Chapter 82 Chapter 82
She hung up on Mrs. Meyer, pulled up Michael's number, and dialed it. Without saying a word, she coldly demanded, "Put Benjamin on the phone!"
Michael hesitated for a moment before replying, "Mr. Norman has already gone to bed."
"Put him on the phone!" she snapped.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Hill," Michael said calmly. "Mr. Norman said no one is to disturb him.”
Grace gritted her teeth and asked again. "Where is he?”
Michael had no idea what was happening. Seeing Grace like this, he assumed she was jealous because Benjamin was sleeping with another woman. He hesitated to answer when Grace continued, "I'm right outside the apartment. Hurry up and open the door for me!"
Unaware that he had fallen into a trap, Michael unconsciously exhaled in relief. "Ms. Hill, we're not home," he replied.
"Garma. You're still at Garma, right?” Grace pressed, her voice dripping with cold sarcasm. "Fine. Go find Benjamin. Tell him I'm coming."
She hung up before Michael could respond. Garma. Benjamin was in Garma. She was going alone to a place where she couldn't possibly rescue Wendy.
Should she call the police now? That huge place? They could hide someone anywhere. Could the police possibly find them? Without solid evidence, they wouldn't conduct a massive search of Garma just for her.
Grace drove like a bat out of hell, her mind racing. She needed help—someone bold, cool-headed, and unflappable.
Mrs. Meyer was clearly out of the question. Her mobility was limited, and the elderly woman would never stay calm with her granddaughter involved. Who else? Who could help her now?
Suddenly, a name popped into Grace's mind. She dialed Nathan's number while driving, silently praying: Please don't be turned off. Please don't be turned off!
Fortunately, Nathan's phone was on. He answered, sounding surprised. "Ms. Hill?"
"Don't ask any questions right now. Get out immediately and take a taxi to Garma." Grace said in a low voice. Then she asked, "Do you know where Garma is?"
"Yes, I know!" Nathan replied. He didn't know what was going on, but Grace's urgent tone made it clear that it was important. He sprang awake, leaped out of bed, and threw on clothes haphazardly, ignoring his roommate's complaints. He only asked, "What happened?"
"Bring money and your phone, and get out as fast as you can." Grace said. She paused before adding, "I'm going to rescue a girl inside. I'll try to stay on the line with you and tell you my location. If possible, I'll get her out myself. But if things go wrong, you call the police immediately, and they will come in and rescue her. Understand?"
Nathan had already bolted from the dorm. Hearing this, he blurted out, "Ms. Hill, don't risk yourself! Wait for me. I'll go in and rescue her!"
Grace had already driven into Garma. With no time for further explanation, she snapped, "Got it? Switch to your earpiece. Don't let anyone spot you. Make no sound whatsoever!"
Nathan complied, slipping on the earpiece. He heard the sound of a car slamming on its brakes, the sharp clang of a door being flung open, and the urgent, crisp click-clack of high heels on the pavement. Each step was closer and closer, like a hammer pounding against his heart.
Grace's phone was tucked in her coat pocket. She got out and strode straight inside, grabbed a manager by the collar, and demanded coldly, "Where are the guest rooms?"
The manager rushed over. As a smooth operator himself, he recognized Grace and knew Benjamin hadn't left that night. Like Michael, he mistakenly assumed she had come to catch them in the act. Though startled by her brutality, he dared not offend her. He hurried to block her path, smiling apologetically and pleading, "Ms. Hill, please calm down. Let's talk this through."
Grace had seen this man before in Benjamin's private room. Noticing his attire, she guessed that he must be Garma's manager. She grabbed his tie, pulled him closer, and whispered, "You know exactly why I'm here. If I make a scene now, it won't end well for anyone. You'd be better off telling me where Benjamin is. I'll find him myself. Once the door closes, whatever happens between us is none of your business.”
The manager gave a wry smile. "Ms. Hill, please don't make things difficult for a lowly employee like me."
"I'm telling you this precisely because I don't want to make things hard for you. What can a mere employee do to the boss' woman? You can't hit me. You can't yell at me. And you can't stop me." Grace sneered, adding, "Think carefully, manager. If you risk your neck for Benjamin today, it's your duty. He won't even remember your favor. But I'm different. I hold grudges!"
The manager's eyes darted around as he forced a smile. “Ms. Hill, please calm down. The back courtyard is very deep. If you make a scene in there, you'll alarm all the guests. Mr. Norman will be furious.” As he spoke, his gaze deliberately shifted toward the left side of the lobby.
Smart people never need to spell things out. Grace curled her lip, shoved the manager aside abruptly, and shouted, "Get the hell out of my way! Do you really think I don't know where Benjamin is?"
She turned and charged toward the left. The manager seemed momentarily stunned before urgently barking orders to his assistant: "Call Michael immediately! Tell him Ms. Hill has gone to the back!"
In the blink of an eye, Grace had already sprinted around the colonnade and exited the clubhouse through the rear door. She crossed a small garden flanked by elegant cottages and raced down a dimly lit path toward its deepest recesses, silently reciting her route as she went. Only when she reached the villa at the very end did she stop.
The manager and others caught up with her, urgently calling her name in hushed tones. “Ms. Hill! Ms. Hill!”
Michael had already opened the villa gate before her. His expressionless gaze swept from Grace to the manager and the others trailing behind. Before the manager could explain, Michael coldly ordered, "You all go back to work."
The manager nodded hastily, shot a cautious glance at Grace, and turned and left.
Her heart pounded wildly, perhaps from the strenuous running or from sheer fear and tension. Yet her face remained frozen in a cold smile as she calmly walked past Michael. Her eyes scanned the surroundings while her voice rang out sharply. "Where's Benjamin? Benjamin! Come out here!"
She yelled as she charged straight up the stairs. Several of the doors she tried were locked. Just as she was about to kick one down, it swung open from the inside. Benjamin stood in the doorway, dressed in a simple shirt and pants. He looked down at her, his brow slightly furrowed. His voice was icy. "Grace, what the hell is wrong with you? What are you trying to do?"
These words struck a chord in Grace. A bold thought suddenly surfaced in her mind: Maybe that phone call was just an accident. Maybe this whole thing was a coincidence. Maybe Benjamin didn't know about Wendy's identity and hadn't discovered her collaboration with the Meyers. Maybe she could rescue Wendy quietly without raising any suspicion.