Kneeling for a Second Chance Novel

---- Chapter 273 Zion felt a shiver run down his spine. On the surface, Sebastian was smiling, his tone almost casual-but the weight behind the words made him feel uneasy. He scrambled for a reply. "Etoile is about to open a store at one of the malls owned by Exice International. On top of that, Ms. Neal and I... We've been in contact."" Just then, Valeria's phone buzzed. She excused herself, rising to take the call in the outer lounge. Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly. The carved wooden divider couldn't hide the elegant outline of Valeria's figure. He said, "If I'm not mistaken, Mr.

Lancaster, you have a 14-year- old son, don't you?" Sebastian leaned back in his chair, the overhead light bleaching his face to a cold pallor. His tone was even, but Zion's mind raced in circles in the span of a few seconds. He rose from his seat, leaning slightly as he poured Sebastian a glass of wine. Facing the newly appointed CEO of Grant Group, Zion chose his words carefully as he spoke. "Yeah, my son just turned 14." In just a few minutes, Zion had been on edge the whole time. He couldn't figure out why Sebastian suddenly asked about his family, only to drop the subject right after.

One thing was clear, though-Sebastian was far more ---- guarded than Alexander. Then, Sebastian said evenly, "Since you and Ms. Neal know each other, why don't you bring her to turf club No. 2 tomorrow afternoon?" Zion caught the cold edge in his expression and quickly nodded. When the dinner finally wrapped up, Sebastian and his people left first. Later, in the parking garage, Zion spotted Valeria. "Val, you and Mr. Grant are both from Slate City. What a small world, huh? Did you two know each other before this?" She rolled down her windows, revealing her striking profile.

Before she could speak, Nancy jumped in. "Mr. Lancaster, you're kidding, right? That's the CEO of Grant Group. There's no way we'd know him personally." Valeria gave a faint smile, adding, "Mr. Lancaster, thank you for tonight. I'll get going." Zion nodded in response and later sent Valeria an invitation to the turf club tomorrow. "I heard Grant Group also invited Reiya Design, Stellar Design, and a few others. You really shouldn't miss opportunities like this." Valeria thanked him, and Nancy pulled the car out of the lot. She was still new behind the wheel, so she drove like a rookie.

She was slow enough that people wished she had a Student ---- Driver sticker instead. "valeria, Mr. Lancaster seems pretty good to you. I heard he already has a teenage son. Still, he looks decent and really polished. Maybe you should give him a chance?" "Just because he's nice to me, I'm supposed to be with him?" Nancy laughed. "Come on, you've got looks and money. You should be going for the guys under 25, especially those between the ages of 18 and 25." Valeria smiled faintly. Then, Nancy suddenly gasped. "Valeria, look!

It's that car with the crazy license plate." The streetlights were dim along the road. A Cadillac Escalade ESV eased up alongside Valeria's car, kept pace for a few seconds, then slipped ahead. She rolled down her window, the night breeze brushing against her face. Through the window in his car, Sebastian's gaze settled on her. He wanted to reach across that gap and smooth the strands of hair the wind had tossed across her cheek. His eyes lingered, unwavering. Up in front, his new assistant, Calvin Scott, was only two months into the job.

However, he definitely was sharp enough to read the room after clawing his way through layers of competition. ---- Immediately understanding the situation, Calvin leaned toward the driver and said, "Slow down." The two cars drew even again. On the other side, Valeria had already rolled up her window. At the next intersection, her BMW turned left and disappeared into the night. Only then did Calvin clear his throat softly. "Mr. Grant, the file you requested on Zion Lancaster has been sent to your email." Sebastian unlocked his iPad, his long fingers scrolling upward. His eyes narrowed.

Calvin added, "Zion has a two-year-old daughter out of wedlock. He visits the mother-his former personal secretary -twice a week. There's also a regular transfer from his account every month that goes straight to child support."