In the Lap of Luxury

Chapter 528 The Second Son

As an outsider, Grace didn't want to ask too much about the affairs of the Fulton family, but now there was no turning back. "I heard everything after 'rascal'."

Xander burst into laughter. "You're very honest."

Grace put the soup down. "Xander, have some supper."

"Did you make this?"

"The maid did." She really was very honest.

Xander ate two spoonfuls, but he didn't have much of an appetite. He set it aside. "What do you want to ask?"

Grace stood behind him and began massaging his shoulders.

"Aunt Hestia and Uncle Raymond raised us. Apart from the Lewis family, I always thought they only had you. Then, why do they call you the 'eldest son'?"

She was exerting just the right amount of pressure, and Xander closed his eyes.

"Do you remember why my father and mother got divorced?"

"Aunt Hestia and Uncle Raymond have always liked bickering. At the time, they said it was just out of impulse."

"At their level, it's not easy to get divorced. If it hadn't been something to do with principles, then they wouldn't have stayed divorced for so many years."

Grace understood at once. He was right. The two of them hadn't remarried, even after so many years.

"Uncle Raymond had …"

"He said someone took advantage of him while he was drunk and that there were no feelings involved.

Grace took a deep breath. "Does Aunt Hestia believe him?"

"What do you think?" Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

With Hestia's temper, she definitely wouldn't believe him.

"My father's other son is only two years younger than I am, but he's ruthless and has no morals. In the past two years, he's slowly started taking over authority at Fulton Group."

No wonder he had dared to come and provoke Hestia. No wonder Hestia was so furious.

No wonder Raymond had said that he was sorry for Xander.

Grace squatted down and looked up at him. "Was your injury also …"

Her eyes were bright, full of innocence and tenderness.

Xander couldn't help reaching out and cupping her face in his hand. "I didn't want to tell you before because I didn't want you to worry. Now that you've stumbled on it, I won't hide anything."

"You should have told me long ago instead of trying to endure it alone." Grace was angry. "Aunt Hestia is like a mother to me, and you're like a brother. I won't let them get away with hurting you!"

Xander laughed. "You don't need to do anything. I'll take care of it."

"Xander." Grace took his hand. "Did you have a really hard time over these years?"

"There have been hard times."

It had been the hardest for him in the years that Grace was in Pamore.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't share the burden with you."

"These complicated matters shouldn't involve you."

Xander's palm was warm, and it left faint marks on Grace's soft cheek. There was tender affection in his eyes.

He murmured, "What a lovely woman."

"What?"

"I thought of a song."

"A lovely woman who makes me blush, a lovely woman whose gentleness makes my heart ache."

…

By the time they left the study, Hestia had already gone to bed. She was probably worn out from the day.

When Grace woke up the next day, the maid told her, "Mr. Xander left you a note."

His handwriting was a powerful scrawl. "I've gone out for work. I'll come back and have lunch with you."

Grace smiled. Was he reporting to her?

"Gracie, what did Xander write to you that made you so happy?" Hestia couldn't help teasing her as she came down the stairs.

Grace gripped the note tightly, smiling as she shook her head. "Nothing!"

She looked outside the villa and realized that Raymond's car was still parked outside.

Hestia saw it too, but she pretended that she hadn't and instructed the maids to serve breakfast.

Grace pursed her lips. This time, she didn't have to make some excuse about it raining outside to gloss things over.

"I heard Xander say that you came back for the Byte Technologies project. It's almost Black Friday. Do you need support from ME Group?"

ME was the top makeup brand globally. "Aunt Hestia, would you be willing to endorse me?"

"Who else would I endorse?"