Regret Came Too Late

Grace?

The second Grace's name left the woman's mouth, Liam's head snapped up. It was like every bit of pain in his body vanished in an instant. His eyes lit up with desperate hope.

"Really? Did Grace send you here?" His voice cracked. "Why hasn't she come to see me herself?"

The woman standing there was Andrea. It had taken her quite a bit of effort to get in here because Grace had made sure Liam was guarded tightly.

A flicker of triumph crossed Andrea's face. Joanne had been right about Grace. She could be ruthless with outsiders, even with herself. But when it came to the people she considered family or friends, she was all heart. She didn't guard them; she protected them.

Liam wasn't locked up for punishment. He was being protected from the world— and from himself.

Andrea had thrown her lot in with Joanne. She wanted revenge, and Joanne had promised she knew exactly how to make Grace suffer.

Andrea still remembered that first night she had stumbled into that bar, desperate. Grace had plucked her out of the crowd, given her ten thousand dollars just to meet with Ethan, and changed her life in an instant.

live like the wealthy. And once she got a taste,

Andrea had sworn

plan was simple but vicious. Andrea

be shackled by guilt.

it all out coldly. Liam had been sheltered his whole life. He was emotionally dependent on Grace to a ridiculous degree, and

he was ready or not. Every word he spoke after that—every regret

became, the more Grace would blame herself, and the deeper her agony would

shiver. Joanne was terrifying. She

And with Grace's backing, he'd be worth billions of dollars one

that status? Seeing Ethan again would

closer, gently helping

been really busy," she said

you? All the scandals about you hit the media. Grace's been working around the clock cleaning up the mess, trying to stabilize the company. She's been stretched so