Try Begging - Chapter 164.2
“Yes, I need to exchange a 1-troy-ounce gold bar for cash…”
There was already cash in her bag to cover the rent, but the agent seemed to have misunderstood.
“One troy ounce… So, with the current rates, that’s roughly enough to cover five and a half months of rent. You must be burdened enough, so it’s more convenient to settle it with the gold rather than going far for cash.”
The agent was offering to accept the gold bar for six months’ worth of rent, including furniture. When Grace questioned whether this wasn’t a loss given the current rate of five and a half months, the agent just smiled.
It seemed that the landlord preferred to have the rent paid in advance with her own money and keep the gold, hoping to benefit from future increases in gold prices.
She had no particular reason to refuse, so she paid the rent with the gold bar.
Thanks to that, she had plenty of cash left, which she thought would be enough until her departure. However, it turned out that babies grow on money rather than milk.
Although she saved money by not buying formula, breast milk doesn’t come free.
Not only did she need to cover food expenses but also the rapidly accumulating laundry. It was too much for her to handle alone, so she had to hire a maid to help with cleaning and laundry. Even though the maid only came for a few hours each afternoon, the weekly wages quickly drained her funds.
Given the costs of raising a child, selling the ring that the bastard gave her seemed like the most logical choice for child support, but she couldn’t do that. He had already put out notices at jewelers and pawnshops.
Perhaps that was why on the last day the maid had put that ring on her. It was probably custom-ordered with a unique design for such a situation.
‘Anyway, I need to get rid of this soon.’
The baby, completely unaware of Grace’s turmoil, kept its tiny, pale hand on her chest, nursing while gazing at her with innocent, wide eyes. The blue eyes seemed to hold a sense of wonder as if they were seeing the most amazing and extraordinary thing in the world.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
Grace sighed deeply and unfolded the newspaper she had left on the nightstand.
The lease for this apartment would end at the end of September. She had decided to find a good home for the baby before then and leave for Columbia immediately. If she missed that window and winter came, the transatlantic routes would be cut off.
Being stuck here until next spring and running from that man was something she wanted to avoid.
She turned the newspaper to the classified section, looking for ads for children available for adoption. As she skimmed through, she suddenly frowned.
That man was still running these annoying ads.
“Throwing money around as if it grows on trees.”
It meant that Winston was holding Joe and his family hostage, though Grace didn’t flinch.
Joe wasn’t the kind of person who would be easily intimidated, unlike Jimmy. He would handle things. Besides, the man surely knew that harming Joe’s family would mean the end of any dealings with her.
“You even got a penthouse to spare, so treat my nephews well, you fool!”
While she derisively muttered this with her head bowed, something suddenly flew through the air and hit Grace on the nose. The unexpected blow, as if nothing had happened, returned to its previous position on her chest.
“Ah, that really hurts.”
Grace rubbed her nose and groaned. The baby had been kicking and punching her inside her belly, too.
“How can an eight-week-old baby be this strong?”
She laughed in disbelief, and the baby, still sucking on the n*pple, opened its mouth in a wide grin, mimicking her laughter.
“Everything, so beautiful.”
Grace’s smile faded instantly.
She lifted the baby, who was starting to doze off after being fed, and patted her back to burp it. Throughout, the baby clung to her with tiny arms wrapped around her body. At times like these, it felt as though the baby knew she was planning to leave, which weighed heavily on her heart.
“It’s alright. There are people out there who are better…”
The word ‘mother’ lingered on her tongue, refusing to come out.
“…Better for you.”
Even after the baby burped, it continued to cling to her, and every attempt to set it down was met with whining. As the sky began to lighten outside, Grace held the baby until it finally fell into a deep sleep. Her gaze was fixed on the red sea visible between the distant buildings.
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