In the Lap of Luxury

Xander glanced at her after he finished speaking. What he meant was evident enough.

Grace tightened her grip on the seatbelt as she calmly asked, "What did you want to tell me? Was it something that could be done with just a call?"

Xander replied, "You only had Luke with you. I was worried that you might have been forced to drink."

Grace asked, "You were the one who introduced Mr. Thorne to me. Don't you know the kind of person he is?"

Xander answered, "He's a gentleman. He wouldn't make it hard for you."

Grace continued, "Then you still-"

"I wanted to see you."

Xander tilted his head and looked at her as he made it clear. "Would you be able to accept this answer?"

Grace was stunned. She was clearly surprised.

She replied, "We just met yesterday."

"Meeting once isn't enough for some people."

Xander glanced over at the rearview mirror and drove out of the city center. He then slowed the car down and stopped by the roadside.

Grace asked, "Why did you stop the car?"

"There was an accident somewhere further down when I came over earlier. They haven't cleared up the road yet, so I figured we could just wait here."

Xander opened the glove compartment. There was only a pack of cigarettes inside.

Grace held his hand to stop him and said, "This is a mild one. You won't be used to it."

"I'll just try it." Xander took out a cigarette and held it in his mouth.

He said, "Light it up, Gracie."

His gaze was clear and piercing under the dim lights.

Grace's heart skipped a beat. She took out a lighter and lit it up. The flame illuminated both their faces.

Xander asked, "You didn't know how to smoke in Coronia. When did you learn it?"

Grace replied, "Nobody was looking after me in Pamore. I just learned to smoke on my own."

Grace lit his cigarette and tossed the lighter away.

She recalled how she had once been troubled by some people back when she had been married to Benjamin. But none of the Hawkinses had cared about her, not even Benjamin. Needless to say, she couldn't help but feel frustrated. That was how she had learned to smoke.

Xander took a long drag from the cigarette. It was just as Grace had said. It was too mild for him.

He rolled down half of the window and said, "You did it willingly."

"Yeah, I did it willingly. Even you're blaming me now, Xander." Grace was somewhat upset.

Xander's gaze seemed to burn through her as he asked, "Have you ever thought what things might have been like if you had never come to Pamore back then?"

Grace replied, "There's no 'if'. Even though the ending wasn't the best, at least I was happy back then. I don't regret it."

"You don't regret it, even though the Hawkins family and Benjamin looked down on you for three years?"

Grace was panicking deep down and begged, "Can you stop talking about it?"

Xander continued, "Are you regretting it, or do you still have feelings for Benjamin?"

Xander was pressing on. Perhaps the smoke was too strong, but Grace felt her eyes water.

"Are you having fun rubbing salt in my wounds, Xander?"

"I'm not. It's just that..."

Xander paused for a bit before replying, "I regret it now."

Grace looked up in shock and asked, "What?"

Xander said, "I regret not stopping you from leaving Coronia back then."

Both of them watched each other in silence. Some time later, Xander coughed and put the cigarette out.

He said, "But look at you now, Gracie. Aren't you doing good anyway? It's still not too late now."

Grace didn't say anything. She couldn't figure Xander out.

"You'll get better, and I'll always stay by your side. That will never change."

Xander restarted the car and said, "Don't worry, I'm good at driving."

Grace wasn't an idiot. She figured out why he had come over and said nothing more. Her mood had also improved.

Xander drove her car into the garage. Before leaving, he said, "You shouldn't smoke so much."

Grace replied, "Okay. You can just drive my car back. It's too late now."

"Alright."

Their relationship was different now that they could share their private possessions.