted to see my work ethic. If I proved myself, he’d place me as the head of one of his company branches.

Maybe this time, fate really was trying to give me a new story.

A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts, followed by Chase’s voice.

“You up, Grace?”

I quickly got out of bed and opened the door. Chase was already dressed in a suit, exuding an air of power.

“Good morning, my rescuer!”

Chase chuckled. “You’re exaggerating! Anyway, I have a meeting and probably won’t be back until three this afternoon. So, I’m leaving my card with you—someone will take you shopping for tonight’s event.”

He handed me a black card. Was he insane?

“You sure?” I asked.

“Of course—why not? Buy whatever you want. I know you have your own style.”

He took my hand, placed the card in it, and winked.

“I’m off. Oh, and get yourself a phone too—you don’t have one, right?”

I only nodded slowly, letting out a long sigh. I knew there were good people in the world, but someone this good was rare.

Chase walked away as his phone rang, quickening his pace to answer it.

I watched him until the sound of his footsteps faded.

Being in the right hands could really make all the pain fade away. I had almost forgotten that last night had been one of the worst nights of my life.

“Hey.”

A woman’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see a woman in a brown dress with wavy hair walking toward me, smiling warmly.

“Hey…” I replied awkwardly.

“You must be Grace? I’m Riley! I’ll be taking you shopping today. I’m Chase’s assistant!”

Riley kissed me warmly on the cheek. From her manner and energy, she seemed like a naturally friendly person who could adapt anywhere.

“Oh, you’re ready?! Are we leaving now?”

“You could say that. You can get ready first. Actually, I asked Chase if I could take you out for breakfast this morning at the café where we usually eat. Chase said he had work, so that’s why I came this early—because I wanted to take you!”

“Ah, okay! In that case, I’ll take a shower right away! Wait in my room, or would you rather wait somewhere else?”

Riley gently patted my shoulder. “Take your time, I’ll wait in the living room downstairs. By the way, do you have clothes to wear today?”

“Um, yes! Chase left me some clothes to use.”

“Good! Those must be from his late wife. Alright then, I’ll wait downstairs!”

Riley walked away, and I quickly went into the room. I immediately grabbed a few outfits Chase had given me last night—

A nude-colored dress, a blue blouse, a brown skirt, a gray T-shirt, and a pair of jeans. Were all of these… really from his late wife?

I wasn’t sure. Honestly, it didn’t matter, but… it still felt a little strange.

My mind had a bad habit of dwelling on little things that could’ve been ignored. Luckily, I was able to keep myself in check and went straight into the bathroom.

I’m usually the type who takes quite a while in the shower. But this time, I tried to hurry so Riley wouldn’t have to wait too long.

It worked. In less than fifteen minutes, I was already coming down the stairs to meet Riley.

Hunter used to always get annoyed when I took too long to get ready.

“Hey, have you been waiting long?” I asked.

Riley immediately stood up and shook her head. “Of course not. Let’s go! I’m already pretty hungry.”

“Okay. By the way, did you bring a car? Or should we take a taxi?”

“Of course I brought my car, don’t worry! I don’t like taking public transport either.”

Her answer actually surprised me a little. Behind her friendly demeanor, she seemed a bit… arrogant.

But I guess that’s understandable—living in an elite circle like Chase’s, it’s not uncommon.

Even women like Scarlett and Eleanor could suddenly transform into people who acted as if they’d never known hardship.

“Good morning, Miss Riley, Miss Grace!”

Two guards greeted us as we got into the car. Riley looked cool as she started the engine of the sleek black luxury sedan.

“So, we haven’t talked much. But I’m sure Chase thought long and hard before deciding to bring you into his home,” Riley said casually.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re new, Grace! Chase may be kind, but he’s not the type to easily trust someone—let alone bring a woman into his grand estate. Even I, as his personal assistant, only set foot in that house for the first time two years ago! And I’ve been working for him for four years.”

From the way she said it, it seemed Chase hadn’t told her the full details about how we met.

“Yeah, I’m lucky Chase helped me,” I replied.

Riley gave me a curious look, raising one eyebrow. She studied me for a moment before shrugging. “Yeah, you don’t seem like a bad person.”

I let out an awkward laugh at her statement. Would her opinion change if I told her the whole truth?

“I always tell Chase not to be careless when choosing women—too many people just want to take advantage of his wealth. Sometimes, he even gets annoyed with me. Oh, by the way, we’re almost there,” Riley said.

“Really? That wasn’t too far.”

“Yup, there’s the café.”

Riley pointed to a café on the left, with a large parking lot. But my eyes were drawn to a car that had just pulled in—right in front of us.

That car looked very familiar. It was Hunter’s.

We parked next to each other. My heart rate began to rise as I kept my gaze fixed on that car.

The anger I thought I’d let go of slowly started to resurface as the car door opened.

And out stepped that couple—Hunter and Eleanor!

