Everything You Wanted Me To Be.

Chapter 67

Graces POV

Last night was amazing. We didn't fight. I know Jace was high as hell but we had so much fun. It's nearly 4pm the next day and we are both led in bed. Jace is going to be a pain in my ass today on his come down but I'm glad it's nearly time for tea.
"How was last night?" He asks. I'm not sure if he's talking about him or the night either way.
"Exceptional." I loved it all.
"I'm sorry I was gone so long."
"Did you do what you had to do?" He nods.
"I think so. It's insane how many people are in that group, the entire US governance and business world are corrupt Grace."
"Do you think maybe you've just been the one on the outside this entire time?" He nods.
"I don't think they trusted Michael. A lot of them said they were glad when I took over." I nod
"Well so long as you're safe."
"I am and so are you." I smile at him he pulls me onto his chest and turns the TV on and settles on NFL.

At some point I must have dozed off again Jace too as the TV is still on and he's sleeping beneath me. I guess we are both very hungover. I turn the tv off and tuck myself back into him and fall asleep again.

The next morning is a beautiful snowy morning. Shit it's my first day at Columbia though. I glance at the clock and relax when I see it's only 5am. I've slept for hours though so I climb out the bed and have a shower. I wash my hair and do some real skincare. I feel far more human than I did yesterday. I'm just finishing brushing my teeth when Jace walks in and grabs his toothbrush and brushes his teeth. He gives me side eye as he does and I can't help but laugh. I spit my toothpaste down the drain and run the tap.
"Can I help you?" He shakes his head. I walk out the bathroom and go grab a nice pair of jeans and a black blouse Ivy must have purchased.
"Can I drive you to college?" I turn and nod.
"Sure I'd love you too." Jace puts on a black suit and some Dior. He chuckling at me.
"What?"
"Someone's clearly forgot that this week is my Econ class, I'm doing a few and one of them is orientation today, so yours."
"I did forget. Please don't embarrass me." He laughs.
"You really think I'd do that?"
"Yes" I laugh Jace laughs with me and pulls me onto him. He kisses me gently and smiles on my lips.
"Thank you for being so amazing on new years."
"I wasn't, I just supported my husband." He smiles and kisses me.
"Let's get going, I wouldn't want to make you late for your first seminar, I hear your guest speaker is a really good business man, hot too." He winks.
"Yeah he's really vain too." He raises his brows at me and flashes a white toothy grin.

We get it to the car and I hop into the passenger seat. Jace climbs into the drivers seat and pulls out the garage.
"Do you think we spend to much time together?" Jaces raises his brow and looks concened.
"Why?"
"Well In Edinburgh I did things on my own but I feel like we do everything together now."
"And that's a bad thing why"
"It's not I'm just saying." He's giving me side eye and his face has turned into a frown.
"Well I like seeing you."
"I like seeing you too."

