Category: My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Free Online (Grace and Jason)

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 30

Lily was less worried about the criminal case and more concerned about her self-image. She was a celebrity who was often photographed in high-class venues and she’d spent the last hours beside piles of garbage. Between the fans, workers, and police, there were plenty of people at the scene recording her and she was afraid it would turn into a trending topic. That was all she needed Ugh! She hurriedly called her agent and publicist to suppress all related news.

Grace’s body was engulfed in the stench of the garbage.

Although she’d worn gloves and had washed her hands multiple times, a faint odor still lingered on them. As for her body, even after changing out of her uniform into her day clothes and jacket, the smell still clung to her skin. “These rich people are too much. They just lose a ring and suddenly, we’re the ones tortured for it!? If it’s such an expensive ring, why didn’t they look after it more closely themselves?” Claire grumbled.

Grace gave her a few words of comfort, then took her bag and left.

After Lily’s farce, she went back home later than usual. The street lamps had already been lit. The Cold wind blew at her face and pricked her.

Today, she once again sensed the difference between her past and her present.

When Lily had asked for the ring to be searched for, she had not even an ounce of strength with which to fight back.

Because she needed this terrible job. No one else would hire her.

Her past self could have given up on this kind of job and still have found plenty of other opportunities, but it was extremely hard for her present self to find even this one posting.

If she wanted to survive, stay warm, and eat well, she could only continue on.

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and stared dazedly at the nearby figure standing by the gate of the apartment complex.

Jason!

He waited for her to come back!

The light from the street lamp shone on him and his handsome face was the balm she needed.

My present self is different from my past self, at least. I’m no longer alone.

“Jay.” Grace quickly ran toward him but right before she reached him she hurriedly halted her footsteps.

He lifted his pretty eyes to stare at her confusedly. “Sister?”

“I… There’s a strong stench on me now, so don’t come too close

to me,” she said. “It’s been a hell of a day,” she said and managed to laugh about it now. “I stink. Let’s go in. It’s cold out here.”

As she spoke, she started toward the building, thinking if she got there quickly enough, she could jump into the shower and wash her clothes before she stunk up the room.

But a pair of arms looped around her from behind and in the next moment, she was pulled into a tight embrace.

“Jay!” she cried out faintly.

Jason hugged her.

He lowered his head and gently placed his cheek against her neck. She wasn’t kidding about the smell, but beneath the sharp. garbage scent, her skin smelled like her.

Lily had intentionally made things difficult for her today and he’d hated that she was not only upset by Lily’s antics but also forced to labor so terribly. She leaned against him, tired and weak. And he hated that too.

“Sister, no matter what odor you have on your body, you don’t have to stay away from me.”

“But…” Grace squirmed with embarrassment and Jay didn’t know if it was because of the way she smelled or his hug.

“Since we’ve already promised to depend on each other, then what is there to avoid? Does it mean that one day if I smell or sweat, you will deliberately stay away from me?” he retorted.

Grace remained silent for a while. She then took a deep breath and said, “All right, I understand. I won’t do it again.”

He nodded victoriously. “Come, it’s cold.” He held her hand and return to the cramped apartment.

“You go shower and change, I will make dinner.”

She tilted her head at him, no doubt wondering if he could cook. And she wasn’t wrong, he had virtually no experience in the kitchen, but cooking was based on measurements and cooking times. He was an engineer by nature, he understood numbers.

“Go,” he insisted, pushing her forward.

Grace went into the bathroom and closed the door.

He rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

She stayed in their close to an hour. And though he’d done a decent job of cooking the meat and rice, by the time she came out and sat across from him, the food had cooled.

Grace didn’t seem to notice and she ate with relish.

“What happened today?” Jason asked.

Grace hesitated and she chewed slowly before setting her fork down.

“It’s silly, really. And today’s event has been blown out of proportion. But given all the people and all the workers and police involved, I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it already on social media.”

“I don’t want to hear about it online, I want to hear about it from you.”

“Okay,” Grace said and then she recounted the whole story for him.

Jason listened to her in silence. Once she was done narrating, he asked, “Aren’t you angry?”

She chuckled at the question. “There’s nothing to be angry about.”

“She hadn’t really lost a ring, she was just making trouble, wasn’t she? Why aren’t you angry?”

“Because there’s no point in getting angry,” she replied. “Do you know Jason Reed?” she asked suddenly.

His expression was a little stunned and his eyes flashed as they studied her. He shifted and his hair covered his face

“He’s pretty much the most powerful person in this city. Of course, he’s rich. A billionaire or something, and either for his money or influence, people want to curry favor with him,” she

said.

“What about him?” Jason said neutrally.

“When I was still incarcerated, because I was charged as the driver who caused his wife’s death, there were plenty of people who ingratiated themselves to him by hurting me in prison. If I got angry over everything, then, other than ultimately angering myself to death, there would be no other benefit from it.”

She said this offhand while scooping more rice into her bowl. It might have been said dismissively, but his heart suddenly started to twinge.

Even if she didn’t spell it out explicitly, he could guess what she went through in prison. Just as she said, there were too many people trying to curry his favor.

There were even some who’d actually mentioned to him how they had “taught her a lesson” in prison. How did he respond?

He probably dismissed them with a laugh.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 29

In the president’s office of the Reed Group…

Jason gave an order to his secretary. “Terrence, go and look into what’s happened to Grace at the Sanitation Service Center.”

“Yes, sir.” Terrence agreed dutifully and left the president’s

office.

Contemplation flashed through Jason’s eyes. In the call just now, he could clearly sense that she was hiding something, but… what was she hiding?”

Terrence was able to uncover the incident with minimal effort. “Lily is alleging that she has lost a ring worth hundreds of thousands. She called the director of the Sanitation Service

Center, and he ordered Miss Cummins to go through the rubbish then and there to look for the ring.”

Terrence called Lily by her full name but addressed Grace respectfully, which proved both of their statuses within Jason’s heart.

Jason’s eyes narrowed immediately. “Go through the rubbish?”

The iciness of his tone made Terrence freeze. “Yes.”

“Is it worth going through rubbish for one stupid ring?” Jason laughed coldly. He muttered to himself momentarily before continuing. “Since Lily likes searching for rings so much, then let her look for it properly until she’s had enough of it!”

Terrence had been at Jason’s side for many years and was aware that his employer had lost his temper.

This was so rare.

Throughout these years, there have only been a few incidents that have angered Mr. Reed. And at this moment, he’d never seen his boss more furious.

Lily and Annabelle seemed as if they had had enough of looking at Grace’s dejected form searching through the rubbish and decided to drive away.

Annabelle asked, “How long are you going to let her look for it?”

Lily replied casually, “Let her look for it till late at night, just before I go to bed. Then, I’ll call the director and tell them that it’s fine if they can’t find the ring. I’ll just acknowledge my misfortunes.”

“Heh, you let her off easily,” Annabelle said. “If Sean saw her now, I’m afraid he’d vomit. Grace is not worthy of people like Sean. Only a socialite such as you can match him.”

