Chapter 168

“I’m only hoping you can get the police to release them. This is a piece of cake for you,” she said anxiously.

“It is easy, but… so what?” He looked at her stoically, a stark contrast to her anxious demeanor. Her arms, hanging at her sides, stiffened slightly. She took a deep breath and met his gaze. “What do you want in exchange for their release?”

His gaze darkened as he set down his pen. He stood and slowly approached Grace, gently cupping her hands. “Sis, your hands are so cold.”

Her body stiffened. Her hands were indeed much colder than his. He looked down, took both her hands, and placed them in his palms, slowly rubbing them to warm them. He did it as if he were accustomed to the gesture. His eyes held a gentleness tinged with caution, as if she were a precious child.

‘My God! What am I thinking!’ Grace mentally chided herself for her foolish thoughts as she heard his murmurs again.

“Sis, are your hands warmer now?”

“Um… yes, they are.” She wanted to pull her hands away, but he held them firmly.

“There’s no rush. I’ll rub them a little longer.”

Grace was perplexed. His current gentleness was a stark contrast to his earlier aloofness and mockery. He was like two different people. Her hands might be warmer, but her heart grew more uneasy.

“What do you want before you release them?” Grace asked again.

“Sis, why did you suddenly change your mind and want to release them?” He answered her question with another question.

“My maternal grandmother is ill and hospitalized. I don’t want her to worry about this,” she replied truthfully.

“Is that all? Your grandmother seems to hold an important place in your heart. For her sake, you’re willing to come here and beg me.” His voice was gentle, like a low-toned cello softly strumming.

His scent filled her senses. Her blood seemed to rush to her hands, warmed by his.

“What about me? What place do I hold in your heart, Sis?” He looked up. His beautiful eyes now stared sternly at her, as if trying to see through her.

She trembled as their eyes met. In his pupils, she saw her own anxious reflection.

He leaned closer, his warm breath on her face. “I don’t think I’m very important. If I were, you wouldn’t have left without hesitation before. I guess I hold little significance in your heart.”

Her hands might still be warm, but her body grew colder by the minute. Grace stared, stunned, at his handsome face inches from hers. His expression was gentle, even his actions were gentle, yet his gaze was icy.

At that moment, she seemed to understand something, but she wasn’t ready to give up. “Will you… release them?”

“No.”

Her heart sank. ‘How could I forget? He’s Jason. I bet he’s never been rejected by a woman before!’