Regret Came Too Late

Jordan wanted to see Grace.

Grace instinctively reached for her phone, wanting to call Ethan. But the moment she pulled it out, one of the bodyguards gently pushed her hand down.

His tone remained polite as he said, "Mr. Henderson Senior won't harm you. He just wants to have a few words with you."

She had no choice but to put her phone away. Even as she got into the car, her mind was racing. She had a good idea why Jordan wanted to see her.

Jordan was a man who had weathered countless storms. Back when he still held power, his reputation alone commanded deep respect. Even now, in retirement, plenty of people still jumped at the chance to see him.

But in this circle, there were still many who'd never had the privilege of meeting him face-to-face.

...

Grace stepped into the Henderson Residence, a place that was rich with old- world charm. The property had been in the family for ages. Locals liked to say that back in the day, even prominent politicians used to drop by on their way to the capitol.

In Druville, no amount of money could buy a house here. Every property in this neighborhood was owned by influential figures.

As the heavy iron gates swung open, Grace caught sight of multiple guards patrolling the grounds.

The car continued down the private road for another ten minutes before finally stopping in front of the main house.

"Ms. Lambert, this way, please," the bodyguard said, still perfectly polite. He never looked down on her as if he hadn't heard any of the gossip circulating about her.

After stepping out of the car, Grace was led through the grand front hall and up to a study on the second floor.

The study spanned nearly two thousand square feet, and rich dark rosewood was used throughout, filling the space with a subtle, earthy fragrance. At its center stood a desk crafted from a rare type of wood that was priceless and impossible to find on the market.

It was an intimidating space. But when Grace saw Jordan standing behind the desk, calmly painting, she oddly felt more composed.

The door shut quietly behind her, leaving only the two of them in the room.

in a suit, slowly set down his brush and rinsed his hands in

nod

he took his time, meticulously wiping his fingers with

summoned. She simply stood there, calm and composed as if silently engaging in a battle of

slowly set the towel aside and got

the younger generations of the Hendersons, even collectively, came close to how important Ethan was to

respectful. She replied, "Indeed. Mr. Henderson truly is exceptional-a powerhouse in

slow once-over before saying, "There's no need for flattery,

"Mr. Henderson Senior, I understand what you're getting at. But I can assure you-I've never dared to harbor any romantic

Bay on Mr. Yule's instruction. Mr. Henderson's insomnia was becoming a real issue; it was affecting his health. I happen to have a unique

anything inappropriate between us.

polite, her words clear and

the side table, and gently brushed away the foam on top before taking a sip. He then said, "T believein Ethan.

before he continued, "If he hadn't chosen to let go of what

referring to the

slightly, forcing herself to stay calm. Without knowing the full truth, she didn't dare say

someone you can climb your way up to. He'll never love you. His heart already belongs to someone

was true. The

Eleanor. And Eleanor's death was tied to

about Ethan's upbringing-thare

he had never once

Senior, I understand. If I ever cross a line with Mr. Henderson, I'll accept whatever

without a trace. For the sake of survival, she added a lie she

the entire Druville knows I'm already in love with someone else. I may have been distant with him lately, but the truth is... I've

one for me. He's way too good for me. And I don't deserve

surprised to see

seconds before finally looking away and saying, "If you

Only then did