Rebirth: 100 Days Before Doomsday-Chapter 222: Play of Deception

Grace barely resisted the urge to stab Davian with a fork.

For the past hour, he had been testing her patience with his absurd displays of affection. Worst of all, she had no other choice but to play along with.

Every time Grandfather Parker glanced their way, he would take the play up a notch. A hand over hers, a gentle brush of his fingers against her cheek, a whispered word meant to fluster her - he appeared to have done a thorough study on this.

And to make the situation worse - the old man was watching them closely. He was practically glowing with satisfaction.

"You two look so in love," Grandfather Parker said, beaming as he took a sip of his tea.

On the other hand, Grace barely stopped herself from choking on hers. She couldn’t help but question the old man’s common sense.

It’s one thing that the two of them were putting on an act, but the fact that the old man really believed that they fell in love right after meeting - was an entirely different story.

She forced a smile while setting her cup down with deliberate care. "Well, Grandfather Parker, Davian is very charming," she said smoothly and reached over to rest her hand on top of Davian’s.

His deep green eyes flickered with amusement as he immediately turned the tables on her by lacing their fingers together. He then even went as far as squeezing her hand in a mock display of affection.

"And Grace is the best thing that’s ever happened to me," he used a voice that was dripping with sincerity.

It was all an act.

And a convincing one at that.

If she hadn’t known any better, she would have almost believed him.

Almost.

But Grandfather Parker was believing every second of it. He grinned, delighted. "I knew you two were a perfect match.

Davian nodded his head. "I never expected you to be this good in your judgment about someone."

The old man ignored him, and turned his full attention to Grace. "You know, my dear, the first time I met you, I thought to myself, ’This girl has spirit!’ Even I was left speechless in front of those kids. But you? You had those high school boys stumbling over their words within minutes!"

Grace allowed a small, polite smile. "They were being so rude to you. Someone had to educate them."

Grandfather Parker laughed heartily. "And you did so brilliantly! That’s when I knew - I had to make you my granddaughter-in-law."

Grace felt Davian’s grip on her hand tighten slightly, as if suppressing his own frustration.

She tilted her head at him, giving him a saccharine smile. "So, Davian, was this your plan all along? To steal Grandfather’s favorite person away for yourself?"

He smirked. "What can I say? I always go for the best."

His thumb brushed lazily over the back of her hand, sending a slow, deliberate warmth up her arm. One that she didn’t like at all.

She yanked her hand away under the pretense of reaching for a napkin.

If Grandfather noticed, he didn’t comment. Instead, he leaned forward with his eyes twinkling. "Tell me, Grace, how did my grandson finally win you over?"

Grace barely stopped herself from choking on thin air. Win her over? What a joke.

But she had to play her role.

"Well," she started, shooting Davian a sidelong glance, "he was... persistent."

This earned her a raised eyebrow from her husband. "Persistent? That’s all I get?"

She smiled at him, but there was no humor in her eyes as she responded. "Should I say annoying instead?"

Before Davian could have said anything, Grandfather Parker chuckled. "Ah, persistence! That’s a Parker trait. We always get what we want."

Grace resisted the urge to retort.

The old man clapped his hands together, eyes shining with excitement. "Well, now that you are married, when should we start planning the real wedding?"

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She instantly stiffened.

Davian, to his credit, didn’t miss a beat. He chuckled while reaching out to place an arm around her shoulders. "Grandfather, you know how busy we both are. A wedding will take time."

"Rubbish!" Grandfather waved him off. "You can’t expect to keep my granddaughter-in-law hidden from society forever. We must have a proper ceremony!"

Davian’s fingers squeezed her shoulder lightly in a silent warning when he noticed her clenching her jaw.

He turned back to the old man. "Grandfather, we will consider it. For now, we just want to enjoy being newlyweds."

Grandfather Parker huffed but relented. "Fine, fine. But don’t take too long. And, Grace, my dear, when you do decide, just tell me. I’ll handle everything."

Grace forced another smile. "I’ll keep that in mind."

With that, she pulled away from Davian just in time to see Grandfather Parker watching them with something close to adoration.

"You two remind me so much of myself and my late wife," he sighed wistfully. "I knew this was meant to be!"

Grace felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest.

He truly believed in this marriage. And somehow, that was more frustrating than Davian’s games.

The conversation continued, filled with more fake smiles, perfectly crafted words, and Davian’s infuriating hand resting on hers like they were the happiest couple in the world.

By the time they finally left the Parker estate, Grace was seething.

The moment they were in the car, she turned to him. "If you ever touch me like that again-"

Davian stretched lazily, looking unbothered. "You’ll what? Kill me in my sleep?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Don’t tempt me."

He grinned, clearly enjoying her misery. "You are an excellent actress, Grace. I almost believed you were falling for me."

She scoffed. "Keep dreaming."

His gaze darkened slightly, amusement laced with something else. "Oh, I will."

The car ride was silent after that, but the tension between them was thick and undeniable.

And this was only the beginning. For the next year, she would have to endure his presence, his touch, his words.

End of Flashback!