That night, she was startled awake by the sound of someone violently pounding on a door. She wasn’t sure if it was her door or someone else’s, so she sat up and listened closely. After a while, the noise faded.

The next morning, Grace gathered all the necessary materials for an interview. Within half an hour, she received a rejection without even being given a chance for an interview. Unfazed, she sent out applications to different departments, but the results were the same. It was rejection after rejection. Her credentials were solid, so why was her resume getting blocked at every turn?

By noon, Joanne transferred her 150 thousand dollars—the commission from last night’s work. Grace’s eyes lit up. She immediately pulled up Tim’s number and dialed him. She emailed and submitted it to Henderson Group. If she had guessed correctly, the person who had helped her on the street the other day was then, and Tim was his assistant. She still felt an instinctive fear of Ethan and didn’t dare contact him directly.

Tim answered quickly, but he sounded reluctant. “Ms. Grace,” he began.

She kept her voice calm. “Hello, Mr. Bennett. What’s your account number? I’ll transfer the money I owe you!”

Tim’s eyes were immediately filled with a scornful look. Just yesterday, she had said she didn’t have the money, and now she suddenly did? As he had expected, this had to be one of her acts.

He gave her his account number and heard her ask, “By the way, is Mr. Henderson free anytime soon? I’d like to treat him to a meal.” She needed to ask him why she was being blocked from Henderson Group.

“Ms. Lambert, you’re finally showing your true colors, huh? Did Yancey say something again? Are you trying to pull a prank on Mr. Henderson to impress your fiancé?!”

Grace was truly exasperated. No one believed she had amnesia. “If you won’t help, I’ll ask him myself,” she declared. She had his number, after all.

Tim was pissed. “He’s busy. The entire month is booked for rehabilitation and work. Mr. Henderson won’t be going out.”

“Where does he live?”

The call ended with a sharp click after she asked the question. But finding out where Ethan lived wasn’t difficult. She found out he stayed in Palm Bay.

That evening, as Grace stepped outside to hail a taxi, she saw Alice. Alice’s luxury sports car screeched to a stop right in front of her. If she was even a little closer, it would have sent Grace flying. Grace’s eyes glinted coldly as she watched Alice step out. Alice had put extra effort into her appearance. Her makeup was flawless, and she carried a limited-edition designer bag. She looked every bit the pampered princess.

The Lambert family wasn’t among the top-tier elite in Druville. The reason Grace had grown up alongside Yancey was because their mothers—Grace’s and Yancey’s mother—had been best friends.

Alice flicked her hair back and smiled gently, “Grace, what a surprise running into you here. Are you waiting outside Henderson Group for Yancey?”

Grace felt an instinctive wave of irritation just from looking at her overly sweet, sincere expression. Grace wasn’t wearing makeup today. She was only wearing a simple white shirt and jeans. Yet somehow, on her, the simplicity carried a quiet elegance that was untouched by…

Jealousy flickered in Alice’s eyes, but she forced a smile. “Yancey and I have dinner plans. Do you want to come? Oh, and after you left home, Mom felt bad about my birthday being snubbed, so she bought me another new car. I hope my sudden stop just now didn’t scare you.”

If this were the old Grace, she would have spiraled into insecurity, obsessing over her self-worth, and acted out in desperation.

Grace simply glanced at the car and smiled. “It suits you.”

Alice looked like she just punched a pillow. The lack of traction left her deeply frustrated.

“If you want to see Yancey tonight, I can send you our dinner location,” she offered sweetly.

Grace rallied an army of wit. So all those times she had interrupted their dates, it was because Alice had told her where to find them? So, she had been waiting for Grace to snap and lose control so Yancey would feel even more sorry for her? And then Alice would play the victim, drawing Yancey’s sympathy.

Chapter 17

That would have killed two birds with one stone. What a scheming little snake she was!