Chapter 3

Grace didn't know who to turn to for the 20 thousand dollars. In the end, at 9:00 pm, she called Ethan again. A deep and slightly hoarse voice came through the receiver, reminding her of snowflakes on a winter night. "Grace Lambert?" It was as if an invisible hand tightened around her throat, suffocating her with overwhelming grievances. "Hello, Ethan. Can you lend me 20 thousand dollars? I'm in the hospital and can't afford the medical bills." The only response was the sound of steady breathing and the faint rustling of fabric. Just as Grace was preparing herself for rejection, she heard him ask, "Account number?" "Let… Let me find it." She quickly grabbed the bag beside her and started searching frantically, afraid he would hang up before she could give him the details. The nurse told her this was her bag, but inside, there were only cosmetics for touch-ups. Finally, she found a card in the innermost compartment and quickly read out the number. In less than a minute, the notification of a bank transfer came through. Grace hesitated to hang up. After all, this was the only person willing to acknowledge her since she had woken up with amnesia. However, she hesitated for three full minutes, unsure of what to say. Surprisingly, Ethan didn't hang up either. In the quiet stillness of the call, they could hear each other's breath. "Ethan, I…" "Are your injuries serious?" His voice wasn't gentle. If anything, it carried the same chill of a late-night breeze. Yet to Grace, it was the first true concern she had heard since waking up. Something stirred in her heart, but her words failed her, so she simply said, "I'm fine now. Thank you. I'll find a way to pay you back." "Grace, how long are you planning to lie to me this time?" Her heart skipped a beat. Panicking, she quickly hung up the phone, her thoughts a mess. What did he mean by that? Had she lied to him many times before? No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn't make sense of it. Instead, she only got more confused. For now, all she could do was settle her outstanding hospital bill and complete the paperwork for her discharge. However, when she stepped out of the hospital, she found herself at a complete loss. She had no money and no idea where she lived. Eventually, she found an address in her message records and took a taxi there. The place was a beautiful villa with a meticulously maintained garden. The taxi driver tapped the steering wheel. "That'll be a hundred dollars. Are you paying cash or online transfer?" Grace got out of the car with an awkward expression. Coincidentally, a luxury car pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Yancey's face. Alice, looking fresh and delicate, was in the passenger seat. Alice stepped out of the car and asked with concern, "Grace, why did you leave the hospital?" She looked stunning today. Her dress was adorned with shimmering crystals, and her handbag was a limited edition model worth at least three million dollars. "Didn't Yancey tell you earlier? Your boyfriend is Ethan Henderson." Alice's eyes reddened, and she continued, "Are you here because of me again? What do you want from me?" Before Grace could say anything, Yancey had already got out of the driver's seat, his gaze filled with mockery. "I really thought you'd last longer, but you couldn't even hold out for six hours. Grace, do you have no shame? Do I really need to repeat myself over and over again? "I like Alice. Do you not have an ounce of self-respect? Do you enjoy being humiliated? Why do you keep making things difficult for Alice?" Alice leaned into his embrace, shaking her head. "Forget it, Yancey. I'm used to it." The last trace of color drained from Grace's face. She was still dressed in the oversized hospital gown, and her long, dark lashes trembled like fragile glass, ready to shatter at the slightest touch. She forced herself to look away from the scene and whispered, "Do you have a hundred dollars? Can you lend it to me?" Yancey scoffed, his disgust barely hidden. "I'd rather give it to a dog than to you." He looked down at Alice in his arms and said gently, "Let's go inside. Just ignore her." Alice wiped her eyes and smiled softly. "Grace, here. Take my card. Use it if you need to." Grace lowered her gaze, swallowing down the bitterness in her heart. She wanted to throw away her pride and accept the card because, at that moment, she was truly desperate for money. Eventually, people had to face and accept reality for what it was. But just as her fingertips were about to touch the car, another luxury car pulled up beside her. Her mother, Carmen Oblak, stepped out of the vehicle in a fit of rage. The moment she saw the scene before her, she strode over and, without hesitation, slapped Grace hard across the face. "Are you bullying Alice again? Haven't you taken enough from her? Grace Lambert, what do you want from us? Do you want to make everyone miserable because of you? "Ever since Alice was found and brought home, you've made her life difficult. Why weren't you the one kidnapped instead? Alice has already suffered so much. Can't you just grow up and deal with things like a mature adult?"