Chapter 5

After Grace returned to her room, she forced herself to swallow handfuls of medicine. Then, she reached up to touch behind her ear, and her fingertips were smeared with blood. The doctor's words rang in her head, "Ms. Mitchell, a patient's emotional state could worsen their condition. So, you must stay calm and optimistic while undergoing treatment." It was easier than done to be optimistic. She tried not to think about Luther's words and leaned against the pillow with her eyes closed. By the time the sky began to brighten, she hadn't really fallen asleep. Perhaps the medicine helped because part of her hearing was restored. Grace stared blankly at the faint sunlight that was streaming through the window for quite some time. "The rain has stopped," she muttered to herself. There was more than one reason for a person to give up as all it took was a final straw, and that could be a cold comment or something small. Luther hadn't left the house this morning. Instead, he had been waiting for Grace to apologize and regret her decision. Grace had her fair share of outbursts throughout their three-year marriage. But every time she made a scene, she would apologize to him. Hence, he believed this time would be no exception. He watched as she made her way out after getting ready, dressed in her regular gray clothing. She was pulling a suitcase and holding a document. When Grace handed the document to him, he noticed the wording on it said, "Divorce agreement". "Luther, contact me when you have time." With that one completely normal phrase, Grace pulled her luggage and left the door. The sky was clear after the rain. For a moment, she felt as if she had been reincarnated. Meanwhile, Luther sat frozen on the couch in the living room, holding the divorce agreement as he couldn't quite process what had just happened. It wasn't until Grace's figure disappeared from sight that he slowly realized she was gone. But his frustration soon faded, and he resumed his typical indifference, not taking her departure seriously. After all, he believed a call or word from him would compel her to return to him, and she would be more eager to please him than before. Hence, it would be the same this time. Today was the weekend after Halloween. In previous years, Luther would take Grace to his family estate to celebrate the occasion. They always got disapproving looks from the Harrison family members. But today, he was alone. So, he was unusually joyful as he drove himself to the Harrison residence. On the way, with the spring breeze blowing, he felt a rare sense of ease. The Harrison family was a large clan, and every year around this time, many relatives gathered to celebrate the occasion. There would be at least 500 or 600 people in total, including extended family members. Luther's generation consisted of 70 to 80 people, many of whom were intelligent and talented. Hence, he naturally stood out among them and became the leader of the Harrison family, Luther was dominant, strong-willed, and ruthless, which made his peers and seniors fear him. However, despite their fear of him, they continued to talk behind his back. They gossiped about how the previous golden boy was tricked into marrying a woman with a hearing disability. … Inside the residence, Luther's mother, Elsa Larsen, gave the maids stern orders, "Remember, when Grace arrives, don't let her enter the living room." If it weren't for the big occasion, Elsa wouldn't have permitted Grace to come at all. However, Grace didn't come this time. Everyone was astonished. In past years, Grace had always been the first to arrive and last to go, currying favor with everyone. Yet, she wasn't here today. Elsa and a few other affluent women were conversing and laughing when Elsa received the news that Grace wouldn't be here, and a scowl immediately appeared on her face. Halloween was an important occasion for the Harrison family. Elsa approached Luther and asked softly, "Luther, where's Grace?" Upon hearing her words, Luther, who was engaged in conversation with his childhood friends, furrowed his brows slightly. "She has filed for divorce and left." The instant those words left his mouth, the whole place went quiet, leaving everyone in disbelief. Elsa was even more startled. Besides his parents, nobody loved Luther more than Grace. Seven years ago, when someone was about to knife him, she protected him with her own body. Four years ago, while they were engaged, he got into trouble on a business trip in Duxon. Everyone claimed Luther had died, but Grace refused to accept it and went to find him without hesitation. She spent three days searching for him in that foreign city. When she finally located him, he scolded her for meddling in his business. After their marriage, Grace was cautious of everything and everyone who was related to him, afraid that she would offend him. Hence, it was a mystery why a woman who couldn't live without Luther had filed for divorce and left him after her father's death. Although Elsa couldn't understand it, she was glad that her son had been spared. "A woman like her has no place in society. Divorce is a good option. She's not worthy of you." The others followed suit after Elsa's remarks. "Luther, you're an amazing man in your prime. Don't let Grace restrain you!" "Every time I met Grace, I felt she lacked the grace of an heiress. She has no taste or etiquette. And she's also deaf. She should be grateful that Mr. Luther had put up with her for this long." For a moment, the celebration turned into a rally to condemn Grace as if she were an awful villain. Everyone seemed to forget that when Maxim was around and Luther still hadn't stabilized his position as the leader of the Harrison family, many wealthy suitors had wanted to marry Grace. They also forgot that they were the ones who initially requested the marriage alliance. Back then, the Harrison family members used to discuss Grace secretly, but now, they were openly criticizing her. Luther should've been thrilled, but for some reason, their words bothered him. After the celebration ended, he drove home. It was already night by the time he returned to Websmith Residence. After entering the door, Luther instinctively tossed his coat near the entryway. After a while, no one came to get it. Then, he gazed up at the dark, quiet living room and remembered Grace had left. With irritation, he grabbed his coat, changed into slippers, and flung it into the washing machine. For some reason, he was extra tired today. Luther went to the wine cellar and decided to grab a bottle to celebrate Grace's departure. But when he reached there, he realized he didn't have the key. Since he disliked having outsiders in the house, he only hired part-time maids to handle the cleaning. But ever since Grace moved her, she had taken care of everything. He returned to the room and began to look for the key but couldn't find it. With frustration, he took out his phone and unlocked the screen.