Chapter 7
Her colleague hesitated for a long time without answering, but Charles's low voice came through, "Grace, you have five minutes to come back and apologize, or face the consequences!"
Grace tightened her grip on the phone, her face full of tension.
Fear surged through her, and she hung up, quickening her pace to leave the design studio. She needed to stay far away from Charles and wouldn't go back to apologize. As for the colleagues who went to dinner with her, Grace could only pray for their luck.
Leaving the design studio, Grace wandered aimlessly on the street, planning to find a new job. She held a newspaper with job listings in her right hand and a freshly bought sandwich in her left, sitting on a bench by the street, flipping through it seriously.
Finally, Grace focused on a nearby advertising company. The company was hiring creative designers with good pay and flexible hours, allowing employees to leave as long as they finished their work on time. Her eyes lit up, and she organized her resume to apply for the job.
The HR manager at the advertising company took one look at Grace's resume and hired her on the spot, asking her to start right away. With nothing else on her plate, Grace agreed.
Thanks to her experience, she quickly got the hang of things after a bit of familiarizing herself with the work. Grace worked until sunset before wrapping up her tasks.
Feeling a bit tired, Grace leaned back in her chair, frowning as if she had forgotten something. It wasn't until she saw Bianca's photo on her computer screen that it hit her, "Oh no, I forgot to pick up Bianca."
Without wasting any time, Grace hurriedly packed her things.
Just as she stepped out of the company, her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she couldn't help but smile and quickly answered, "Bianca, I'm so sorry I forgot to pick you up..."
Before she could finish, Bianca interrupted, "Mommy, you don't need to pick me up! I made a new friend at kindergarten, and he's coming to our house. I'll ride with him. Bye, Mommy!"
Grace was bewildered, and before she could react, Bianca hung up.
She smiled helplessly and took a cab to the supermarket, planning to make some dishes the kids liked to welcome Bianca's new friend.
By the time Grace finished shopping and got home, the sun had already set.
Rushing home, she was taken aback by the sight of imposing, cold-faced bodyguards in black suits at her door.
Grace cleared her throat and slowed her pace. After confirming it was her house number, Grace pushed the door open.
In the living room, two kids were sitting on the sofa, one was Bianca, and the other was a boy.
Hearing the door open, Bianca quickly jumped off the sofa and ran into Grace's arms. She said happily, "Mommy, you're back! Come and see who I brought home!"
Bianca then pulled Grace to the sofa.
Bianca's chubby little hand grabbed Jasper's hand, her eyes forming crescents. "Mommy, I brought Jasper home!"
Grace stood frozen, blinking her slightly teary eyes in disbelief.
Jasper stood right before her, unlike the last time at the Montague Mansion when she could only watch him from afar.
It wasn't until Bianca placed Jasper's small hand in hers, feeling the real warmth, that she came back to her senses.
Grace's eyes filled with tears as she crouched down, gently touching Jasper's soft face. She had seen Jasper countless times in her dreams, waking up with tears soaking her pillow. Today, she finally fulfilled her dream, touching the child she hadn't seen in three years.
Mia, standing behind Grace, also had red eyes and choked up. "Ms. Windsor, Bianca and Mr. Montague go to the same kindergarten, and they're in the same class."
Grace suddenly laughed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Jasper widened his eyes, looking at Grace, and instinctively reached out to wipe her tears. He said, "I think I saw you at Great-Grandma's birthday party. Are you really my mom?"
Grace nodded, ruffling his soft hair. "Yes, I'm your mom."
Hearing the confirmation, Jasper smiled, his big eyes sparkling.
Grace couldn't hold back and hugged Jasper tightly. His soft and fragrant body was so thin. Even though he was the same age as Bianca, Jasper seemed more mature and calm than his age. He was a bit shorter and thinner than Bianca.
At that moment, Grace felt both heartache and guilt, not knowing how much Jasper had suffered under Emily's care.
Bianca, standing beside them, laughed and hugged them. She playfully pouted, "Mommy! I want a hug too! I found Jasper. From now on, we won't be separated!"
Grace nodded heavily, making a promise. "Yes, we are family. We will never be separated again."
Thinking of "family," Grace's heart sank, and Charles's face unconsciously appeared in her mind.
Grace then sneered inwardly. Charles didn't deserve to be part of their family. Let him stay with that insidious woman, Emily, forever!
Grace was whipping up something tasty in the kitchen while Bianca and Jasper were having a blast in the living room. The house was alive with their giggles, making their new place feel even more like home.
Every now and then, Grace would sneak a peek at the kids, feeling all warm and fuzzy seeing Bianca and Jasper getting along so well.
Jasper, hugging his knees with those big, shiny eyes, said, "Bianca, Mommy is so beautiful and gentle." He had spent so much time imagining what his mom looked like and what kind of person she was. Now that he finally met her, he couldn't stop staring.
Bianca, busy with her Legos, nodded in agreement, "Yeah, our mommy is really beautiful and gentle. No matter how naughty I am, she never hits me! But..." She trailed off, looking a bit troubled.
Jasper, curious, asked, "What's wrong?"
Bianca put down her Legos, leaned in, and whispered, "Jasper, Mommy is so stingy. She never buys pretty clothes and jewelry. All her clothes and jewelry are designed and made by herself."
Bianca stood up and twirled in front of Jasper, showing off, "Jasper, look, this dress I'm wearing was made by Mommy! Isn't it pretty? I'll tell you a secret, Mommy is a designer. She can design a lot of things. I heard that the necklaces we have were all designed by her!"
Jasper's eyes were full of admiration, "Mommy is amazing!"
Seeing Jasper's interest, Bianca grabbed his hand and said, "Jasper, I'll ask Mommy to make you a new outfit too."
Jasper nodded eagerly, his big eyes lighting up, "Okay, thank you, Bianca. By the way, didn't I give you my wallet? You can spend the money inside however you like. If it's not enough, I'll give you more."
After all, it was Charles's money, so why not spend it?
Bianca nodded with a smile, "Okay, Jasper, I got it."
The delicious smell of food filled the house, making Bianca and Jasper's stomachs growl as they looked eagerly toward the kitchen.
Grace, bringing out the last dish, chuckled at their eager faces. She said gently, "Go wash your hands and get ready to eat."
Bianca jumped up and dashed to the bathroom, with Jasper right behind her. The next moment, laughter and chatter echoed from the bathroom.
Grace couldn't help but smile; moments like these were rare.
The two kids washed their hands and sat properly at the dining table. In no time, Jasper's plate was piled high with food.
Bianca pretended to be jealous and teased, "Mommy, you're biased, giving all the good food to Jasper!"