Page 62 of Shattered By Grace

Her stomach flipped. She grabbed her phone.

Not Justin.

Tristan.

What? When did he put his number in my phone?

Tristan

“You know, you never answered me about going to the ball with me.”

She stared. Utterly confused. A hollow laugh escaped her lips.

Un. Fucking. Believable.She was drowning in lies.

Lying to Tristan. Lying to Justin. Lying to herself.

She had to move carefully and before she could second-guess herself, she typed:

Victoria

I’ll go with you.

She hesitated, then hit send.

As the message went through, the world closed in.

God, I hope I know what I’m doing.

For the first time in a long time, a thought surfaced,piercing and raw.

Dad… I’m scared.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Victoria’s fingers hovered over her keyboard, finishing her notes. The hospital’s quiet hum was the only sound until Justin’s voice sliced through her concentration.

“Vic—Grace.”

Her head snapped around, her gaze locking onto him. He knew better than to use her real name.

“What are you talking about?” He asked sharply, his tone was laced with something she couldn’t quite place. Had he seen the text? Her stomach twisted.

Her pulse quickened as she tried to keep her expression steady. He was too close now. She could smell him, there was something metallic, it felt off. And his eyes were colder than usual, more guarded.

Turning to face him, she noticed the large bodyguard standing behind him, his silent presence pressing against her like a weight. She couldn’t keep playing this game in front of her colleagues. Her heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm.

“I can’t believe you,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, shaking with the storm inside her. “You were never helping me. I overheard you talking with your boss.”

Justin’s eyes darkened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just talking with Mr. Locke about my girlfriend. Asking for time off to take her to dinner. They’re running background checks on her. That’s all.”

Victoria’s blood boiled at the lie. Her gaze flickered back to the bodyguard, imposing but silent, and then back to Justin, her thoughts a whirlwind of suspicion.

“Background checks?” Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to stand firm. “What’s really going on, Justin?”

Her stomach twisted in knots.Am I overreacting?Her mind raced, every instinct telling her she was surrounded by danger, but was it all in her head? Was she just stressed? Her emotions were raw, the anxiety tightening around her chest like a vice.

“I’m sorry, Justin. I’m just… stressed,” she finally said, the words bitter on her tongue. She tried to steady her breath, pushing the discomfort aside.

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