Chapter 14

Throughout the remainder of the lesson, an unusual hush settled over the classroom as eyes kept drifting toward the window-side desk.

Grace,propping her chin with one hand, seemed lost in thought, her attention fixed outside, completely unfazed by the surreptitious stares darting her way.

As soon as the dismissal bell chimed, students clustered around, vying for a better look ather.

"That must be the new girl,right?"

"Wow, I think she might even outshine Gianna White!"

"Hey,lower your voice..."

At the same time, Gianna sat absorbed in her reading,apparently untouched by the buzz.

With her striking looks, she'd long been the campus darling,crowned prom queen of Briskvale High and holding a key position in the student union-her popularity practically legendary.

The quiet was broken by Lizzie Watson bursting

through the door, taking the seat directly in front of Gianna. "Gianna, have you heard? Everyone's talking about Grace Miller-the transfer! They're saying she's even prettier than you!"

Gianna's hand froze on her page for just a second.Rodger had succeeded in pulling strings to get Grace enrolled here. Relief flickered through her-at least Grace hadn't landed in her class. Still, for someone who'd always worn the crown, the prospect of Grace outshining her was a bitter pill to swallow.There was no way she'd stand by and let Grace get ahead of herself.

Pressing her lips together, she spoke in a gentle,almost patronizing tone. "Lizzie, don't take it so hard.The transfer student everyone's talking about? She's actually my Uncle Rodger's adopted daughter. Her childhood was rough-she bounced between foster homes and orphanages. She's no academic standout either. My uncle pulled every string to get her into here. Now that she's here, we ought to be welcoming."

Inside, she could barely contain the flare of resentment heating her thoughts.

"You're just too nice, Gianna," Lizzie replied, rolling her eyes in disbelief. "I went to see her myself-she's nothing special. Those rumors are way overblown.She only made it here because of connections. Bet she won't last long."

Meanwhile, Colton stepped from the bathroom,steam trailing behind and a towel thrown loosely over his shoulders, damp hair dripping down his back.

He found Dominick standing ready, the dutiful assistant as always.

"I've done some digging, sir," Dominick said. "The girl you wanted information on is Grace Miller. She's just been adopted by the Holden family and spent her early years in an orphanage."

A slight furrow appeared between Colton's brows."That's all you've found? Nothing else of note?"

An unshakable suspicion gnawed at Colton-there had to be more to Grace than met the eye.

"We've only managed surface details so far. Every time we try to push past the basics, the trail just goes cold," Dominick explained, frustration evident in his tone.

Such a scenario was unprecedented for him. With all their resources and expert investigators, they'd barely scratched the surface of Grace's background.

A thin, cold smile played at Colton's lips. "Don't stop -keep digging. Any word on Dr. Q?”

That lead was just as urgent.

Dominick shook his head. "No progress yet. Dr. Q remains impossible to trace."

"Raise the bounty again," Colton instructed,his voice crisp.

"Will do."

At last, the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

Grace quietly packed up her books and slipped out of the classroom.

Julia had reached out, offering her a ride home.

Still,Grace politely refused, knowing the after-school rush would clog the streets, she figured hailing a cab would be much simpler.

Julia finally conceded, offering one last reminder for Grace to be careful before bustling off to whip up dinner.

She wanted nothing more than to spoil her daughter with a delicious home-cooked feast.

Grace hadn't made it far from the gate when her

phone began to buzz.

Patrick's enthusiastic voice came through the line. "I'm right outside your school-just say the word and I'll drive you home!"

Stomach rumbling, Grace didn't hesitate to accept his offer.

From a distance, she easily picked out Patrick's car parked curbside.

A Mercedes this shiny and ostentatious couldn't help but attract curious looks from passing students and parents.

Suppressing a sigh, Grace made her way over, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

The window slid down at a leisurely pace, and Patrick greeted her with a grin that was far too eager.

"Over here!" he called out, hopping out to swing the passenger door open. "I figured you'd appreciate a VIP pick-up today. How's that for service?"

Grace slipped into the seat, dropping her backpack behind her. With a sideways glance, she lowered her voice. "Trying to announce to the whole school you know me? This car's flashy enough to stop traffic."

Unfazed, Patrick laughed and pulled into traffic. "I'm

just helping you make an entrance! Besides, in this city,cars like this barely turn heads..."

Grace gave him a sidelong look. "Try not to draw so much attention next time."

Patrick raised a hand in mock surrender. "Whatever you say." He shifted gears, then added, "Hey, have you been getting enough sleep? Also, I'm almost out of those pills you gave me."

Those pills were no ordinary supplements-they had a reputation for boosting vitality and extending life.

Supply was notoriously tight. Only a couple ever made it onto the underground market each month.

Demand kept driving up the price, and every batch sparked fierce bidding wars.

Patrick never quite understood the fuss. On the surface, the pills looked unremarkable. Yet everyone seemed desperate to get their hands on them.

He figured it must come down to either the allure of scarcity or the endless games of the wealthy.

Grace, on the other hand, treated the legendary pills as if they were nothing more than candies-she'd casually pop one in her mouth whenever she felt like it.