Page 49 of Shattered By Grace

“Something like that,” she murmured, voice distant, her eyes focusing on the stream of coffee filling her cup. She kept her movements deliberate, steady, to hide the internal chaos.

If I can just get through the next few hours… maybe I can breathe again.

Taylor’s gaze softened, her brows furrowing with genuine concern. “You okay, Grace? You seem… off.”

Victoria’s heart squeezed at the soft, unspoken worry in Taylor’s voice. She hated how easily it cut through the numbness, but it was safer to lie.

Her smile widened, though it felt like a mask slipping over her real self. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, the words spilling out like a reflex. “Just a long night. Nothing a strong cup of coffee can’t fix.”

If only it were that easy.

Wanting to move the focus off of her, she asked the one question she knew would change the subject. “By the way, who was that guy at the club the other night? The one you practically jumped?”

Taylor’s brows shot up, her face shifting with a mix of annoyance and amusement. “Oh, him. That was Jax, my ex. Ugh, we’re like fire and gasoline. When it’s good, it’s scorching hot, but when it’s bad, it’s an inferno that burns everything to the ground,” she sighed, rolling her eyes as she leaned back against the counter. “Honestly, it’s mostly bad these days, and I should know better than to even be in the same room as him. But you know how it goes. Old habits, toxic attachments… and a tiny part of you wondering if maybe, just maybe, this time willbe different.” Taylor laughed bitterly, shaking her head like she couldn’t believe her own weakness.

Victoria nodded along, pretending to stay in the conversation, but her mind was already slipping.Toxic attachments, huh? Sounds familiar.

Her thoughts drifted to Tristan. He was a drug, the kind that worked fast, sinking into her system before she even knew she’d taken a hit. One smirk, one touch, and she was already chasing the next.Does he even know what he’s doing to me? Or am I just another casualty, another girl mistaking the high for something real?

“Doesn’t matter what you choose, love. I’ll ruin you either way.”

His voice echoed in her head, smooth and taunting, like he had already decided how this would end. And maybe he had. Maybe she was the only one still pretending this was a game she could win.

Then there was Tyson. Just as untouchable, just as fleeting, disappearing into the night like he’d never been there at all. Maybe she’d never figure either of them out. Or maybe the real problem was that she kept trying.

“Guys can be so frustrating,” Victoria muttered, the words slipping out before she could stop them, more to herself than Taylor.

“Preach,” Taylor replied with a laugh. “Is this about that guy you were dancing with at the club? What’s his deal, anyway?”

Victoria hesitated, fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup.Do I really want to go down that rabbit hole?

“Tristan? He’s… complicated,” Victoria admitted, fingers tightening around her coffee cup. “There’s something between us. I don’t know what, but it’s there. One minute, he’s all in, making me feel things I don’t even want to feel, and the next,he’s pulling away like none of it ever mattered.” She let out a frustrated sigh, raking a hand through her hair.

“And then there’s Tyson. He’s a mystery, yeah, but that’s all he is. Intriguing, sure, but we don’t have the chemistry Tristan and I do.” She shook her head. “Now he’s gone completely radio silent, and honestly? I don’t have the time or energy to figure him out.”

Taylor raised an eyebrow, smirking. “So, you’ve got two guys messing with your head? Damn, girl, no wonder you look stressed.”

Victoria let out a weak chuckle, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yeah, I guess. But honestly, it’s just… a lot right now.” Her voice trailed off, her mind spinning with everything she couldn’t say. Justin, the break-in, the feeling that danger was closing in on her. But dragging Taylor into that mess? That wasn’t an option.

If you only knew all the things messing with my head.

Victoria got lost in the spiral of her thoughts until Taylor snapped her fingers in front of her face with a playful grin. “Earth to Grace! I know you’re not a morning person, but that was next level.”

Victoria chuckled softly, forcing herself to focus. “Sorry, just thinking. What were you saying?”

“I was talking about the masquerade ball,” Taylor said, her eyes lighting up. “It’s the hospital’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Super formal, fancy masks, the whole nine yards. All the big donors and city elites will be there. It’s a huge deal, and I’m practically counting the days until I get to dress up and feel like a queen.”

Victoria raised an eyebrow, the shift in conversation almost a relief. “Sounds fancy. I take it you’re going?”

“Absolutely! And you’re coming too,” Taylor declared, as if it were already decided. “It’s next weekend, so you better startthinking about what dress you’re going to wear. Trust me, this is one night you don’t want to miss. Plus, I bet a night of glitz and glamour will do wonders for whatever stress you’re carrying around.”

Before Victoria could respond, the intercom crackled to life. “Nurse Scarlett, report to delivery room five, STAT.”

I can handle work.It was predictable, structured. Something she could control. She took a steadying breath. “Duty calls,” she said quickly, giving Taylor a nod before hurrying down the hall.

As she walked away, her mind lingered on the masquerade ball. The last thing she needed, but maybe the only thing that would give her a moment to breathe, away from the chaos.

The familiar buzz of the delivery room helped drown out her racing thoughts. The chaotic flurry of action—commands shouted, instruments passed, the raw determination in a mother’s eyes—kept her grounded. Here, she was in control, capable, confident. There was no room for fear or doubt when lives were in her hands.

---