Chapter 19

Jason stared at Grace's sorry figure. She was just a target in their game, but why did he feel so uncomfortable watching her being treated this way? It was because, even if she was a target, he wouldn't allow others to touch her. Even if he wanted to torture her, he was the only one who could. No one else was allowed. He told himself this.

After a while, he turned and left.

Sean, standing nearby, watched Grace's back, a thoughtful look crossing his eyes. Lily, beside him, gnashed her teeth. "Grace is lucky! Greg, that idiot, had to make a scene and disturb Jay!"

Sean shrugged, but his gaze remained fixed on Grace.

Terrence greeted Manager Wang, then stared at Greg as if he were looking at a corpse. They were all the same—wealthy young men with too much money and too little control, always leaving someone else to clean up their messes. But Gregory had gone too far, and he was about to pay for provoking someone under Mr. Reed's protection.

Coincidentally, Mr. Reed was at the club and had witnessed the incident. What would have happened to the young woman if they hadn't been there? What would have befallen Gregory if he'd successfully assaulted her? Terrence had heard the commotion—the "disturbance," as his boss called it—and seen the Stevens heir and others watching as Miss Cummins was nearly drowned in a decorative pond. Of all the things…

He considered himself a master of his role as direct liaison to Reed Group's President. Terrence took his job seriously. What would Mr. Reed do? He knew exactly what his boss expected.

Terrence told a nearby security guard, "Whatever he did, do it again."

The guards immediately obeyed. Two strong guards dragged Greg to the pool, grabbed the back of his head, and dunked him repeatedly, just as Greg had done to Grace.

Sean, Lily, and the other onlookers were dumbfounded. Who would have thought things would turn out this way? The security guards showed no mercy, and Manager Wang made no attempt to intervene. Good. They all knew who held the real power in this city. After all, the Anders family was only one shareholder in the club. The son of a shareholder had just been sacrificed; Manager Wang knew the other shareholders would want to be on Jason Reed's good side.

Terrence turned to Sean and Lily. Lily was the first to recover. She smiled. "I'm sorry to keep Mr. Reed waiting. We'll see him now."

"No need," Terrence said calmly. He'd overheard their conversation with Grace. "Mr. Reed said he won't have time to meet you today. You may go."

With that, Terrence left.

Grace returned to the Sanitation Service Center, shaken.

"Goodness, girl, why are you drenched? Fell in the river?" Claire asked. Seeing Grace's torn clothes, her teasing tone vanished. "Did something happen when you delivered the documents?"

Grace took a deep breath. "The documents… never mind. I accidentally fell into a small pool."

"It's cold. Go home, change, and dry your hair," Claire said.

Grace nodded.

Claire awkwardly waited while Grace retrieved her purse and phone. "Hey, I'm not sure this is the right time, but Chase asked about you. He's interested, and he's a nice guy, Grace."

Grace slammed her locker shut. "Claire, I've said I don't want a relationship. Tell him not to waste his time."

Claire sighed. "If you really don't want to give him a chance, I will. But I think you're missing a great opportunity."

Grace nodded, too tired to argue.

"Seriously, Grace, you don't want to be alone for the rest of your life!"

Inexplicably, Jason's face appeared in Grace's mind. She'd have Jay. Not romantically, but as family. That would be enough.

"I appreciate you, Claire," Grace said, beginning her walk home.

That evening, Jay was already at her apartment.

"I'll get dinner started after I shower."

Jason took her hand. "You're soaking wet, and it's not raining."

She bit her lip.

He gently touched her torn shirt. "How did this happen?" His tone was even, but she sensed his underlying emotion. His eyes burned into hers. "Sister, did anything happen to you today?"

"Nothing. I was sweeping the road." She didn't want to tell him. What could he do? And what if news of the assault upset him? "Oh, it's nothing."

She tried to go to the bathroom, but he stopped her. She winced. He rubbed a dime-sized, swollen, bleeding wound on her hand. Compliments of a well-placed stiletto heel and a hundred and ten pounds of force.

"What about this?" Jason asked. "Is this an occupational hazard, too?"