Just as the red Maserati started its engine, several police cars suddenly drove toward them. In the blink of an eye, the Maserati was surrounded by the police.

A policeman stepped out of one of the cars and knocked on Maserati’s glass window.

Lily lowered the window and heard the policeman say, “We received a report that a ring worth hundreds of thousands was lost here. We’re going to lodge a report now to investigate if the ring was lost or stolen.”

“Lodge a report?” Lily and Annabelle were both stunned.

“But we didn’t call the police!” Annabelle shouted noisily.

However, the policeman paid them no mind and continued, “Anything worth over a hundred thousand dollars is considered a major case. We would appreciate your cooperation and we also hope to help the two of you recover the ring.”

But the problem is… no ring was lost! The two of them exchanged looks. Lily spoke through clenched teeth, “I don’t want to investigate the missing ring further. It’s fine if it can’t be found.”

“If this is a theft, then the value of the item qualifies it as a criminal case and we have to lodge a report to conduct an investigation. If you could please get out of the car and confirm the general area where you realized the ring was lost.” The officer handling this case wasn’t taking any chances.

“We’re going to do this by the book, ma’am.” He opened the car door for Lily. “Now, if you’d please step out of the car. We’ll take a statement from each of you, separately…”

personnel who was handling the case said insistently.

Lily and Annabelle exited the warm car and were welcomed by a cold blast of air. They walked to the spot where they had been speaking to Grace just then. However, the place was now covered with piles of rubbish.

A large mass of rubbish that had originally been in the bins had now been poured out. The piles had been placed out in the open

to facilitate the search for the ring.

The stench of the rubbish drifted over ceaselessly. Lily and Annabelle were both dressed flashily and stood out even more in the midst of the piles of rubbish. And yet, the personnel handling the case was not willing to let them leave, insisting that they stand still as they recounted their experience.

Their recounting was an ordeal. After they finished, they thought they would be able to leave but the personnel said, “Since we’re already looking for the ring, then would the two of you just stand here and wait a moment? If the ring is found, you’ll be able to immediately confirm if it’s yours.”

“Stand here?” Annabelle asked with surprise.

“Yes.”

“But it’s so dirty and smelly here…”

Just then, an alarming voice suddenly rang out nearby, “Oh my god, that must be Lily! I’m actually getting to see a huge celebrity!”

Immediately after, a large crowd of people gathered around them.

“Why is she standing in the middle of a rubbish pile?”

‘Are those police standing next to them? Are they filming a movie now?”

The surrounding crowd erupted in wild discussions.

“I think it’s best if I leave now. I will let my assistant and lawyer assist the police regarding this matter,” Lily said, mentally wishing to leave the place as soon as possible.

“Miss Atkinson, I know you’re a celebrity, but the sanitation workers are currently working hard to find the ring for you. You’re the party concerned and your role is to just stand aside and wait, can’t you even do that? Or do you think you’re better than everyone else?” the policeman retorted righteously.

Even if Lily really thought she was indeed better than everyone else, she was unable to say it out loud as the crowd gathered around her had gotten bigger.

Lily grew even angrier, especially when she saw that some of the gathered people had taken out their phones to record them. And yet, on the surface, she still had to maintain her composure.

It was not long before more Sanitation Service Center workers, along with people sent by the police, arrived to help look for the ring.

This was ridiculous!

It was freezing cold and she and Annabelle were surrounded by onlookers as they were interrogated by the police, all while standing next to piles of garbage and breathing in waves of noxious fumes.

Needless to say, the ring was ultimately not found. When the police finally allowed Lily and Annabelle to leave, the two of them were close to vomiting from the stench.

“Lily, what do we do? This incident has been blown way out of proportion. They’re deeming it a criminal case,” Annabelle said nervously when they were back in the car. She didn’t mind the occasional prank or joke, but having the police involved was never a good thing. “Who on earth reported the case? ”

“I’ll handle it. It’s not like the case can be resolved,” Lily said, her face grim.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 28

Grace found the statement laughable. “Then you can say those words to my younger sister but not to me. I still need to work, so if you could excuse me.”

Annabelle replied angrily, “If it weren’t for you, why would the projection ads of Sean proposing to Lily have been taken down? You killed Jason’s fiancée and he’s taking it out on Sean and Lily’s families, and yet you’re just fine, casually sweeping the streels here.”

Grace was stunned. The thought had not occurred to her that it had been done by Mr. Reed.

Mr. Reed…as a matter of fact, it was also because of him that she was able to escape from Greg the last time.

The Reed family was the most powerful and the wealthiest in all of the city. Mr. Reed controlled the huge Reed Corporation, and that meant that he could have whatever he wanted.

Grace had found that out the hard way.

In the beginning, when Sean was rushing to break up with her, not a single lawyer in the city was willing to handle her case. Wasn’t that also because of Jason Reed?

All the pain she suffered in prison was ignored by the prison. guards, wasn’t that also because of him?

Because the person she killed was Mr. Reed’s fiancée.

There was even a time during her imprisonment when she’d nearly been drowned in the bathroom sink. She could still recall almost suffocating and the fear of death enveloping her-much as it did with Gregory at that awful reunion party.

And the reason behind her treatment in jail was just because someone had heard that the Reed family had given orders to punish her there. Those who wanted to curry favor with the Reed family had hastened to stomp on her several more times, torturing her.

Grace continued to sweep, ignoring Annabelle’s scolding.

Annabelle was angry beyond belief and rushed forward to slap Grace but was stopped by Lily.

“Lily! Grace has no respect for anyone, I want to teach her a lesson!” Annabelle jerked her hand free.

“Why bother?” One corner of Lily’s lips suddenly tugged up. “One of my rings has gone missing. I’m not sure if it fell around here and then got swept up like rubbish. It seems like I’ll have to trouble the employees of the Sanitation Service Center to help me look for it.”

Annabelle was stunned but she immediately snapped out of it. She also smiled and said, “Yeah, they do need to look for it properly. Your ring isn’t cheap. They will have to go through all of the garbage in this dumpster lest they miss it.”

As Annabelle spoke, she turned toward Grace and continued, “Since you were sweeping here just now, you must know where it is. You’ve probably already swept the ring into the garbage. bin, so hurry now and look through the bin to find it.”

Grace stopped what she was doing and stared at her coldly.

“What are you looking at? Go and find it! If you can’t find it, it means that you must have stolen it!” Annabelle responded maliciously.

Claire, who was sweeping across the street, noticed the commotion and walked over to ask what had happened.

It was at that moment that Grace noticed Lily dialing a number. Sure enough, it was not long before Claire received a call from the director, stating that they had to find the ring Lily had lost, no matter what.

Grace pursed her lips tightly. She was aware that today’s incident was just Lily deliberately making things difficult for her, and now she had no choice but to find this non-existent

ring.

A few moments later, their group leader also rushed over. When he heard that Lily’s ring was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, he immediately turned to Claire and Grace. “Hurry and look for it in all of the places that got swept just now and in the garbage bins that were just filled. You must find the ring!”

