Chapter 204

When he'd met her, it had been in this small town. But when he'd questioned her, he realized he'd been mistaken.

"You're not her," he said casually. She wasn't that person.

Doubt flickered in Grace's eyes. "What?"

Just then, the restaurant owner served their food.

Brian said, "Alright, let's eat. Want some wine?"

Remembering her drunken encounter with Jason, Grace quickly shook her head. "No, thank you. Just water."

Brian then asked the owner for two soft drinks.

"You're not drinking wine either?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm driving," he replied.

Her expression darkened. She thought of the drunk driving charge that had led to her prison sentence. She hadn't even been drinking that day!

"Right," Brian said, his voice sharp. "You had a drunk driving accident, didn't you? Is that why you're working at the Sanitation Service Center?"

"At least I have a job," Grace said self-deprecatingly.

"Want me to get them to give you an easier position?" he offered.

"No, thank you," Grace refused. A favor from Master Hart felt like too much.

Brian frowned. This was the first time anyone had refused his help. He wouldn't have offered if she hadn't resembled the woman from his memories.

Grace lowered her head to eat. Even so, she felt his gaze occasionally checking her.

After their meal, Brian said, "I'll drive you home."

"No, I'll take the bus," she replied.

"Will you catch a bus back to Emerald City?"

She glanced at her watch: 8:30 PM. The last bus had already left. The next train wasn't until tomorrow morning.

"I'll drive you," Brian said casually. "Otherwise, you'll have to figure it out yourself."

Grace bit her lip. She had no other options.

"Then thank you," she said awkwardly.

Back in his car, Grace watched the night view from the passenger seat. Teresa Teng's "Man Bu Ren Sheng Lu" played softly.

She was surprised. Brian liked old songs? And it was on repeat.

The song brought back memories. She used to love this song, even singing it herself. It was in Cantonese, and she'd practiced her pronunciation carefully. She'd been living with her grandmother then—perhaps her happiest years.

As the song played on, Grace's eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.