Billionaire In Disguise

Grace Lawrence pondered the idea she had gotten from Jesse. The idea did sound crazy, and her pride also came into play with it, but she had no other way. Her mind could not find a way to persuade Cody, who insisted on rejecting her. She was sure nothing could persuade Cody to fence himself off as high as the Berlin Wall to separate himself from her.

Just the thought of that man being so wary of her made her extremely upset, and her pride droop at Cody's attitude towards her. The man had put her out of her mind. In the end, Grace decides to use Jesse's idea as a way out. If she had to regret Jesse's idea later, let it be her right to regret it, but now she was going to do it.

Grace drove her car to the building where Jesse's agency was located. Today, she learned of Cody's schedule from Jesse, who checked the man's schedule for her. As if he really wanted to help her, Jesse prepared many things that he could do.

"You're coming?" greeted Jesse, looking at her once the door in the room opened.

Grace quirked a faint smile that appeared to be a laugh at herself. "What else can I do but this?"

Jesse smiled so cheerfully. "Are you asking for small talk, or do you not know?"

Grace sat where she was, watching the models through the one-way glass connected to Jesse's room. She observed every talent Jesse had there, but her eyes couldn't move from Cody, who even stood out among the other professional models.

"You can choose anyone, though. That's if you want," Jesse said, getting up from his seat and taking the same notice as Grace. "Did any of them catch your eye? I can help you get closer to them if you want."

Grace turned her body toward Jesse. "I've made my choice since yesterday. I proposed to him yesterday and have no intention of proposing to anyone else. Don't make my feelings worse by having to propose to more than one guy."

Jesse laughed with satisfaction. She didn't mean to have fun on top of Grace's pain and confusion. But for the first time, she could see Grace dizzy with something else she wasn't interested in, and the situation was quite amusing. "So you're sticking to your choice. Stay with Cody?"

Grace nodded. "I guess it would be even weirder if it wasn't Cody. I mean, I'm dating him-"

"It's fake. Of course," Jesse interjected before Grace could finish her sentence. The girl walked over to the table where she had been sitting. She sat down casually watching Grace with her eyes.

"Yeah. Thank you for making that clear," Grace replied sarcastically.

"I'm happy to remind you."

Grace looked at Jesse quizzically. "Oh my God," she said, hoping Jesse would find another time to play a trick on her.

"So here it is." Jesse pulled out a medicine from the back of his drawer. He placed it on the table, drawing Grace's attention, who immediately went to it. "Just what you need, no need to thank me. I emphasize again, I'm happy to help."

Grace stared with narrowed eyes. She hated the way Jesse spoke, but she ignored that by taking the medicine Jesse took out and observing it. "What's this?"

"Stimulant," she said cheerfully and smiled mischievously.

Grace widened her eyes with her mouth open. "Are you crazy?"

"What do you want me to give him? Candy, chocolate, or cake. He's not a kid who can be persuaded with that," Jesse said, annoyed that Grace did not appreciate his efforts.

Grace shook her head. Although she thought she had met the wrong friend, she remembered that a person is a reflection of who they meet. But Grace was an exaggerated reflection for her. "But this is out of line. This is a crime!" Grace tried to stay within the bounds of reason.

She tried to retain her humanity. At least she wouldn't manipulate others to that extent.

Stimulant? Oh, my God.

Grace backed away, putting the drug back on the table. Holding it made her afraid of herself.

"Setting him up was a crime from the start." Jesse gave her a stern look. "Don't make me look like a criminal mastermind alone when I only tried to help."

Grace shook her head. "This isn't the kind of help I meant!" she quickly retorted.

"So what kind?"

"You could do something else, a little pushy for example? Using weakness as a threat. You know money can do a lot these days," Grace argued.

Jesse squinted at Grace, his eyes moving up and down, assessing the girl and then looking disgusted. "That method is more disgusting than making him lose consciousness. If you use your method, take advantage of his weakness. And then making her helpless, that's more inhumane and torturous," she objected.

Grace didn't understand what the difference was with using the drug. In the end, Cody would still be helpless because he had to take responsibility.

Seeing the look on Grace's face that she didn't understand her words. Jesse put the medicine back on the table where he first put it. "At least he still has the choice to take responsibility or run away when he does something he doesn't realize. But if you threaten her with her weakness, you don't give her any choice but to accept and agree to whatever you want."

"So you think this is better?" Grace still felt it was a bad choice.

"It's sleeping pills. It's not what you think. I'm kidding." Jesse got up from her seat, but her mood had changed. "I'll make her a drink here. You wait at the hotel I booked. Let me take him there."

Grace sat down on the sofa, momentarily relieved. But she also felt disappointed in what she'd said. Jesse's words that her way was more disgusting rang in her mind. Thinking back, she also realized that her thoughts were disgusting, as Jesse had told her.

The worst act is forcing someone to make them helpless and accept what they are told. It was like she was oppressing a weak person, and her actions didn't give any justification for her attitude.

After pondering Jesse's words for a long time, Grace was awakened by her phone ringing. Jesse's name appeared on her phone screen, indicating that Jesse was calling her.

"Where are you? Cody's almost here, but the room's still empty." Jesse's voice sounded on the other end.

Grace stood up and quickly walked out of Jesse's office. "I'll be there in a minute," she muttered, turning off the call between them.