“Oh, thank you, Director.” Lily held a hand to her heart. “I

would be gutted if we didn’t find it!”

It was a pathetic performance.

Grace’s boss assured her it would be found.

Lily nodded appreciatively. “Then we’ll wait in the car. If you find the ring, inform us,” Lily ordered gracefully and turned to leave.

“Ah? In the car?” The group leader was clearly stunned. He was surprised that a ring worth hundreds of thousands of dollars

had been lost and that the two women had decided not to supervise the search.

“After all, our Lily is a popular celebrity. If she were to stand here and watch you searching for the ring, it would probably only be moments before she got surrounded by movie fans,” Annabelle said.

The group leader thought so too. And probably didn’t want any bad press for the Sanitation Center. “You’re right. Please about your day. We’ll contact you the moment we find something.”

Lily’s car was parked nearby. Even if she sat in the car, she could still easily see Grace, digging through the garbage, looking dejected and insignificant.

“She’s only qualified to go through rubbish,” Annabelle said cruelly with a smile. “Despite how she was so smug moments ago, she still has to wade through a garbage dump now.”

Lily calmly replied, “Let’s leave after a bit.”

Grace’s current appearance was making her seem not as threatening.

Even though this woman was once loved by Sean, in the end, she was also abandoned by him.

And yet, back in the prison, even when all ten of Grace’s fingertips had been bleeding, all fingernails ripped out and all of the bones in her fingers had been broken, she still insisted that she was framed and that she was innocent!

Why did that woman suffer through such pain and still insist that she was innocent? Did she actually think that if she persisted in proclaiming her innocence that she would not really be guilty? Or that they’d somehow believe her and go easy?

Jennifer was dead!

The law looked at the evidence!

“Oh right, best to commemorate it,” Annabelle said and took out her phone to take a picture of Grace inside the huge dumpster, hefting broken bags and sifting through all kinds of refuse and rotting food.

Annabelle shook her head. “You’re right. I’m glad we’re in the car and going to leave. Can you imagine that stench?”

Grace did not know when this farce would end but it was clear that it would be impossible to get off work at her usual time. She had also gotten Claire and several other coworkers in trouble by making them stay behind with her to look for a non-existent ring.

Grace removed the plastic gloves she was wearing and reached for her phone to dial a number. “Jay, it’s me, today I’m… there. are some issues at the center, I’m afraid I’ll not be back until very late. Make a little something for yourself for dinner, you don’t have to wait for me.”

A strong male voice rang out from the other end of the phone. “What happened?”

“Oh, it’s you.”

Just hearing his voice brightened her spirits.

“It’s just… uh, some work-related issues. Anyway, you don’t have to wait for me,” she replied. She saw that the group leader was glaring at her and she hurriedly ended the call. She put on her gloves again and continued to look through the trash.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 27

Grace wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole ‘near kiss’ moment with him.

Part of her thought she’d cooked up the intimate embrace and that she was reading too much into it.

The other half of her felt… alive. Like her mind and body were coming back to life after years of being dormant.

It was probably just his good looks. He was so attractive that she’d have to be dead to not respond to him in some way.

“Grace, please sweep the rubbish next to the garbage can. The garbage truck is coming in a while,” Claire said.

And just like that, she was jolted from the memory. “All right,” Grace said.

She caught a glimpse of Chase coming into the center and she shot a quick glance at her friend. Nice of Claire to take her out of Chase’s path. For a while, she wasn’t sure if Claire was going to

respect her decision or if she was going to keep trying to convince Grace to give Chase a chance.

He was a nice enough man.

But… he deserved better than her!

So did Jay for that matter.

Grace frowned.

She cherished his friendship. She tried to imagine her apartment without him in it. If she came home one day and he wasn’t there.

It sent a pang through her chest.

More of her coworkers were gossiping about the Stevens ad drama. She meant what she’d said to Jay, she didn’t care one way or the other about him. If she still had feelings for Sean maybe she would’ve enjoyed seeing him embarrassed. It was nice, don’t get her wrong, it made her believe that maybe karma did work. But if she subscribed to all of that then she’d have to think that she’d done something to earn all the turmoil and pain

she’d experienced.

It’s okay. You’re okay.

Today is a new day.

She walked to the garbage can and started to sweep the surrounding area.

Suddenly, a pair of Dior high heels came into Grace’s view.

She had once seen plenty of luxury brands and was aware that these particular shoes cost more than she’d make in several months.

She then lifted her head and Lily’s beautiful face came into sight.

Grace had not been expecting to come across Lily again so quickly.

Lily looked the same as when Grace had met her for the first time all those years ago.

She was tall and thin in the way only actresses could be. Her skin had a perfect glow. Meticulously applied makeup, haute couture clothes, expensive designer handbag…

She looked every bit the actress and fiancee to one of the richest men in the city.

If not for either of those things, she was still the only daughter of the Atkinson family and a socialite in her own right.

Even then, when Lily permitted others to rip out her nails, she was still dressed exquisitely. Her expensive and branded clothes stood out in the dark prison.

She looked so radiant and glamorous, then. And now.

It was also this city socialite, highly esteemed by everyone else, who’d made it her goal to see Grace tortured and abused. There was a moment when Grace understood Lily’s plight. Jennifer, Lily’s sister, had died. But it was an accident!

Lily hadn’t even been close to Jennifer. They were related, but

for Lily to be so vengeful, so focused on hating Grace at every turn, even years later, it made no sense.

Maybe if Grace had been unrepentant. But that wasn’t the case. She deeply regretted the accident.

Annabelle, who was accompanying Lily, also noticed Grace and immediately sneered. “I was wondering who this is. Isn’t she the perpetrator who killed Jennifer? This sure is karma. I can’t believe she’s now here working as a sanitation worker.”

Grace’s complexion paled and she remained silent. She lowered her head and continued to sweep up the rubbish that had fallen around the dumpster.

“She sure is thick-skinned,” Annabelle said. “If it were me who had killed someone’s sister, I’m afraid I would cry bitterly as I knelt down and begged for forgiveness. I can’t believe that some people would see it as not a big deal,” Annabelle taunted further.

Grace took a deep breath and slowly raised her head. She looked at the two of them and said, “I’ve already paid the price.” She held the broom in front of her, a physical barrier to encourage these two women to keep their distance.

There were surveillance cameras all around the building— it was a government building-bul government officials could be bought, as she’d learned in the course of her trial and when she’d been tricked into delivering the papers to Mia.

“I was incarcerated for three years over an unwarranted accusation and my lawyer license was suspended. I suffered

through all sorts of hardships in jail and could only be a sanitation worker after being released.”

“Oh, poor you,” Annabelle mocked. “You have a shit job. Big deal. You’re alive, aren’t you? While Jennifer is dead!”

“You think you’ve paid the price? It was only three years in prison and you think that’s the price?” Lily asked coldly. “It should’ve been a life for a life.”