The car journey is only about half an hour. Jace pulls into the guest speaker slot. He turns to face me.
"Grace if you want space I'd rather you just ask."
"I don't it was just an observation I don't want you to get sick of me." I smile. He picks my hand up and kisses it and shakes his head.
"Never."
We both climb out of the car and head to the reception. Jace is holding my hand and I can't decide if I should be pretending he doesn't exist to avoid my class mates judgement. I like being on his arm though. I register for orientation and find my name badge. Jace gets his visitor one and gives me a kiss on the forehead.
"I'll see you in a bit." I nod and he walks into the amphitheater with the other professors and visitors. I walk in with all the new students and sit in the middle. A young guy sits next to me.
"Hey I'm Linc."
"Grace, what's your major link?"
"I'm thinking Econ but might change my mind, you?" I nod and smile.
"Econ and English. I work in publishing so it's a natural fit."
"That's very cool, who are you working for?"
"Umm Atlas?"
"No way I heard their scheme is so hard to get onto." I nod.
"Yeah I know someone who works there that helped."
My first friend here. He seems nice. The orientation starts and the chancellor introduces himself.
"Good Morning guys welcome to your first semester at Columbia. It's a privilege to welcome you. This year we have a exceptional group of professors and industry specialists ready to install their knowledge. Please can you all put your hands together for the professors and guest speakers." Everyone claps I can see Jace is scanning the crowd for me. I think I'm blending well enough in. He's slouched into his chair and looks by far the most handsome on the stage. He's the youngest by far aswell. A girl runs in late and walks and sits next to me and Linc.
"Sorry I'm so late." She whispers to Linc. Jaces eyes have followed her up the stairs and found me in the crowd. I feel like his eyes are staring at me but I'm sure that's not the case.
"Lily this is Grace she's my first friend, she's doing Econ and English."
"Hey." I whisper and she waves.
"Who is that fitty on the stage." She's looking at Jace I feel my cheeks flush but hope it's dim enough for her to notice.
"I heard he's hard work."
"He looks it." She replies
"I think he's a guest lecturer." Linc volunteers. We turn our attention back to the chancellor whose talking about the school values for what feels like too long.
"Now I know you're eager to meet this exciting bunch of guest lecturers. I'm pleased to say Jace Atlas is our Econ lecturer, I'm also trying to convince him to join the English faculty for one seen as he owns a publishing house, can you all put your hands together and give him a warm welcome." Everyone claps and some people whistle at him.
"Thanks guys. It's so nice to be back at Columbia again. So yeah I'll be taking some guest Econ lectures, I'll see how they go and might branch to English. My first one is today so I look forward to meeting all." Someone heckles from the crowd asking for a date and Jace chuckles and holds his hand up displaying his wedding ring.
"You're all to kind but I'm very happily Married." He steps off the stage and the chancellor takes the stage.
"I'd like to be clear, harassment to any faculty will not be tolerated. Even if Mr Atlas is the same age as half of you."
"Fittaaay." Lily says and I laugh.
"Grace he said he owns Atlas." I nod
"Yeah he does...he also owns me."
"What?" They both look at me confused.I wiggle my hand with my rings.
"Shut up...you are Grace..like the Grace. Oh shit!!" Lily bursts.
"Don't say anything."
"Your secret is safe with us." They both say I smile. The chancellor continues to go through the rest of the guest speakers and then we are all dismissed to our lectures. My first one is of course Jaces. Me and Linc walk together chatting about our lives. He lives with his mum in Brooklyn she's a nurse. It's nice talking to someone normal. I hope he feels the same way. We walk into the lecture. Jace isn't here yet and i relax a bit at that. Linc and I look around and opt for the middle yet again but on the isle. The usual Econ lecturer introduces himself.
"Hi Guys, I'm professor Quinn. I'll be your primary lecturer for Econ but as you know we like to help you get a good understanding of industry and we've got a real treat this year. Jace Atlas from Atlas publishing amongst other very successful Fortune 500 companies will be our guest lecturer this year so you'll be seeing him around every now and then."
I could swear Jace said it was a one off. Maybe they asked him to do some more. Jace strolls in and smiles. His eyes find me immediately and he bites his lip.
"Mr Atlas, rather than me going on I'll pass over to you."
"Thanks professor. Hi again. I'm sure professor Quinn's introduction was very kind. The reality is running Fortune 500 companies is easy. It's the getting it to a Fortune 500 company that's hard." Jace goes on about his achievements and methods to do that. At points I struggle to hold in laughter I've fully switched off from listening to Jace at this point. I'm watching his lips move and picturing all the things I shouldn't be. Suddenly everyone stands up and I'm looking around at all my classmates stood up. Jace bites his lip and raises his brow at me. I can feel my cheeks burn.
"I'm impressed. You're the only one of your classmates who already owns or co-owns a Fortune 500 company." I raise a brow.
"Um What?" I ask. Jace smirks.
"We are doing an exercise where I ask a question and you sit if it applies to you. So either you weren't listening or you have a very good company. Do tell me, what's your company?" I'm going bright red at this point; I kind of deserve it I should have just stood up. I'm currently debating if I should put the fact I'm his wife to everyone by claiming to co-own one.
"I think someone maybe wasn't listening, either that or their too embarrassed to say huh?" I bite my lip.
"Um...I guess you could maybe say I own or co-own one..or two?" Jace grins wickedly.
"Really do tell me Grace..which company do you co-own, and also do tell me who with?" Everyone's staring. I think they think Jace is being mean.
"My husband owns some, seen as in his wife I guess I indirectly do too."
"Not going to share which ones?" He pokes
"Yours." I whisper. A few people around me whisper between themselves.
"Sorry I didn't hear that? I thought you said yours."
"I did." I say more confident and stand up, I'm not sure where I got the confidence.
"I'm Grace, you're my husband and I indirectly own several Fortune 500 companies because of you but I was also just not listening because I listen to you an awful lot." I don't know if Jace js going to go mad at this or take the banter. Jace rubs his lips together and creates a clicking sound.
"Mmm I guess yes you do. I'll allow it, Grace owner of a few of my Fortune 500 companies." Jace confirms and smiles.
"But that's not going to help you pass Econ now is it? Sit your ass down and listen." He rolls his eyes and smirks. I laugh and sit down. Everyone is looking between us trying to figure us out. He scolded me in such a way that if it was my actual professor I'd probably cry.
"Let's try again. Sit down if you know what the annual revenue of the Fortune 500 companies is." A few sit down, Jace picks on someone who replies about it being around 16.7 trillion Jaces nods and says he's right good wider knowledge he asks a few more questions till eventually the entire student body is sat down. He glances at his watch.
"That brings me to the end of my lecture I'll be back in a few weeks. Grace, stay behind." I roll my eyes. All my class mates look at me and i slouch really low into the seat. Jace is looking at me with his eyebrows raised and a expression that is like what the fuck. I slide even lower in my chair and close my eyes. I can hear him pull the seat next to me open.
"So Grace, do tell me more about this company of mine that you seem to know so much about?" I giggle and peek at him. He's grinning at me.
"But really what the fuck was that Grace?"
"I was picturing us having sex."
"What?!" I nod and hide behind my book. Jace laughs, like really laughs.
"So you weren't listening to me not even 10 minutes to my lecture because you were too busy fantasising about all the things I'm going to do to you later?" I nod and hide behind my book. He claps his hands.
"Not many excuses I'd take but yeah I will take that from you."
"Sorry." I bite my lip.
"I thought you didn't want people to know?"
"I felt under pressure."
"You should have you're my wife and you zoned out completely, you didn't expect to call you out?" I shake my head.
"You wouldn't do it to someone else."
"Someone else isn't my wife." He laughs and shakes his head.
"Own a Fortune 500, you're lucky I didn't shit on your parade." I pout.
"You said I could have Atlas once." He pulls me into him.
"Don't be an idiot again or you're never going to pass."
"Wait you control that?"
"Yes Grace; you have to pass my module and I'm telling you you're way at the bottom right now."
"You wouldn't fail me..would you?"
"If you're like that every day I really wouldn't get a lot of choice."
"Sorry."
"You will be later." He smirks.