Try Begging - Chapter 176.1
“Oh dear, is my little girl feeling upset?”
Grace held Ellie close as she clung to her. Unlike the pouting child, her mother had a smile.
Ellie had an unusual aversion to elevators. The loud clanking and the shaking of the enclosed space seemed to frighten her. The sensation of floating upward only to suddenly drop with a thud was surely unsettling.
However, carrying the stroller up the stairs from the F floor to the C floor was impractical. So, they took the elevator, and, as expected, Ellie burst into tears. Even after they got off, she continued to grumble in the hallway leading to their room.
“Uungg—! Awuu—!”
Grace, patting the babbling baby as if to say how the mother she had trusted had taken her from the scary monster’s mouth, chuckled, trying to stifle her laughter.
“Was it scary? The elevator was mean, wasn’t it?”
But Mom wasn’t mean.
Still, it seemed Ellie was genuinely upset and took a while to calm down. Grace thought that showing her the outside might help lift her spirits, though there were no windows in their room.
“Ellie, Shall we go wave to the people?”
Suddenly, she was reminded of her childhood. When playing near the railroad bridge by the river, she would wave to the passengers on passing trains, feeling both fascinated and envious of those journeying to a bigger world.
A wave of nostalgia washed over her. After all this time, Grace had become the very adult she once admired.
“Let’s go.”
She retrieved a blanket from the stroller and wrapped Ellie in it. As she handed the child the scone that had fallen onto the pillow while she was eating, she realized she had gotten distracted while trying to put the bonnet back on her baby’s bare head.
It was going to be windy outside.
Holding Ellie and slinging her handbag over her shoulder, Grace stepped into the hallway.
Where should they go?
As she made her way toward the central hall of the corridor, she spotted a map mounted on the wall. The interior of the passenger ship had strict divisions—not only between the cabins and dining areas but also for the promenade decks, which were separated by class.
Deciding to head to the highest S deck in the economy section, she began climbing the stairs. As she ascended, a question echoed in her mind.
‘Where will I stay when we arrive in Columbia?’
Having successfully navigated one hurdle, it was time to think about the next.
As Grace mulled over her options, a specific address unexpectedly flashed through her mind. It was the address listed in the penthouse catalog that the man had given her on their last night at the annex. The address that ended with United States of Columbia.
“Ha… you really…”
She had intended to laugh it off, but the smirk quickly faded, and Grace bit her lip.
What does it matter? There was no way she was setting foot there.
Initially, she would have to stay in a hotel. That man would undoubtedly be keeping an eye on Aunt Florence, so she couldn’t go to her.
She needed to find a place to live within a month at the latest. Would she have to scour the newspapers countless times again?
As she turned the corner of the stairs, Grace’s gaze sharpened.
‘Why is he here?’
The young man who had been sitting in the armchair in the central hall, reading a newspaper, was now climbing the stairs.
The moment their eyes met, a chill ran down her spine.
‘…Could he be following me?’
The man didn’t look away. Instead, he gave a subtle nod in greeting and continued up the stairs. As her wariness heightened, Grace stopped in her tracks and slipped her right hand into her coat pocket.
“Good morning, Madam.”
However, despite her instincts telling her otherwise, the man simply tipped his hat in greeting and walked past her, continuing up the stairs.
Watching the back of the man in his gray suit, she let out a weary smile.
Was her suspicion unfounded? After living a year filled with doubt, her instincts had become second nature. She realized it would likely take a long time to shake this habit.
“Haa… so heavy.”
Having reached the next floor, Grace grabbed onto the railing as she swayed. Breathless and with her thighs and abdomen tight, she found Ellie to be unbearably heavy.
“Ellie, I’m sorry, but I can’t do this.”
Looking around, she realized there was no elevator in sight. Checking the map attached to the wall, Grace sighed. Why was the nearest elevator in such an inaccessible area?
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