Grace could hardly believe it. Evelyn had walked past them without so much as a flinch, not a twitch in her expression or a flicker of shame in her eyes. That smug look on her face had rattled Grace more than any outburst would have. It felt like she had been dismissed as someone Insignificant. And Grace had never been ignored like that before.
"She was nothing but an abandoned wife who was treated worse than a doormat. She is pretending to be strong," she muttered through gritted teeth. "Fake bitch. I will teach her a lesson so that she never acts smug in front of me again."
Her heels clicked furiously as she followed after Evelyn, ignoring her coworkers' curious glances. She stormed toward the elevator, taking the stairs instead and arriving at the front doors just in time to see Evelyn step outside.
Grace was about to call her name, to throw another dagger of words and to remind her that Damien never loved her. that she was just a temporary plaything, someone filling a space that was never meant for her. But then, she froze when she saw Evelyn smiling even where no one was there to see her fake pretense.
The look on her face confused Grace. Before she could ask, a sleek black car pulled up to the curb.
That was odd! Damien never sent a car for her.
To Grace's knowledge, Evelyn usually arrived in cabs or sometimes with Damien when they were forced to show up together for appearances. But this car, this one gleamed like it belonged to someone powerful. This kind of car could not be bought just with money.
The back door opened and a tall man stepped out.
Grace's breath hitched. He wasn't just tall. He was handsome and alluring. He was Broad-shouldered, and dressed in a crisp navy suit that looked tailor-made, with the kind of face that turned heads without effort. His dark hair was neatly styled, and he wore a look of calm confidence as he walked around and opened the passenger door with practiced grace.
Evelyn paused, speaking to him briefly. Her voice didn't carry to where Grace stood behind the glass, but the man smiled at whatever she said. an easy, familiar smile and held the door open for her with a soft nod.
Grace's jaw slackened. Who the hell is that? she thought bitterly. When did she…?
She could feel her eyes burn with jealousy and rage. Why did Evelyn always seem to have handsome men hovering around her? What was it about her that made them look at her like she was worth something?
Grace's gaze narrowed, and then a thought struck her. Her lips curved into a bright, predatory smile.
If Evelyn was cheating on Damien and caught in the act, that would be the end of her. Damien hated disloyalty. He would throw her out without a second thought. And when that happened..
Grace's heart raced with new excitement as she turned around and marched back into the building. Her fury had been replaced with satisfaction.
She didn't even glance at the other secretaries this time. She walked straight toward Damien's office, her heels lighter, her smile dazzling.
"Oh Evelyn," she whispered under her breath, "you just handed me the perfect excuse."
She was going to be Mrs. Albercht. No one would stand in her way now.
Grace pushed open the door to Damien's office without knocking, her heart thudding with excitement. This was it. The moment that would end Evelyn's pathetic charade.
Damien was seated behind his massive desk, fingers tapping against the glass surface with quiet tension. He didn't look up when she entered.
"I am busy," he said coldly. "If you have any important matter to discuss, you can do it with Ed. i will take the briefing later." His tone was flat, devoid of interest or even irritation. It was as if she didn't exist.
Grace blinked, taken aback for a moment. But she quickly recovered, placing a bright smile on her face and walking toward his desk like she belonged there.
"I know you are," she said sweetly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "But I thought you would want to hear this. It's about Evelyn."
Damien frowned for a second but he didn't even spare her a glance and refused. "I am not interested in your charade, Grace. You should be working rather than gossiping about others behind their back."
Grace's smile faltered for half a second before she pushed on. He only acts like this when Evelyn isn't around. When she was here, he was all gentle look and soft glances toward them. When she tried to approach him, he uses the rest of them like knives to stab her with. I don't mind being a knife, not if it makes him need me.
"I brought your favorite coffee," she said instead, setting the cup gently on the edge of his desk. "I went downstairs to the café you like. the one with the imported Colombian beans, remember?" it was hard to keep her smile when he did not even looked at her.
"But guess who I saw," she said, her voice lilting with feigned innocence. "It was Evelyn. I thought she would be gone but she was waiting for someone there." Damon paused and stared at her with a cold and brooding look in his eyes.
"She was waiting out of the building," Grace continued, her voice now a soft purr. "And not alone. There was a man waiting for her. He stepped out of a black phantom Rolls-Royce"
She watched for a reaction, even the smallest twitch in his expression but he did not speak to her at all. But it was clear that she had caught his attention.
"He looked like he belonged in a magazine," she added with a light laugh, "and he opened the door for her like he's done it a hundred times before. They seemed too close."
Damien finally looked up, his eyes cold and unreadable.
Grace's breath hitched, excitement curling in her chest. Finally, Finally, he was listening.
But all he said was, "Close the door on your way out."