“What do you want now?” Grace retorted calmly. “I’m already living the worst life possible. I have no family. No friendships. Everything I’ve worked for was taken from me. Did you come here to gloat? I can now say that I have nothing to my name, and therefore I have nothing to lose.”

Lily stared at her, making a sweep from the top of Grace’s messy head to the bottom cuffs of her neon orange sanitation worker uniform.

In three years’ time, the woman’s originally dark and long hair had withered and yellowed.

Lily could still recall the first time she had met Grace and had been surprised by her hands. They were smooth and fair, and the nails were meticulously manicured. They had seemed even prettier when holding a pen.

However, this pair of hands were currently not holding a high-quality fountain pen but a rough and dirty broom.

“It seems like your hands have not been completely crippled!”

Lily said, huffing coldly. “We were too gentle with you last time.”

Grace tensed, her hands clutching the broom and tightening.

“Grace, you have nothing to do with Sean anymore. Do you understand me? Don’t let your younger sister make a fool of herself by trying to get close to him again. If she does, you’ll both pay the price for it. And next time, I’ll see that you don’t even have hands to hold.

it happens again, don’t think of holding anything with your hands ever again!”

Lily thought of the projection ads that depicted Sean’s proposal being taken down, and she resented Grace with all her heart.

When they had found out that the person behind the ads being taken down was Jason, the Stevens family had been like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow-string. They were unsure if Jason had done it because of Jennifer’s death and was still taking his anger out on them. They had originally thought that when Jason had agreed to attend the two families’ engagement dinner, he had not minded the marriage between them, but now they were not so sure…

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 26

Lily frowned and glanced at Sean. After all, the ad was being projected by the Stevens family.

Sean stayed calm, “Let me ask about the situation…”

He had barely finished speaking when his phone rang suddenly. He strolled out of the dining area and picked up the call, his expression abruptly turned unpleasant.

“What? What do you mean, taken down? They were all taken down? Aren’t they afraid of paying the penalty fees?”

“The order stated that even if they have to pay the penalty fees in full, the ads must be removed.

“Who the hell authorized this? Fine. Replace the ad agency, and get them back up. Immediately.”

The manager in charge cried as he reported through the phone. “President Stevens, we rushed to contact other companies but none of them were willing to project these ads.”

“Who is it that’s trying to go against the Stevens family?” Sean asked, his face ghastly pale. He was flooded with equal parts of rage and fear.

“It’s the Reed family,” the manager replied. “This issue was personally handled by the Reed Group’s secretary Terrence

Klein.”

Sean was stunned. Terrence … That’s Jason’s personal secretary! Does that mean, this was done by Jason? Was it Jason who

wanted to take down these projection ads?

What does that mean? Did Jason object to the Stevens and Atkinson wedding?

And how far would he go to stop it? As he thought of that, Sean broke out in a cold sweat.

***

The projection ads placed by the Stevens family in ninety-nine spots around the city had been taken down in a single day, generating heated discussions within the city. There were

plenty of people debating online about whether the relationship between Sean and Lily had changed.

It was a bad omen, others said.

One gossip column ran with the rumor that Lily had called off the engagement.

That night, Sean and Lily made a joint statement affirming the solidity of their relationship. The projection ads had been taken down due to the time limit, but their love would never expire.

This statement was upheld by Lily’s many fans.

Back at the apartment, Grace scrolled through the webpage and

came across this news. She could not help being taken aback. She had just mentioned the projection ads to Jay yesterday and they had all been unexpectedly taken down today.

“The ads have been taken down. Sister, are you happy?” Jay’s voice suddenly rang through the room.

She snapped out of her trance. She didn’t know when he had walked over to stand by her side and it seemed as if he had noticed the article on her phone. He looked at her, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

For a split second, she had a wild idea that this incident was related to him as if he was the one who had taken down the ads.

But that was ludicrous.

She laughed out loud. “Well, it was a bit of a surprise to see their publicity campaign end so abruptly.” She shrugged.

“But…?” he pressed.

She shrugged again. “There isn’t actually anything to be happy or sad about. What happened between Sean and me is in the past. I have no feelings for him anymore, so whoever he marries or loves has nothing to do with me,” Grace replied.

“Really, sister, you don’t care about him at all?” He stared at her with a burning gaze, as if those beautiful eyes of his were trying to see through her.

“Would you care about a person who abandoned you?” she retorted.

Another female figure suddenly appeared in his mind. That woman I call mother, did she not also abandon me?

She abandoned me without reservations. Even when I knelt down and begged her, she never once looked back.

The smile around the corner of his lips deepened. “You’re right, that was a dumb question. Who would care about a person who abandoned them?”

She stared at him, beginning to better understand his moods and feelings. If she’d not spent so much time with him, laughed with him over a cup of coffee in the morning, listened to him talk about his day, and then tucked into bed with him sleeping beside her…she might have missed it. But she saw it, the flicker in his gaze.

He’d been hurt. Abandoned.

She recalled him saying he had no family.

She caught the barest glimpse of his pain and realized it was always with him.

He was just really good at hiding it.

As she thought of that, she raised an arm and wrapped it around his neck, pulling him towards her.

Jason’s body tensed slightly but he did not resist. He lay his head on her shoulder and felt her smell enveloping him.

Her scent with its faint fragrance inexplicably gave him a feeling of contentment.

It was as if being by her side allowed him to relax completely.

“Jay, didn’t you say that you would never abandon me? I vow the same, I will never abandon you. No matter what happens in the future, I will stay by your side.”

Her voice was a whisper in his ear.

“Would you really stay by my side no matter what happened?” he mumbled.

“Of course,” she replied matter-of-factly.

“Won’t you be scared of me?” he asked.

She chuckled lightly. “Why would I be scared of you? My Jay…” She leaned back to smile at him.

My Jay… there she went again with that wording. Like he belonged to her. Oh, he wasn’t averse to hearing it. He might even be happy about it.

But right now he was thinking too much and when he raised his head suddenly their faces were only inches apart. The tips of their noses were almost touching.

And he stopped thinking entirely.

Her face flushed red, and when she instinctively backed up, he looped his arm around her waist, stopping her from moving away.

Grace froze. It felt like all the blood in her body was rushing to her head. When Jay was this close to her, she felt lightheaded.

The arm wrapped around her was strong. She could feel the thick muscles that he held in check.

His eyes were nearly black, the pupils were blown out making her wonder what could affect a man like this.

Surely not her, with her scars, baggage, and worthlessness. But in his arms, she didn’t feel so insignificant. She felt seen.

As something more than an ex-con.

As a human.

As a … woman.

She stayed there, suspended in his arms as her gaze darted between his eyes and mouth.

“Still see me as your brother?” Jay whispered.

No. There was nothing brotherly about him at all.

His big body was strong and he cradled her like she was something precious.

And his face. When his dark eyes crinkled at the corners and

his mouth turned up in a knowing grin, she realized that he saw straight through her.

She was attracted to him. The way a woman wanted a man.

And he saw it.

Jason’s phone rang and the moment was shattered.

Or maybe she’d been saved by the bell, so to speak.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 25

Terrence could not understand.

