Chapter 135
“Not at all. I just felt like complimenting you.”
Grace gave a shy smile as she scratched her cheek. That was when she realized the car was already heading toward her apartment complex.
When it stopped, she stepped out and bent slightly to knock on the window politely. “Well, I’m heading in. Thanks for the ride.”
“Okay.”
She turned and walked into the building but couldn’t resist glancing back. Ethan’s car was still parked there.
As soon as she reached her floor, she ran into Selene.
Selene was the kind of woman who turned heads wherever she went. She was confident and striking. That night, she looked like she had just gotten home too. Her wine-red curls framed her pale skin perfectly, and her whole vibe screamed domineering.
Though they lived on the same floor, Grace didn’t know her well. But Selene was the first to speak.
“I noticed a sketchy car circling the block earlier. I think it’s parked right below your unit.”
Grace’s heart sank. That had to be Sloan.
“Thanks,” she said quickly.
Selene’s hair was styled in soft, voluminous waves, now dyed a rich burgundy that brought out the brightness in her complexion.
She leaned against her doorframe with her arms folded, her eyes sharp as she studied Grace. Then, she asked casually, “So, that audio recording online is it really fake?”
“Huh?”
Grace’s brows drew together. She hadn’t heard what the Lambert family was spinning.
Selene took a step closer, clearly intrigued.
“That recording of Alice. It was a pretty big blow-up, yeah? But this afternoon, the Lambert family made a statement. They said you faked the whole thing and you’d be clearing it up soon.”
Grace gave a dry smile. No wonder. Aside from Quentin, she had blocked every member of the Lambert family.
Selene jingled her car keys in front of her with a smirk. “I think that car outside is here for you. I’m in a good mood tonight. Do you want me to drive you somewhere? I’m a former MMA champ.”
The wild, unbothered energy Selene radiated made her instantly magnetic-the kind of older-sister energy that made younger guys swoon. And oddly enough, Grace didn’t feel any distance between them even though they barely knew each other.
She had just spent time talking with the most emotionally repressed man on the planet, who, for once, had cracked a joke. Her mood was already light. “Sure. Let’s go.”
It felt strange-how someone so unfamiliar could feel so easy to be around. They reached the parking lot, and Grace eyed the car lurking in the shadows.
“Do you recognize Sloan’s ride? I’m guessing it’s him.”
Selene yawned, a subtle floral perfume fingering as she stretched. “Yup. It’s him. He brought two goons with him. I’ve actually hired those guys before. They’ll do anything for cash. They’re real scumbags.”
Grace shot her a weird glance. She was hiring thugs like it was no big deal.
Selene smiled and said, “When I run into a really difficult client, I just have people rough them up a little, and they usually calm down after that.
Then, Dswoop in to play the
ven
comforting good cop, and they’re so touched they sign the deal on the spot.”
She said it like it was just business as usual, not the least bit ashamed.
Grace couldn’t help but laugh. This woman was seriously her kind of crazy.
“So, what you’re saying is… you could pay off those two and turn them on Sloan?” “In theory? Yes.”
That was all Grace needed to hear.
The two of them exchanged a look and high-fived. Selene immediately pulled out her phone and made a call.
Meanwhile, Sloan was sitting in the back seat of his car with his two hired thugs. He was impatient and irritable. He’d been waiting for Grace to show up. His plan was simple-grab her, force her to admit the audio recording was fake, and make her disappear. He’ebdo whatever it took to make Alice happy.
But Grace never showed.
He leaned back, ready to groan—only for a chloroform-soaked rag to slap over
his mouth and nose. He didn’t even have time to react. Within seconds, he was
out cold.
The car doors opened. Grace and Selene stood outside, staring down at the unconscious Sloan.
The two hired goons-now standing beside the car-immediately straightened up when they saw Selene.
“Ms. Jensen!” they respectfully greeted her in unison.