I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden) novel Chapter 71

“You said that you will intercede with Big Boss for me, did you do it? Or is it just a way for you to show others your kindness? Grace James, you’re the most viscous person in the world!”

Ruby vented her anger at Grace as soon as she stepped into the room.

“You must have some romantic affairs with Big Boss right? Since you’ve been together with Big Boss, why did you seduce men left and right? You screwed with Franklin, and also that foreign man! Listen, listen to my voice! If you did appeal to Big Boss’s mercy for me, my voice wouldn’t have been ruined for sucking in too much water!

The doctor said that my voice will only recover after a long time of recuperation. But even if it is recovered later, it won’t be as intact as it was before! Didn’t you agree that you will help me to intercede with Big Boss? I had begged you so pitifully, and I even bowed to you and admitted my mistakes. On the surface, you told me that you’ll help me, but in the end, you didn’t do anything! Grace James, I’ve never seen a woman who’s as hypocritical as you! You are so disgusting and pretentious!”

Grace didn’t retort or interrupt Ruby. There was no emotion in her expressions – no sorrow, no pleasure, no anger, and no resentment. Her temples were still burning hot. Grace slowly raised her hands and caressed her temples. Suddenly, she looked up at the indignant Ruby and said in a husky voice, “But you’re still alive, right?”

“What do you mean?” Ruby was stunned. She widened her eyes and stared at Grace in disbelief, “Grace James, are you yearning for my death?!”

Grace smiled lightly when hearing the screech.

“Ruby, do you think that it was me who caused your sufferings?”

“If it was not because of you, I wouldn’t have suffered those! And I would not have been driven out of Royal Club! Do you know how hard it is for a university student like me to work in a foreign city, just to earn my tuition fee and living expenses? Do you know how hard it is for me to make my living?”

Grace felt it ridiculous from the bottom of her heart.

“Oh, Ruby, you also know that life is not that easy. But why did you tread on it?”

“It’s okay if you refuse to help me at the very beginning. But you’ve agreed to intercede with Big Boss for me, but you didn’t carry out your promise. Grace James, if you was unwilling to help me, then why did you make the promise? You want to be a kind person and show your pretentious kindness, and on the other hand want my appreciation. But you didn’t appeal for mercy for me! Grace James, you’re so vicious!”

Grace closed her eyes and felt exhausted. Before, she met Mr. Cayne, who touched the scar that she had been trying to hide without her consent… That was not merely a kiss on the scar on her forehead! And now, Ruby was making a mess and scolding her for some ridiculous reasons. In any other time, Grace would choose to accept these obediently, but now, she wouldn’t.

She urgently needed a private room to hide herself, so that she didn’t have to think of anything or do anything.

“Generally speaking, it was you who intrigued against me, so naturally your life-and-death was none of my business. I could simply ignore it.” Grace slowly uttered the words, “If your resentments towards me could be the reason for you to harm me at will, then, I wonder whether if I can return like for like. In addition, Ruby Carter, have you thought about why you can still be alive and stand in front of me?”

Grace chuckled, “Or you can try to anger Big Boss again. Let’s see how he will punish you next time.”

She didn’t need to say more.

If Ruby still couldn’t understand it, there could only be two explanations – She couldn’t figure it out; or, she didn’t want to figure it out.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about. Grace James, you’re really weird, and you always spitted out some strange sentences. It’s okay if you didn’t want to help me. You don’t have to make some ridiculous excuses to clear of your suspicion.”

To other people, the word ‘suspicion’ simply meant what it meant on dictionaries and there was no connotation in it. But to Grace, the word ‘suspicion’ made her fell flustered, disgusted and scared.

Grace face quickly became pale. She took a deep breath and then glanced over at Ruby and said with sharpness in her husky voice. But since Grace’s voice had always hoarse, although she questioned sharply, Ruby just felt that it was weird and inharmonic.

“Suspicion? Ruby Carter,” Grace leaned over with anger, “Do you know about the meaning of the word ‘suspicion’? Suspicion? What was I suspected of? What should I do to clear of the so called ‘suspicion’? Did I intrigue against you? Did I tell them what you had done?

Ruby, don’t you feel ashamed of yourself? Ruby Carter, You bit off your own head! You were the one who plotted those matters yet failed to remove the evidence. And then the company found it out. But now you are blaming me, the victim, for not pleading for mercy for you? Ruby, who the hell has given you such kind of courage? Who the hell has given you the right to be so insatiable?”

“You… You… You…” Ruby was petrified. Grace had stepped forward with every sentence, and Ruby had stepped backward correspondingly. Why did she feel that the Grace James before her… was quite different from the Grace James in the past?

“Ahhh! Grace James. I know it. I know that you’ve been pretentious. Your pity look is disguised. There are no men in the room. Mr. Cordon is not here, neither is Big Boss. And I have been driven out of the Royal Club. In this way, do you think that it is no longer necessary to pretend something in front of me, for except me, no one would be able to reveal your true self?”

Grace was stunned. She looked at the woman in front of her… oh no, precisely, she was still a girl. Grace stared at the girl for a long while, and all of a sudden, she burst into laughter. Unlike the laughter before, this time, she laughed out loudly. Her laughter was so hysterical and horrible that Ruby even covered her ears.

“What are you laughing at? For being seen through by me?”

Grace peered at Ruby and shook her head, and then slowly said, word by word, “I want to have a rest. You should go?”

“Are you ordering me to leave? Keep dreaming! You ruined my voice, and the doctor said that my voice will only recover after a long time of recuperation. But even if it is recovered later, it won’t be as intact as it was before! Now you want me to leave?”

Grace felt sorrowful when Ruby mentioned her voice again… In the past, she also had a beautiful voice. “There won’t be reasons for every matter. You should be thankfully that your voice is temporally problematic, and that your throat is curable.

After finishing the meaningful sentence, without even giving Ruby a chance to reply, she asked again, “You really don’t want to leave?”

“Don’t dream of driving me out.”

Grace nodded her head and picked up her phone to call Gloria, “Gloria, please sent my words to Big Boss: I regret for having interceded with Big Boss for Ruby’s life and now I want to recall my request, at any cost!”

Ruby’s face became pale, “Grace, please!”

Indeed, Grace hadn’t hung up the phone. She glanced at Ruby and talked into the phone, “Gloria, wait a moment.”

She then shifted her gaze back to Ruby and asked slowly, “Now you finally understand what I’ve told you before?”

Ruby’s face was bloodless as she looked at the phone at Grace’s hand nervously. Although there was still a hint of reluctance in her eyes, she nodded her head.

Grace then talked into the phone, “Gloria, sorry for having bothered you. I haven’s made a thorough consideration about the matter I mentioned to you just now, so please don’t tell Big Boss right now.”

Grace spoke slowly yet firmly, leaving no chance for Ruby to cut in, “Ruby, we are just colleagues and roommates. I don’t owe you anything. Have you even thought of this? I didn’t owe you anything at the very beginning to now. To help you or not all depends on my will.”