Evelyn stood in the corridor of the hotel and looked at the man wearing a suit and leather shoes. He looked handsome and had the air of a scholar.

“Sean… I know. You and my sister’s story is already history.”

The Stevens Group was going to shoot a large-scale film. After Evelyn learned of it, she eventually managed to find out that Sean was going to have a meal in this hotel, and from there it was a matter of prudent planning and plotting to find the opportunity to meet Sean.

Since Grace was still unwilling to go and beg Sean, she had to come on her own!

When Sean heard the word “sister” he was slightly stunned. The scene involving Grace in the club a few days ago came to his mind.

Although that woman had once been the woman he loved, it was also because of her that the Stevens family had nearly been destroyed.

If it were not for the fact that he had broken up with her in time, and that the Atkinson family had helped the Stevens family, perhaps the Stevens Group would have become a third-rate company now!

He recalled seeing her at the country club-they’d dined there many times when they dated-and when she stood there in her ugly navy blue uniform, with stains on the ankles and her hair in some sloppy ponytail, all he could think was ‘my, how she’d fallen.’ He hated Greg, but not enough to champion his ex-girlfriend.

Grace had been brilliant and hardworking. She was on the fast track to becoming a senator. She had the brains and the looks for it. Until…

Seeing her at the bottom rung of society, literally learning garbage and sweeping streets, He could hardly believe it. Thinking of this, the scene of her climbing desperately towards him with her nails being pulled out flashed through his mind.

She kept saying that she had been wronged!

He almost believed her, but there were both witnesses and material evidence. How could she have been wrongly accused?

This woman, in the end, still refused to admit her guilt!

And he hated her for it.

She deserved every bit of evil that came her way.

“It’s good that you understand,” Sean said coldly.

Evelyn continued, “Well… I’m now the only one in our family that can be counted on. I hope that I can be responsible for some important roles and earn more money to support my family, but it’s just that I don’t have any background, and my sister has been in prison. It will be difficult for me to get a good role.”

Evelyn tried her best to frame the current situation in a miserable way, hoping to garner sympathy.

However, Sean’s expression was still frosty. Evelyn kept trying and said, “After all, my sister once enjoyed living a good life. I can’t bear to see her being too down and out. I hope I can make more money and give her a better life now. I don’t know if you…”

“Nerve you saying that!” A voice suddenly rang out. A beautiful and fashionable woman dressed in a brown coat approached them. She laughed coldly when she noticed Evelyn. “I was wondering who this is, but I recall you now. Turns out, you’re that murderer’s little sister.”

Evelyn’s expression immediately turned unpleasant. She recognized that the woman standing before her was Lily, Sean’s current fiancée.

Lily approached Evelyn with a disdainful gaze. “I remember you’re just some B-list actress. So, you’ve come to find Sean today and persuade him in the hope that he will give you at leading lady role? Have you no dignity?”

Evelyn was extremely embarrassed by the scolding. It just so happened that other people were coming and going along. the corridor at that moment, staring at them as if they were watching a play.

Evelyn could only curse Grace internally. “If she hadn’t killed someone while driving, I would already have gracefully become a popular celebrity and not have to suffer this punishment.”

Evelyn had completely forgotten that the several good roles she had first gotten were by virtue of Grace’s relationships.

“What? Are you still not leaving?” Lily asked, displeased.

Evelyn could only smile as she looked at Sean. “If I just left now, wouldn’t I have wasted a trip today?”

“You have wasted a trip. And you should leave. Your sister and I have nothing to do with each other anymore,” Sean said.

“But…” Evelyn still had more to say.

Lily huffed coldly and said to Evelyn, “If you don’t leave now, I’ll ask security to kick you out!”

Evelyn bit her lip. She had no choice but to leave and planned to find more opportunities in the future.

Lily looked at Sean. “You can’t still be thinking about Grace, right? Just now, Evelyn kept chirping. Aren’t you afraid of Jason getting word of it? Don’t forget, your sister almost married him once.”

The statement sounded like a warning.

Sean’s gaze darkened. “How could I possibly forget? The name ‘Jason’ is like a sword hanging over the head of the Stevens family. For three years, the Stevens family has not had a peaceful day.”

“Exactly! And the initiator of all of this is Grace! The meeting with Jason which we put so much effort into planning was also shattered because of her.”

“Grace served only a three-year sentence. She got off easily.”

“Don’t get me started.” Sean shoved his plate away, his appetite gone.

“Be careful, future husband,” Lily warned.

“Give me a break. All right. I understand. I won’t pay any attention to Evelyn, she was just trying to pull strings. I also told her that Grace and I have nothing to do with each other!” Sean pulled Lily toward him and kissed her hard. “A few days ago, when Grace was harassed by Gregory Anders, did I lift a finger? No. Of course not.”

Lily shrugged. “That was quite the spectacle.”

Grace had nearly been raped in front of a roomful of people. ‘Spectacle’ was putting it mildly.

Then… that whole debacle with Gregory. The man was a Grade A Asshole, but even still, seeing him humiliated like that, and in one of his own clubs, no less.

It left an uneasy feeling in Sean’s stomach.

“Come,” Lily said. “Our friends are waiting for us.”

She flashed him a practiced smile.

Sean nodded.

Only then did Lily’s mood improve slightly. She guided Sean back to a private room where their friends were waiting.

He’d been too preoccupied to wait to eat, so he’d dined alone, but now he’d have to sit through several courses and who knew how many drinks.

He steeled himself for a long night.

“This is for us,” Lily reminded him. “A pre-engagement party before our actual engagement party.” She nudged his shoulder. “Try and smile.”

Sean grinned and slid into business mode. These people were in his same social circle and some of the guys were from upstart tech companies. He knew to play his cards right. Any one of these young men might someday be chairman of billion-dollar industries.

He made small talk and like a good host, he made sure each guest felt engaged.

Suddenly, someone mentioned the 99 three-dimensional Projection Ads Sean had commissioned throughout the city.

Lily basked in the attention. Guys ribbed him for setting the bar too high for any of them to compare, while Lily smiled like such a vow of love was her due.

“Hey,” Annabelle Sanchez said, drawing their party’s attention. “We’re here!”

What? Sean didn’t know what she was talking about. The young actress clapped her hands and ran over to the windows.

“Come!” she said, snapping her fingers at the waiters waiting in the corners of the room. “Open these curtains,” she told them. “The art gallery is opposite this hotel… and it has a massive billboard 3-D projector… We can enjoy the show right now, right here.” She lifted her glass. “Cheers!”

“Here! Here!”

Glasses were raised all around as the curtains were drawn open.

Lily stood at the head of the table, glowing and giggling.”Oh, you

guys…”

However, after the curtains opened, moments passed and there was no appearance of the ad. The wall opposite the hotel was lit only by ordinary lights.

“What happened? Could the Projection Ad be broken?” Annabelle asked in astonishment.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 24

She had always known that he was good-looking, but now that she could really take in all of his features, he was ridiculously handsome.

