A Marriage of Convenience のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 51 - チャプター 60

 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

 Grace had barely been seated for a few minutes when the dishes began arriving. She blinked—she hadn’t even had time to look at the menu. It was obvious Raphael had pre-ordered. But when had he arranged it? She hadn’t seen him make a single call in the car.“I ordered a few things in advance, just in case you were hungry,” Raphael said with a smile. “But feel free to add anything else.”Grace could hardly believe it. This usually slow-on-the-uptake man had suddenly turned thoughtful and... romantic? Everything was seamless, perfectly timed. She couldn't find a single thing to complain about.And he was right—the Mediterranean dishes were spot-on.Midway through dinner, Raphael’s phone on the table lit up

 Heidi held her breath, waiting for a reply.From the moment this started, Grace had worn the same gentle smile—not too warm, not too cold. It was the kind of perfectly measured smile one earns through years of formal events and social training. To strangers, it was breathtaking. To those who knew her, it was her default setting—gracious, polished, but distant.She kept her tone soft as she stroked Aube’s neck, but the motion wasn’t just affectionate—it was calculated. Her fingertips brushed under Aube’s chin, a familiar cue. As expected, the mare turned her head away—conveniently out of Heidi’s reach.Heidi’s hand froze midair.

Grace was still half-asleep when she felt something brush the tip of her nose. She ended up sleeping in until a maid gently knocked on the door, asking if she’d like something to eat. Blinking herself awake, Grace realized it was already 2 PM. Though the room had been perfectly climate-controlled, she’d woken up in a sweat, her skin sticky and damp. After dragging herself to the shower and rinsing off, she made it just in time for afternoon tea.It was Sunday, and Raphael had gone off—again—to entertain some client. He’d mentioned before that once this week was over, he’d have more time for her. Grace understood; running a massive enterprise was no small feat, especially since he’d only recently stepped into the role. So, she let it slide… with a single pouty protest.Yesterday’s horseback had taken a surprising amount of energy—just thinking about it made her cheeks flush all over again. When he got home, she’d definitely give him a hard time. No way she was letting him off easy. H

 In just under an hour, Élan G had already received several calls from clients’ assistants asking about the brand’s official stance. Thankfully, none of them had gone as far as to cancel their orders. After hanging up the last call, Clara turned to Grace. “You need to get out of here—fast. If they surround you and figure out who you are, your anonymity’s gone.”Grace didn’t even look up from the documents she was reviewing. “Too late. Press is already outside—front and back.”“What?” Clara went pale. “And you’re still this calm? Weren’t you dead set on staying anonymous as the brand’s designer? Or did you think of a way to fight back? Please tell me you’ve got sketches dated before that so-