Chase’s POV

I’ve never been a fan of working with undisciplined people. Take this morning for example—the business partner I was supposed to meet for a major project suddenly postponed the meeting just fifteen minutes before, even though he had already arrived late in the first place.

Fortunately, I was in a good mood, so I let it slide. Honestly, I could’ve canceled a project worth hundreds of millions of dollars without suffering any loss on my side.

Thinking about it now, maybe there’s a reason I ended up with free time this morning—to keep Grace company. After all, she’s not in the best condition emotionally.

Riley isn’t exactly the type who can comfort someone. If Grace continued to be haunted by her disappointment and acted recklessly like she did last night, I was sure Riley would’ve just let her be.

And my suspicion was confirmed the moment I saw four adults facing off in the parking lot of the New Wave Café. Two of them were Riley and Grace, both with tense expressions.

I immediately parked my car and ran toward them.

“You shameless tramp!”

The woman standing in front of Grace was about to slap her, but I moved faster and caught her hand mid-air.

“Ah, Chase!” Riley exclaimed.

The woman yanked her hand away angrily. “Who the hell are you?! Stay out of this!”

“I should be asking you—who are you? And why are you trying to hurt my girlfriend?”

I glanced at Grace, who looked utterly shocked. Actually, it wasn’t just her—Riley and the other two strangers were also staring at me with the same wide-eyed expression.

“What?! Your girlfriend?! What did she pay you to get involved in this slut’s drama?! She just got dumped by her fiancé, and suddenly she’s got an older man? You must be getting paid with her body, huh?!”

I simply chuckled and shook my head, then turned my gaze to the man beside her.

Let me guess—they were probably Grace’s ex-fiancé and the stepsister she had told me about last night.

"I hope you can teach your girlfriend some manners. I consider this matter settled. But if there’s another commotion, I won’t hesitate to report it to the police!"

I immediately urged Grace to leave with me, my arm still wrapped around her shoulders.

"Calm down. I’m sorry if I spoke that way. I just wanted to protect you."

Grace only nodded. I led her upstairs to where the VIP room was.

"Sit here for a moment. I need to use the restroom."

Her expression still looked shocked, and again, she nodded without saying a word. I headed down to the first floor toward the restroom, but halfway down the stairs, Riley appeared beside me.

"Did you mean what you said?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don’t play dumb, Mr. Chase! You just said you’re Grace’s boyfriend. Is that true?!"

I stopped and looked at Riley. His eyes were filled with worry and jealousy. Riley had been dropping hints for a long time that he was interested in me, but I couldn’t—falling in love with him was out of the question.

His personality simply wasn’t compatible with mine if we were to be partners, especially since he had a past of being involved with two partners at the same time. I hated betrayal.

"You’ve worked with me for a long time, yet you still don’t recognize my way of stopping a conflict? I’d rather pretend than dirty my hands—or my mouth—on people who thrive on drama."

Riley closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Then he smiled wide and clasped his hands together in front of me.

"Forgive me! Thank goodness! I thought you were actually in a relationship with some random woman with an unclear background! I still don’t understand why she was suddenly attacked in the parking lot earlier!"

"Your only job, Riley, is to accompany her shopping—not dig into her background. Got it?"

"Yeah, but I also have the right to look out for her. I don’t want my awesome boss falling for the wrong woman! By the way, can I take her to my friend’s boutique? Their clothes aren’t too expensive. I forgot to tell you where I was taking her earlier!"

"No need. Let her choose wherever she wants. I’ve already given her my black card."

I didn’t want the conversation with Riley to drag on any longer, so I left him there, his face still in shock.

His controlling nature—and the assumption that he could have me—was another reason I was even less interested in Riley. Physically, he was perfect: a former professional model.

But when I reached the restroom door, I was met with a pair of sharp, furious eyes. Hunter was standing there, glaring at me with pure anger.

I simply nodded and walked past him, but the moment I entered, my body was suddenly shoved hard by Hunter, almost making me fall.

"How dare you humiliate my girlfriend!" Hunter shouted.

I immediately turned to face him, seeing him about to throw a punch, but I quickly blocked it.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I didn’t humiliate your girlfriend! She was the one who acted disrespectfully toward my girlfriend, Grace."

"Don’t say that name!"

Hunter swung again, but once more, I blocked him. I grabbed his fist, and his face flushed with pain from my strong grip.

"I already told you—I don’t want to resort to violence. So I suggest you stop acting like a fool and stay away from Grace. If you have a problem, say it to me directly. Understand?"

"Argh!" Hunter screamed in pain when I shoved his hand away. He then pointed at me without saying another word and stormed out of the restroom.

His nasty, arrogant attitude left me with no hesitation about ordering the CEO of his company to fire him immediately.

"Mr. Chase, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes. Remove Hunter Cole from the company today. No exceptions. I want confirmation as soon as possible!"