A Deal


    In a fancy room at the Francis estate, romance filled the air. Grace Shermany on the big, soft bed,


    traces of kisses on her neck barely visible. She turned to the man beside her and tentatively asked,


    “Can you stay tonight?”


    Brian Francis, in the middle of tying his tie, paused. He slowly looked up, his icy gazending on her


    face. “Three more months, and our three-year engagement is over. It’s just a deal between us,” he said


    coldly.


    A shiver ran through Grace. Her heart stung sharply. She understood it was all just a deal. Three years


    ago, her parents forced her to marry Brian in the countryside to raise money for her younger brother’s


    congenital leukemia treatment. All she had to do was be married to him for three years to get 600


    thousand dors. So, she had no right to ask him to stay.


    As Grace bit her lip, her hand under the nket quietly curled up. She felt a bit lost. Her hand, hidden


    beneath the covers, slowly caressed her belly. She was pregnant with Brian’s child.


    Grace tightly gripped the nket, took a deep breath, and said, “Brian, today is my…”


    She wanted to say it was her birthday, really hoping Brian would stay with her. But before she could


    finish, Brian interrupted her. “There’s something I need to tell you. She’s back.”


    Grace heard those words, and it felt like thunder. Her heart shook. Her mind went nk, a buzzing


    sound like a swarm of bees lingering in her ears. She hadn’t expected that woman toe back.


    Grace knew who Brian meant by “she” too well. Brian was willing to spend money on marrying Grace


    because she looked like that woman.


    In these three years of marriage, he had been affectionate and tender towards her. Grace had more


    than once believed they would spend their lives together. However, six months ago, while she was


    drunk and entwined with him in bed, she heard him call out another woman’s name. Although his voice


    was very vague, she knew he wasn’t calling her name. At that moment, she woke up from the dream,


    having to face the harsh reality.


    She understood she only looked like the person he loved, and their marriage was just a deal. If she


    developed feelings, she would break the deal. She understood that Brian treated her so well and


    showered her with love only because he loved that woman, and his heart belonged to her. She and him


    were only bound by a paper contract. She found it utterly ridiculous and amusing.


    Grace lifted her eyes. “We’ve got three months left in our contract. You can’t back out, not even a day


    less.”


    Brian shot her a cold nce and left the room. His tall figure exuded a chilly aura. Grace watched him


    go in silence, smiling bitterly.


    The next day, Grace set up a table full of dishes Brian liked, watching the clock tick on the wall, one


    second after another. Soon, she heard a faint braking sound, her eyes brightening instinctively. The


    door swung open, revealing a familiar slender figure.


    “Brian…” Before Grace could finish her sentence, she saw another woman standing beside Brian. Her


    eyes were gentle, her face delicate, dressed in a light pink knee-length dress and white boots, her long


    hair tied up, elegant and graceful, strikingly beautiful.


    There was a slight resemnce between this woman and Grace. Grace immediately realized she was


    the woman Brian loved. She hadn’t expected Brian to bring this woman home.


    Brian looked at the woman with tenderness in his usually stern eyes, the same way he used to look at


    Grace six months ago. Seeing this, Grace felt unbearable pain inside.


    “Louise, wait for me. I’ll change and be right down.” He bent, speaking softly to the woman, a tone that


    made Grace jealous. Brian gently kissed Louise’s forehead before stepping away.


    “Okay,” Louise softly replied, smiling gently, nodding.


    He passed by Grace without a word, going upstairs, treating her as if she were invisible. Grace


    shivered, her face paling, aching in her chest, struggling for breath.


    At that moment, Louise, who came back with Brian, strolled into the mansion. Her beautiful eyes


    scanned around, finally settling on Grace.


    “Hello, I’m Louise Adkins.”


    Grace thought her name sounded really nice.


    “I…” Grace was about to introduce herself politely, but Louise interrupted her.


    “You’re a maid here, right? Can you grind me a coffee, half-sugar?”


    Grace didn’t expect to be mistaken for a maid and was quite shocked.


    Grace replied expressionlessly, “I’m sorry, we don’t have coffee, and I’m not…”


    “Let’s go.”


    Brian interrupted Grace, standing at the top of the stairs, gently saying to Louise, “I’ll have the assistant


    bring the coffee in a while.”


    “Okay.” Louise smiled contentedly, pleasure evident in her beautiful eyes. Then she looked at Grace


    and asked, “And who is this?”


    She nced at Grace in her home clothes, wearing an apron.


    “She’s a maid in my house,” Brian exined indifferently and casually, then stared at Grace coldly.


    “Wear your work clothes next time.”


    Upon hearing this, Grace’s heart sank heavily, feeling as though she had fallen from the sky to the


    ground. She forced herself not to look at his retreating figure, quietly taking off her apron and pouring


    all the dishes on the table into the trash.


    The Adkins family mansion lit up the night, glowing brightly against the darkness.


    Louise wore a sleek, white floor-length gown, her arm linked with Marshall Adkins, the Chairman of the


    Adkins Group, as they descended the stairs amidst everyone’s gaze.


    “Today marks a joyous asion.” Marshall, over fifty, beamed with joy. “My long-lost daughter found


    her way back to me, and here she is, Louise Adkins.” Marshall introduced Louise to everyone present.


    Louise gave a subtle smile, casting a shy grin towards the crowd.


    “Furthermore, there’s another momentous event. The Adkins and Francis families will soon be united in


    marriage. Louise and Mr. Brian, the CEO of the Francis Group, are getting married in three months!”


    As the announcement was made, Brian, in a sharp, deep ck suit, emerged from the crowd, his


    demeanor cool. He took Louise’s hand, his expression softening, revealing a rare disy of tenderness


    that stunned the onlookers.


    “The Adkins and Francis families are titans in the business world. Miss Adkins just returned to the


    Adkins family and is now marrying Mr. Francis. It’s truly enviable.”


    “Miss Adkins is stunning and elegant, a perfect match for Mr. Francis!”


    “Look at Mr. Francis. His gaze used to be chilling. Never seen him this gentle before!”


    The envious chatter of the crowd reached Grace, standing in the corner of the party. Each word felt like


    a knife stabbing her heart, causing unbearable pain. She had struggled to infiltrate the Adkins family’s


    gathering just to see what connection existed between Brian and Louise. Unexpectedly, she heard


    about their uing wedding in three months. In three months, Brian would divorce Grace and marry


    Louise. Grace hadn’t expected Brian to have found a remarriage partner so quickly. Her heart grew


    cold.


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    However, for the safety of her younger brother, she had to endure these three months. At the same


    time, she couldn’t let Brian and Louise know about the baby growing in her belly. This baby would be a


    hurdle in Brian and Louise’s marriage. Grace would surely be pressured to get rid of the baby if they


    found out.


    Three monthster, she took the money andpletely disappeared from Brian’s world. She was


    determined to give birth and raise her child on her own.