All Chapters of Always Been You: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

No one could replace Evan in Grace's heart. Although she didn't know how he was doing, she still hoped he would be okay. In fact, she kept praying that their communication breakdown wasn't because something bad had happened and that he was OK. Nevertheless, a man entered Grace’s life nearly a year ago, offering her warmth and filling the emptiness within her. His name was Anthony, several years her senior, and he owned a grocery store in her neighborhood. He and his family moved here just a year and a half ago. The two met for the first time when Grace bought some groceries at his store. But there was no TV series scene between them, where one could fall in love at a glance. Their closeness only began when they were appointed to the organizing committee for the Independence Day celebration. Grace discovered that Anthony was a hardworking man and the primary provider for his family. Her father was sick, her mother was gone, and he had two younger sisters who were still studying and n

Not being given a chance to try doesn't mean losing. Grace didn’t want to give up easily. Even though she couldn't take the test to become an executive secretary to the General Manager, she found other ways to pursue her goal.Grace managed to persuade employees from various divisions to apply for the secretary position. This strategy would overwhelm Evan, making it difficult for him to handle everything on his own. As a result, he would need help from the HR department to sort through the candidates.Originally, Nita was assigned to handle this task. However, Grace successfully convinced Mario that she could do a better job, leading to her replacement of Nita. Knowing what Grace was planning from the beginning, Nita did not refuse to step aside.The registration window was open for only one day, and all applicant data had been collected. Following Evan's requirements, Grace sorted through the applicants, eliminating many during the administrative selection stage.Now, only ten candida

Evan didn’t want to spend too much time selecting a new executive secretary. Once the last two candidates passed the final test, he decided to choose the male candidate because he had better credentials. This decision left Grace with no opportunity to challenge him.However, Grace was confident that she could still connect with her best friend, whether in the role of executive secretary or not. After all, she served as an assistant to the HRD manager, who would always participate in meetings with the general manager.It was just another ordinary day, with nothing much different from the usual. Grace finished her work and prepared to leave for home. “Grace, are you really not going to hang out with us tonight? Come on, it’s Friday night!” Nita was trying to convince her colleague, who always declined invitations to have fun.“It’s not that I don’t want to go, but my mom works hard back at home. Her small drink stall opens at four and closes at seven. I like to help her during the last

“Stop the car,” Grace demanded, her emotions rising as Evan remained silent. “I said stop!”Evan ignored her plea and kept the car moving.“You said we can't be friends anymore like we used to, so please stop the car. I want to get out,” Grace insisted. Despite her determination, her stomach was churning, so she lowered her voice. “Please, Evan.”Evan finally stopped the car, but he locked all the doors from the inside, preventing them from opening.Grace unbuckled her seatbelt and attempted to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. “Unlock it,” she ordered."Grace, listen. We can’t go back to the way we were," Evan said, feeling annoyed. "But that doesn’t mean I can let a girl walk alone at night. What kind of man do you think I am?"Grace turned to face Evan fully. "A man who broke his promise and ended a friendship for no reason," she replied sarcastically.Evan fell silent. He would never reveal the actual reason."Okay, I guess you won’t tell me why. Then I won’t stop bothering you

“Grace, you still look unwell,” Indah said, her concern evident as she noticed her daughter’s lingering weakness.Over the weekend, Grace had spent most of her time in her room or sitting on the terrace, lost in thought. She was trying to recover from the troubling memories that haunted her mind. With only three months left in the year, she needed to focus on her work.“I’m fine, Mom. Look, I can smile this wide, can’t I?” Grace flashed a big grin, showing off her neat teeth.Indah shook her head in surprise at Grace’s stubbornness. She knew her daughter didn’t want to worry her, but it was hard to overlook the sadness lurking beneath the surface. Though the sorrow seemed to fade quickly, the broad smile would often return, just as it had now.“Alright, but you should let Anthony take you home. He passes by your workplace every afternoon,” Indah suggested.Grace sighed and said, “Mom, please don’t make Anthony do it. Since you asked him for help, he probably feels bad saying no. He cou