I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden)

The matters were not all as easy as to fire a receptionist. Grace was exhausted after working all day, but she didn't dare to express her fatigue.

She almost ran away as she stepped into the office of the president.

She tried so hard to persuade herself. "I can't!"

Yes, she couldn't run. She had to face it, so she had to overcome all kinds of difficulties. Even though she had suffered a lot in prison, getting her character changed and her back bent, she had to keep her head raised and fulfill her promise to her grandpa.

Grace might never know that the cold and indifferent man in her eyes came back to the gate again after he drove his car around the building for a circle. Caden stopped the car at the gate, and meanwhile, Grace's voice appeared in the car. She was battling with those old foxes from the James family.

What Grace was doing and saying were all caught by Caden.

Caden had got all that woman's firmness when she encountered difficulties dealing with those troubles. Though she had been isolated from society for three years, the solid foundation of her knowledge and skills supported her to win the battles.

Even Caden had to praise Grace's grandfather's lessons to Grace. Caden was also the child from a strict family, so he clearly knew that even men should make great efforts to be as sophisticated as Grace.

Grace's words that she said at her nineteenth birthday broke into Caden's mind. "Everything related to luck and success should all be destined, or be from great efforts others even can't detect."

Caden paid less attention to those words back then, but today, when he was appreciating Grace's skills and eloquence, he finally understood her meaning to say that.

"Grace, nice job!" Looking at the open gate of Wei'ai, Caden said this in a low voice, his tone full of pride, the pride in Grace's talent and efforts.

Caden started the car, and left the gate without hesitation... Obviously, she didn't need his useless help. She could deal with it on her own.

Meanwhile, Grace was standing in the front of the meeting room, with her hands on the desk to support her body. Her eyes swept over those top managers' face, and got the result from their panicky complexions that she had won the battle. "Since you all agree with my idea, you should go to work." Grace claimed the meeting was over. When those managers left, leaving only Ladd and her in the room, she finally couldn't stand anymore but fall down on the ground. Ladd hurriedly came over. "Miss James! Are you okay?"

Ladd reached his hands to help Grace up. "Miss James!" He was shocked as he touched Grace's clothes. "The back of your coat got wet! I'm gonna ask the secretary to buy one for you."

"No!" Grace widened her eyes and stopped Ladd. Ladd was confused. "But your coat..."

Grace shook her head and said powerlessly. "If you do so, they will know the fact that all my confidence and aggressiveness before are fake." Grace stared at Ladd. "I can't send my efforts going up in smoke."

Ladd opened his mouth, but didn't know what he should say.

Who said that Miss James was ignoble after getting free from prison?

Those people who said this must be blind!

Ladd had personally beheld this emaciated woman's efforts to battle with those old foxes alone in this empty meeting room, though she was even hard to stand on her own.

Grace took a deep breath to soften her tension, and then got up with her hands pressing the ground to support her body, enduring the pain and the exhaustion.

"Let me help you." Ladd came to her.

Grace pushed away Ladd's hands. "Thanks." But I don't need.' She thought.

She didn't speak that out, but her move proved her will.

When Grace walked out of the meeting room, all the employees of the secretariat gazed at her. Grace neglected their gazes, and took out her mobile phone from her pocket. She dialed the familiar phone number again, as if she had gone back three years ago. "Vivian, I'm Grace James. I got the right to manage Wei'ai again, and I need you guys to come back and help me."

She said "you guys", not "you". Vivian there covered her mouth with her hand, in a great shock. There was silence on the phone, for almost thirty seconds, but Grace didn't urge. About one minute later, the voice finally came from the phone.

That was a voice mixed up with sob, but sounded professional.

"Yes, I need one hour, Miss...James!"

Grace couldn't help blinking, and tried to force the tears back into her eyes. "You should be as professional as before. Don't let your moods influence your behaviors." Though Grace was criticizing Vivian, Vivian still couldn't control her tears of joy... Yes! That was the real Grace James! All of those rumors were malicious!

How could such a proud and bright woman be willing to give up on her pride and dignity?

However, Vivian didn't know that the woman on the phone was really different now.

Grace used to do such things in great enthusiasm, but now, she just forced herself to do that.

One hour later, Vivian, with her former team members, stood in front of Grace. "Sorry, Miss James, three of ten members are absent."

Vivian reported with sorrow.

Grace nodded. She could understand the three's decisions, so she kept more gratitude to the seven in front of her. "Thanks, thank you for your appearance today."

"Miss James, we all keep waiting for your return! We believe you will return one day and control Wei'ai again." Vivian's eyes turned red. "Miss James, we tried our best to get in touch with you after you went into prison, but our requests were all refused unknowingly. On the day when you got off that prison, we held a banquet to welcome you, but you even didn't come there all day. Then we lost all your information."

Though they had heard those rumors about Grace's work in Dong Huang Club, they were reluctant to find Grace at that time, for they knew Grace was unwilling to be visited since she was in such a miserable situation.

Vivian's words planted another seed of doubt in Grace's deep heart.

Looking at the seven faces full of sincerity, Grace believed in all they had said. She felt moved as she knew they still missed her and tried to visit her even though she was arrested in prison. Her frozen heart began to be warm like an alive person again. However, she had never got any information about their visit to her... Caden Shaw! What a ruthless man who even stopped her from any cheerful news!000