Reclaiming Her Heart

Chapter 494 He Almost Wished Money was What She Wanted

Grace offered Selena a fleeting glance before quickly averting her gaze. Selena's life choices were, after all, none of her business. Without a word of acknowledgment, Grace joined the group of waiting executives and stepped into the elevator. A waiter approached Selena with a cautious air, asking, "Can I help you, miss?" Selena merely shook her head and hobbled away, ignoring the throbbing pain in her body and the ache in her knee. She hailed a cab back to Ashbourne Manor, collapsing into bed the moment she arrived home.

Fiona didn't dare question why Selena hadn't returned the previous night. Selena had never been one to enjoy visiting Ashbourne Manor. Hoping to aid in Selena's recovery, Fiona decided to prepare some soup.

Meanwhile, Grace frowned as she entered the elevator. The realization that she was in the same hotel where Raymond was staying, and that Selena had just left, struck her.

Deep down, she didn't want to believe that Raymond was responsible for the bruises marring Selena's skin. He wasn't that type of man. But then again, who in the Montague family truly knew Raymond? Ignoring her better judgment, she dialed his number.

Raymond was slumped on the sofa, his gaze fixed on the documents spread out on the table before him. Since Selena's departure, he hadn't absorbed a single word, consumed by an indescribable restlessness. "Raymond, where are you?" Grace asked.

"At the hotel," he replied curtly.

A sense of unease washed over Grace, prompting her to rush to his room. Raymond appeared presentable and aloof, surrounded by documents, not at all resembling someone capable of harming a woman as Selena had been. The marks on Selena's neck were clearly visible, and for every mark Grace saw, she feared there were more hidden.

Even when Raymond was with his family, he rarely spoke. His presence alone was commanding. Now, beneath his eyes was a hint of red, as if he'd enjoyed the previous night.

Grace, is there anything you need?" he

the living room for anything amiss but found nothing unusual. She refrained from venturing into the bathroom, aware that Raymond, a stickler for cleanliness since childhood, never shared his personal

narrowed, but he

through. I hope it wasn't you, Raymond. You're not that

an eyebrow, and a rare smile glinted in his deep eyes. His face was still

what kind of person do you

furrowed her brows. She really

brother shone so brightly that Raymond was inevitably overshadowed. No matter

tenure with the Montagues hadn't been particularly lengthy, but he'd grown up under the watchful eye of Mr. Montague

was still in charge, he relished taking the team

when he was about twelve. However, Mr. Montague Sr. didn't want Raymond in the crosshairs - after all, there were already Montagues serving higher powers - so the credit was passed to someone else. The one who got the recognition didn't even know if they'd come out of it

made sense that Mr. Montague Sr. took a shine to him. He saw

the answers, but she could piece together that the marks

handle my own affairs," he said, his voice cool and detached as he casually sorted through the

the clear message: not even