Chapter 3 Grace was at a loss on who to turn to for the $20,000 she needed. Eventually, at 9:00 pm, she decided to call Ethan once more. A deep, slightly hoarse voice greeted her through the phone, reminiscent of snowflakes falling on a winter night. "Grace Lambert?" It felt as if an invisible hand was tightening around her throat, suffocating her with overwhelming grievances. "Hello, Ethan. Can you lend me $20,000?

I'm in the hospital and can't afford the medical bills." The only response she heard was the sound of steady breathing and the faint rustling of fabric. Just as Grace braced herself for rejection, she was surprised to hear him ask, "Account number?" "Let me find it," she stammered. Frantically, she rummaged through her bag, fearing he might hang up before she could provide the details. The nurse claimed it was her bag, but all she found inside were cosmetics for touch-ups.

Finally, buried deep in the innermost compartment, she found a card and quickly read out the number. In less than a minute, she received a notification of a successful bank transfer. Grace hesitated to end the call. He was the only person who had shown any willingness to help her since waking up with amnesia. For three full minutes, she struggled to find the right words. Surprisingly, Ethan remained on the line too. In the quiet of the call, their breaths were audible.

"Ethan, I..." "Are your injuries severe?" His voice lacked gentleness, carrying the chill of a late-night breeze. Despite this, it was the first genuine concern she had heard since regaining consciousness. Something stirred in her heart, but words failed her, so she simply replied, "I'm fine now. Thank you. I'll find a way to repay you." "Grace, how long do you plan to deceive me this time?" Her heart skipped a beat. Panicked, she hurriedly hung up, her thoughts in disarray.

What did he mean by that? Had she deceived him multiple times before? Try as she might, she couldn't make sense of it, only growing more confused. For the time being, she settled her hospital bill and completed her discharge paperwork. However, when she stepped out of the hospital, she found herself entirely lost - no money, no idea of her residence. Eventually, she traced an address from her message records and took a taxi there.

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The destination was a beautiful villa with an impeccably maintained garden. The taxi driver tapped the steering wheel. "That'll be a hundred dollars. Cash or online transfer?" Grace stepped out of the car, wearing an awkward expression. Coincidentally, a luxury car pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Yancey's face, with Alice looking fresh and delicate in the passenger seat.

Concerned, Alice asked, "Grace, why did you leave the hospital?" She looked stunning that day, adorned in a dress embellished with shimmering crystals and carrying a limited edition handbag worth at least three million dollars. "Didn't Yancey inform you? Your boyfriend is Ethan Henderson." Alice's eyes welled up. She continued, "Are you here because of me again? What do you want from me?" Before Grace could respond, Yancey emerged from the driver's seat, his gaze filled with mockery.

"I thought you'd hold on longer, but you couldn't even last six hours. Grace, have you no shame? Do I need to repeat myself endlessly? I am fond of Alice. Don't you have any self-respect? Do you relish being humiliated? Why do you persist in causing trouble for Alice?" Alice nestled into his embrace, shaking her head. "Forget it, Yancey. I'm used to it." The color drained from Grace's face.

She remained in the oversized hospital gown, her long, dark lashes trembling like fragile glass, on the verge of shattering at the slightest touch. She averted her gaze from the scene and murmured, "Do you have a hundred dollars? Could you lend it to me?" Yancey sneered, barely concealing his disdain. "I'd sooner give it to a dog than to you." He looked down at Alice in his arms and spoke tenderly, "Let's go inside. Pay no attention to her." Alice wiped her tears and offered a soft smile.

"Grace, take my card. Use it if you need to." Grace lowered her gaze, swallowing the bitterness in her heart. She contemplated setting aside her pride and accepting the card, for at that moment, she was truly desperate for money. Eventually, reality had to be faced and accepted for what it was. As she reached out to take the card, another luxury car pulled up beside her. Her mother, Carmen Oblak, stepped out in a fury.

Observing the scene, she marched over and, without hesitation, slapped Grace hard across the face. "Are you tormenting Alice once more? Haven't you taken enough from her? Grace Lambert, what do you want from us? Do you derive pleasure from making everyone miserable because of you? Ever since Alice was found and brought home, you've only made her life more challenging. Why weren't you the one abducted instead? Alice has already endured so much. Can't you grow up and handle things like a mature adult?"