Regret Came Too Late

Grace was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, and Noah personally led her to a ward. She was locked inside a spacious room.

"Grace, you'll be staying here for a while," Noah said.

She glanced around. Surprisingly, the place wasn't bad.

Her phone had been taken away by the Lamberts' bodyguards back in the car and

had probably been handed over to Quentin by now, so there was no way to

contact anyone.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, the faint sound of a door creaking open broke the silence.

"Grace! I'm here, baby!"

Grace's eyes snapped open, and she saw Hendricks standing in the bathroom doorway. He'd been hiding in there the whole time.

Her expression shifted instantly as she asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Hendricks' face was gleaming with sleaze and smugness.

"What do you think? Your loving mother sent me to keep you company.

Thoughtful, huh? Haven't you noticed the weird scent in the room? It's part of her wedding gift to us!"

Now that he mentioned it, the air did smell strange. She had assumed it was disinfectant.

Hendricks stepped forward slowly, cracking his knuckles with a sick grin.

"Don't worry, I already took the antidote. That stuff in the room is pure knockout gas. You'll pass out soon. And when you wake up, well... We'll be official. I'll be gentle. You'll enjoy it."

After what had happened between them before, he'd been itching for another shot. And now, with no one around to stop him, he thought he could do whatever he wanted.

her limbs were growing weak. She grabbed a chair and shattered the

up a jagged shard and stabbed it into her

hadn't expected her to be so ruthless-even toward herself. It caught him

insane?" He lunged again, but she raised the shard to her

"Back off!"

stiff, his features contorting into an

There wasn't a flicker of emotion in them as she looked at him. She asked, "Hendricks, you don't want this turning into a murder

of him, gorgeous as ever, and he still couldn't touch

It's just sex. What's the big deal? We're gonna get married anyway! I'll treat you right, better

as he stepped forward again. But Grace pressed the glass shard deeper into her neck, and blood started trailing down

Hendricks froze.

pain cleared her vision. Her body was weak, but her mind was focused. "I'm warning you. Come one step closer, and I'll slit my own throat." Hendricks was losing it. Fine. He'd just wait her out. No way she could stay standing long. The sedative in this room was strong, and no one could fight it for long. He wanted to see if Grace would still be standing

So.

of glass tightly. She was exhausted, and her legs were giving out. Sleep was pulling at her hard, but her mind stayed sharp. She couldn't let

tighter and tighter until the jagged glass pierced into her palm.

terrifying now, with blood trailing down her legs, pooling in her palm,

she would squeeze the shard again, forcing the pain

half an hour had passed, and she was still standing

it. How could Grace be

deep breath and immediately

you want me to do?

bother lowering his voice as he wanted Grace to hear every

leave. Alice had cried herself hoarse, thrown up several times, and was completely

Grace, her anxiety spiked. She stood by the window, swaying like she

to hear anything about Grace. I'll

her however you want. If she

quickly and

anything stupid. I've already sent Hendricks to see Grace.

to put on such a show and play

down gently at the edge of the bed. She said, "Don't worry about a thing. Mr. Henderson Senior himself approved