Chapter 2 - The Woman He Was Supposed to Marry
At eight the next morning, Grace expected to be fired.
Instead, she was eating breakfast at Dominic Mercer’s dining table.
She looked deeply uncomfortable.
Dominic noticed.
“You’ve cleaned this table hundreds of times.”
“I’ve never eaten at it.”
“Apparently.”
Grace glanced at the plate in front of her.
Eggs.
Toast.
Fruit.
Fresh coffee.
She looked toward the kitchen.
“Did your chef make this?”
“No.”
Grace stared at him.
“You cooked?”
Dominic took a sip of coffee.
“No. I threatened the chef by telephone.”
Grace laughed before she could stop herself.
Dominic looked at her.
The laugh disappeared.
“Sorry.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
“That appears to be a recurring problem.”
Before Grace could answer, the elevator doors opened.
High heels struck the marble.
Evelyn Ashford entered.
Beautiful.
Perfectly dressed.
Completely furious.
She stopped when she saw Grace sitting across from Dominic.
“What is she doing here?”
Grace immediately stood.
Dominic remained seated.
“Eating.”
Evelyn looked at Grace’s sweatshirt.
Then the messy hair.
Then the bare feet.
Something ugly flashed across her face.
“You spent the night?”
Grace opened her mouth.
Dominic answered first.
“She’s been spending several nights.”
Evelyn went pale.
“Dominic.”
“You knew.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The eviction.”
Evelyn’s expression changed.
Grace watched carefully.
Dominic placed his coffee down.
“You called her building manager.”
“Who told you that?”
“Wrong question.”
Evelyn looked at Grace.
“You little liar.”
Dominic’s voice sharpened.
“Look at me.”
Evelyn did.
“Did you have her evicted?”
“She was becoming disrespectful.”
Grace stared at her.
“I asked why you deducted four thousand dollars from my wages.”
“You broke a sculpture.”
“You broke it.”
Evelyn laughed.
“This is ridiculous.”
Dominic leaned back.
“My security team pulled the engagement-party footage this morning.”
Evelyn stopped smiling.
Grace turned toward him.
“You checked?”
“Of course.”
Dominic looked at Evelyn.
“You knocked the sculpture over.”
Evelyn’s jaw tightened.
“It was an accident.”
“And then you accused her.”
“She’s staff.”
The room became silent.
Dominic’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Grace saw it.
“She’s staff,” Evelyn repeated. “Why are we pretending she matters?”
Dominic stood.
Evelyn took a small step back.
He walked toward her.
“You had an employee evicted because she challenged you over money.”
“She embarrassed me.”
“You took four thousand dollars from her.”
“She can earn it back.”
“She works three jobs.”
“That isn’t my problem.”
“No.”
Dominic nodded.
“It’s mine.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“What exactly is happening here?”
Dominic looked at Grace.
“Her mother needs surgery.”
Evelyn folded her arms.
“And?”
“I arranged it.”
Grace watched Evelyn closely.
The anger disappeared.
For one second, she looked worried.
Not surprised.
Worried.
Dominic noticed too.
“You knew about her mother,” he said.
Evelyn didn’t answer.
Grace slowly stood.
“How?”
Dominic turned.
Grace looked directly at Evelyn.
“I never told you.”
Evelyn scoffed.
“You probably mentioned it.”
“No.”
Grace shook her head.
“I didn’t.”
Dominic’s voice became quiet.
“How did you know?”
Evelyn glanced toward the elevator.
Two Mercer security men were now standing there.
Her face tightened.
“This is absurd.”
Dominic picked up his phone.
“Marcus.”
His head of security stepped forward.
“Yes?”
“Pull Evelyn’s communications with every Ashford-managed property Grace has lived or worked in.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened.
“You’re investigating me?”
“I investigate everybody.”
“I’m your fiancée.”
“You’re currently a question.”
Evelyn laughed in disbelief.
“Our wedding is in six days.”
Dominic looked at her.
“No.”
Evelyn froze.
“What?”
“Our wedding was in six days.”
Grace stared at him.
Evelyn’s voice became sharp.
“You cannot cancel this marriage over a maid.”
Dominic looked almost bored.
“I’m not.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Discovering whether I was about to marry someone stupid enough to mistreat people inside my own home.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
“You need my family.”
“No.”
“You need my father’s political connections.”
“No.”
“Our companies are already merging.”
“They were.”
Evelyn’s expression broke.
Dominic reached into his jacket and removed a small velvet box.
He placed it on the table.
“Leave the ring.”
Evelyn stared at him.
Grace whispered, “Mr. Mercer, you don’t have to—”
Dominic never looked away from Evelyn.
“The ring.”
Evelyn slowly removed it.
She placed it on the table.
Then leaned closer to Dominic.
“You think she’s innocent?”
Dominic said nothing.
Evelyn smiled coldly.
“You have no idea what she brought into your house.”
Grace frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“You should ask your brother what he owes.”
Grace’s face changed.
Dominic noticed immediately.
“Caleb?”
Evelyn smiled.
“You really don’t know.”
She walked toward the elevator.
Dominic said, “Stop.”
Evelyn paused.
“What does Caleb owe?”
Evelyn looked over her shoulder.
“Ask him about Atlantic Harbor Loans.”
The elevator doors closed.
Grace grabbed her phone.
Dominic watched her dial.
Caleb answered after three rings.
“Grace?”
“What is Atlantic Harbor Loans?”
Silence.
Grace’s stomach dropped.
“Caleb.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“I borrowed money.”
“How much?”
“Twenty thousand.”
Grace closed her eyes.
“For Mom?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Four months ago.”
Dominic walked closer.
Grace asked, “Who owns Atlantic Harbor?”
Caleb whispered:
May you like
“The Ashfords.”
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