Reclaimed By My Ex-husband-Chapter 303: Danger so close

Chapter 303: Danger so close
The Day of the Party...
The mansion buzzed with life and celebration. Guests filled the grand hall, their conversations blending seamlessly with the soft, elegant music drifting through the air. The rich aroma of fine wine mingled with the delicate fragrance of fresh flowers, creating an atmosphere both warm and luxurious.
Gracie and Vincent stood at the center of it all, accepting congratulations from friends and relatives who gathered around them. Some were genuinely delighted to see the couple still standing strong after so many years together, while others masked their envy behind polite smiles.
Several women showered Gracie with compliments.
"You look as stunning as ever," one of them remarked. "It’s like time has not touched you. You are still so graceful and radiant."
Gracie laughed lightly. "You are flattering me."
"She is not exaggerating," another added. "You’ve taken such good care of yourself. Even now, you carry yourself beautifully."
However, everyone didn’t share the same thought. Although they smiled at her and acted cordially, they didn’t really admire her.
"She needs a walking stick now, even to stand," someone whispered with a hint of scorn. "And still acts so proud."
"That’s because people keep flattering her," another scoffed softly. "It’s gone to her head."
The bitterness in their words was unmistakable. But the moment Gracie’s eyes swept in their direction, their expressions changed instantly, polite smiles replacing their contempt.
Gracie noticed. But she remained calm and returned the smiles just as gracefully. Turning back to her well-wishers, she continued the conversation as though nothing had happened.
A woman leaned closer and asked, "Where is your daughter-in-law? I haven’t seen her yet."
"Oh, you know these youngsters," Gracie laughed with a wave of her hand. "They always take their time getting ready. She’ll be here any moment now."
Just then, she noticed Zara descending the stairs with Zane’s hand in hers.
Gracie’s smile deepened. "There she is." She pointed toward them.
All attention shifted to Zara and the little boy at her side.
Zara looked breathtaking in the silver gown she wore. The dress fit snugly over her upper body, then flowed loosely from the waist down, subtly concealing her protruding belly while enhancing her elegance. With every step she took, the fabric rippled softly, and the embedded stones shimmered under the lights.
The diamond necklace at her neck caught the glow, sparkling like scattered stars.
Her presence, her serene smile, and captivating grace held the guests spellbound, drawing admiration from both men and women alike.
Zara walked up to Vincent and Gracie. "Happy anniversary, Mom. Dad."
"Thank you," Vincent replied with a broad smile.
She handed Gracie a neatly wrapped box. "This is for both of you."
Gracie’s eyes lit up. "What is it?"
"Open it."
Unable to hide her anticipation, Gracie unwrapped the box at once. Vincent leaned closer, equally curious. When the lid was lifted, she found a photograph lying inside, framed in gold. The frame itself was simple, but the photograph made both of them pause in astonishment.
It was a picture from their youth, captured at the moment Vincent proposed to Gracie. He had gone down on one knee, holding out a pink diamond ring.
Gracie gasped sharply, her hand flying to her lips. "Where did you find this?" she asked, stunned. "I didn’t even know anyone had taken a picture that day."
"Well, well... this is priceless," Vincent said with a nostalgic grin as he took the frame from her. "I remember now. I asked my driver to take it."
A moment later, his smile faded slightly. "But I haven’t seen this photograph in years. Where did you get it?" he asked with curiosity.
"I was going through your old photos," Zara explained. "I planned to compile them into a slideshow as a surprise. That’s when I found this, tucked away in a corner of the bookshelf. I knew this was the one I needed."
Vincent laughed warmly. "You’ve brought back memories. Back then, I was completely smitten with Gracie, desperate to marry her. But she—"
"I did say yes, didn’t I?" Gracie interrupted, scowling at him.
"Yes, you did," Vincent chuckled. "And here we are now, celebrating our thirty-fifth anniversary." He slipped an arm around his wife’s shoulders. "Thank you, Zara. It’s beautiful. I truly love it."
"I love it too," Gracie added softly.
Zara finally let out the breath, relieved.
As they basked in the moment, proudly showing the photograph to their friends, a lone figure lingered in the shadows, watching in silence. His lips twisted with resentment and fury as he took in their joyful smiles.
’Your happiness will soon turn into suffering,’ Zachery thought darkly, his fingers tightening around the tray in his hands.
