Try Begging - Chapter 175.1
It worked.
Grace proudly glanced down at her passport, the fresh departure approval stamp and date standing out, before folding and stuffing it into her handbag. She quickly moved through the departure area, her steps falling in line with the flow of the corridor leading to the dock.
Despite the strain in her arms, she carried Ellie, apologizing for the fuss. As she rounded a corner, a faint, salty breeze from the sea brushed against her nose.
“Ellie, you’ll get to see the ocean now.”
Grace wiped the lingering tears from Ellie’s long eyelashes and eyes.
“Do you like it?”
“Uung.”
That wasn’t much of an answer, and even if it was, it certainly didn’t mean she liked the ocean. Ellie had already stopped crying, now completely engrossed in the scone in her hand, oblivious to the bonnet still perched on her head.
As they walked, the dim corridor gradually brightened.
When they finally stepped out into the sunlight, Grace was left speechless by the breathtaking view unfolding before her.
“Wow…”
Standing in front of the majestic passenger ship, all she could do was marvel. The ship, docked at the pier, looked as if an entire skyscraper had been laid flat. And it was so tall that she had to tilt her head back to see the top of the red-painted smokestack.
The overwhelming size of it left her in awe.
“Ellie, look at that!”
The child turned her head in the direction her mother pointed.
Black smoke billowed from the towering smokestack into the clear, late autumn sky. Seagulls circled overhead, while passengers leaning against the deck’s railing waved to the friends who had come to see them off, gathered behind the fence at the end of the dock.
As Grace stood near the exit, families with heavy luggage carts passed by repeatedly. The faces of those who, like Grace, were clearly immigrating, were filled with excitement. She could feel their joy and anticipation.
“Isn’t it amazing?”
She felt a pang of regret, knowing Ellie wouldn’t remember this breathtaking scene when she was older.
Turning her head toward the source of the noisy commotion, she noticed a massive warehouse at the opposite end of the dock. It seemed to be a cargo warehouse, bustling with workers pushing carts back and forth.
In the open space between the departure area and the warehouse, luxury sedans were lined up. Wealthy first-class passengers could skip the long wait, driving directly to the dock, making their departure and boarding effortless.
As Grace watched a wealthy passenger disembark and follow a crew member toward the ship, thoughts of that man crept into her mind. She shot a scornful look at the absent man, even though he wasn’t there.
‘Leon Winston, is this all you can do?’
If you really wanted to catch me, why didn’t you have some of your men who know my face stationed at the departure area?
A smirk escaped her lips, but it faded quickly.
‘Do you really want to catch me?’
For the past six months, he had been surprisingly quiet.
“Um, where should I go?”
Grace muttered under her breath as she scanned the length of the passenger ship, from stern to bow. There were six entrances, each with crew members stationed at the ramps. They held up signs displaying the names of the seating sections, calling out loudly to direct the passengers.
“Second class passengers, this way!”
Pushing the stroller toward the sound, she whispered in Ellie’s ear,
“We’re getting on that ship.”
‘And leaving this hellish place forever. We’re going to live a new life.’
Grace stepped forward, letting the refreshing sea breeze carry away all her lingering regrets.
º º º
At the entrance ramp for economy class, a crew member reached out his hand, and Grace handed over the boarding pass.
While the crew member checked the pass, she placed Ellie in the stroller. Covering her with a blanket, she seemed to chatter to her, her small lips moving continuously.
What was she saying?
The last time he had heard that voice echoing in his ears felt like ages ago.
As she received her boarding pass, Grace began to move again. The thought that pushing a stroller didn’t suit her was just a delusion. Of course, the prediction that it would look cute was spot on.
With the help of a crew member ahead, she pushed the stroller up the ramp. Since the baby was always facing away from him, he still couldn’t see her face. To soothe his disappointment, Grace’s beaming smile was clearly visible, even beneath the brim of her hat.
Grace was smiling.
It seemed she viewed that ship as her escape route, unaware it was a massive trap. As she confidently vanished into the snare, Leon finally handed the binoculars to Campbell and smirked.
“Looks like she doesn’t suspect a thing.”
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