I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden) novel Chapter 55

Kirk smiled perfunctorily and thought in secret that Gloria surely knew nothing about those things in the past.

"Call this woman in," Kirk said.

Gloria nodded. She originally didn't have much goodwill towards Ruby Carter.

Ruby was inexplicably called to Gloria's office. And she was apprehensive on the way here.

"Gloria." She was learning to be obedient now, who wasn’t as morally lofty as she had been when she had first entered her office.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. Tell me what happened in the box on the sixth floor today," Gloria said succinctly and clearly.

Ruby immediately went into a panic. And as expected, she was called to be here for what had happened in the box on the sixth floor today.

As she spoke to Gloria, she purposely avoided things that weren't too favorable for her and concealed some others.

But she was facing two shrewd people. Whatever it was Gloria or Kirk, they could deduce what had happened in general from Ruby's words and micro-expressions.

"Gloria, I really didn't do it on purpose. I didn't expect that Mr. Du would send someone to call Grace after I refused him." Ruby pitifully begged Gloria for forgiveness.

Gloria’s delicate face was no longer warm. And she moved her red lips, "Tell me, how come Mr. Du. a businessman coming to S City from the south, knew about Grace James?"

"I, I, I don't know it either. Maybe, maybe someone mentioned her to Mr. Du. Believe me, Gloria. I'm not good at swimming. I drowned when I was a kid. So, as soon as I heard that request from Mr. Du, I didn't agree to it. Other than that, I really didn't do anything else."

"So, what happened in the box on the sixth floor today has nothing to do with you, right?"

"Yes. It has nothing to do with me. I'm innocent." When she had first come to the Royal Club, Gloria had taught her that she would be in big trouble without the Royal Club's protection. Then everything happening these days had taught Ruby as to what the “reality” was and how “cruel” it could be.

She also learned that some rules set up by some people in this world that must be followed.

Ruby was frightened. She was in a panic, looking flurried. All of a sudden, she thought of Grace James, who was good for nothing. And when she looked at Gloria, she sensed that the look on her delicate face indicated that she didn’t trust her.

In a few short seconds, she envisioned Grace’s ever-silent face as well as her shapeless back view. Ruby couldn't care less about other things, feeling that that woman surely could help her.

"Gloria, you should believe me. The matter today has nothing to do with me. If you don't believe me, you can call Grace over here and ask her. She will definitely clarify it for me."

Gloria thought, “How come she is confident that a woman who had been harmed by her, would still cover up lies for her after suffering such a great injury? How come she is confident the silent woman surely would be cowardly enough to say something against her will, proving the validity of her words and her innocence?”

Gloria felt that a sulking breath was congested in her chest, which would neither go up nor go down. She stared at Ruby. And the look in her eyes became sharper and sharper.

Kirk suddenly stood up. Since the investigation of this matter was done clearly, there was no need for him to stay here. So he took out his cell phone and called Caden.

"Boss, the matter is cleared up. The reason why Miss James was at the box at that time was that Langston Du had personally called her over." Kirk spoke in a succinct manner, "There was a female employee in the box at that time. And we have known about her identity."

He didn't directly say that it was this Ruby Carter who had set up Grace James. In his opinion, his boss was so smart, who probably could have deduced the truth by himself by now after hearing the clues he had just given.

"I remember that Langston Du mentioned at that time that the prop used as a container was sent from Franklin Cordon?" Caden smiled teasingly.

"Was that female employee present there called Ruby Carter? Just now, Langston Du called me to plead for mercy. Unfortunately, he revealed something useful, saying that Young Master Cordon recommended a girl to him who was quite bold and interesting to play with. Coincidentally, the girl’s name was Ruby Carter."

After saying that, he ordered, "You personally bring this girl downstairs to the parking lot and wait for me there. I'll be right down."

Kirk put away the phone, took a glance at Ruby, who looked pitiful, and said to Gloria, "Boss wants her."

Without deliberation, Gloria directly opened her mouth and said, "Take her with you."

As soon as Ruby heard that Boss wanted to see her, her legs went weak as she said, "Gloria, I… "

"Kirk isn't someone who will treat girls gently. If you don't want to suffer more, follow him nicely." Gloria completely cut off Ruby’s hope.

Gloria did not know how the fool, Grace James, was feeling when she was jumping into the water. But she could relate to the fear of the one who was drowning. As Grace was drowning in the water, she opened her eyes and found that those ones standing outside the container by an arm's length, who could have saved her, stood idly by. At that time, the fool must have been desperate.

Ruby didn’t want to go, making Kirk drag her by force. As his iron palm gripped her, she was in pain and cried out.

"Hold on." A raspy voice suddenly rang. Just before Kirk was about to take Ruby away, there was a figure standing in his way outside the door.

"Grace, what are you doing over here?" Gloria stood up in surprise.

"Grace!" Ruby grabbed Grace's arm with a death grip as if she were someone drowning who was clenching at the last straw that could save her. She cried out as a pair of beautiful eyes were in tears.

"Grace, help me. Grace, I know you can save me. Grace, please, I know I’m wrong. I really know that I am at fault. Please help me plead with Gloria... No, plead with Big Boss! I promise to leave Royal Club today and I'll never appear in front of you again. I'm kneeling down in front of you."

Eventually, Gloria raised her delicate eyebrows and looked at Ruby in disgust.

"Grace, ignore her. She deserves it." As Gloria said, she looked at Ruby with cold eyes, "In the beginning, I warned you to behave yourself. As for what I advised you back then, it's obvious that you didn't digest a single word of it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be where you are today."

Ruby sobbed and whimpered. But she insisted on holding onto Grace’s hands, "Grace, I beg you. I take the initiative to beg you for the first time."

Grace was like a wooden stake, standing still where she was. She suddenly found Ruby’s words surprisingly funny, "Yes, you're begging me for the first time. However, this time, although I cooperated with you and told a lie, the Big Boss behind this didn't believe it."

"Grace James… Are you here to kick me down?"

Ruby’s face was filled with pain and grief. She, who seemed to have known Grace for the first time, said, "I never thought that you were such a mean person!”

"He who is beautiful in essence will see beautiful things. And he who is ugly in heart thinks of everything as ugly ones." Grace laughed softly, feeling somewhat helpless.

"But for you, however reluctant I feel in my heart, I'll still save your life."

She faintly shook her head. There was no telling as for whether she was doing so for her "goodness" or for that belief in her heart... But she knew that she just didn't want to… anymore. "Kirk, bring me to him."

Ultimately, she was losing...