Five Years Wasted Now They Beg Her Back novel Chapter 289

The black Maybach cut through the rain and pulled to a smooth stop in front of the rundown old apartment complex.

Grace leaned against the leather seat, her hand tightly clutching the old phone.

"We're here."

Damien's hoarse voice broke the silence.

Grace, as if waking from a long dream, slowly turned her head and glanced at the dim yellow streetlights outside.

Compared to Damien's lavish villa, where every inch was a fortune, this place was another world.

"Thank you."

Grace unbuckled her seatbelt, her thanks delivered mechanically.

There was no emotion, no inflection, like a pre-programmed robot.

A sharp pain lanced through Damien's heart.

He would rather she curse him, hit him, than see her like this, so utterly lifeless.

"I'll walk you up." Damien reached for the door handle.

"No need."

Grace's refusal was swift, her voice sharp for an instant before dropping low again. "I can walk by myself."

Damien's hand froze in mid-air.

He watched as she pushed the door open, her body clearly swaying for a moment.

He instinctively moved to help her, but forced himself to pull back just before his hand touched the hem of her clothes.

Grace retrieved her luggage from the trunk and, without looking back, dragged her injured leg into the apartment building.

Damien stood in the rain, his head tilted up, not looking away until a dim yellow light flickered on in one of the windows.

He turned, faced the dilapidated apartment building, and bowed deeply.

Rainwater trickled down the bridge of his nose and splattered on the ground, creating tiny splashes.

This bow was for the Clarke family of ten years ago.

It was also for the man he was today.

Damien straightened up. Just as he was about to open the car door, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind him.

"Mr. Clarke!"

"Grandma, listen to me."

His voice was low but resonated with conviction in the rainy night. "In this life, I will never, ever harm a single hair on Grace's head, even if it kills me."

"I'm the one who owes her. I'll spend the rest of my life repaying that debt."

Grace's grandmother stared at him for a moment.

After a long pause, she sighed and let go of his arm.

"Go on, now."

The old woman turned, her hunched figure slowly disappearing into the dark hallway of the building.

Her sigh hung in the air like a dense fog that wouldn't dissipate, weighing heavily on Damien's heart.

He remained standing where he was, letting the cold rain soak him to the bone.

After a long while, he took out his phone and dialed Felix.

The warmth in his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by a chilling determination.

"Notify the PR department. There will be a press conference tomorrow at ten in the morning."