Please Me Daddy (Gracie) novel Chapter 234

Six years later

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I stood in front of the grave in silence, my gaze fixed on the name carved into the stone as snow fell steadily from the gray sky, settling on my shoulders and on the marble surface before me, while I tightened my grip around the bouquet of white lilies in my hand. My other hand remained buried deep inside the pocket of my black coat, the thick fabric shielding me from the winter cold even though nothing could shield me from the cold that had lived inside my chest for the past six years.

Six years.

It had been six years since the day of the accident, and yet not a single day had passed without that memory replaying itself in my mind. I had tried to bury it, but no matter how much I achieved or how far I climbed, that day followed me like a shadow that refused to detach.

I wished I had been faster. I wished I had reacted sooner. I wished I had made a different choice in that single, irreversible moment. Maybe then I would not have lost anyone. Maybe then things would have turned out differently.

That regret had become one of the few emotions I could never suppress.

In the six years since then, everything else in the world seemed to have moved forward without hesitation. The Reed Corporation had not only remained the most powerful in the world, but had grown even stronger, expanding into industries hat once seemed untouchable. After the accident, the Reed and Jones families joined hands in major businesses, solidifying an alliance that reshaped the business landscape entirely.

Ryan was still one of the most renowned doctors in the country, respected and admired for both his skill and his leadership. Theodore continued living exactly as he pleased, dominating the entertainment industry while not to care about the influence he carried. My father had left everything behind last year, announcing that he wanted to travel the world and rest after decades of ambition. Even Mrs. Jones had recently found someone new.

Everyone was doing well.

Everyone had found a way to continue living.

And yet, sometimes I felt like I was the only one who remained standing in that moment from six years ago, unable to fully let it to no matter how much time passed.

lowered my eyes to the flowers in my hand, studying them for a brief second before bending slightly and placing them carefully on the grave, brushing away a thin layer of snow as I did. The white petals stood out sharply against the gray stone.

I reached out and rested my hand against the cold surface, my fingers lingering there longer than necessary as I spoke quietly, my voice barely audible over the wind.

“May you test in peace. Thank you for always being there for me. I’m going to live my life in the best way possible

The words were not dramatic, nor were they emotional. They were simply a promise

I straightened up and looked at the grave one last time before turning away

“Let’s go,” I said calmly

Chase, who had been standing a respectful distance behind in the entire time, nodded and followed

car. Snow crunched softly beneath our shoes with each step

“Mr. Reed,” he said, voice low, and careful “The prison just called

”

“They said Sarah died from polson Apparently she suffered for a long line there. Hotos of the lomates are saying it was punishment from God, since she poisoned others to death before, they’re saying God returned it to het the same way.

5 years ter

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“This morning,” he continued, “she died with her eyes open. Her body was almost unrecognizable from how thin and weak she had become. Mr. River went personally to confirm the body.”

He looked at me, searching for any hint of a reaction, but I gave him nothing. Not a flicker, or the slightest crack in my mask.

He moved ahead of me to open the backseat door, but I stopped him by placing my hand over his.

“Keys,” I said.

He blinked. “Sir?”

“Give me the car keys.”

There was a brief hesitation in his eyes, but he quickly reached into his pocket and handed them over. I took the keys from him and opened the driver’s door instead.

“You just got married, didn’t you?” I asked casually. “Go home to your family.”

Chase looked down, clearly wanting to protest, but I had already slid into the driver’s seat. I closed the door, started the engine, and adjusted the rearview mirror before pulling away.

As the car moved smoothly onto the road, I felt nothing. The steering wheel felt natural beneath my hands. The trauma that once paralyzed me at the mere thought of driving had completely disappeared over the years.

I no longer needed anyone to drive me.vI no longer needed to run from the past.

The road stretched out clearly before me, and for the first time in a long time, I did not feel trapped behind the wheel.

The sound of my phone ringing cut through the quiet hum of the engine, and I glanced briefly at the screen before answering when I saw the caller ID.

I pressed the button and lifted the phone to my ear. “What is it?”

A familiar voice immediately burst through the speaker. “Hey, you cold–hearted man, tell me why my workload has doubled today. I have been buried under files since morning, and I did not even sleep last night because of the reports you pushed onto my desk. Where are you anyway? Why am I doing all the work for you? Do you know I have a girlfriend? With all this work, when exactly am I supposed to spend time with her?”

Genesis sounded dramatic as always.

“You’re not overworked, Genesis. That’s your normal workload. And it’s not like I’m doing nothing. I’m simply faster than you, so I’ve already finished everything on my end.”

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