Chapter 190

“But no matter how many qualifications I acquire, I still can’t catch your eye, can I?” he asked.

Grace felt as if something had been shoved into her mouth.

Chase Harper immediately gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Actually, before you said those things, I’d already decided to change jobs. After all, working at the Sanitation Service Center, you can see your whole life laid out before you. I want to challenge myself before I turn thirty.”

A challenge? If the old Grace had been given a choice between an unpredictable life full of challenges and a predictable, stable one, she would have chosen the former. Only after experiencing so much did she realize stability was paramount.

Grace took a deep breath. “Actually, what I said that day—you don't need to worry about it. I just didn't want you to waste your time on me. I don't have those feelings for you; I could never be with you.”

She paused, then enunciated each word clearly. “If I truly loved you, even if you were at rock bottom, I would still choose you. But since I don’t, even if you rise to the top, I still won’t be with you.”

Despair flickered across Chase Harper’s face before he smiled. “Is that so? That’s just as I suspected…I wasn’t wrong about you. How could the woman I like be so materialistic?”

“Are you still quitting?” Grace didn’t want him to lose his stable job because of her.

“Trying to make my mark is a lifelong dream,” Chase Harper said earnestly, his expression devoid of anger. “Whether I succeed or not, at least I’ll have no regrets.”

Seeing his determined expression, Grace knew further conversation was futile. “In that case… I wish you success.”

“Thank you!”

As Grace was about to leave, Chase Harper said, “Grace, you’re a good woman. It’s my misfortune that I can’t win your affection. And don’t feel guilty; my resignation has nothing to do with you. I just hope to provide a better life for the woman I love someday.”

After leaving Chase Harper, Grace felt a heavy weight on her heart, an unspoken unease.

Two days later, Chase Harper left the Sanitation Service Center. The center even threw him a farewell party—a meal followed by karaoke, paid for by Chase himself. Grace attended both.

As they parted ways, Chase Harper said, “Grace, may I drive you home this once? I won’t have another chance.”

Grace agreed. This time, she didn’t refuse.

Chase Harper’s car pulled up to her neighborhood gate. Grace got out. “See you,” she said.

Chase Harper hesitated before replying, “See you.”

Two simple words, yet laden with meaning.

This pursuit was doomed from the start, yet Chase Harper felt no regret. This woman’s life was far more tumultuous than he’d imagined. Few could withstand such highs and lows, but she was like a wintersweet blooming after a harsh winter—unyielding to the fiercest winds, her fragrance eventually filling the air.

Her beauty was understated, not strikingly obvious, yet captivating. Being near her offered a warmth that soothed the soul.

He really wanted to ask if she was already in love. If so, who was the lucky man?

He couldn’t explain it, but as the question formed, he flashed on the man he’d met who called her “sis.” That man’s demeanor toward her didn’t seem brotherly; it suggested lovers, possessive and protective.