Chapter 472 Grace's Failed Escape
Near the docks, a black SUV was parked, with Patricia, Sebastian, and Martin inside, their gaze fixed on Grace and Riley at the pier. Riley handed over a bank card loaded with a hundred million dollars and a cruise ticket to Grace.
"Here are your funds and passage," Riley said. "Now, it's time you divulged the Koch family secret."
Grace, with an air of eagerness, quickly verified the substantial amount on her mobile banking app and, content with what she saw, pocketed the card. "My safety first, then we talk," she insisted.
Riley's handsome face grew tense. "Are you backing out on me?"
With a nonchalant shrug, Grace countered, "I'm sticking to my word. But how can I be certain you won't empty my account the moment I spill the beans? For all I know, I might not even make it onto that ship before you have me dragged back here."
Riley found himself speechless, seething with fury.
Grace, however, appeared utterly relaxed, adding, "It's not about trust; it's about assurance. I never enter into a losing deal."
Riley, struggling to contain his anger, asserted, "I'm a man of my word. I promised you freedom, and I intend to honor that. But withhold the secret now, and you won't be going anywhere."
Undeterred, Grace challenged, "Is that a fact? Let's see who has the upper hand in this waiting game."
Riley, unable to hide his frustration, laughed derisively. "Do you honestly think you can play this game? If Grandpa regains consciousness, your leverage disappears. You wanted him dead to keep the secret buried, didn't you?"
Grace's confidence faltered momentarily, but she quickly regained her composure, her smile broadening. "If he were truly no longer in peril, your threats would be meaningless, and I wouldn't be in this position. Don't try to bluff me, Riley. I won't be deceived by you again."
Riley's fist clenched at his side, his anger palpable.
Noticing his clenched fist, Grace taunted, "You're at my mercy now! Once I'm safely on board and the ship has departed, I'll reveal all."
Riley despised the feeling of being cornered, longing to retaliate against Grace. Yet, he was forced to negotiate. "Agreed. But fail to disclose the secret once aboard, and you'll regret it," he warned, his voice tinged with suppressed fury.
Grace, unshaken, proceeded onto the ship, holding her bank card, phone, and boarding pass under Riley's intense scrutiny.
As the vessel embarked, Grace stood at the railing, flaunting a torn piece of her ticket towards Riley on the shore, her expression one of imminent liberation.
In the SUV, the trio eavesdropped on the exchange via a bug planted on Riley.
Patricia, with a hint of disdain, questioned, "Do you believe Grace will unveil the secret?"
Martin remained silent while Sebastian, also keeping quiet, smirked.
The likelihood of Grace, given her character, sharing the secret remained uncertain.
Shortly after, Riley joined them in the car, enveloping the atmosphere in a heavy silence. They remained stationary for approximately thirty minutes, allowing the cruise ship to distance itself before Riley decisively dialed Grace.
The call connected promptly.
"Is it safe to discuss now?" Riley asked.
"Hardly," Grace retorted. "It's been merely half an hour. What's to stop you from pursuing me? Call again in three hours."
She ended the call abruptly, leaving Riley with no opportunity to respond.
As the minutes and seconds passed, Riley and his companions marked the time, waiting from noon until the afternoon.
Precisely three hours later, Riley dialed Grace's number, and the call connected immediately.
"Now that the ship's been at sea for three and a half hours, catching up is out of the question. Can we finally talk?" Riley said.
Grace's response was a cascade of scornful laughter. Once her amusement subsided, she taunted, "Riley, do you take me for a fool? Why would I relinquish my only leverage?"
Riley's grip tightened, his knuckles whitening with tension. "GRACE," he spat out, each syllable heavy with fury.
Grace's delight only grew with Riley's mounting anger. "Too late, Riley. I'm beyond your reach. Let this be a lesson—naivety will be your downfall."
With those final words, she ended the call. When Riley attempted to reconnect, he was met with a notification that the phone had been turned off. Overwhelmed with rage, he barely restrained himself from destroying his phone.
Patricia, observing the scene with a detached coolness, remarked, "Trust in someone of her caliber to renege on her promise. She never intended to reveal anything."
Sebastian, visibly angered by the turn of events, watched as Riley emitted a low, menacing laugh, the sound filling the confined space of the car with a chilling resonance. Exchanging a meaningful glance with Riley, Sebastian swiftly contacted the cruise ship's captain, saying, "Turn the ship around immediately."
Meanwhile, Grace, lounging on the ship's deck, felt an unsettling shift. Whether it was intuition or mere speculation, she perceived the vessel altering its course. Observing closely, the change became undeniable: the ship was retracing its path, abandoning its eastward journey.
The realization dawned on Grace; the ship was indeed reversing course, just shy of leaving Country Y's territorial waters and nearing its next stop.
This sudden change filled Grace with dread, especially since it coincided with her recent call with Riley. Could he be orchestrating this?
Frantically, she checked her bank account online, only to find her worst fears confirmed: the hundred million dollars had vanished, leaving no trace.
Panic set in. If the ship returned and she was once again at Riley's mercy, her chances of a second escape were slim. She had meticulously planned her getaway, never foreseeing Riley's vast influence could command the ship's return.
Now, faced with this unforeseen predicament, Grace was at a loss for her next move.
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