Regret Came Too Late

At precisely 7:00 pm, Grace arrived at the entrance of the charity gala with an invitation in hand.

As she stepped out of the car, she noticed Jodie, who was dressed to the nines.

Jodie didn't expect to run into Grace here, as she thought Grace wouldn't have an invitation.

Grace didn't greet her. She handed her invitation to a staff member and walked inside with poise.

She was wearing a more understated look tonight-a black sequin skirt with a mermaid silhouette paired with a silk blouse that cinched at her waist.

Jodie stood still for a moment. Instead of storming off to cause Grace trouble, she called Yancey.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Yancey? I just saw Grace at the gala," she said.

Something unreadable flickered in Yancey's gaze before a small smile tugged at his lips.

"I'm on my way. Jodie, leave her alone."

It seemed like every man on earth was under Grace's spell, and that was what Jodie hated the most.

She smiled insincerely. "Of course."

After hanging up the call, her gaze turned icy as she looked toward where Grace

had gone. Then, she called her bodyguard.

would make sure Grace was

a picture-perfect gala-flashing lights, clinking glasses, and scents of perfume in the

recall ever being in a

exchanging knowing glances

had spent years hopelessly devoted to Yancey, had finally won

the crowd for her target of the evening when a woman she didn't recognize walked up to her with a glass in her hand. She eyed

"Grace Lambert?"

frowned. She had no

take offense at that. She drew a sharp breath and remarked, "So it's true, huh? You dumped Yancey, and now you

rifled through the woman's face, and it suddenly came back to her-she had seen this woman in

Yules had never forgiven her for

a jab in public wasn't exactly

her glass and hurled the wine straight at

it coming. She sidestepped in time just as Jodie

the wine hit Jodie

everyone's

"Jodie,

come at Grace. Clearly, it was Jodie who had

gaze fixed

walk away, ready to