Far too good-looking for someone like her.

“My brother is really attractive.”

Her word “my” seemed to please him.

She could not help but sigh. “If you were to tie your hair back like this when you’re handing out flyers, you’ll have scores of girls chasing to snatch them from you.”

He laughed.

“How about we go to the hair salon to tidy up your hair later? It’s a pity that your beautiful eyes are always covered by it,” she muttered.

“What’s there to feel sorry for? My current state will only be available for you,” Jason said. “We are family, after all.”

Grace burst out laughing. “You can wear this sweater tomorrow. Get changed and I’ll wash it for you.”

“Alright,” he asserted.

She took out her phone and took a picture of him in the sweater, then moved her finger and updated her Facebook.

Speaking of which, there were almost no friends in her socials. There were actually only two people. One was Lina, and the other was Jay.

“Let Lina look, I’m sure she’ll be so jealous that I have such a handsome younger brother,” Grace said.

Sure enough, after a while, Lina “liked” the post and followed up with a sentence: “Nice sweater. Send me the link, I’ll buy one for my dad.” Then: “By the way, your new younger brother is just like a clothes rack. He should try to be a model. There aren’t any real requirements besides being hot. And he checks that box.”

Grace thought about it and agreed. She then asked Jay, “What do you think about being a clothes model?”

“Not much,” he said.

“Models make a good living.”

He stared at her. “Sister, do you think I make too little money?”

“Ah, no!” she said quickly. “I just want you to have a better life.” Perhaps this was all there was to her life, but she wanted something better for him.

“I will have a better life. When the time comes, I can give you whatever kind of life you want,” he told her seriously.

This was just a game for him, but at this moment, he really wanted to give her a better life in the future.

For him, it would take nothing more than a snap of his fingers. If he said it, it’d be done.

Grace laughed. She did not think he could give her the life she wanted. However, she did not want to hurt his feelings, so she said, “Okay, okay, then I’ll wait until you earn a lot of money- and then you can take care of me. That way, I’ll be able to live comfortably as someone who knows nothing except for relying on you.”

He snorted at her sarcasm. “Great. Glad we’re agreed.”

The next day, when Terrence went to the break room, he heard some colleagues talking. “Have you seen Mr. Reed’s sweater today?”

“No, what’s wrong?”

“It seems to be one of Amazon’s items.”

“Are you sure? How is it possible for Boss Reed to be wearing such mainstream clothes?”

“I don’t think it’s possible either. Could it be some branded clothes that were imitated? “Nonetheless, it looks different when it’s worn by Mr. Reed. Seems like I should buy it for my husband too.”

“Hey, why don’t you send me the link for the sweater later?”

Terrence’s body trembled and he silently exited the coffee room.

He did not have the nerve to tell the two colleagues that Mr. Reed’s sweater today was really a cheap sale item. He had even seen someone in the company wearing the same one as Mr. Reed.

Mr. Reed had not said anything, just glanced at the colleague calmly.

As for that colleague, he looked shocked. It seemed that he could not believe that his big boss was wearing things like him.

Terrence returned to the president’s office and looked at his superior, who had taken off his suit jacket and was reading some documents in front of his desk.

With his hair tied back as he normally wore it, the sweater actually made him look more scholarly and less ruthless.

This piece of clothing was most likely bought by Grace. Normally, before Mr. ReedMr. Reed got to the company, he would change out from the clothes he had been wearing at the apartment. those clothes were dry-cleaned and prepared for him so he could change back into them when he left for the day. Today, however, he had not taken off his sweater.

What does this mean?

Also, how much longer would Mr. Reed continue going back and forth to this woman’s home?

However, naturally, Terrence did not dare to ask these questions.

“Mr. Reed, this is the purchase proposal you wanted.” Terrence set the file he was holding on the desk. When he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped.

“Do you know that Sean has commissioned a publicity campaign with engagement photos throughout the city?

Terrence was flustered. He had never thought his superior would suddenly ask such a question.

“Yes, sir. I know. I’ve seen them.”

“How many of those ads are running in the city?” Jason asked.

“There should be ninety-nine,” Terrence said. He remembered that there had been media interviews in which Mr. Stevens had said that there would be a total of ninety-nine projection ads, representing the love of ninety-nine lifetimes.

“It’s been quite the campaign, sir. And it has certainly elevated Ms. Atkinson. She’s a popular actress, but it’s been reported that she’ll have several leading roles in the next year.”

Remove all of them,” Jason said.

“All of the ads?” Terrence was surprised.

“All of them,” Jason repeated with certainty.

“Okay, sir. I will do it.” Mr. ReedMr. Reed suddenly wanted to withdraw the ads of the Stevens family. Had Sean or maybe Lily offended Jason in some way? Terrence thought hard about what might prompt this. When Jason had been engaged to Jennifer, it had marked a strong political marriage, with the promise of incredible financial gains for both. Of course, the Stevens had far more to gain. Reed Corporation didn’t need them or their assets. But Mr. Reed had made no comments about the Stevens/ Atkinson wedding, he had even accepted the engagement invitation from Sean’s family.

Terrence was puzzled. Suddenly, he shivered and thought of a striking possibility.

Could it be that Mr. Reed wants to withdraw the engagement ads because… of Grace?” Terrence was shocked by his own idea.

Would Mr. Reed do that for a woman? Not even for the sake of Jennifer, who was going to be Mr. Reed’s wife, had Jason ever offended anyone in the business world.

What did this woman, Grace, mean to his boss? Gracehad driven the car that ended Jennifer’s life.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 23

Really? Grace was the victim of this bitch’s machinations, but somehow Mia felt like she owed her something!? That was rich.

“Look. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. And if you think Sean is to blame, then you should take it up with him,” Grace said coldly, then she pulled Jason’s hand and went around Mia.

Mia still wanted to chase after her. However, when Jason turned around and gave her a light glance, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

That line of sight suddenly caused her to feel a sense of fear. It was like if she continued to chase Grace and pester her, then her fate might end up even worse than it was now.

What… what was going on? The man’s face was mostly covered by too-long hair, so she couldn’t really see his appearance. However, the eyes of this man scared her to the extreme.

On the way back with Jason, Grace suddenly said, “Jay, do you know Sean?”

“The president of the Stevens Group?” he asked.

“You know him too then. Yes, he’s the guy who’s been in the news recently. Well, I suppose it’s more Page Six gossip than anything really newsworthy. He’s the groom in the marriage. between the Stevens family and Atkinson family, and… he’s also…” she paused and hesitated for a moment before saying, “my ex-boyfriend.”

Jason also stopped walking and stood quietly by Grace’s side, looking at her.

Perhaps some words or some emotions had been bottled up in her heart for too long, so she could not help but want to spit them out.

“Don’t you think it is incredible that someone like me was once that person’s girlfriend?” She laughed bitterly. “At that time, I was still a new lawyer who had just graduated, and I thought that he and I would get married. But then there was the accident. I swear to God, I wasn’t drinking. I rarely drink and when I do, I never drive! Then they charged me with vehicular manslaughter. Sean broke up with me. I got sentenced to three years, I supposed I was fortunate to get out in three years for good behavior…”

“What was it like being in jail?”

