Regret Came Too Late

After leaving the hospital, Grace glanced up at the gray, overcast sky, feeling like

her heart was wrapped in the same heavy haze.

She drove straight to Lambert Group, and the senior executives who now followed

her lead hurried out to meet her.

"Ms. Lambert, have you found Mr. Lambert yet?"

Just then, Sebastian pushed the door open.

Grace was surprised to see him. "I thought you were at the hospital with your

family," she said.

Sebastian frowned, and there was a hint of unease in his voice. "After you called

me, I had a bad feeling. What's going on?"

Grace motioned for the others to leave, keeping only Sebastian behind. He had

worked with Quentin for years and had helped Liam without complaint. He was

someone she could trust.

She quickly filled him in on what had happened with Liam, then showed him the

scandal online. It was obvious the person behind it was deliberately dragging

things out, waiting for the right moment to push Liam's scandal to the top of social

media.

Once it hit number one, they would expose everything.

And when that happened, it wouldn't just destroy Liam. The entire company would

become public enemy number one.

At this point, Grace knew there was only one move left.

She looked up and locked eyes with Sebastian. The understanding in his gaze

was immediate.

Sebastian said solemnly, "Ms. Lambert, you have to step up and take the CEO

position. It's the only way to calm the public."

"What had happened crossed a line-not just for the country but for the people. It

didn't matter if Liam had been led astray.

"Wrong was wrong, and mistakes came with consequences.

Grace tugged lightly at the corner of her mouth. The reason she had helped push

Liam into that position in the first place was because Carmen had always been

wary of her, suspecting she was after the Lambert family's wealth.

Carmen had never treated Grace kindly. But when it came to Quentin and Liam,

devotion was undeniable. So much of

Carmen's efforts as well.

Grace was

But right now, there was no other way-especially with Alice

paralyzed.

a deep breath, her gaze sharpening with resolve.

and admit our wrongdoing. Make

into it, but he's

and we won't

just wanted to see a

suppress a scandal, the harder it

better to face it head-on by being honest, issuing

putting some money toward helping the

like this.

family was already on shaky ground. With that plot

were cash-strapped

donation. It wasn't her money. The money

her through Yancey a few days ago as hush money

what happened with Jodie.

the donation

Lambert Group underwent

clean, and a wave of younger employees were

to key positions.

least, it sent a clear message. The

wasn't there to

decided to take control of everything

six hours had passed.

like six centuries. The only thing

response-paired

successfully redirected public

were now praising Liam

sister like her.

ready to tear into them, but honestly? She

right."

been solid. The official statement wasn't

company is reportedly broke, she still

in her

slept over the past six hours, staying glued to

every uptick and thread

decision to go public first, the person behind

In fact, people were now starting to wonder if

person who set Liam up in the first

weren't so easy to

securing a win in the public eye, Grace wasted

meeting.

of Edric's loyalists had already packed up

through the ranks under

by

and

hours, she had

gone through the company's

upcoming project proposals. Every

was

if at

wave of her hand,

their mouth to protest, but after catching the look

sharp-they