Chapter 111

Nicole leaned close, whispering in his ear with a daring, flirty tone, “Chase, this is my secret hideaway. No one will ever know about this place, and no sound will escape.”

Meanwhile, I stood behind the door, listening to their heated kisses, feeling utterly revolted. Returning to my grandmother, I realized Chase had fallen under Nicole’s spell. It was impossible for him to uncover my whereabouts.

Grandma had already drifted off to sleep. I sat watching the heavy snowflakes dance outside, aware that New Year's Day was just around the corner. Instinctively, I touched my flat stomach. My child hadn't been with me long, not even fully formed, but I cared deeply for this tiny life.

Having me as a mother? A complete failure. Having Chase as a father? Utterly tragic. He had completely forgotten about my miscarriage. Perhaps, with a few of Nicole's smooth lies about the orchid, he would believe her and unknowingly reveal Derek's plan.

Why had I loved such a gullible man for so many years? I wished I could go back in time and shake some sense into my younger self. Turning around, I saw my grandmother watching me, concern etched in her eyes. I gently stroked her hair, whispering, “Grandma, I’m okay.”

She must have wanted to ask what was wrong, but I simply sighed, “Chase can’t be trusted. Nicole has him wrapped around her finger. So, Grandma, please get better soon.”

Grandma blinked, and I shared Derek's discovery. “The orchid was poisoned. A tiny dose had recently been sprayed on it. Luckily, Derek resolved it.”

Even so, Grandma’s condition remained worrying. Chase was clueless and foolish. Now that he was involved with Nicole, who knew what might happen? Derek's plan was in shambles.

“Grandma, there’s nothing I can do; I can’t protect you. All we can do is wait for you to get better.”

Her eyes were filled with determination, not a hint of fear. She was telling me not to be afraid. Just as when I was a child, she conveyed that no matter what happened, I had to stay strong—everything had its course.

Chase hadn't visited these past few days to check on Grandma’s condition, and Nicole’s visits were scarce. She saw no improvement, and this seemed to ease her mind. She was probably afraid Derek might catch her red-handed, so she didn't dare make any rash moves. This gave Grandma a chance to recover, and indeed, her hands had slowly started moving again, though she still couldn't speak.

I remained uneasy about Nicole's plans, and with Chase out of sight, I decided to track him down. Thankfully, he hadn't removed his rose rosary, making it easy to find him.

However, I didn't expect to walk in on such a scene. He was in his office, having just thrown out all of Nicole’s belongings. He was pressing Nicole against the floor-to-ceiling window. A gust of wind blew through, and the photo frame with our picture on his desk fell over with a loud “snap.”

Chapter 113