Regret Came Too Late

Grace tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Finally, she grabbed her phone and started searching online. "My boss bathed me. Are we still in a purely professional relationship?"

"I passed out from period cramps and woke up to find out that my boss changed my pants and bathed me. What do I do?"

She posted both questions in a forum, but even after hitting send, her body still felt unbearably hot.

The thought of going to work tomorrow and facing Ethan made her nervous.

It didn't take long before replies flooded in.

"Are you sure this is just your boss and not your boyfriend?"

"My boyfriend doesn't even treat me this well. Your boss definitely likes you."

"Forget boyfriends, even my husband isn't this considerate. You don't seem to mind it that much. Why not just be with him?"

"Your relationship is definitely no longer just professional."

Grace quickly replied, "He has absolutely no interest in me."

That comment was immediately met with disbelief.

"How is that possible? You're seriously slow when it comes to relationships. How does he treat others compared to how he treats you?"

"He's cold to others. He's cold to me too."

"Yeah, because bathing you during your period is totally something a cold person would do."

Grace felt speechless. She hesitated for a long time before opening Ethan's contact. She finally sent a message.

Mr. Henderson, are you still awake?"

It took ten minutes before he replied, "No."

you for tonight," she

"Okay."

confused by his reply. She stared at the screen, completely puzzled. Ethan was impossible to read.

30 minutes passed, and she still couldn't bring herself to ask directly. But if she didn't ask, how was she supposed to face

his study, resting his head on one hand as he stared at

to tell that Grace was anxious, even through

documents in front of him for a while. When his phone buzzed again, he glanced at it but didn't pick it

next morning, she was immediately led to her new workstation

special location, but anyone

even while focusing on work, she couldn't stop thinking about how she would handle

to work for the

he wasn't coming, the tension she had been holding onto finally eased, and

...

a

calls. He had a feeling that Grace wasn't

The realization irritated him.

for another drink, a hand pressed down

you've been drinking a lot tonight. Is something

in Southbrook, he had been paying far more attention to Grace than before. She wasn't as weak and useless as he

beautiful woman, and she used to

sister, are you?" Alice asked, her tone light but probing. "She messaged me earlier. She said she's sure you'd

his relationship with Grace, he had always been the one in control. There was no way he would accept being played by

was just another one of Grace's games, any trace of hesitation he

straightened up. "She

So, Grace had managed to get under Yancey's skin. That wouldn't do.

just trying to get under my skin since she knows I've been

in his eyes. As he had expected,

him out of the bar and into her

had been the one to call Sloan earlier. Sloan had been infatuated with her for

She

helping Yancey into the car, Sloan lingered, his eyes locked onto Alice. Men