Chapter 473 Grace's Overboard Escape
Grace paced the deck, contemplating whether to persuade the captain to continue or to find a lifeboat for an escape. As she turned, she noticed the deck, previously bustling with activity, was now ominously empty. The crowd had disappeared without her realizing. Two men in sailor uniforms approached her purposefully.
Cornered against the railing with no escape, Grace raised her hands defensively as the sailors neared. "What—what do you want?" she stammered.
The taller crew member asked, "Are you Grace, miss?"
Suspicious, Grace shook her head, feigning ignorance. "No, I don't know any Grace. You must be mistaken."
The crewman, smirking knowingly, produced his smartphone and displayed a photo, comparing it to Grace's face.
Seeing the photo, Grace felt a chill. Riley had sent her picture to the crew—a cunning move she hadn't anticipated.
The sailors scrutinized the photo and Grace back and forth, confirming her identity before each took hold of an arm.
Grace protested as she struggled, "Let me go! You can't just detain someone like this!"
One sailor retorted, "We're aiding in the capture of a wanted criminal. It's our duty."
Another crew member arrived with a chair, and together, they secured Grace to it. Despite her attempts to resist, the sailors' strength was overwhelming, and Grace realized resistance was futile.
Once Grace was restrained, a sailor stood guard while the rest resumed their duties. The hidden passengers peeked from their cabins, curious but cautious, none daring to interfere or complain about the unexpected delay.
Feeling the weight of onlookers' stares, Grace remained outwardly calm, internally scheming her next move.
As evening fell and the ferry docked, the other passengers were transferred, leaving Grace alone with her guard.
Seeking an opportunity, she appealed to the sailor, "I really need to use the bathroom. My stomach's in knots."
The sailor, unmoved, ignored her plea.
Undeterred, Grace persisted, "Seriously, man, I’m in real pain here. It's been seven hours since I got on board, and I haven’t been to the bathroom once. My bladder’s going to burst. Please, I need to use the washroom."
Despite her pleas, the crewman steadfastly ignored her.
Fuming, Grace growled, "Hey, are you deaf? I said I need to use the washroom. Do you not understand the concept of an emergency?"
The crewman glanced at her with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Mr. Riley gave us strict orders. You’re a sly one, full of tricks. So, no matter what you say or do, we've been told to pay you no mind."
Grace’s face flushed with rage.
After all the passengers had disembarked from the cruise ship, a series of footsteps drew closer from afar.
A surge of panic engulfed Grace suddenly, prompting her to twist in her bindings, but the ropes were so taut that each movement only intensified the pain against her skin. As she strained to see the knots binding her, Patricia's cold voice echoed nearby.
"Thought you were quite the escape artist, didn't you? So adept at fleeing, yet here you are, immobilized."
Grace's gaze snapped up, meeting the eyes of Riley, Sebastian, Patricia, Martin, and their entourage, with several black-clad bodyguards in tow.
Her stare was particularly venomous towards Riley, filled with such intensity it seemed capable of inflicting wounds. "Riley, you deceived me! You never intended to release me, did you?"
Riley remained unapologetic. "Indeed, I had no plans of letting you go. Regardless of your decision, the ship was destined to return, and I'd reclaim every cent from your account."
Despite her suspicions, Grace's fury was palpable upon hearing his confirmation, her legs flailing in a vain attempt to free herself. "You deceitful coward! To think you could betray me..."
She mocked their naivety, only to realize the irony that she, in fact, was the one ensnared.
Riley's response was sardonic. "The pot calling the kettle black, indeed. I'm merely reciprocating your tactics."
Enraged, Grace screamed like a madwoman. "Release me, you despicable rat! I'm your cousin, Elise's child. Mom is watching; she'll never forgive you for this."
Riley, tired of the bickering, gestured dismissively. "Take her away."
The bodyguards promptly responded, positioning themselves beside Grace and surrounding her. Riley and Sebastian led the way, with Patricia and Martin conversing quietly behind. Grace followed reluctantly.
Approaching the gangway, she made a sudden push against the guard to her right, hoping to dash down the plank. The guard, anticipating her move, reached out to detain her.
For Grace, it was now or never. Her past escape from a mental facility in Ivara City had been too arduous to end up incarcerated. She refused to let that be her fate.
This determination fueled a surge of adrenaline, allowing her to momentarily evade her captor and sprint across the deck. However, her escape was cut short when she unexpectedly slipped, her cry echoing as she tumbled over the railing.
Patricia and the others hurried to the edge, expecting to see Grace plummet into the waters below. Instead, they found her clinging desperately to the railing, her grip faltering.
Struggling to maintain her hold, Grace looked up at the faces above her, her voice frail and desperate, "Help me... please... hurry."
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