?Chapter 1085:

    Waldo smirked, tightening his grip, his excitement growing as he brazenly groped her. “You’ve got some fire, Miss Wilson,” he said.

    Gracie’s face flushed with shame and fury, but she couldn’t break free. “What do you want from me?”

    She stopped resisting, ring fiercely at Waldo.

    “That’s better,” Waldo said, reveling in his control. Gracie felt a wave of revulsion.

    Trapped in his hold, she was unable to break free.

    He continued, “Be my woman, and I’ll secure a deal with Mr. Mitchell, even push for you to lead the project. You know the Mitchell Group is in a bind and needs my support. Refuse, and I’ll take my offer to the Harper Group, the Wagner Group, or the Russell Corporation. I’ve got options; it doesn’t have to be the Mitchell Group.”

    His tone was smug. “Unless you agree to be my woman, I won’t partner with the Mitchell Group. That’s my condition. It’s also an opportunity for you.”

    Gracie forced herself to calm down. “Let me go first. People are staring.” Indeed, a few onlookers by the artificialke were ncing curiously at the scene.

    Waldo released her, unperturbed.

    Gracie’s eyes welled up, tears spilling over. Her father was gone, and no one would protect her anymore; not even Ethan was willing to protect her.

    She didn’t want to be someone’s toy.

    “I need two days to consider it,” Gracie said, stalling to devise a strategy. Waldo smirked, unfazed. “Alright, two days. If you don’t agree by then, I’ll find another business partner.”

    Just then, Brenna and Ethan emerged, and Brenna was wrapped in a long bathrobe that concealed her figure entirely. Holding hands, they shared easyughter, their joy evident.

    Gracie burned with envy when she saw that. She believed she was the one who deserved Ethan’s love—she had met him first, loved him first. Why did Brenna get all his affection?

    A dark thought took root. If Brenna were out of the picture, would Ethan fall in love with her?

    This idea filled her mind, fueling her hatred.

    ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????? g???????ν?????????????

    If Brenna hadn’t taken Ethan away, would Waldo have dared to harass her so brazenly?

    She med Brenna for all of this.

    Brenna was just as beautiful; why wasn’t Waldo targeting her instead?

    This was all so unfair! Why was she always the one to suffer?

    The group headed to the artificialke, where some people lounged in chairs nearby, basking in the sunlight.

    “It’s been a while since Ist swam,” Brenna said, stepping onto the pier stretching to theke’s center. She dropped her robe and dove in with fluid grace, her movements hinting at professional training.

    “I’m going in, too,” Gracie said, offering Ethan a faint smile before diving in with equal poise, though her revealing outfit drew more attention. Waldo nudged Ethan. “Let’s get in the water, too.”

    Ethan had noticed Waldo’s focus on leisure all day—golf, swimming, and then more golf—without a word about business.

    Ethan suspected Waldo was either uninterested in doing business with him or wasn’t satisfied with the terms offered.

    .

    .

    .