She paused for a while and did not continue to talk about the nightmare-like situation in the prison. She shook her head. “I … can’t.”

Jason regretted asking. He watched her flex and curl her fingers, and knowing what had happened all those years ago, he could see the scars. The bones that broke that hadn’t been set correctly. Her joints were swollen.

“Forget it. It’s nothing. It’s all in the past.” She tried to smile for him and failed miserably Jason pursed his lips. She hadn’t told him what transpired while she’d been incarcerated, but the information on her that Terrence unearthed had made everything clear.

When he was looking at those documents, he had not felt anything. He’d read and processed the accounts as if he were looking at data on a quarterly accounting statement.

But to hear her talk about it-or more appropriately, be incapable of talking about it, of dredging up those memories… it had something tightening in his chest.

Did he feel sorry about what she had experienced? When had he, Jason, ever been sad about a woman?

She took a deep breath and continued, “From then on, I told myself not to trust the so-called love between a man and a

woman. A person can love you one day, but tomorrow, you can be thrown away like garbage.”

She punctuated the sentence by kicking a pebble into the street.

“I wouldn’t throw you away,” he suddenly said.

She unexpectedly smiled. “I know, Jay.”

She paused and continued more cheerfully. “So now I don’t think about dating, and I don’t think about who I’m going to marry or have children with. For me, these are unattainable things. So why waste time dwelling on them?”

He frowned as if he did not like her words.

“It’s just like looking at that advertisement.” She pointed to a big projection ad not far away. “This ad was put up by Sean for Lily. It’s great PR, right? The charming couple, the perfect quote about foregoing ninety-nine lives to wait for one lifetime together. It’s very romantic, isn’t it?”

Jason made a noncommittal sound.

“But it’s nonsense. No one really means those things.” She laughed. “I wonder how Lily would feel if she knew that Sean had said those same words to me. So you see, whether to love someone or change a lover, that’s also very easy.”

Jason studied the ad. It was a striking picture and a total publicity campaign by both families to drive up their stock values.

Jason looked at the slender woman in front of him. On her face, there was a kind of calm resignation that came from a withered heart. It was as if she had already seen through everything, and there was nothing else that could stir her heart now.

His chest tightened. What about him?

He raised his hand and covered her eyes, which were fixed on the billboard. “Sister, if you don’t like this ad, how about getting it removed tomorrow?”

When she heard this, she just took it as a joke. This had been specially made by the Stevens family and the Atkinsons for the express purpose of announcing their marriage alliance. Who would dare to take it down?

It was dark in front of her eyes. His hand touched her skin, and heat radiated from his touch.

After a while, she pulled his hand down and looked up at him. “Jay, thank you.”

She thought that he was trying to comfort her by saying these things. “Alright, let’s go. Let’s go home for dinner.” As she spoke, she held his hand and walked in the direction of their residence.

He glanced at the big projection ad and then followed her steps to leave.

Back at the apartment, Grace went to the security office in the community to retrieve an express delivery. It was the sweater she had bought for Jay.

She opened the package, took out the sweater, and touched the material. It wasn’t bad. She’d been worried. For that price, the quality was quite good.

“Jay, come and see if this sweater suits you,” she said.

The sweater had a blend of blues and greens. When Jason put it on, Grace’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you look so good!”

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she said, “Jay, bend down a little.”

Jason did as she asked and leaned down. Grace held a comb and pulled his hair back.

Whoa.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 22

Grace felt that this was ridiculous. “It’s normal for you to ask me to send documents. There was nothing wrong with it. Naturally, I can’t talk about forgiveness.”

Mia was dumbfounded. What… what was she supposed to say? Did she have to say that she had been wanting to see Grace get humiliated and make a fool of herself, and so she had set her up

to deliver the document?

“But I… I made you lose face in front of everyone, and even Greg…”

“That’s what they did. It had nothing to do with you, right?”

“It had something to do with me!” Mia shouted in her heart. This was the first time in her life that she desperately wanted to take responsibility for something. But the words wouldn’t come.

“Well, if there is nothing else, I still have to work,” Grace said, ignoring the bitter look on Mia’s face. She went around Mia and walked to the other side of the road to sweep the ground.

Although Grace did not know why Mia had come to her today, she did not intend to forgive her for what had happened that day.

Just as Grace was sweeping, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked up to see that it was Chase from the fleet.

Chase’s face was slightly red, and he said with great courage, “Grace, Claire said that you don’t want to be in love now, but… but… I’m sincere. I’m willing to wait for you. When… when you do want to be in a relationship, you can look for me.”

After saying this, he seemed to feel that something was amiss. He quickly corrected himself and said, “It’s not that you can look for me, but that I can line up and wait for you…”

Grace stared at him in a daze. “You can find someone more suitable for you. I am just a street sweeper. I don’t earn much, and my job has no future. I am not good wife material.”

“But I like you.” After saying this, Chase’s face seemed to turn redder. “Claire said that you don’t have a boyfriend now. I will wait.”

“But I…” She just wanted to refuse again, but when she saw his flushed face and somewhat nervous expression, she was a little stunned. At least this man, at this moment, seemed to be sincere to her, and as Claire had told her, he was an honest person.

Such a man, generally speaking, would be a good husband and a good father.

But… if this man knew that she had been in prison, he would probably stay far away from her.

At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded behind her. “Sister, won’t you introduce us?”

Grace turned around and saw a familiar figure walking towards her. The black down jacket, black trousers, and sneakers were all from discount stores, but on him, they looked stylishly good. However, his expression was a bit more, she wasn’t sure, but predatory came to mind. He didn’t outwardly reflect any anger, but something told Grace that Jason wasn’t nearly as calm as he appeared.

“Of course,” she replied automatically. “This is my colleague.

Jay, why are you here?” she asked.

“I finished work early today, so I came to see you,” Jason said as he held Grace’s left hand, he rubbed his palms over hers. “Your hand is a little cold.”

“It’s okay.” Working in the chilly winter, her hands would be blown by the harsh wind. Obviously, they would get cold, but she was used to it. She didn’t wear gloves most of the time because they made it harder to work.

However, Jason held her hands with both of his, warming them. up gently. He rubbed them with one hand and then changed over to the other.

Chase stared at the intimate interaction between Jason and Grace, his frown deepening. He could not help but ask, “Grace, is this… your brother?”

“Yes.” Grace nodded.

Jason glanced at Chase and lazily put his hands around her waist. “When do you finish work?” he asked her.

“In half an hour. I’ll be done after sweeping this road,” Grace said.

“Alright.” Jason smiled. “I’ll wait for you.”

He glanced at Chase. “You should let her finish,” he said. “Have a good day.”

Seeing that Grace was trying to finish her work for the day, Chase shook his head. “Excuse me. You’re right. I’ll go since you’re busy.”

