Please Me Daddy (Gracie) novel Chapter 68

**Across Distant Skies Lies Hope Waiting To Be Found by Kade Rowan Flint**

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“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath, incredulous at the sight before me.

**Grace**

I had known from the very beginning that glancing at the price tag was a grave error.

Three hundred thousand dollars for a single dress.

My stomach plummeted as if I had just stepped off a cliff. Who on earth would spend that astronomical sum on a mere piece of fabric? Sure, it was breathtakingly beautiful, exuding an elegance that seemed to belong in a museum, carefully encased behind glass and guarded by security. Still, three hundred thousand? That wasn’t merely expensive; that was money that could change lives.

And it wasn’t just the dress that made my cheeks flush with embarrassment. When I noticed what else lay folded neatly within the packaging, my heart raced. Clean underwear.

Oh God. I fervently hoped that a woman had been the one to choose these items, because if not, I might just die of sheer humiliation right then and there.

With a deep breath, I slipped into the dress, the fabric clinging to my body in a way that felt almost too intimate. After fussing with the hem for what felt like an eternity, I finally summoned the courage to leave the room.

But Apollo was nowhere in sight.

The living room greeted me with an eerie silence, the kind that made my heart thud in my chest. My eyes flitted around, landing on the hallway that led to his office. My heart raced as I padded over, nerves prickling at the back of my mind, and knocked softly on the heavy door.

Silence responded.

I hesitated for a moment, then turned the handle and pushed the door open, feeling a rush of adrenaline.

My gaze fell upon my wet clothes and panties, still strewn across the floor like remnants of a forgotten night.

I forced myself to look away, determined not to let my mind spiral back into the memories of last night. Instead, I quickly gathered everything, stuffing it hastily into the white bag, my hands trembling slightly.

Once everything was hidden from view, I took a shaky breath, opened the door again, and slipped back into the hallway. My feet carried me toward the front entrance, each step heavy with anticipation.

The moment I stepped outside, the sun blazed down, hitting my face like a warm embrace. I squinted, instinctively raising a hand to shield my eyes.

“Good morning, miss,” a voice called out, and I froze in my tracks.

That voice was definitely not Apollo’s.

It was deeper, marked by an air of polite authority. Slowly, I lowered my hand, blinking at the man standing near the car. He appeared to be in his late fifties, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, with a kind smile that seemed to radiate warmth.

“Good morning…” I managed to stammer, my voice barely above a whisper.

He inclined his head with grace. “My name is Austin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss.”

Austin.

The name struck me like a bolt of lightning, and suddenly my throat felt dry, words sticking stubbornly in the back of it. Austin was the man Chase had spoken so highly of, the one involved in that unfortunate accident… Apollo’s secretary and driver. A significant figure within the company.

Someone just end me now.

Wait—was he the one who had brought me the dress… and the underwear?

My mouth opened, but no sound escaped.

This was not how I envisioned our first meeting. I would rather crawl into a hole and disappear. He must have known everything—he had to know what had transpired between Apollo and me.

Austin cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence. “Miss?”

I blinked rapidly, heat flooding my cheeks as my fingers tightened around the bag.

How was I supposed to introduce myself in this awkward moment?

Lying was not an option; I was terrible at it. Even with the wig and makeup, I was acutely aware of the truth lurking beneath the surface. Anyone who looked closely could see right through the facade. You can’t simply erase your identity with a pair of glasses, concealer, and foundation.

Besides, he probably already had an inkling or two about who I really was. He had that perceptive look about him, the kind of person who noticed every detail and missed nothing. Pretending would only make me look foolish. I had already learned that lesson the hard way with Apollo, convincing myself that he would never discover my true self.

It was better to confront this head-on.

I forced a sheepish smile. “I’m Grace.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Grace. I hope you like the dress. The lovely sales associate assisted me in picking everything out,” he said, his tone casual yet reassuring.

I curled my fingers around the warm cup, bringing it to my lips. One sip, and I nearly sighed in relief; it was exactly what I needed.

For once, the car was enveloped in a comfortable silence, and I was grateful for it.

“About your position,” Apollo’s voice broke through the quiet, and my stomach flipped in response. I turned to him, finding him still engrossed in his papers.

“You can return to your original position once this case is resolved,” he continued, still not bothering to look at me. “But for now, you’ll need to stay with me. Is that acceptable?”

Stay with him?

My pulse quickened, a wild rhythm that echoed in my ears. He didn’t mean it in any romantic sense, but try telling that to my traitorous heart, which skipped and stumbled as if it had misunderstood on purpose.

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out. “Y-yes…”

His hazel eyes flicked up from the page, locking onto mine with an intensity that left me breathless. One brow arched, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stop. Then, seemingly satisfied, he returned his gaze to the document, dismissing me without another word.

My cheeks felt hot, and I struggled to maintain my composure. When the familiar street came into view through the window, a wave of relief washed over me. “You can drop me here, please,” I said quickly to Austin.

He glanced back in the mirror, his expression polite. “I can take you to your house, miss.”

I shook my head, determined. “It’s okay. Thank you. I can walk.”

Turning to Apollo, I lowered my head slightly, my voice careful. “Thank you, sir, for the ride.”

I didn’t wait for his response. My hand was already on the door, and as soon as I stepped outside, the cold air brushed against my skin, invigorating yet unsettling. I ignored it.

Just as I was about to close the door, a voice cut through the air.

“Grace?”

I froze in place.

Lifting my head, I spotted them—Wyatt, Eleanor, and the kids, all bundled in hoodies and clutching ice creams, staring at me as if I had sprouted two heads.

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.