“Mrs. James, to where do you want me to return?” Grace hid away the affliction she felt and stared blandly at her mother who had given birth and raised her. She had clarified the kinships between them when she addressed her as ‘Mrs. James’.
An indiscernible awkward look appeared on Mrs. James’s face and vanished in the blink of an eye. She grasped Grace’s hand and intended to drag her toward the direction of the James’s household’s entrance. “Grace, stop messing around, I beg you. Please stop messing around at all costs for an occasion like this. Leave, please?”
As if being struck by lightning, Grace gave a shudder and her heart hurt as if being torn apart. She slowly recollected herself and her eyes landed on the middle-aged woman before her.
The woman before her had smooth skin like pottery which was maintained by exorbitant skin products and there was only slight trace of wrinkles at the corner of eyes when she smiled. She was wearing a gown worth more than a hundred thousand and a set of jewelleries which was a limited edition sold by a luxurious brand recently. Her makeup was exquisite and she looked elegant. Yes, the woman before her was the ‘Mrs. James’ from the James family in Shanghai.
“Mrs. James, you are a qualified ‘Mrs. James’,” Grace said slowly to her, “To become a qualified ‘Mrs. James’, you can abandon other identities you should possess. Is that so?” For example, the identity as her biological mother, the mother who should love and protect her…Yet the middle-aged lady before her must have already forgotten this identity.
Mrs. James’s face flushed and went pale at the same time. How could she be able to withstand such an accusation when she had enjoyed luxury and fame for half her life? And the one who accused her was even her own flesh-and-blood. She caught a glimpse of her husband and son who were not far away from the corner of her eyes and she decided to swallow back her grievance.
A smile though extremely strained was worn once again by her exquisite face. She held Grace’s hand and persuaded her with effort. “Grace, mom begs you, please go. After today…after today, mom would go visit you. There’s still something ongoing at home, so please go.”
Grace lowered her head and her shoulder suddenly shuddered. As the shudder grew stronger, a suppressed rough laughter was slowly heard bit by bit.
“Mrs. James, come and visit me? Who would care about it?” If she had missed her, she would have already visited her since she had been out of jail for such a long time and there was no need for her to stand here and say those kinds of words today.
And who had given her the confidence that the child she gave birth to would yearn for her visit?
After suffering from a round of despair, Grace had gone clear-headed and understood that the moment her mother said she would visit her after today, her attitude towards her was revealed. “Mrs. James, do you think that you’re doing charity by visiting me?” If not, how could you say that with such ease!
Grace extended her hand and pried Mrs. James’s hand which was clasping her arm open. She tossed her hand away and spoke blandly. “Excuse me for leaving now, as I still have some work to do.” She turned and wobbled towards Caden on her high heels which were not so balance. She no longer approached Jafar and Payne as there was no need to interrogate them anymore!
Both Jafar and Payne heaved a sigh of relief when they saw her not walking towards them, yet they panicked the next moment before they had even recovered. “Why did she walk towards President Shaw?” Jafar asked Payne in a hurry, yet how would Payne know if Jafar did not.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden)
How can a woman suffer so much? How can a man be too cruel initially robbing her of dignity and all, then deceiving her after he knows he loves her? How can they not remarry, making their offspring illegitimate? The line between love and hatred is truly fine indeed! Thank you for this story....