In the Lap of Luxury

Grace took a sharp breath.

The photos were of the night Shawn had gone over to her house. It showed him massaging her feet, talking to her, and helping her up the stairs.

The photos had been captured at angles that made them look like a couple.

Grace's face turned pale. She once again lamented Jake's despicableness.

"This isn't the truth."

"Even if it's not, Xander will see it that way."

Jake flipped to the last photo, which showed Shawn standing alone in the yard. His figure looked lonely and forlorn. "Look at this one. Doesn't it look like post-sex calm?"

Grace looked up, then suddenly slapped him across the face. The crisp sound echoed in the boutique.

Luckily, there was no one else around.

Jake turned his face to the side. As he licked the corner of his mouth, he tasted blood.

"Did you just hit me?"

"How shameless can you be? Do you think I'll succumb to your threats?"

"I haven't said what I want you to do. Why are you so anxious?"

Grace's palm throbbed faintly. She had a gut feeling that Jake had something on her and would make her do something bad.

"Do you know that you look like an angry little kitten right now?"

Jake approached her with a smile. As he straightened her collar for her, he spoke slowly. "Don't worry. I won't tell him for now. But if you do something that displeases me, then who knows?"

That range was too broad. Grace clenched her fists and pushed him away again. "I'll confess on my own. I won't be threatened by you."

After speaking, she walked straight into the lounge. The heat made her face turn red. Or perhaps it was from anger.

She took her phone out, intending to send a message to Xander. However, after typing a few lines, she deleted them.

Last time, when she had been photographed with Benjamin, Xander had flown to Pamore in a fit of madness.

If he found out that Shawn had entered her home in the middle of the night and behaved so intimately...

He would be furious.

Moreover, she hadn't told him about the situation that night when he'd called.

Grace's mind was in turmoil. For a moment, she didn't have the courage to confess.

At that moment, her phone vibrated, as if responding to her thoughts. Startled, Grace looked at the caller ID-it was Shawn.

"H-Hello?"

Sensing that her tone was off, Shawn sounded slightly nervous. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing. Why did you call?" Grace quickly adjusted her emotions.

"Mr. Fulton ordered a batch of high mountain tea, which just arrived today. I couldn't reach him, so I thought of contacting you."

Shawn's tone was calm.

"Okay, I got it. Didn't he order black tea before?"

"Mr. Fulton's secretary said that he

returned to Pamore beforeConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Christmas and arranged to meet someone at the teahouse. This

batch of tea is for that meeting."

Grace leaned against the wall. She hadn't expected Xander to trust Shawn's teahouse so much. Was it because of her?

She didn't speak for a moment, so Shawn continued, "Your ankle should be almost healed by now, right?"

"Yes, it's already healed. Thank you."

She was thanking him again. Shawn chuckled softly. "Remember to change the password to your door. I crossed the line by going over that day."

Grace hadn't been able to go over

and open the door that night. So, she

had told him the password to her door

hadn't expected him to

remember. He was really attentive.

"Shawn, I want to ask you

12

el.r

something. Imagine you were threatened, Resisting could ruin a relationship, but compromising would mean doing something against your will. What would you choose?"