Early the next morning, Grace was up earlier than ever, heading out to shop. The store clerks were still half-asleep when she walked in, but seeing who it was jolted them wide awake.
She said she needed swimwear, and within minutes they’d pulled together over ten options in her size, complete with sun hats, sunglasses, scarves. Grace was in such a good mood, she even bought the towels and accessories they brought over. In just under thirty minutes, she walked out with four full shopping bags.
Living in the city center really did have its perks.
Grace was feeling smug as she returned home. Just as she got out of the car, she suddenly remembered the cufflinks and tie clip she’d bought yesterday were still sitting in the wardrobe. She headed inside—and immediately stopped in her tracks.
The next morning, as the Maybach pulled away from the house, David immediately sensed something was off.First, he saw Grace—at this hour, in this car. She was slouched in the back seat, eyes half-closed, looking tired and barely awake.Then he glanced left—and for the first time, saw Raphael in the car at this time too. He was half an hour later than usual, but his posture was as proper as ever, already reading emails on his tablet with precise focus.Neither of them had said a word since getting in. The silence in the car was thick, almost unnatural.David hesitated, then asked, “Are we swinging by Place Vendôme first?”He remembered they often picked Grace up from work ther
The remark hit a nerve in Dana, and she quickly found an excuse to greet other guests, vanishing to the far side of the yacht. Grace sighed inwardly. She'd genuinely wanted to talk about marriage and feelings, but seeing Dana now, it was clear her marriage wasn’t as perfect as she made it seem.In old-money families, tradition could be even more suffocating than among regular folks. Grace suspected Dana had rushed into marrying Alex out of spite for her singer ex-boyfriend, dazzled by Alex's family background without realizing the price she'd pay.Now? Dana couldn’t just walk away, divorce wasn't an option—not when business ties between two families ran this deep.There are plenty of couples who were still legally married but emotionally distant, staying together just for appearances&
Late February in Saint-Tropez was still off-season. The sea breeze carried a lingering chill from winter’s end, but that did nothing to dull the deep blue of the water or the lively scene of yachts docked in the harbor.On one yacht that had just set out from shore, a group of socialites lounged under the sun, sipping champagne and letting the sea air tousle their hair—all women, no men.Grace leaned against the railing, staring blankly at the endless blue. Dana approached, two flutes of champagne in hand, one of them still cool from the ice. She nudged Grace’s arm lightly with the glass. “Here.”It had only been a few days since their tense exchange in Berlin—“not exactly a friendly goodbye”—but somehow, they were already back to acting like nothin
The meal, which started off a bit stiff, gradually loosened up. Even the usually serious Raphael found himself smiling more often. Eventually, Gavin and Raphael slipped into a discussion about business financing—until Grace shot them both a sharp look, clearly warning them not to talk shop.With business off the table, Gavin wasn’t sure what else to talk to Raphael about. Thankfully, Max stepped in to steer the conversation. He asked Grace about the details of her wedding, hoping to get some inspiration for theirs.The wedding had been nearly two years ago, and most of it was a blur to Grace now. She only vaguely remembered it taking place at a private estate on the Côte d'Azur, with the whole venue locked down. The guest list was filled with t
Grace drifted in and out of sleep, unsure how long she’d been out. Someone was gently tapping her shoulder, murmuring something close to her ear. She waved her hand lazily and mumbled, “Don’t wake me… I’m so tired.”A low, amused chuckle followed, and she felt a soft kiss land on her cheek. That familiar voice again, warm and teasing, “Didn’t you have lunch plans at twelve?”Lunch? She tugged the blanket over her head. “Not hungry.”A few seconds passed before her brain finally clicked into gear. She sat up abruptly, eyes darting around the room. Oh right—she was still in Berlin. And today she was supposed to have lunch with Gavin and his fiancé.She let out a breath, feeling a
The staff came to clear away the dishes, and Raphael asked the driver to bring his luggage up from the car. He showered in the other bathroom, returned, and still, Grace hadn’t come out.As he passed the bathroom door, he could hear faint rustling inside. Once he was sure she was fine, he picked up his tablet to review the key points from the afternoon meeting. Just three pages, but back in the car, his mind hadn’t taken in a word. Now was the time to catch up.Fifteen minutes later, he was done.Click. The door opened.Raphael lowered his gaze, sipping his chilled white wine, but no sign of her appeared. He set the glass down and walked over. Grace was still in the bathroom, the door ajar. H