BACK TO GRACE-HILL

CHAPTER 2

Jayden didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but when he opened his eyes, all he saw was the ceiling of the hospital room and the face of a man staring at him with his big eyes.

“Are you already conscious?” asked the man with slightly curly brown hair, looking surprised. “I’ll call the doctor right away!”

“How long have I been unconscious?” asked Jayden, making the man pause and look at Jayden. “Sit down and let me ask. I’m fine, so I don’t really need a doctor.”

The man was a little dumbfounded at Jayden’s words.

“You’re fine? Sir, you were in a coma for 5 days and almost died of blood loss. If I hadn’t found you while cleaning the hotel room, you would’ve died from the deep gunshot wound on your shoulder.”

Jayden was pensive, remembering what happened to him.

That night, Bella really shot him; it was unexpected that the woman Jayden loved would try to kill him.

“Sir, I know life isn’t easy or fair for everyone, but suicide isn’t the only way.”

Jayden glanced at the man. “Suicide? Me?”

“Yes. When you were found, the gun was in your hand, and the police have also stated that your case was an attempted suicide.” The man sighed, looking sympathetic. “Although life is very difficult, you can find a friend to talk to. Every life is precious, so I hope you don’t think about suicide again after this.

“I’m not trying to kill myself.”

“Huh?”

“If I wanted to die, I would have shot my head and not my shoulder. Do you think there’s anyone who would play around with the pain when a bullet pierces their flesh?”

The man paused, digested Jayden’s words, and said, “You’re right. But the evidence is…

“My girlfriend shot me,” Jayden said, leaving the man dumbfounded.

“What?”

“She cheated on me but blamed me. And then she planned to kill me to save the guy she has an affair with,” Jayden said, looking like he was about to cry. It was still so painful that it made the man sitting near his bed sympathize.

“I didn’t know the truth would be this sad,” the man said, patting Jayden lightly on the shoulder and soothing him.

But then Jayden stopped crying; his expression turned cold, and he said, “Help me to sit.”

The man was confused, but he still helped Jayden sit up because Jayden’s left arm that was shot could not be moved.

“What’s your name?” Jayden asked the man who had helped him.

“I’m Andy. Andy Carpent.”

“Give me your phone.”

Andy was confused, but he still gave Jayden his cell phone, even though he didn’t know what Jayden was doing.

It didn’t take long for Jayden to return Andy’s phone.

“Thank you for helping me and keeping me company until I regained consciousness. Can I ask you one more favor?” Jayden asked.

“What is it?”

“Pack my things here. I’ll be leaving in 30 minutes.”

“Leaving? But what about your body? More importantly, I don’t know your identity or how to contact your relatives. You know that your treatment must be very expensive, right? I can only take you to the hospital to pay the fees.

“I’m not asking you to pay for my hospital fees either. Just help me pack my things since I can’t use my hands right now.”

“But, sir-“

“And if you want to know my identity, you can come with me.”

Andy looked confused, and he was also hesitant to believe the words of the poor man he helped. But hearing Jayden’s words with such a commanding intonation somehow seemed to make Andy bewitched and follow his words.

He walked to the closet in the room, preparing to pack Jayden’s things. There wasn’t much to pack—just clothes and some money in a brown envelope.

“Is that money?” asked Jayden as Andy held up his envelope.

“Yes,” Andy replied.

“Just take the money for yourself.”

“Huh? What?”

“I don’t need it; take the money for you.”

“But, sir, you haven’t even paid your hospital fees; how can you give me money? If this is your form of gratitude, then."

“I’ll add more if you feel it’s not enough.”

Andy tilted his head, confused by what Jayden was thinking.

But suddenly the door to the room opened, revealing three guys in black suits who looked panicked and anxious. Upon seeing Jayden, the two men and a woman rushed in and approached him.

Andy didn’t know what was happening; he was too confused and shocked. Especially when those people who looked like bodyguards knelt in front of Jayden’s bed and said, “We’re here, Young Master.”

“Please forgive our carelessness. We didn’t know if you were in any danger.”

