Chapter 5

I took out my phone. "There's a camera right at the entrance."

Andrew frowned.

Helen immediately chimed in, "Of course, you know where all the cameras are. It's your place. Who knows if there's a spot they can't see?"

Emily's expression shifted.

I unlocked my phone and pulled up the video the young guy from property management had sent me in the group chat the night before.

He must've sensed something was off, too. When he came to check the gas, he reminded me that the entrance camera was pointed right at the hallway.

In the footage, Emily grabbed my suitcase, then suddenly toppled backward all by herself.

The woman holding her kid watched the video and swung her door open wider. "She fell on her own."

Helen's expression faltered. "Maybe the camera angle was wrong."

The young guy from property management came up the stairs, carrying his toolbox. "The angle's fine. We calibrated the camera yesterday."

He glanced at me and added, "Mr. Cooper, Ms. Lane had us delete all the reminders about Ms. Ashton from the group chat yesterday, saying she didn't want Ms. Ashton to get the wrong idea."

Andrew's expression darkened.

Emily hurried to explain, "I didn't want Grace to get upset if she saw my name listed as the contact for the house."

Lily stepped out of the elevator, carrying two empty cardboard boxes. "Oh, so you were worried about Grace's feelings, huh?

"First you grab the house, then the marriage license, then the bracelet. Ms. Lane, aren't you the picture of thoughtfulness?"

Andrew shot a glare at the property management guy. "How dare you run your mouth?"

The young guy from property management clutched his toolbox. "I'm stating the facts."

I dragged my suitcase along. "Thanks."

Andrew blocked the doorway. "Where are you moving to?"

"None of your business."

"The wedding's three days away. If you move out now, what am I supposed to tell everyone?"

Lily cut in for me, "Tell them you married the wrong girl and the bride ran off."

Helen pointed at Lily in anger. "You have no manners."

Lily rolled up her sleeves. "Mrs. Cooper, say one more thing, and I'll post that video of you calling Emily Andrew's real wife in the community chat."

Helen went silent right away.

I dragged my suitcase into the elevator.

Before the doors closed, Andrew said in a low voice, "Grace, if you walk out today, don't regret it."

I looked at his face. "I already have."

He froze.

"I regret the day I ever met you," I said.

*****

When I got back to Restoration Studio, Grandpa was sitting at the entrance, fixing up an old chair.

The shop sat at the very end of Oinwan Street, with a tiny front and a sign so faded that one could barely make out the words.

This place was Grandma's legacy. Back in the day, she used to fix porcelain to make ends meet. Grandpa got older. After Grandma passed, he only did jobs for old friends.

I hauled my suitcase out of the taxi, and Grandpa put down his sandpaper to help me. "You've lost weight."

I didn't say anything.

Grandpa didn't ask; instead, he handed me the keys. "I've got your room ready for you. There's a piece in the shop that a customer is coming to pick up this afternoon. Want to take a look?"

I glanced at the plate on the counter, the one that had been broken and then repaired.

The cracks had been carefully mended, but there was still a noticeable color difference along the inner rim.

"The gold line's too thick. It's covering up the glaze," I said.

Grandpa smiled. "Looks like you still got it," he said.

I washed my hands and sat down at the workbench.

As I picked up my fine brush, I heard the sound of high heels at the door.

Emily walked in with Sophia and a middle-aged woman in glasses trailing behind her.

Sophia wrinkled her nose. "Emily, are you really sure you want to get something fixed in this dump? The dust in here is killing me."

Emily set a box on the counter. "Grace, I'm not here to cause trouble. Andrew said your grandpa's the best at fixing porcelain, and I was hoping you could help me with something."

I opened the box.

Inside was a white vintage cup with a chip missing from the rim.

I knew this cup.

It had been in Andrew's study for years. He always said it was his father's favorite keepsake.

"Who broke it?" I asked.

Emily said softly, "It was an accident. Andrew's really anxious about it, and I'm worried he'll be upset."

Sophia chimed in, "Didn't you always say you loved Andrew, Ms. Ashton? Fixing a cup should be a piece of cake for you, right?"

Grandpa came out of the back room and took a look at the vintage cup. "There's no way to make it look like new again. All we can do is fill in the missing part."

The woman with glasses spoke up, "Emily needs to use this at the Cooper family dinner tomorrow. It has to look like nothing ever happened."

Grandpa frowned. "The porcelain's broken. No matter how you fix it, the cracks will always show."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "So much for being an expert. Is that really the best you can do?"

I closed the box and pushed it back. "I'm not taking this job," I said.