I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden)
Chapter 140 The Pride and Confidence That Were Branded to the Soul

A flurry of noises broke out when she finished her words.

"Nonsense! He's my own father, when have I, Jafar James ever humiliated him!" Jafar growled.

"You didn't? You knew grandpa cares about Wei'ai the most when he's alive. Now that you have sold Wei'ai to others, would he be happy? You're disgracing grandpa! 80 million! Have you not seen money before? Jafar James! With only 80 million, you sold Wei'ai Foundation which was placed high hopes by grandpa! And you even said that grandpa would be glad when he knows about this. Aren't you humiliating grandpa's intelligence, grandpa's morality and grandpa's capability!"

She scolded from the bottom of her heart with hatred and much more mixed feelings. The man she addressed as father had been that disappointing!

"An outsider like you doesn't have the right to express your thought here! What happens to Wei'ai and how should I deal with it is none of your business!"

Jafar glowered at her, feeling exasperated too. "If you want to talk about that, that old man would have died of rage regarding that damn thing you caused if he's alive!"

Grace's whole body trembled. Jafar actually proclaimed to everyone that she was no longer part of the James family at an occasion like this and also in front of so many people. Instead, she was proclaimed a murderer and a labor-reform offender who was just out of prison!

It was said that family shame was not a thing to be talked about in public... Right, her father had mentioned she was just an 'outsider'! She clenched her fist hard. How could she rebut? What stance did she have to rebut? Tiredness clutched at her. She closed her eyes and opened them once again. The light which dimmed down in her eyes brightened up once more and she braced herself.

"Mr. James, if grandpa is still alive, he would defend for me at all costs, because he trusted me from the start till the end!" Tears twinkled in her eyes under the light. With everyone's attention all focused on the farce before them, nobody noticed the face of the woman who was one of the protagonists of that case had gone paler and paler.

Payne who used to stand at the side had walked over not knowing why. "Quit it." He moved towards Grace and stopped less than three meters in front of her while an angry look appeared on Caden's delicate, handsome face. "Quit it. Do you want us James's family to be made fun of as a joke in City S like you again? Grandpa used to pamper and cosset you. He always educated you while letting you accompany by his side.

Yet, a man who was wise all his lifetime has actually made a wrong judgment. He always said you're the most brilliant one among the James family, yet he still misjudged you. I bet grandpa would never expect you to have done such a thing. If he knows about your deed in his afterlife, would he still trust you? Would he still defend for you? Grace, don't you think that there would always be people who protect you. Now that you have reached such a situation, it's because of your unscrupulous doings."

Grace initially trembled due to rage, yet she turned out to be calm after Payne finished his words. She looked up, gazed at the handsome young man before her for a while and suddenly chuckled. "I never realized you're being that jealous of me. Grandpa did use to educate me by his side, therefore you thought I'm the one who was cosseted and I've taken hold of your position? Payne James, did you think that I've taken way everything that was supposed to be yours?" She suddenly felt that she actually did not understand the family that she has lived with for more than twenty years.

"Grandpa has given me chance, and he has given you at the same time. There was one summer, the weather was so hot that an egg could be cooked on the ground, and grandpa has let us two copy Buddhist scriptures in the tree shade.

Yet you're playful, could not withstand the heat and could not stay still, therefore you went inside the house to enjoy the cold air of the air-conditioner and play video games. I was afraid that grandpa would punish and blame you, so I help you copy your part after copying mine. And Payne James...from the moment you left the desk in the tree shade and went inside the house for the air-conditioner and games, you have given up the chance yourself."

Grace elucidated the past slowly and steadily. "Yet grandpa thought you're the eldest grandchild in the family and should take charge of the whole family in the future, therefore he would let the tutor teach you the things that he has taught me. He let me memorized his business notes in one week and hand it over to you. However, you ended up leaving it dusted at a corner of the bookshelf. Grandpa did teach me himself, yet whatever I learnt from him, you have too! Even so, our ability split up the more we grew up.

Grandpa was scared that I'll compete for the family property regardless of kinships in the future therefore he established Wei'ai Foundation in that same year. You thought there's plenty of money in the foundation back then?

Grandpa placed a bet with me and let me swore if Wei'ai could be expanded, he would give Wei'ai to me as my eighteenth birthday present, and it would be the only property I could get from the James family. The benefit would be I could decide for my own wedding. Now that Wei'ai is dead, I'll accept the fact, get myself a dowry and forget everything else. Payne James, you stand here today, how could you have the right to hate me for taking everything away from you? What grandpa gave you was already nicely managed, yet what grandpa gave me required me to manage it myself!

Why are you able to get the fruit of the ancestors' blood, sweat and tears without having to do anything and why must my only fruit, though putting much effort, burning countless of midnight oils, researching and socializing, be auctioned here, at the place where I've lived for more than twenty years, by you all?"

Grace only disclosed these unknown secrets today, and everyone in the hall was shocked to hear these!

Master James's indulgence towards Grace had been witnessed by everybody long time ago. He had even brought her to meet the queen from a country yet he did not bring his own grandson. Therefore everyone thought Master James cosseted Grace very much. However, from what Grace said herself today, Master James did love his granddaughter therefore he had raised and cultivated her until she grew up, yet no matter how Master James loved his granddaughter, he did not intend to hand the James group to her. Those mistresses and dandies who were born with a silver spoon were dazed to know that.

Caden's deep black eyes were fixed at the woman. She no longer had the stunning look, slender figure and the arrogance in the past, yet she was shining at that moment. His heart palpitated when he heard the sincere words she said. It was the first time in his life that he had watched someone that thoroughly! He understood more than before that her arrogance, her uplifted head, her back straighter than anyone else and the confidence she displayed whenever and wherever on her face, all of these was not from the pampering of the deceased Master He, the property of Wei'ai worth billions, nor her own capability. It was the pride and confidence branded to her soul and rooted in her guts!☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