Chapter 6 - Whispers and Winter Thaw
The news of James Crawford’s sudden lifestyle change did not remain a secret for long. By April, the New York high-society columns and business tabloids had caught wind of the billionaire bachelor spending his time in a modest neighborhood in Queens, keeping company with a pediatric nurse.
One morning, James arrived at his office to find his chief legal counsel and long-time family friend, Arthur Vance, waiting for him with a stack of magazines.
"James, we have a public relations issue," Arthur said, tossing a tabloid onto the mahogany desk. The headline showed a grainy photo of James holding Lucy on his shoulders outside a grocery store, with Grace walking beside them, laughing. 'Crawford Industries CEO Trades High Society for High Chairs.'
James didn't even flinch. He picked up the magazine, looked at the photo, and a soft smile crossed his face. "It's a good picture of Lucy. She has a wonderful smile."
"James, I'm serious," Arthur groaned, sitting down. "The board is asking questions. You're missing charity galas, you're delegating major acquisition meetings, and rumors are circulating that you're losing your edge. Investors want to know if the man running the company is focused."
James walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, the very window he had looked out of the night he found Lucy. "Arthur, for twenty years, I gave this company every single second of my life. I gave it my youth, my sanity, and my happiness. The board has seen record profits every single year."
He turned back around, his eyes flashing with a fierce, absolute clarity. "If the investors are worried because I am spending my evenings being a human being instead of a corporate machine, they are welcome to sell their shares. I am not changing my life back. In fact, I'm just getting started."
That evening, James went straight to Maple Street. He didn't care about the paparazzi or the board's whispers. But when he entered the apartment, he found Grace sitting at the kitchen table, the same tabloid open in front of her. Her face was anxious.
"James, I saw this," she said, her voice tight with worry. "I never wanted to cause trouble for you. Your world... it’s so public. I don't want Lucy exposed to this kind of scrutiny, and I don't want to ruin everything you've built."
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James crossed the room instantly, dropping to his knees beside her chair and taking both of her hands in his. "Grace, look at me. You aren't ruining my life. You're saving it. What I built before was a prison made of gold. What we are building now is a home. Do you trust me?"
Grace looked into his eyes, seeing the unshakeable foundation of the man he had become. The anxiety melted from her shoulders. "I trust you," she whispered.
