Chapter 1102:
Alani, quick to catch Gracie’s real motive, answered evenly, “Yes, Mr. Mitchell just asked me to take care of it. Secretaries like me often handle these sorts of errands.”
That answer piqued Gracie’s interest. She wanted to bring lunch to Belen, seeing it as a perfect opportunity since she had nothing else to do anyway.
“How about letting me tag along?” Gracie suggested smoothly. “I was planning to visit Ethan’s grandmother anyway. If you pick up the lunch, I could deliver it right to her. Otherwise, it might get cold.”
Alani felt an immediate sense of unease—Gracie was clearly trying to hijack her task. If she let her do it, how would she explain things to Ethan?
Did Ethan have any idea what Gracie was trying to do?
Would he approve of Gracie getting too close to his family?
Based on everything she knew about Ethan, Alani doubted he’d approve of Gracie getting too familiar with his family.
A polite refusal followed, Alani’s tone gentle but firm. “I’m afraid that won’t work, Ms. Wilson. Mr. Mitchell specifically asked me to bring the food straight to him, and he’s planning to bring it to his grandmother at lunch. If I pass it to you, what will he have to give her? That could cause trouble, and you know Mr. Mitchell won’t be happy about that.”
Her answer was wrapped in a polite smile.
Frustration flickered in Gracie’s eyes, her arrogant side emerging as she retorted, “You’re just a secretary. Who are you to turn me down? Aren’t you worried that I will make you lose your job just by saying a few words to Ethan?”
A wave of frustration washed over Alani, but she kept her feelings tightly in check. She knew all too well that crossing Gracie could spell trouble, especially if she went running to Ethan with complaints.
Unlike Brenna, who wouldn’t hesitate to challenge Gracie, Alani lacked both the nerve and the special place in Ethan’s life to do that. If Gracie complained to Ethan about her, she could easily lose her job.
Feigning cooperation, Alani said, “Alright. So, you’d rather I skip the errand and leave lunch for Mr. Mitchell’s grandmother to you?”
She agreed on the surface, though she wasn’t happy about being bullied by Gracie and wanted to set a trap for her.
𝓢𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓽: 𝓰⍶𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀﹒𝓬𝓸𝓶
“I don’t know where that restaurant is or what Ethan’s grandmother prefers. You’re coming along with me, end of discussion.” Gracie’s tone brooked no argument, and she blamed Alani for pushing her to this edge.
Alani was unhappy but had no choice but to comply.
Annoyance bubbling inside, she fired off a quick message to Lorna, venting about being cornered by Gracie.
Despite everything, Alani led the way, guiding Gracie to the restaurant as requested.
Gracie had already spent enough time with Belen to know her slightly. Besides the two ravioli orders Belen had specifically requested, she chose a handful of extra dishes, careful to match Belen’s tastes.
Alani kept her silence, but every gesture showed how little she liked the arrangement.
But after Gracie had left with the takeout boxes, Alani placed another order: two servings of vegetarian ravioli, two servings of different meat-filled ravioli, several dishes suitable for the elderly, as well as some of Ethan’s favorite dishes. Only then did she take a taxi back to the company.
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