Chapter 6

Grace finished eating and was about to leave when she hesitated and asked, "Can you lend me some money?" Joanne took a deep breath. "You spent 200 thousand dollars on a pair of cufflinks for Yancey last week, and now you're telling me you're broke?" Grace awkwardly scratched her cheek. "I had to borrow money just to pay my hospital bill yesterday. I'll pay you back." Joanne transferred ten thousand dollars to her and patted her shoulder. "Your family cut off your spending ages ago. But instead of saving for yourself, you kept using your money to buy gifts for Yancey and even tried to win over his relatives. "There's no point lecturing you on this. You don't have to pay me back. If you don't have anywhere to stay tonight, just come back here." Grace felt a wave of gratitude for Joanne. Since she had decided to apply for a job at Henderson Group, she needed to return home to find her ID and other important documents. When she arrived at the Lambert residence, she felt a little uneasy as she rang the doorbell. A young man's voice called out from inside. "Who is it?" The door swung open, and Liam stood there. The moment he saw her, his face darkened with frustration. "Grace, what the hell? Didn't I tell you to come back early and make breakfast? You're just getting home now? Hurry up, I'm starving." Grace looked at the tall, handsome young man standing in front of her, then lowered her head and slowly changed her shoes at the entrance. "Don't we have a housekeeper?" "The housekeeper's food isn't as good as yours. What's wrong with you? You've been doing this for so long, and now you suddenly want to act differently? Cooking for the family is your responsibility, isn't it? "Even when you had a high fever before, you still cooked for us. Mom would praise you, and you'd be happy about it for hours." Grace felt a heavy weight in her chest after hearing that. Her gaze drifted to the couch. Alice, Carmen, and her father, Quentin Lambert, were all sitting there. The moment Carmen saw her, she scoffed, "I thought you weren't coming to cook today. Looks like you couldn't keep up the act. Go to the kitchen. Your brother is starving. You really don't act like an older sister at all." Alice, who was sitting elegantly on the couch, smiled softly when she heard that. "Grace, I want some shrimp with broccoli. Don't add too much salt to my meals. I don't want to get bloated. Yancey and I are taking some glamor shots soon." After that, she turned to Carmen. "Mom, Dad, what would you like to eat?" Carmen's face instantly lit up with a bright smile, and she stroked Alice's head tenderly. "Alice, you're so thoughtful." Grace stood by the entrance, finding the entire situation laughable. Then, the housekeeper walked over and handed her an apron with a slight frown. "Ms. Grace, you usually wake up at 5:00 am to cook breakfast. Why are you only getting back at 7:00 am? Everyone's been waiting. If you're going to be late, at least give us a heads-up next time." So, they all just saw her as a servant? Grace didn't take the apron. Instead, she turned and walked toward the stairs. Everyone froze at that. Liam immediately jumped up. "Grace, what's your problem? I'm really hungry! Just apologize to Alice for missing her birthday yesterday and go make breakfast!" Carmen spoke up as well. "They all prefer your cooking, and you're used to it. Stop being so difficult." Grace had already reached the staircase when she suddenly let out a soft chuckle after hearing their responses. Her features were naturally striking—stunning and refined. When she wasn't smiling, she had a cool, distant air. Her complexion was so fair that her skin seemed to glow. She would undoubtedly be ranked among the top beauties of Druville. However, because she had spent years pursuing Yancey, she had become a laughingstock. "I'm charging 100 thousand dollars for each meal. Who's paying?" Her words plunged the room into an eerie silence. Quentin slammed his newspaper onto the coffee table. His face was dark and stormy, looking as if he no longer recognized his own daughter. "This is ridiculous! Where did you pick up such a money-grubbing attitude?" Grace calmly tucked her hair behind her ear, her gaze sweeping over the four people in the room. "Why should I cook for you for free? I'm the one putting in all the effort. Yet Alice only asks what you'd like to eat, and that makes her the considerate one. If she's so thoughtful, let her cook." Just as Grace turned around to go upstairs, Alice immediately burst into tears. "Grace, what do you mean by this? You were the one who insisted on cooking for us, saying it was to make up for things. I know you've never liked me since I came back five years ago. You always think I stole something from you. Fine, I'll just move out." She wiped her eyes, looking like she had suffered some unimaginable grievance. Carmen's heart ached, and Liam jumped in to reprimand Grace. "Grace, look at what you've done! Why are you always like this?" Grace didn't bother responding. She swallowed the suffocating bitterness in her chest and curled her lips into a faint smirk. "Sure. Move out. Want me to help pack?" Alice clearly hadn't expected that response. Her eyes gaze looked even more aggrieved. "I knew it. No matter what I do, you'll never like me…" "What are you crying for? Did I hit you or insult you? You sure have some talent for summoning tears on demand, huh? I suppose the drama you generate is enough to entertain the entire country for life. You and Yancey are really the perfect pair. Please stay together. Just don't bother me anymore." Alice's tears stopped as she stared at Grace in shock. The old Grace would never have said something like that. She wouldn't have been able to bring herself to say anything harsh about Yancey. It seemed that she had been pushed to the brink and lost her mind. Alice's lips curved ever so slightly. That was fine as well. She had always hated Grace's face and wished she could destroy it. Jealousy flashed in her eyes. "How could you say that about Yancey…" Grace couldn't be bothered to argue anymore. She simply walked upstairs. Carmen stormed after her furiously. "You're out of control! Do you even hear yourself?" She reached for Grace's sleeve, but Grace shoved her off. Carmen was stunned by her reaction and was dazed for a few seconds. Grace had always been obedient—never complaining or fighting back. Just a little bit of praise from the family would make her eyes sparkle with joy. Now, that same daughter was defying her. It made her feel uneasy. "Have you been possessed or something?" Grace ignored her and continued upstairs. She asked one of the housekeepers and found her bedroom. Inside, it was a mess. There was even a grand piano and various instruments cluttered about. She walked over and took a brief glance, realizing that they were all labeled. Some belonged to Alice, some to Liam. Was there no other place in this massive villa to store instruments? Did they really have to turn her bedroom into a storage room?