Chapter 173: Chapter 171: He Will Always Be the Man Who Moved My Heart (11)
"Nora Ainsworth, did your boss not tell you? He’s no match for me."
She groaned internally. ’Why does a man this tyrannical and shameless have to exist in this world!?’
"Quentin Grant, you’re supposed to be a very proud man. So why are you still shamelessly pestering me?"
He could only say, "I’ve discovered that pride works with anyone else, but not with you. The more I rely on it, the farther you pull away. If I don’t seek you out, you’ll never seek me out. Isn’t that right?"
Nora Ainsworth pursed her lips. He was right. Once she had decided to let go, she would never be the one to seek him out.
"Let me tell you, it doesn’t matter how you threaten or entice me now, it won’t work. You have nothing to hold over me anymore."
He smiled confidently. "I don’t need to use those old threats and promises anymore. I don’t have to do a thing, and it’ll work just fine."
"Why are you doing this?" They were barely two steps apart, yet she felt that even face-to-face, they could never erase the past.
’Besides, I can never give him a child. He’d grow tired of a life like that before long.’
Quentin Grant pulled her into his arms, holding her tight so she couldn’t move. Only then did he feel it—the person in his embrace was the most precious thing in the world.
Pride, dignity, all the harsh words he’d spoken—he tossed them all to the wind.
"Nora, I’ve realized that no matter what I do, you never get jealous. You never show any negative emotion in front of me, and it terrifies me. Nora, I love you more than I ever imagined. I can’t live without you."
Nora Ainsworth’s carefully constructed facade shattered at his words.
’But I can’t.’
"I had no idea you were so infatuated with me." As she spoke, she forced her tears back.
Quentin Grant slowly let her go. "I’ve already humbled myself this much, and you’re still—"
Before he could finish, Nora Ainsworth cut in harshly, "That’s right. Even if you threw yourself at me every day, I would never love you. President Grant, do you understand me this time? Stop doing these pointless things. Just give up."
The words caught in his throat, and he couldn’t say anything more. ’I’ve humbled myself again and again,’ he thought, ’but she’s still like this. It can only mean one thing: there’s truly no place for me in her heart anymore.’
Darkness slowly crept into his eyes. Quentin Grant stared at her. "You really take my heart and trample it on the ground like it’s worthless. I’ve broken my own rules for you again and again, yet you insist on this. You’d better remember the feeling of me inside you. That way, when I’m truly done with you, the memory will be painful."
In recent days, she would occasionally have fantasies.
They would be lying side-by-side in bed, heads touching, looking into each other’s eyes before breaking into a knowing smile. His magnificent face would be etched deep into her heart, impossible to forget.
But in the instant she woke from the dream, she would open her eyes to a wet pillow. She had been having a beautiful dream, only to be powerlessly crushed by reality.
He let go of her arm, his voice turning cold and distant one last time.
"Nora Ainsworth, you may not have any weaknesses I can exploit, but I will make you wish you were dead. I’ll make you kneel and beg me in the end. A woman I’ve cast aside... I’d like to see who dares to take you. You will definitely find out what it feels like to suffer a fate worse than death."
The sound of footsteps faded, and the door was slammed shut.
Remembering Quentin Grant’s words, her heart ached until it went numb.
’Every day, every moment, not having him by my side... for me, that’s already a fate worse than death.’
No matter what he planned to do to her, she wouldn’t leave Alveria for good. Leaving meant she would never have the chance to see him again.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she lowered her eyes and wept bitterly. This time, she was truly going to lose him. This was the end for them.
The door opened again. She lifted her gaze slightly toward the entrance. Chloe Marshall was standing there, watching her from a distance, her own eyes red-rimmed as she stared.
The door was then bolted shut. Chloe Marshall quickly walked over and sat down beside her. The scent of passion hung in the air; Chloe knew what had just happened. She had seen Quentin Grant leaving Room 803 with her own eyes.
"Chloe."
Chloe Marshall took her hand. "Nora, I think you’re so incredibly noble."
She froze. Chloe continued, "I saw the medical report."
Nora Ainsworth was at a loss. "You—"
"Nora, I won’t tell anyone unless you say so. I just think life is so unfair. You’ve been through so much."
Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at Nora. "As long as you feel this is the right thing to do, I’ll support you."
Nora Ainsworth hugged her. "Chloe, I don’t regret this. As long as he finds a kind girl, gets married, and has children, I’ll be fine. After all, he’s the only son of the Grant Family. He can’t go without a child of his own."
"You should burn all of those reports, Nora. You have to."
Nora Ainsworth let her go and lifted the comforter, pulling out a few sheets of paper. She flicked on a lighter, and a flame quickly leaped up. In just a moment, the papers were reduced to ash.
She looked closely at Chloe Marshall and noticed that she didn’t look well either. "What’s wrong?" she asked.
Chloe Marshall lowered her head. "Last night, I saw a text message on Boss Ellsworth’s phone. It was from Jean Grant."
"What did it say?"
"It was about a one-year agreement, telling Boss Ellsworth to honor it. I don’t know what it is, but I always feel like Boss Ellsworth is still waiting for her." Chloe lowered her head. "Nora, Miss Grant is already married. Do you think she’s still holding onto Boss Ellsworth?"
Nora squeezed her hand back. "I don’t think so. No matter how foolish Ethan Ellsworth might be, he wouldn’t forget that he’s the only son of the Ellsworth Family. Besides, he would never be the other man in a relationship. His pride wouldn’t allow it. The agreement is probably about something else."
"On the way back, in the car, I heard Jean Grant say she’d read the love letter Boss Ellsworth gave her. Then they went outside to talk. From our balcony, I saw Boss Ellsworth hug her."
Nora’s expression grew serious. "Could their agreement be that Jean has to get a divorce within a year? And Ethan Ellsworth has to wait for her? That’s a bit ridiculous. Jean loves Marlon Marshall so much, how could that be possible? But then again, Jean used to dislike Ethan Ellsworth so much. Could one love letter really have won her over?"
Chloe Marshall shook her head. "I don’t know. Nora, Miss Grant has been in Boss Ellsworth’s heart for so long she’s already sprouted and taken root. I don’t stand a chance."
"You never know when it comes to feelings, Chloe. Try not to take it so hard." Nora didn’t know how else to comfort her.
Chloe flopped down on the bed, burying her face in the comforter. Her voice came out muffled. "It’s okay. It’s his business if he doesn’t have feelings for me, and it’s my business that I love him. Even if Boss Ellsworth marries someone else one day, I’ll still wish him well. He’ll always be the one man who ever moved my heart."
