Regret Came Too Late

Grace took a deep breath. "Mr. Yule, are you interested in meeting Yasmine? I can give you her phone number directly."

Simon lowered his gaze, his impatience with her palpable.

"I don't have Ethan's patience. One more word, and you can get the hell out."

Grace felt a surge of anger, but she really didn't have the power to challenge Simon.

When she got downstairs, she felt a knot of unease in her stomach.

She took several steps back when she bumped into someone coming the other way.

It was Jodie, whose voice immediately turned shrill as she yelled, "Grace!"

Since the whipping incident, Grace had been trying to avoid this woman. She hadn't expected to run into her today.

She lowered her head and tried to walk past, but Jodie blocked her way.

"Grace, looks like you're all healed up. So you're back to your old tricks, huh?

What are you doing here? Don't tell me you followed my brother again? Just because my uncle doesn't want you, you've set your sights on my brother now?"

like she wanted nothing more than to pull

would Yancey be doing at Yule

she tried

dodged, but then a hard slap landed on

and now there

herself. "What did I tell you? Stay away from me, or I'll hit

slap. She threw the contract at Jodie's

back, almost

then, she saw Yancey and

what

and Grace bent down to scoop them

aside, his voice serious. "I've told you, stop

Uncle Ethan doesn't care. She deserves

Enough. Uncle Ethan won't

stepping hard on a paper Grace was about to grab,

Yancey yelled, "Jodie Henderson!"

took off like a shot, sticking her tongue out

picked up the paper she'd stomped on, trying to wipe off the dirt, but the mark was still obvious. He looked at Grace and said, "Grace, don't be

expression was as cool as a cucumber. She knew exactly how much

all the papers gathered,

"Grace, let's head back together,