“If you give us an order, we will find the person who hurt you and kill him, young master!”

Andy had goosebumps.

Jayden just sighed and said, “That’s not necessary; I’ll take care of it myself. Now I want to go home.”

“Home?” The female bodyguard repeated Jayden’s words in a dumbfounded tone.

Jayden smiled faintly at her. “Yes, Amber, I’m going home.”

“Young master, after all this time, you finally decided to go home.”

“Yeah, I’m tired of this life. I think it would be nice if I lived better at home, in the Gracehill residence.”

Andy closed his gaping mouth spontaneously when he heard Jayden mention that name.

“Gracehill?” said Andy. “Did you just say Gracehill?” Andy approached Jayden and was still in disbelief.

Jayden, meanwhile, was calm, smiling at the dumbfounded Andy. “Have you ever heard of it, Andy?”

“I think everyone in this town knows that name: Gracehill, the owner of the largest business empire in Swient. And… who are you? Why do you say that as if?

“I’m Jayden. Jayden Gracehill. I am the only son and heir in the Gracehill family.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jayden entered the luxurious mansion with spacious corridors that looked like a castle. He walked confidently into a room with large, luxuriously designed double doors.

“Young master, are you going in? Don’t you need to rest for a while?” asked Amber, one of Jayden’s three bodyguards.

“I’m already feeling better. I’ll rest when my business is done anyway. Now, I need to start finishing my business.”

Neither Amber, Brian, nor Noel could stop their young master from entering the room—the room where the Gracehill leader rested in his old age.

“Good evening, my dear grandpa,” greeted Jayden, trying to be friendly, but his arrival was met with a cold, sardonic stare from Benjamin Gracehill.

“My useless grandson has finally come back home. Are you tired of living in poverty?”

“No, I’m not. I think struggling to earn money is fun and quite challenging for a man who has always been spoiled by wealth like me. I thought about living as a pauper again, but unfortunately, I need to do something.”

Benjamin sat upright in his chair. Although he was old, he still looked charismatic as a leader.

“Is this about your girlfriend?” asked Benjamin. “You and her broke up? Also, is your hand also a gift from the love you fought for all this time?”

Jayden just smiled. It seemed like Benjamin did not miss the news about Jayden’s situation, even though Jayden had been quite far away from the family.

“I have already said that the love you fought against your grandfather will not end well. What do you expect from the daughter of an arrogant businessman like Desmond Moore? Surely his daughter will appreciate his arrogant behavior. Did she accept you when you said you weren’t rich?”

“It looks like your words were proven true,” Jayden replied, agreeing with his grandfather. “Alright, I admit I was wrong. But at least I’ve come back and admitted my mistake.”

“Your return won’t have any impact. You’ve been rejected in this family ever since you decided to go against me and choose that arrogant lady.

“Really?” Jayden approached Benjamin’s table confidently. “Who would sit in that chair in your place if not me? Do you intend to leave all your wealth and business to Valentino? Or to Matthew? Or to Aunt Hellena and Uncle Robert?”

Benjamin averted his gaze, not answering, as he did not think he would bequeath his business to greedy people like them either.

“You can pass on your wealth to a cat, though, but I hope you don’t regret it, grandfather.” Jayden turned away; he felt his greeting was enough and was about to leave after adding, “You see, blood is thicker than water.”

Jayden went out without waiting for Benjamin’s reply. He was quite confident about what would happen to him in this family, even though Benjamin said that he had already rejected Jayden’s return.

“Young master, what can we do next?” asked Brian, following Jayden with Amber and Noel.

“I want you to give the lady lots of gifts and pick out the best jewelry,” said Jayden without stopping walking.

“Gifts and jewelry for women? But for whom, young master? Aren’t you and your lover?

“No, it’s not for Bella. Bella doesn’t deserve anything from me other than revenge.”

“Then who did we buy all those gifts for?”

Jayden stopped, making his three bodyguards spontaneously stop. When he turned around, he smiled widely and said, “For the biggest marriage proposal event of the year!”