Chapter 9

Tim couldn't be bothered with the act and turned back to the car. Grace gripped the handlebar of the rental scooter, standing still as she watched the car drive away. Inside, Ethan lowered his gaze to the documents in his hands. Tim scoffed. "I checked into it. She's jealous again over Yancey and Alice. Looks like he's finally going to call off the engagement. Serves her right." Ethan's fingers on the document froze for a moment after hearing this. The last time Yancey had talked about breaking off the engagement, Grace had refused. Yancey had joked that if she jumped off a bridge, he'd reconsider it. Right after he said those words, Grace jumped off the bridge into the river without hesitation. Although she was hospitalized for a month, her stunt kept her engaged. And now Yancey wanted to break it off again… Who knew what kind of stunt she would pull this time? Grace wobbled her way back to her rental unit, frowning at the hundred-thousand-dollar debt hanging over her head because of the short trip. Lately, it felt like she was the epitome of misfortune. Just then, her phone rang. It was a call from Joanne. "Grace, aren't you short on cash? Want to come to Velvet Eclipse tonight?" she asked. Velvet Eclipse was the most popular nightclub in Druville, also known as a money pit for youngsters from rich families. The tips were insane—sometimes reaching tens of thousands in a single night. "You can really make money there?" "Yeah, I made 30 grand last night. The guys in the VIP room are big spenders. It's my shift tonight, but I have something to do. I'd rather give this chance to you than someone else. If you come over tonight, you can have this opportunity." 30 thousand dollars? Grace was instantly tempted. She quickly asked for the address and took a taxi over. Unbeknownst to her, her face was one that people at Velvet Eclipse were familiar with, a regular. It was a club that operated on a face-recognition system. The security guards were well-paid. Their job was to memorize the faces of every club member and staff to prevent unauthorized access. If someone upset the wrong person there, it could lead to serious trouble. The moment Grace appeared, the guards looked at her with obvious disdain. She had caused plenty of drama here before, most notably when she slapped Yancey multiple times for getting too close to a hostess. But after Yancey got angry, she quickly apologized, switching attitudes so quickly it was downright embarrassing. One of the guards gave her a warning. "Ms. Lambert, please don't cause trouble again tonight." Grace raised an eyebrow, confused by his warning. She walked inside and found Joanne in the employee locker room. Joanne took off her outfit and passed it to Grace, reminding her, "When you bring in the drinks, make sure you hand them the expensive ones. The pricier they are, the higher your commission. Once your pay comes through, I'll transfer it to you. I have to head out now, so I'm counting on you." Grace quickly changed into the uniform. The uniform hugged her figure tightly as they were designed to cater to a certain clientele's tastes. She always had a striking figure, and now it was even more noticeable. Joanne lowered her eyes to hide her expression. "Alright, go on. It's the last room down the hall." Grace nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Joanne." She pushed the drink cart toward the VIP lounge. Inside, Yancey and his friends were in the middle of a conversation. Hendricks Parker scoffed and held up a finger. "I bet she'll come crawling back in a day. Last time you mentioned breaking up, she practically threw her life away—jumping off the bridge without a second thought." "I wonder what it is about Yancey that had Grace so completely obsessed." "If she wasn't so crazy about him, I'd totally go for her. That face… damn!" The flattery from his friends gave Yancey's ego a good stroking. For men, ego was everything. And Grace, with her beauty, had spent years chasing after him like a lovesick puppy, which made plenty of guys jealous. Once upon a time, he had liked her. But as they said—when a woman became too available, she would lose her value. He humiliated her time and time again, and instead of leaving, she had only become more devoted. Over time, he had convinced himself that Grace would never walk away. She would always come back, even without him doing anything. Reclining comfortably, he smirked smugly. "I bet she'll show up tonight. I know her too well. She can't survive without me." The moment the words left his mouth, the VIP lounge door swung open. Grace stood at the entrance, pushing the drink cart inside.