Regret Came Too Late

Just then, a nurse wheeled Alice out. Alice looked as pale as a ghost. The moment she spotted Carmen, tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Mom..."

Carmen's heart broke as she pulled Alice into her arms. "Alice, you can try for another baby later."

Alice gave a faint smile. "Yeah, there'll be other chances. Stop being mad at Grace. I just slipped. It wasn't her fault."

Carmen's blood boiled at how Alice was still defending Grace, even now. "Enough! Quit covering for her! She turned out like this because you've always let her get away with everything!"

She held Alice close, shooting Grace a look of pure disgust. "Grace, you're completely out of your mind. I was going to lock you up at the Lambert residence, but you've outdone yourself this time. I'm having you committed to a psychiatric hospital. Maybe that'll finally knock some sense into you!"

Grace locked eyes with Alice, who was slumped against Carmen's shoulder. The corners of Alice's mouth twitched ever so slightly.

Alice had bribed the doctors to fake the miscarriage. Every move had been carefully staged for this exact moment. Grace was done for, and as far as Alice was concerned, it served her right.

Her tears flowed harder as she gazed up at Yancey. "I'm so sorry, Yancey. I couldn't protect our baby."

Yancey stood there, stunned. The pregnancy had blindsided him, and now, the loss left him hollow. Without thinking, he pulled her into his arms. Her sobs twisted something inside him, but it was not enough.

A brutal idea took shape-if all of Druville believed Grace was responsible for losing the baby, the Hendersons would never let her marry into their family. It didn't matter how serious she and Ethan were. Once word got out, their grandfather would shut it down.

Like always, Yancey said nothing. He just kept patting Alice's back, offering empty comfort.

Grace had to act fast. If the Lamberts' bodyguards showed up, she was done for. Without hesitation, she spun on her heel and tore down the hallway.

from fury as she called the family's

faster than she ever had, but as she sped away from the hospital, a chilling realization hit-she had nowhere

she lived. The bodyguards would be lying in wait the second she stepped through the

crash at Joanne's either. Joanne was the only real friend she had left, and there was no way she'd drag her into this

10:00 pm, the rain was pounding in sheets, but

hammered the roof

into gear and rolled forward. She hadn't gone two blocks when a deafening crash jolted the

she knew they were the Lamberts' bodyguards. She immediately bailed from her car

non-stop, there was no way for them to give chase. Stuck across the street, the

the bone, Grace flagged down

to?" the driver

nowhere to go. Pulling out her

regaining consciousness, there had only been two

but it was Tim's voice that came through. "Ms. Lambert, what can

and cold, his disdain

always the same with Ethan's inner circle. They treated Grace like some kind of disease that might infect their golden boy. Her throat tightened, and she

ended up at Velvet Eclipse, a place with enough clout that no one dared to cause trouble. But soaked to the bone, she couldn't talk her way past the

his men.

something sparked in Grace's