Chapter 258
News of Lily and Sean Stevens' engagement spread quickly through Emerald City. Andrea Schwartz, however, referred to Sean as her "ex-boyfriend," a pointed reminder.
Grace stared at Andrea, a sudden understanding dawning. A flash of discomfort crossed Andrea's face under Grace's intense gaze. Grace seemed to see right through her.
But Andrea thought, So what if she can see through me? Grace is no longer the rising star. They had joined the firm together, but all eyes had always been on Grace. Colleagues predicted Grace's rise to a top lawyer, citing her professional success and thriving personal life.
When Andrea made mistakes, her mentor urged her to emulate Grace, fueling Andrea's resentment. Grace was a constant presence looming over her, a benchmark for comparison. As long as Grace was at the firm, the two would be inevitably compared. Andrea remained perpetually in Grace's shadow.
So, when Grace had her accident, Andrea felt a surge of happiness, even believing God had intervened. After Grace's imprisonment, the comparisons finally ceased.
"Grace, don't mind it. I just care about you. It must be hard being a sanitation worker," Andrea said with unconvincing sympathy.
"It's alright. It's not that hard," Grace replied. It was certainly preferable to prison.
"How can it not be hard? You sweep floors and empty bins every day. People say sanitation workers smell bad after a while," Andrea countered, clearly disbelieving Grace. Disdain shone in her eyes.
"You can stay away from me if you think I smell," Grace said bluntly.
Andrea's expression stiffened before she smiled. "We're colleagues. How can I despise you? By the way, you can come back to the law firm anytime! Everyone misses you." The invitation felt sharp and disingenuous to Grace.
Becoming a lawyer had been Grace's dream, a path to virtuous service and justice. That dream was long shattered.
Andrea, noticing the flicker in Grace's eyes, felt invigorated. "By the way, I have a boyfriend now. He's a doctor, and he's waiting for me. Shall I introduce you later?"