Chapter 471 Grace's Escape
Patricia's anger hovered on the brink of erupting, her fingers tensing against the tabletop.
Grace, relishing Patricia's visible frustration, responded leisurely, "Only if you secure my release," her voice dripping with provocation.
Patricia's expression contorted with indignation. "Grace, I might persuade Riley on your behalf, possibly negotiating a reduced sentence."
Grace, nonchalant, reclined in her seat, arms folded. "There's no rush. Inform Riley that upon my release, I'll unveil all your enigmas."
Patricia, struggling to maintain her composure, gritted her teeth audibly. "I can't make decisions for the Koch family," she stated, her voice strained.
Grace smirked subtly. "Your queries likely mirror the Koch family's. Relay to Riley that I possess a significant Koch family secret, and he should visit me."
Patricia demanded, "What secret?"
Grace said, "Just tell Riley to see me!"
Patricia, pushed to her limit by Grace's smug demeanor, appeared on the verge of striking her.
Yet, Grace stood defiantly, her chin raised, challenging Patricia's wrath. "Strike me if you must! But then, the secret remains mine," she goaded.
Patricia's hand, poised to strike, ultimately clenched into a fist and withdrew.
Grace's smugness was palpable, confident in her sway over Patricia.
Departing the cell, Patricia, despite her reservations, found herself compelled to act. "Riley, where are you? I need to see you."
After the call, she headed straight for the Koch Group's executive suite. Upon arrival, she found Riley accompanied by Sebastian.
Sebastian quipped, "Should I leave, or is this a shared matter?"
Patricia dismissed the need for privacy. "Stay, it's nothing confidential."
She then detailed her interaction with Grace to Riley and Sebastian, sparing no detail.
Sebastian mused, "A family secret, again? What could it possibly be?"
Riley pondered, "Is it related to Grandpa's demise?" aligning with the suspicions harbored by both Patricia and Sebastian.
Sebastian reflected, "The notion of Grace harming Grandpa always seemed illogical. He doted on her. What could she possibly gain from his death?"
Riley, a man of action over speculation, resolved to confront the issue head-on. "If Grace insists on meeting, then I shall oblige."
His inclination wasn't to delve into others' affairs, yet when family and Grandpa's legacy were implicated, he felt compelled to unearth the truth. "I'll meet with her," he affirmed.
Patricia quickly said, "She wants you to let her go."
Riley raised an eyebrow, his silence laced with a touch of irony.
Once he made up his mind, he didn't waste any time. He drove straight to the prison and met Grace in the visitation room.
Grace seemed to have expected Riley's visit and greeted him with a smug smile. "Since you're here, you must be aware of what I want. I'm privy to a significant secret concerning the Koch family. Release me, and I'll share it with you."
Riley, unfazed, responded with a half-smirk, "Do you really think you can threaten me?"
Grace, maintaining her composure, retorted, "Yet, here you are, seeking the secret I hold."
Riley, his expression stoic, proposed, "Reveal the secret, and I'll consider leniency. Given your actions, you're facing at least ten years. I could mitigate your sentence."
Grace, undeterred, demanded, "I'm not interested in a reduced sentence; I want out. Provide me with a hundred million dollars and a cruise ticket. Fulfill my request, and just before I board, I'll divulge every secret I know."
Riley's face turned livid with disgust. "I don't take kindly to threats."
Grace leaned in provocatively, her tone taunting, "Curious about why I killed Shane? This deal's in your favor. Inform Shane of the secret; it might even rouse him from his coma."
She referred to him not as 'Grandpa' but by his first name, displaying a blatant disregard. Riley's contempt for her intensified; Grace was the first person he truly despised, and ironically, she was his beloved aunt's daughter. In his presence, she shed all pretenses, revealing her true nature.
Grace remained unperturbed, reclining in her chair, arms crossed, confidently awaiting Riley's decision.
After a moment's contemplation, Riley reluctantly consented to her terms.
Grace's smirk widened, barely concealing her glee. She struggled to stifle a giggle, which soon evolved into unrestrained laughter.
Initially, she tried to maintain composure, but it was futile. Overcome with amusement, she laughed uproariously, declaring, "Ha-ha, the Kochs... ha-ha... Riley... ha-ha... You thought of yourselves so astute. Yet, here they are, utterly outwitted by me," her laughter escalating.
Riley observed her meltdown with detached coolness. Her continuous outburst eventually led him to exit without a word or backward glance.
Grace's laughter persisted as the guards led her away, her hysteria unabated, tears of mirth streaming down her face.
Riley, efficient as ever, arranged for the hundred million dollars to be transferred to her account the following day, also organizing her departure from the country.
Standing at the prison gates, Grace squinted against the harsh sunlight. She looked skyward, smirking triumphantly, relishing her newfound freedom.
She vowed never to return to such a place, planning to use the funds to start anew, far from her past.
Outside, a vehicle dispatched by Riley awaited her. The driver signaled her to board upon her arrival.
An hour and a half later, she found herself at the docks, where a lineup of cruise ships promised various destinations. Grace had specifically chosen this mode of escape, allowing her the flexibility to disembark at any point and switch vessels, complicating Riley's efforts to trace her, securing her freedom and the ill-gotten gains.
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