Watching Chase leave, Jason suddenly grabbed Grace’s chin with his fingers and half-forced her to face him straight. “I don’t like you seeing other men like this. He doesn’t look trustworthy.”

Grace burst out laughing. “What are you thinking? I don’t have any intentions towards him.”

“Does that mean he doesn’t have those kinds of feelings towards you?” he asked back.

She was at a loss for words.

“Is he the colleague who likes you?” he asked.

“Yes, I’ve already asked my friend Claire to help discourage him. He’s a nice guy, and he means well. I’m just not looking to get into a relationship. I didn’t expect him to approach me today.”

“If you don’t like him, you should refuse him directly,” Jason said. “He’s not worthy of you.”

Grace laughed. “You probably think too much of me. It is me that’s not good enough for him. He has a house, a car, and a steady job. In our workplace, many girls like him.”

“You are worth much more than that,” he said quietly.

In his tone, there was a desire for possession that he had not even noticed.

After Grace cleaned the road and was preparing to pack up tools to return to the Sanitation Service Center, Mia suddenly rushed up from the side of the building and said to Grace, “Can you please forgive me? I really can’t lose this current job. This job is very important to me! I beg you, tell our director that you forgive me and ask him to cancel the order for dismissal, okay?”

After thinking about it for a while, Mia still felt that Grace was most likely the one that she had offended.

Grace shook her head. “You’re mistaken. I have no power here. I’m not sure what you did or why you’re being let go, but it has nothing to do with me. I have no connections with your director either.”

“That’s impossible!” Mia said anxiously. “You’re the only one I’ve ever offended. Could it be that Sean saw you like that and couldn’t bear it, and so he avenged you? Is that why I was condemned?”

Thinking it over, there was only this possibility.

Only now did Grace finally understand the reason for Mia coming to her and begging her for forgiveness. “Mia, you’re chasing shadows. Sean … he has no regard for me. He has not forgiven me, and I can assure you, he’d not exert his influence to lift a finger for me!”

“You need to fix this,” Mia argued.

My Gorgeous Wife is an Ex-Convict Novel Chapter 21

After losing face in the club, Greg was beaten into the hospital by his father, who valued business over family.

Even so, several of the Anders family’s businesses related to the Reed Group had been affected. For the Anders family, the loss could not be said to be small.

The people who took part in the alumni gathering that day either lost their jobs or their families suffered. In short, every single person who ignored Grace’s plight paid the price for it.

When Mia Jemerged from the personnel department, both of her legs were trembling, and she could barely stand.

The personnel department directly gave her a termination. letter, saying that they would dismiss her and let her finish the resignation formalities within a week.

Dismissed! She had never thought about it before.

Her family had expended a lot of effort to get her into the Urban Management Bureau. It had not been easy for them to pull so many connections to secure her such a job. What’s worse, she’d been on a series of dates and blind dates, and her job was an advantage. She’d been elevated by the political position that she’d been afforded at the Urban Management Bureau. One of those guys caught wind that she’d been fired… it was doubtful they’d want to continue pursuing her.

If she was dismissed like this, not only would it be hard to find a new job, but also she would lose face in front of her relatives and friends. And her family…would be devastated.

When she asked the personnel department why they had fired. her or what exactly she had done wrong, the staff simply said, “It’s an order from the superiors. You’ll be given compensation for the dismissal, but you’ll never be employed here again.”

Mia panicked and called Maria. “Maria, what should I do? I’m being let go from the Urban Management Bureau. You… Didn’t you say that you have good relations here? Can you help me think of a way? Find someone who’s on good terms with our director and plead for me.”

Usually, since Mia was obedient enough, Maria would be willing to help her. They’d been friends a long time, and there were few people Maria trusted. Mia had proven her loyalty over the years. But at this time, Maria couldn’t care less about Mia. She had her own problems to contend with.

Maria could not even protect her own family.

The bank loan that had originally been agreed upon was suddenly rejected, and the family’s capital flow was about to stagnate. As she took this call, her whole family was scrambling to borrow money from people.

However, they were in trouble. No one wanted to lend them a dime. And she knew their names had been tarnished-in ways they might not recover from.

Maria held the phone away from her ear as Mia prattled on.

Damn it, her family was on the verge of bankruptcy. She didn’t have time for this.

“I can’t help you. Go find someone else!” Maria said.

“You… How can you say that? I’ve always done everything you’ve asked me to. You said that you wanted me to lure Grace into the private room for the alumni event. I did it, and I didn’t hesitate at all. Now, I’m asking you for your help with something, and you refuse!?”

At this moment, Mia hated Maria to death.

She had a good relationship with someone in the personnel department who had secretly told her that it was related to a misuse of power. It was something to do with the person from

the Sanitation Service Center.

The only thing she could think of was asking Grace to send the document. However, on this matter, Maria had been the true mastermind!

“I didn’t force you to do it. You wanted to see Grace get humiliated, that’s why you were willing to agree. At most, I just gave you an idea. It’s your own doing. It has nothing to do with me,” Maria said coldly.

The two of them began to attack each other like rabid dogs.

After Mia fell out with her best friend, her family also gave her a hard scolding. However, in the end, they still spent money and made use of connections for her. They tried to find someone to intercede for her, but the money and gifts could not even be sent out.

Even those they did manage to send away, all came back in less than two days, returned by their recipients.

Finally, it was an old acquaintance who had had a good relationship with them for many years who secretly said, “Who on earth did your daughter offend? The backing of that person seems to be very strong. I heard from the director of the Urban Management Bureau that in the future, your daughter will find it difficult to find an ordinary job, let alone this kind of secure one.”

Mia’s parents were stunned when they heard that. After returning home, they questioned their daughter about what kind of big shot she had offended.

Mia was confused. What big shot could she have offended? In her usual work and life, she did not come into contact with any!

The reunion gathering came to mind. Because what had happened with Greg was pretty hard to forget. And Jason had been furious to have his dinner disturbed by the commotion they’d been causing with Grace.

Wait.

Could it be… that the big shot behind Grace was Jason Reed?

This idea flashed through Mia’s mind, but it was immediately shot down.

Grace had crushed Jason’s fiancée, Jennifer, in a drunk driving accident. The Stevens family, the Reed family, hell, the most prominent families in connection to them had all wanted her head on a platter.

So who else could be supporting Grace?

Grace was only a sanitation worker-and a convict. Was it even possible? Or had her parents received bad information?

Nonetheless, after thinking about it for a while, it seemed that the only person she had offended was Grace.

The next day, Mia hurried to find Grace.

As soon as she saw Grace, she said with tears in her eyes, “I’m really sorry for that day. It was Maria’s idea to ask you to come to the reunion, so I asked you to send me the documents. Since then, I’ve been regretting it. It’s all my fault that you suffered such an insult. I’m sorry.”

Grace looked at her coldly. Like she did not believe a word of what Mia had said.

“Grace, can you forgive me?” Mia seized the opportunity to ask.

Grace said calmly, “Why should I forgive you?”

“Huh? I… I’ve already admitted my mistake. Won’t you forgive me?”