chapter870

Lucinda had heard the rumors before. Some rich, older men liked to keep young girls around. And Lydia'd been racking up international awards since she was eight. There had to be someone powerful behind her. That was the only explanation that made sense. If not, how could it be that, even though they were both eighteen and Lucinda had gotten the best education money could buy, Lydia still seemed to know so much more than her?

Grace listened and quickly agreed. "Oh my god, Lucinda, I think you're totally right. There has to be someone behind Lydia. Seriously, why didn't I think of that before?" She smacked her forehead, frustrated with herself for missing something so obvious. There was just no way Lydia could be that perfect all on her own.

"Just hang tight, Lucinda. I'll get someone to look into her. We'll see who's really pulling the strings," Grace promised.

Lucinda nodded, her heart pounding with excitement. If it turned out Lydia really had been kept by some old man since she was a kid, there was no way she'd ever be allowed to marry Connor. She'd be a total disgrace, not just to the Norwood family, but the whole city. She'd never show her face in the Capital again.

The moment Grace hung up, she grabbed her spare phone and messaged Night Eagle, asking him to dig up everything he could about Lydia's past.

She had barely sent the message when her apartment door shook under a heavy kick.

"Grace! Open the door!" The voice outside was loud and furious.

Grace's eyes narrowed in anger. Frank. That bastard was back again? Did he really think she was afraid of him?

"Grace! I swear, if you don't open up, I'm putting our whole marriage story online! Let's see how you go out flirting with other men after that! Damn it!" Frank sounded drunk, his words slurred and ugly.

Grace peered through the peephole. Sure enough, Frank was slumped against the door, reeking of alcohol and kicking the wood with wild frustration.

"Not opening up, huh, Grace? Fine. I'll just go find our daughter. I'll make sure everyone at Capital College knows I'm her father!"

Hearing that, Grace's face turned red with rage. She threw the door open, grabbed Frank by the arm, yanked him inside, and slammed the door behind them.

"Frank, you bastard! If you go near Lucinda and mess up her future, I swear, you won't live long enough to spend a single cent!" she shouted.

Frank just laughed, a cold, mocking sound. So what if you got some work done? I could recognize the woman I slept with for two years anywhere."

"Frank, we're divorced!" Grace glared at him, her patience long gone. If she wasn't trying to keep things quiet, she would've tossed him out for good by now.

"Divorced? I don't remember agreeing to any divorce. You ran off and left our kid behind. I broke my back raising her!" Frank shot back.

Grace rolled her eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The daughter you raised isn't even mine. Why should I care?"

Suddenly, Frank's face changed. His

drunken eyes cleared a bit as he stared at her suspicion creeping "Was it you? Did you switch the babies back then on purpose?"

in

Grace didn't even bother to reply. "Don't flatter yourself. All three families mixed up their kids, it had nothing to do with me. But I'm

ovel.ne

warning you, stay away from

Lucinda. If you want to ruin

someone, go after your so-called daughter. I don't care!"

Frank snorted, then grinned, a twisted look on his face. "That brat? I already gave her to Greg. He wiped out my debts, and now I can hit the casino whenever want. Feel's darin good!" fo

Grace stared at him in shock. She really hadn't expected Frank would go so far as to sell Sandy.

"You... you're a monster, she whispered, disgusted.

Inside, Grace made a silent promise to herself. She needed to warn Lucinda. If she ever ran into Frank again, she absolutely couldn't let him get close.