Chapter 366
Chapter 366:
Gracie met her stare with a chill that hadn’t been there before. “I’m going back, but not for Brayden. I still have unfinished grudges to settle, and my mom’s company hasn’t been taken back yet. You expect me to run off and hide? How could I ever accept that p>
Jessie’s reply landed sharp as a blade. “Quit dressing it up. You’re obsessed with Brayden to the point you can’t think straight. What future do you see with a man who changes his mind like the weather p>
Gracie shot back, her jaw tight. “Brayden and Delia aren’t what you’re imagining. Those rumors online were twisted on purpose p>
Jessie let out a harsh laugh. “You warn me not to lose myself in love, yet you’re falling into the same trap. I’m done listening to these excuses. We should both cool off before this gets worse p>
She spun away, leaving Gracie standing alone in the echo of her fading footsteps.
Gracie stared at the door long after it shut, a faint, weary chuckle slipping from her as she shook her head.
Locked in her own certainty, Jessie couldn’t seem to shift her perspective or accept another point of view.
With or without Brayden, Gracie refused to exile herself to some foreign corner of the world. She might sidestep trouble for a season, but running forever wasn’t in her nature.
The rest of the night passed without a single word between them, the silence settling like a thin, brittle layer of frost.
At dawn, a crisp chime cut through the quiet.
While tending to breakfast, Gracie brushed her hands clean on her apron and walked toward the entrance, her brows knitting in puzzled anticipation.
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Once she unlocked the door, she found two figures on the step—faces drawn, clothes rumpled, and exhaustion clinging to them like dust from a long, punishing journey.
Gracie blinked in surprise. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at work right now p>
Brayden lifted a bouquet, the soft scent of fresh blooms drifting between them. “I caught the news about you and figured I should congratulate you in person. You handled everything brilliantly—you’ve gained a whole wave of new fans p>
She accepted the flowers, her gaze flicking toward the upstairs landing before she eased the door shut behind her.
The three of them remained on the villa’s front steps, the morning air cool against their skin.
A small crease formed between her brows. “Jessie’s already misunderstood a lot about you. Showing up here might only stir things up p>
“Is this about what went viral?” Brayden asked, studying her face.
A quiet nod from Gracie came first. “She caught the news before I could explain anything and assumed there was something between you and Delia. I should take you to a hotel instead p>
A clipped voice drifted down from above. “Why bother with a hotel p>
All three of them glanced up to find Jessie posted on the second-floor balcony, her posture rigid as she stared them down.