Chapter 1273: Stolen hour
Silence filled the ride — thankfully. Grace would occasionally strike up a conversation, and as usual, Haines would respond casually, keeping his answers short and precise, leaving little room for further discussion. But Grace was witty and often found something to say in response.
Sometimes he would engage with her, but when it came to her romantic advances, he would ignore them.
Grace was young — very young for him.
Although Haines had never considered marrying again after his heart was torn apart by his first love — a wound from which he never fully recovered — he would never consider her. The age gap was one thing, but he knew Grace. He had seen her at least once when she was around nineteen, during a short vacation in Anteca with Penny.
It just felt wrong.
Moreover, Grace was like a distant relative to Charles and Penny. After Charles had rescued her and her mother from a cruel man, he had been assisting them in any way he could. As a result, Grace had become one of the most successful lawyers of her time.
So, the answer to whatever Grace was plotting was no. At this point, Haines was convinced that Penny hadn’t put her up to this. Because if Penny had, Grace would have stopped after the first attempt. Hence, he knew what to do — ignore her advances. She would eventually forget about them.
Haines’s thoughts were interrupted when he noticed the condominium building.
"Were you zoning out while driving?" she joked, her voice soft with a hint of playfulness.
Haines didn’t respond immediately, pulling over to the side. "You’re here," he said, giving her a brief sideways glance. "Why do you live so far?"