I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden)

"Patrick He, any comments?" The man's dark eyes turned to Master He who was at the side. The later was obviously outraged due to embarrassment yet he could only choose to suppress his anger.

Anyone who was not blind could tell it was a mercy that Master He was not struck by a stroke when Caden was so good at irritating people. The walking stick that he grasped in his hand to support him was quivering yet he still did not utter a word in the end. An astonished look flashed across Grace's face and she looked up at the man beside her. This guy, what was he trying to do?

Caden lowered his eyes. His eyes swept past Grace's face and his thin lips gave a sudden curve. "Grace James, what should you do?"

What should she do?

Grace knew Caden too well that he would not show his kindness out of the blue. Although the people around her was taken aback by his question and began chitchatting whether he wanted to back her up, she knew the man standing beside her too well deep down. If he was indeed kind, how would she get into such a plight?

Grace shut her eyes up. There were currently two forces dragging her from opposite ends and she had to make a decision. She knew she had to, and that man was forcing her to do so!

What should she do?

Although grandpa's love towards her was not pure, she still appreciated him as without him, she would have the same fate as those mistresses who relied on their parents and were made tools for arranged marriage in the end. Without him, she would not be able to discover such a huge world without boundaries and would not have experienced such a tough but wonderful life before she went into jail. Being born in a wealthy family and receiving a life deemed lavish by people would also mean losing some other things, especially for a mistress, and grandpa had provided her an opportunity to choose. Barring his considerations for the James family, she remembered and was grateful for all the kindness he had shown her.

Her eyes flashed open with determination. "President Shaw, please lend me 400 million."

The man who was putting his arm around her shoulder curved his lips and his face lit up with admiration. If she thought he would be so generous to support her and help her seize Wei'ai back like any other people, she would no longer be the 'Grace James' he knew! A voice pierced through his mind. As expected, no matter how this woman changed, her core was still the same. If she had pleaded him directly to help her take Wei'ai back, it would mean she had changed. Yet...

"400 million? What do you want to give me in exchange? I am a businessman, not a philanthropist. Grace James, think carefully. What can you give me as a guarantee?" Caden asked with a calm voice. Grace glanced at the man before her with mixed expression. She bit her teeth and decided to go all out. "From now on, I'll obey only President Shaw's orders." That meant she had signed the slavery contract! Caden was cheery to hear that. He replied joyously when he saw her stiff body and her edgy look. "Sure. I'll lend you."

Grace did not dare to relax herself. "Thank you, President Shaw." She then turned facing Jafar saying, "I want to take back the thing that belongs to me, and I'm using 400 million to buy Wei'ai." She gazed at Jafar without any tenderness in her eyes.

Jafar was speechless as he was in the middle of a dilemma. Caden Shaw was backing the jinx yet he had sold Wei'ai to Master He just now. He did not dare to offend Caden as who knew what that jinx's relationship was with him. He was not the only one being confused as everyone had also thought Caden intended to humiliate Grace at first when he brought her back to the James family. They never expected he would stand with Grace when Walter was about to make his move. Now that everyone thought he wanted to support Grace, they saw Grace asking to borrow money from him. If he truly wanted to support her and there was some inexplicable relationship between them, there was no need to request for money. They could not tell their relationship at once.

Jafar though was baffled by their relationship; he did not want to offend Caden. He caught a glimpse of Master He from the corner of his eyes and his eyes gleamed with acuity. He quickly said, "Well, Grace, you must have seen it earlier. Wei'ai has already been bought by Master He." The He family immediately cursed him in their heart for scapegoating them when they heard that.

Grace's eyes fell on Master He. "Wei'ai was managed single-handedly by grandpa and I. Why should the He family get involved in trouble for today's matter? Master He is a clever person and I suggest Master He give it up." Without talking anymore bullshit, she cut straight to the point.

Master He was furious, yet he felt aggrieved when he spotted a face wearing a false smile behind her. "I, Patrick He would not compete with a youngster. It would only embarrass me. Hmph!" His words had clarified his stance.

Grace's eyes fell on Jafar once again. "Three years ago, the James family's decision was final, rejecting any possible negotiation. I suppose you knew better whether it's because being scared of getting involved or any other reason. Now that the past has already passed, it's meaningless to mention that again. Mr. James, the reason I come here today is because Wei'ai was the present given to me by grandpa. Although grandpa regretted that I was not a boy, his love towards me was not false at all. Grandpa would only be relieved in the afterlife when Wei'ai is run by me. I'll ask Mr. James this one question. 400 million. Are you giving Wei'ai back to me?"

Everyone at the scene seemed to have once again seen the shadow of the unquestionable cold rose in Shanghai back then on the skinny and ugly maiden before them. Although she was asking him to give it back, her determination to seize it by force if her request was rejected was obvious from her stout attitude.

Jafar's face flushed and turned pale at once resembling a color palette. He did not know how to respond to avoid embarrassment when he was threatened by his own daughter who had clarified her relationship with him. His chest further tightened when he saw the people under the stage watching him as if watching a good show. Mrs. James who was smooth and slick then stood forward. "Oh Grace, we all know Wei'ai was given to you by the old man. You could tell us if you want it back. Your dad cares about his pride. It's okay to give you...If you have talked nicely to your dad in the first place, your dad would soften his heart and we don't have to be in such an awkward situation. I'll respond and decide for your dad. Wei'ai is yours."

Grace had already been indifferent towards the 'family' in front of her. Her words were pleasant but she must have forgotten that she had been the one humiliating her in front of the crowd and wanting to chase her away. She lowered her eyes. As long as she had taken Wei'ai back, it did not matter what this family wanted to say. The reason she borrowed 400 million from Caden was because she wanted to take back the thing belonged to her herself!