Regret Came Too Late

After leaving the hospital, Grace glanced up at the gray, overcast sky, feeling like

her heart was wrapped in the same heavy haze.

She drove straight to Lambert Group, and the senior executives who now followed

her lead hurried out to meet her.

"Ms. Lambert, have you found Mr. Lambert yet?"

Just then, Sebastian pushed the door open.

Grace was surprised to see him. "I thought you were at the hospital with your

family," she said.

Sebastian frowned, and there was a hint of unease in his voice. "After you called

me, I had a bad feeling. What's going on?"

Grace motioned for the others to leave, keeping only Sebastian behind. He had

worked with Quentin for years and had helped Liam without complaint. He was

someone she could trust.

She quickly filled him in on what had happened with Liam, then showed him the

scandal online. It was obvious the person behind it was deliberately dragging

things out, waiting for the right moment to push Liam's scandal to the top of social

media.

Once it hit number one, they would expose everything.

And when that happened, it wouldn't just destroy Liam. The entire company would

become public enemy number one.

At this point, Grace knew there was only one move left.

She looked up and locked eyes with Sebastian. The understanding in his gaze

was immediate.

Sebastian said solemnly, "Ms. Lambert, you have to step up and take the CEO

position. It's the only way to calm the public."

"What had happened crossed a line-not just for the country but for the people. It

didn't matter if Liam had been led astray.

"Wrong was wrong, and mistakes came with consequences.

Grace tugged lightly at the corner of her mouth. The reason she had helped push

Liam into that position in the first place was because Carmen had always been

she was after the

kindly. But when

of what Quentin had built came

Carmen's efforts as well.

the world got, Grace was determined to

now, there was no

paralyzed.

a deep breath, her gaze sharpening with resolve.

admit our wrongdoing. Make it clear

was manipulated into it, but he's already been

for him, and

wanted

harder it would hit when it

face it head-on by being

putting some money toward helping the police crack

like this.

on shaky ground. With that plot of land

cash-strapped

five-million-dollar donation. It wasn't her money. The money

passed to her through Yancey a few days ago as

what happened with Jodie.

and the donation was made, everything hit at

just three hours, Lambert Group underwent a

were wiped clean, and a wave of younger employees were

to key positions.

least, it sent a clear message. The new CEO wasn't afraid to act,

wasn't there

to take control of everything

six hours had passed.

it felt like six centuries.

that her iron-fisted response-paired

successfully redirected

the company, people were now

sister like her.

tear into them, but honestly? She

right."

solid. The official statement wasn't some half-assed PR

though the company is reportedly broke, she still

opinion shift in

Sebastian had barely slept over the past six hours, staying glued to

uptick

decision to go public first,

were now starting

person who set Liam up

weren't so easy to

public eye, Grace

meeting.

packed up

present had risen through the

sat by the

and

few hours, she had

gone through the company's

upcoming project proposals. Every

them was teetering on

if at

of her hand,