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?"

full of resentment, like she wanted nothing more than to pull out a whip

little surprised. What would

so she tried to leave, but Jodie swung

dodged, but then a hard slap landed on

in time, and now there was a huge hand mark

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

her face burn from the slap. She threw the contract at

stumbled back, almost

then, she saw Yancey

what she

Grace bent

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

"So what? Uncle Ethan doesn't care. She deserves

Uncle Ethan

stepping hard on a paper Grace was about to

Yancey yelled, "Jodie Henderson!"

a shot, sticking her tongue out and scoffing. She acted

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,

cool as a cucumber. She

all the papers gathered, she

up too. "Grace, let's head back together, okay?" he