Ever since leaving his penthouse, he hadn’t been able to return. The police were hunting him relentlessly, and the mafia king was equally eager for his blood, his men scouring every corner of the city.
Zachary knew he couldn’t stay hidden forever. Either the law would catch him and throw him behind bars, or the mafia would end his life.
His fate was sealed. There was no escaping it. But Zachary refused to go down alone. If he was destined to fall, he would drag the entire Grant family down with him.
’I’m suffering because of them,’ he thought bitterly. ’They’ve always treated my mother and me unfairly. How can they live so happily?’
In the past, he had tried to blend in, enduring their cold indifference and pretending it didn’t matter. Yet they had still cast him out, convinced he had tried to kill Nathaniel. No one had listened to his side of the story.
From that day on, his hatred for Nathaniel had taken root. Watching his downfall became his sole obsession. He had nearly succeeded, but that foolish Riya exposed everything.
One by one, his allies were eliminated, leaving him completely exposed.
He had nowhere to stay. His money was gone. Homeless and penniless, his misery only deepened. With it, his resentment toward the Grant family burned even fiercer. Before his own end arrived, he wanted nothing more than to see them destroyed.
When he learned that the Grants were celebrating an anniversary, he recognized it as the perfect opportunity. Disguised as a member of the catering staff, he slipped into the mansion with a single goal in mind—to force Nathaniel to relinquish everything.
"Tonight, it ends," he whispered through clenched teeth.
Oblivious to the danger lurking nearby, the celebration continued in full swing.
Liam arrived with his parents and brought lavish gifts for the elderly couple.
"This is for you, Vincent," Rowan said, handing over a bottle of vintage wine. "I know you usually prefer the wine from your own vineyard, but this one is exceptional. Give it a try. You’ll love it."
Vincent’s face lit up. "I already do," he said cheerfully, accepting it.
Hayley opened a jewelry box, revealing an elegant necklace adorned with emerald-green gemstones. "We recently acquired this at an auction," she added. "It’s an antique. We hope you like it."
Gracie accepted it with a warm smile. "Thank you, Hayley."
While his parents were engaged in conversation, Liam moved closer to Zara and asked in a hushed tone, "Why are you by yourself? Where is Nate? Is he not coming?"
Zara’s expression darkened. She had messaged Nathaniel that morning, reminding him not to be late. She had planned to speak with him before the party began, yet he still hadn’t arrived. She had no idea what was holding him up.
Liam leaned in a little more, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Or is he planning to skip the party altogether?" he prodded. "What will you do if he doesn’t show up tonight? Dump him?"
Zara shot him a sharp look. "If he misses this party, I’ll never forgive him."
With that, she turned and walked away.
Liam chuckled as he watched her leave. Pulling out his phone, he quickly typed a message to Nathaniel.
’Come quickly. Zara is furious. If you are any later, she might not forgive you.’
Nathaniel glanced at his phone and saw Liam’s message. He ignored it and kept driving.
Meanwhile, Zara drifted toward a quieter corner of the hall, anxiety shadowing her features. Nathaniel had promised he would arrive on time, yet he was still nowhere to be seen.
What could be delaying him?
Frowning, she dialed his number. The moment the call connected, she demanded urgently, "Where are you? Everyone is waiting. The guests are getting restless and asking Mom and Dad to cut the cake."
"I’m on my way," Nathaniel replied. "Something urgent came up, and I got held back."
"Nathaniel," Zara snapped, irritation clear in her voice. "What could be more important than your parents’ anniversary? Work could have waited. This is a huge day for them, and you, their only son, are late. They are waiting for you."
Nathaniel fell silent. He couldn’t tell her that he was waiting for the property documents to be finalized. He glanced at the gift box resting on the passenger seat, hoping the shares and properties he was giving her would make her rethink about him, this marriage, and their future.
"I know," he said at last. "I’ll be there soon."
He ended the call and pressed harder on the accelerator.
Zara’s frown deepened. "What has him so occupied? He doesn’t even care about his parents’ anniversary." Her eyes hardened. "Let him come. He’ll have to answer me."
She turned back toward the hall, but suddenly someone came up behind her and pressed a sharp object against her back. She froze mid-step.
"Don’t make a sound," a cold, menacing voice hit her ear. "Or you’ll die."