SYDNEY''S POV


    I helped Grace to her car. I went back inside and snatched her phone from amongst the spilled content of her bag. I didn''t even need to search far, right on her lock screen was a picture of her and a man that looked familiar.


    I tucked her phone in my back pocket, I found a pair of flip-flops and went back to meet her in the car. As I drove to the hospital, she didn''t say anything, her head was lopsided on her neck as she looked out the windows, a haunted and sad expression swirling in her eyes.


    I had no idea what to say or how tofort her. What if she actually wanted the silence. So asionally, I would squeeze her hand and slowly, ever so slowly, her fingers wrapped around mine too. And I felt a sense of relief washed over me. She was still there. My feisty Grace was still there.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    When I got to the hospital, a nurse met me halfway and the both of us helped Grace to a ward. They instantly started treatment on her after I settled the bills.


    I held Grace''s hand as the doctor wiped the dried blood on her face and then he started to treat grip on my hand tightened and she winced as the doctor did his job.


    1. it. Her


    As the doctor got busy with taking care of her, I pulled out her phone and stared at the picture on her lock screen again. I tapped my finger at it, trying to remember where I had seen that face.


    Suddenly, I sat up straight as it clicked! Yes! That''s it. Joel. How could I have forgotten? He was Mark''s best man on our wedding day and even after our wedding I had seen him at the house a couple of times or so. He was no doubt friends with Mark.


    "I would need to give her sedatives so that''s he can get some sleep." The doctor''s voice broke through my thoughts.


    I looked at Grace and raised my brows, "You okay with that, babe?"


    She nodded feebly, her eyes already lost the vibrancy they always held. "If it would make me not think about him then yes."


    I gently sped her hand as I exchanged a nod with the doctor then he departed the room.


    As we waited, Grace''s gaze swept over my face. "You are hurt," she observed.


    I brushed off her worries with a dismissive wave. "It''s nothing serious, just a scratch. Nothing to worry


    about."


    She nodded, she said nothing. Then she turned to the other side.


    Momentster, the doctor returned apanied by a nurse, who held a tray I suspected its contents were the sedatives for Grace. He gave her the sedatives and in no time, her grip on my hand gradually ckened as sleep overtook her.


    Leaving the hospital, I headed for the Torres family mansion, hopeful that Mark would still be there. He was my best and only bet at locating Joel at the moment.


    My knuckles whitened as I gripped the steering wheel, angrily and I struggled to fight it. How dare that bastardy a hand on my friend? How dare he scratch at her face like that? What was she? A meowling?


    Most of all, he had the audacity to hurt her, let alone dumping her on her birthday! If I had known he was such an asshole, I would have insisted Grace cut ditched him and allow me to take her out instead. The car''s tires came to a gradual halt as I pulled up before the imposing Torres family mansion. Quickly and almost clumsily, I locked the car''s doors and stomped determinedly towards the grand entrance of the mansion. The intimidating bodyguard stationed there swiftly swung the door open as he recognized


    1. me.


    I didn''t stop to admire the wonderful state of art of theirrge living room like I had done when I first visited. Instead, I followed the familiar hallways and marched straight to Mark''s study here.


    As I approached the door, my steps slowed as the voices from inside drifted towards me and caught my attention. My hand hovered over the door knob as I listened.


    "Mark! You must divorce Sydney!" Rose''s cry echoed through the heavy wooden door. "She not only shows tant disrespect towards me but she''s openly and shamelessly having an affair with someone else. I saw her with a man at the hospital today."


    There was a momentary pause before Mark''s voice, answered, "Mom, I''ve told you this over and over again before. I can''t just divorce Sydney. It''s not that simple."


    I rolled my eyes, and was about to push the door open when Rose''s question stopped me..


    "Why?" Rose''s voice was, and I hesitated at the door. I couldn''t help but wonder what Mark''s response. would be.


    Yes, Mark, why? Why the hell are you bent on keeping these ties between us? Ties that we both don''t want


    "Mark, I asked you a question?" His mom asked again. "After you divorce her, you need not worry because I would introduce you to a girl who is more of a match for you!"


    Oh. You need not worry about that, he''s already stupidly in love with my sister.


    "Mom, it''s not just about kicking her out of my life," Mark replied frautstedly. "It''s not about the match or finding a girl. There''s more to it than that. It''s risky. A lot will be on the line if I divorce her."


    I raised my brows. Oh really? What will be on the line? His life? I scoffed.


    There was a tense silence in the room too as his mom took in his response. "What?" She sounded somehow defeated, "What will be on the line if you kick that wench out of your life?"


    "You don''t understand."


    "Then make me!" Rose screamed back.


    "Fine then!" Mark was now speaking at the top of his voice. "I will be stripped of my inheritance if Sydney ceases to be my wife! Do you understand now?"


    I stumbled backward, my hand dropping to my side, the weight of his words like a blow to my chest. So, he had refused to sign the divorce papers because of his inheritance? I felt the pain of his words jabb at my heart like a knife had been plunged through it.


    "What?" Rose''s voice was small. "I don''t understand," she stammered.


    "Grandma once told me that if I dare to divorce Sydney I will be stripped of my inheritance of her shares. Then I wouldn''t have thergest share of GT Group. Trust me, no one would hesitate to kick me out of the


    board!"


    What a fool I had been, letting my heart soften toward him just because I stupidly assumed he didn''t want me gone because he might have magically developed feelings for me.


    With a clenched jaw, I let my hurt push my anger as I kicked the door open and stormed into the room and my footsteps echoed in the tense silence. Mark and Rose both looked startled as they turned towards the door. My eyes held hurt and anger as they bore into Mark. His gaze widened ever so slightly as he got to his feet.


    "Sydney."


    "Where''s your friend Joel?" I demanded in fury that threatened to boil over at any moment. But I pushed my pain to the back of my mind. Before addressing Mark, there was one thing that needed to be taken care of as soon as possible - teaching Joel a lesson he would not forget anytime soon.