"Such a bitch." Steph cursed before she clung to Grace, "Don't let her worthless words affect you; she is such a clown."
"Affect me?" Grace found her words funny, deep down she was hurt but she had this strong mask on her face.
**
The next day, Grace didn't have a fancy dress to wear for her presentation. After rummaging through her closet, she could only find a simple white gown.
So she got dressed and went to her parents' bedroom before knocking, "Who is there?"
"Father, it's me, Grace." She was very nervous. "Today is my presentation; will you be coming?"
She could hear the sound of her heart beat, anticipating her father's reply, "He will be accompanying me to the market, so just do it alone. We are not that free." Sarah's voice echoed from the bedroom.
"Please father" she insisted, she never cared if her stepmom was there or not, what she wanted was her dad.
"Didn't you get your mother?" Her dad scoffed.
Grace rubbed her palms and smiled. She held onto her tears tightly. "Okay, father."
She walked out of the house and took a cab that drove her to school. The parking lot was filled with different cars, the school building was well decorated, and students could be seen walking with their flowers and parents.
"Grace" Kendrick waved at her; he was holding a bouquet and dressed in a shirt and jeans.
She smiled and approached him. "You made it."
"Of course, for you," he said, handing the flowers to her before they walked into the big hall where students were to present using a projector.
"Don't be nervous, okay?" Kendrick whispered, and Grace nodded. She watched the other students present and take pictures with their parents.
"Mother, if only you were here" she sighed heavily, her mom had gone out one morning and never returned, due to that she had to move in with her dad and step mom.
**
Back to Presnt Day...
She stared at Raymond with a frown as her anger simmered up. Then she stared at the big house, which was so beautiful, and yes, she loved it. "But I will never get moved by prestige," she scoffed inwardly.
"Mr.."
"Raymond Xu, but you can call me honey," he chimed in, and her eyes almost left their socket.
Raymond analyzed her face while tapping his finger lightly on the chair. He was anticipating her response and hoping that she would sign it.
"Mr. Xu, don't ever show your face to me again, its obvious you have no idea where my mom is" she warned, and ran out of the mansion. Raymond signaled the driver to take her home.
"She probably needs some time to think it over," he thought before he filled his glass with wine. "Was I rejected?"
"No no, and besides I am trying to help her, how could she reject such an offer?"
**
Grace allowed the driver to drop her off because there were no cabs around, and she also didn't have any money with her.
"Miss Chen, here is Mr. Xu's card." It contained his phone number and his WeChat ID. Grace hesitated for a while, but she took it and kept it in her pocket.
She didn't let the driver drop her off at her place; instead, he dropped her off at her favorite coffee shop owned by her older friend.
Grace walked in, and as usual, the place was mostly empty. "Sweetie, you are back from your presentation?" Alice said while cleaning the table.
Grace had a lost look; her mind drifted to Mr. Xu, as she still found it hard to believe that he had asked her to be his girlfriend in exchange for all that and he even made her believe that he knew where her mother was.
"I have just a few days to live; should I consider that?" Her mind was a mess.
"Earth to Grace Chen" Alice hit the table, and she flinched before staring up at the older lady, who was in her late forties.
"What happened, sweetie? Did Maleficent stick her claws on you again?"
Grace shook her head in denial. "My presentation was good."
"I am glad. Do you want some coffee?"
"No, I only came to let you know my presentation was good. I will leave now." she had wanted to seek advice from Alice but she thought against it.
"What's bothering you?" Alice became worried instantly. "Alice, if I find a better life, then should I leave my family?"
"Immediately, sweetie, that family doesn't deserve you." She didn't even blink or think twice before saying that because she knew that even hell was better than that house for Grace.
"Good night, Alice."
Then Grace walked back home and walked in. After she changed into her slippers, the first person she found standing there was her stepmother. She had an angry look.
Behind her were her dad and her sister Nora, "Mother."
"Don't you dare call me your mother, you whore; I am no mother to a whore," Sarah blurted angrily, and Grace's eyes widened in shock.
"Why would you call me that?" She burst out in tears. They had called her all sorts of names, but this was the first time she heard her mom call her a whore.
"We all know your mom had followed a man and abandoned you" Sarah scoffed.
"My mother will never abandon me"
"Shut up" Sarah scolded and Grace couldn't stop herself from crying "my mother wouldn't abandon me" she had been convincing herself for the past five years.
"Stop the fake tears; I saw you get into a man's car," Nora chimed in, and Grace shook her head in denial.
"It's not what you think."
"Wait, Grace, tell me. Where did the man take you?" Her dad asked; she had never lied to him and also didn't want to lie to him.
And as they always say, the truth will set you free, so she decided to open up "His house, but..."
Her dad slapped her hard across the face. She held her cheeks tightly. "I didn't raise a whore."
"They say a monkey doesn't give birth to a cat, so it makes so much sense that she ended up as a whore just like her mother," Sarah insulted, and Grace whipped her tears.
"Get the stick," Sarah ordered Nora; this made Grace shiver in fear.
Whenever they hit her with the stick, she feels like she is dying; all her body becomes bruised, and she is ordered not to make a sound while they hit her.
"Please father…" She folded her hands and stared at her dad, who didn't look at her as if he were ashamed of her action.
"I am your daughter, why don't you say anything?" She asked angrily but still, her dad didn't utter a word.
As Nora approached with the stick, Grace opened the door and rushed out of the house. "Come back here!" Sarah yelled angrily.
"This is the first time she is running away." Nora was surprised; she was already anticipating a good show but never expected that Grace would run away.
"Lock the door, let her sleep outside, and she will come back begging, and I won't spare her," Sarah ordered before she stomped off.
-
Grace ran back to Alice's coffee shop, and Alice was about to lock it. "Hey..." Alice got worried when she saw Grace run to her while trying to catch her breath.
"What happened, sweetie?"
"I am tired, Alice." Grace burst out in tears. She wanted her father to be proud of her and love her, but how is she going to achieve that if she dies before her disease eats her up?
"Come here," she said, pulling her in for a hug. "I already told you to move in with me."
"No" Grace knew that would cause problems between Alice and her husband, so that's why she never took the offer.
Then her mind drifted to Mr. Xu's request. She dipped her hand in her pocket, took out the card, and stared at it while contemplating.
"Was he serious?" she thought, then stared at Alice.
"Can I please use your phone?"
"Who do you want to call?" asked Alice, but Grace didn't reply because she didn't know how to explain the situation to Alice.
"Okay, fine, I want to buy some groceries from down the street before going home. You can use my phone while I return, okay?"
Grace nodded; Alice handed her phone and left. So she typed Mr. Xu's cell number. She thought of sending him a message through WeChat, but that was going to be a long process.
After a few rings, the call got connected: "Hello Raymond Xu, it's me, Grâce Chen. If the offer still stands, then I am in."