Chapter 323
Henry’s office was spacious, appearing as a very serious workspace at first glance. But through the side door was a comfortable living areas two–bedroom suite with an additional entertainment space where he occasionally played mini–golf to unwind.
Despite having two bedrooms, both rooms were filled with Henry’s belongings, making it completely impractical for Grace to stay there.
Of course, Henry had no intention of letting her stay anyway.
Henry stared directly at his sister, his eyes filled with disapproval.
Grace couldn’t care less about his displeasure. She had refused help from the staff, dragging the heavy suitcase in herself, then dramatically collapsed onto the leather sofa with an exaggerated sigh.
“I don’t care! I’m exhausted from dragging this damn suitcase, and I’m not going back!” she declared, stretching out her legs. “I spent days in the hospital, and you didn’t visit me even once. Are you really my brother?”
Richard had never explained Catherine’s situation to either of his children, especially not to Henry.
After learning the truth, Grace carefully avoided mentioning anything about Catherine, pretending that nothing had changed.
“Henry, do you realize how awful you look right now?” she teased, falling back into their familiar banter. “You look exactly like some middle- aged man who just got dumped!”
Henry rose from his executive chair and walked toward his sister sprawled on the sofa. He nudged her foot gently with his toe. “Stop changing the subject. Get out now, and stop causing trouble.”
If Grace insisted on staying, Henry would have nowhere to go.
Returning to Maple Grove was out of the question–the place was filled with memories of Sophia, and he couldn’t bear adding salt to his already wounded heart.
“James,” Henry said, his patience nearly exhausted. “Get some security guards up here to escort Miss Harding home.”
Grace immediately switched to troublemaker mode. She rushed forward, dropped to her knees, and wrapped her arms tightly around Henry’s leg.
“Henry, please! I can’t go back there!” she begged, desperately clinging to him. “It’s not the same home anymore. There’s nothing there for me
to return to.”
Then she looked up at him, and despite her desperate posture, her eyes suddenly turned calculating. “If you really want me to leave, fine–but only if you get Sophia to come back with me!”
Henry looked down at his sister gripping his leg and felt his anger rising.
He pushed at her shoulders, trying to dislodge her. “Grace, if you don’t stop this childish behavior immediately, I swear I’ll throw you out the window myself!”
“Why don’t you go hang out with your many boyfriends?” he snapped. “What’s so different about home? Are they not feeding you? Or not giving you enough money to spend?”
In Henry’s mind, his sister had always been a simple person–obsessed with designer brands, burning through money, and most important harboring hatred for Sophia.
This sudden reversal, where she was advocating for Sophia, completely upended his understanding of her.
He sensed she was brewing a new scheme.
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Even though he and Sophia were divorced, he wouldn’t allow Grace to hurt her again.
“Stay away from Sophia!” he warned. “If you dare bother her, I’ll break your legs myself!
Grace continued gripping his leg, looking up
nt
him with frustration.
“Henry, if you won’t make the first move, then your little sister will have to do it for you! I’ve already tried begging her once, and if you’re too proud to go yourself, I’ll go back and try again!”
Henry was clearly thoroughly provoked,
Henry grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her off his leg. “I said, leave her alone!” he shouted, his face flushed with anger.
The reason he’d finally agreed to divorce Sophia was that devastating realization–he was merely Sam’s replacement.
Sophia loved Sam, not Henry, and no matter how much his heart ached for her, he refused to be second best.
The living could never defeat the dead.
Though Sam was gone, he lived forever in Sophia’s heart. He occupied a place that no one–not even Henry–could ever fill.
Grace hadn’t expected such an explosive reaction. She stood frozen, her face palé as she stared at her brother.
“Brother, you don’t have to be so harsh…” she said, her voice suddenly small.
“Grace, I’m telling you for the last time: Sophia and I are completely finished. Stop embarrassing yourself by going to her! You might not care about the Harding family’s dignity, but I still do!”
With that, Henry stormed out of his office, instructing his security team to remove Grace from the building.
Half an hour later, when Henry returned to his office, Grace was gone, her suitcase along with her.
If not for the book prominently displayed on his desk–The Love Handbook: How to Win Back a Woman’s Heart–he might have thought she’d never been there at all.
Once he noticed the book, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.
Alone in his office, he hesitantly reached out and pulled it closer, curiously flipping through its pages.
Before the holiday break, Billy’s kindergarten had sent a message about an upcoming parent–child activity. Due to several days of bad weather, they’d postponed the event.
Now the activity was back on the schedule. As a parent, I received the updated text message from the school. I quickly responded in the parents‘ group chat: “Will definitely attend on time.”
Just seconds after my message appeared, another reply popped up right below–from Henry, with the identical response: “Will definitely attend on time!”
I stared at Henry’s reply, feeling increasing frustration building inside me.
Logically, after our divorce, Billy should have no connection to Henry anymore. He could have simply ignored the message. Why respond? How would someone as busy as him even find time to attend a kindergarten event?
d he
Alexander noticed me frowning at my phone and gently touched my arm. “What’s wrong? What’s making you frown like that?”
Since returning from Aspen and hearing about my divorce from Henry, Alexander had stopped hiding his feelings for me.
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He spent almost all his time around me.
Today, he had managed to secure tickets to a lecture by a professor I greatly admired, but I was obviously distracted, not as excited as he had expected.
I showed him the messages from the teacher’s group chat and the text message.
“Henry is always busy with work,” I said, my voice filled with confusion.
“How would he possibly have time for a parent–child activity? I have no idea what he’s planning now.”
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