Chapter 9 - The Desperate Ambush
The peace did not last through the night.
At eleven-thirty, Grace was walking back to the penthouse through the secluded interior garden atrium of the resort. Declan had stepped away to the lobby to finalize the courier delivery of Ethan’s signed surrender documents.
The path was lined with tall royal palms and soft lantern light. It was quiet, save for the chirp of tree frogs.
Then a shadow moved from behind a stone pillar.
"Grace."
Ethan stepped into the light. He wasn't wearing his suit jacket anymore. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the throat, his hair disheveled, and his eyes bloodshot. He smelled of heavy bourbon.
Grace stopped immediately, her hand dropping instinctively to her phone. "Ethan. Stay where you are."
"You took everything," Ethan whispered, his voice shaking with a terrifying mixture of despair and rage. He took two steps closer. "My company. My reputation. My uncle turned against me. Vanessa packed her bags and left on the nine o'clock ferry without even saying goodbye!"
"You did this to yourself," Grace said, keeping her voice level and firm, though her pulse hammered in her ears. "Step back, Ethan. Security is monitoring the grounds."
"I don't give a damn about security!" Ethan lunged forward, closing the distance before Grace could turn. He grabbed her by the upper arms, his grip bruising through her silk blouse. "You think you can just hand my life to Declan Pierce? You think you’re going to raise my son with another man?"
"Let go of me!" Grace struggled, but his grip was frantic, born of drunken panic.
"You listen to me, Grace!" Ethan snarled, his face inches from hers. "I will sign your damn papers, but I will drag this custody battle through every court in this country until you bleed! You will never have peace! I will tell the press that Pierce was sleeping with you before the ink was dry, that the baby isn't even—"
Ethan’s words were violently cut off.
May you like
A hand like a vice clamped onto the back of Ethan’s neck. In a single, explosive motion, Ethan was torn off Grace and slammed face-first against the nearest concrete pillar with bone-jarring force.
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