Chapter 98

When she said this, she didn't notice Jay had frozen for a moment.

"Would you like to see Jason?" he asked.

"I'm not sure why," she said, shaking her head as if searching for the right words. "That's really nothing for me to consider. He and I are from completely different worlds. However," she continued, "his silhouette in a suit is a little like yours. You're both tall and strong. I think you'd look even better in one!"

Jason pressed his lips together, silent.

She added, "Let's save some money. Next spring, I'll buy you a suit. You can wear it for job interviews."

"What would you say if you met Jason Reed one day?" he asked abruptly.

Grace fell silent. After a long time, she said with a self-deprecating smile, "I would beg him to let me go."

He was surprised. "Just that?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Don't you want to tell him you were wronged? Don't you want him to overturn the verdict?"

"That's useless. Back then, Lina went to his office building and begged him to see her, but he never appeared. While I was in prison, I wrote countless letters begging for mercy, repeatedly stating his fiancée's death had nothing to do with me. I begged him to stop others from hurting me. It was all useless. My letters and pleas were never answered," she said with a bitter smile. These events were painful for her.

His face was gloomy; his eyes dark and deep.

Grace patted his hand. "Let's not talk about it. It's in the past. At least, after my release, Jason didn't seem to seek revenge, and I'm grateful for that. Otherwise, I might not even be at the Sanitation Service Center," she said.

He suddenly took her calloused hands, cupping them in his to warm them.

If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have ignored her all those years ago. He wouldn't have let her be imprisoned, and he wouldn't have allowed those who sought to please him to harm her in prison. However, if his identity were revealed to her in the future, he wouldn't be able to grant her request.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

"What?" she asked, puzzled.

"That your hands are so cold from knitting me a scarf and gloves." He whispered to himself, "And… I won't let you go for the rest of my life."

He would make it up to her. He would give her the best of everything. He would make her the most enviable woman in the city and wash away all the dirt from her past. But he would never let her go!

Over the next few days, Grace lived a leisurely life. She knitted and browsed the internet, enjoying a long-lost feeling of relaxation. Her wounds and bruises healed day by day.

Every day, Jay carried her to the neighborhood park to bask in the sun. And every time, the elderly residents saw them, they looked at them with tenderness. She supposed it looked quite romantic—being carried around by a tall, handsome man.

"Your boyfriend taking you for a walk again?" an old lady who often chatted with them teased, smiling mischievously. Grace couldn't help but giggle.

"Yes, ma'am. He is."

Author's Note: Thank you for all your love for Grace and Jason! I've read all your comments. I apologize for the name inconsistencies; they are corrected now. Please let me know if you have any further questions. 🙂