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

nod and greeted, "Mr. Henderson

his time, meticulously wiping his fingers

she had been summoned. She simply stood there, calm

slightly off guard. He slowly set the towel aside and got

of the Hendersons, even collectively,

"Indeed. Mr.

a slow once-over

I understand what you're getting at. But I can assure you-I've never dared to harbor any romantic thoughts about

a pause, she added, "I'm staying in Palm Bay on Mr. Yule's instruction. Mr. Henderson's insomnia was becoming a real issue; it was affecting his health. I

been. There's never been anything inappropriate between us. You're welcome to ask him

polite, her words clear

away the foam on top before taking a sip. He

he continued, "If he hadn't chosen to let go of what happened two years ago, I wouldn't have

clearly referring to the

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

you can climb your way up to. He'll never love you. His heart already belongs to someone else. In our family, he's the only one who's ever

was true. The

Ethan loved Eleanor. And Eleanor's death was tied to

about Ethan's upbringing-thare

he had never once

and then said, "Mr. Henderson Senior, I understand. If I

trace. For the sake of survival, she added a lie she

I may have been distant with him lately,

He's elegant and powerful, but he's not the one for me. He's way

surprised to see how well

several seconds before finally looking away and saying, "If you help with his insomnia,

let out a sharp breath of relief. Only then did she realize her back was drenched