Chapter 103 Chapter 103
The distance was too short for her to pretend she didn't hear, so she could only pretend to be surprised and look up at him.
The moment their gazes met, Benjamin's eyes flickered. He lowered his eyelids, avoiding her stare. He felt regret for answering the call in front of Grace. At the same time, he felt even more disgusted with Wendy, thinking her call couldn't have come at a worse time.
Clearly, he couldn't step away to take the call elsewhere now. His voice turned cold as he asked Wendy indifferently, "What is it?"
There was a brief silence on the line before Wendy spoke. "Nothing important. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you based on rumors. I shouldn't have done those things—"
"It's okay." Benjamin cut her off before she could continue. He wanted to glance at Grace's expression, but he lacked the courage. Instead, he coldly told Wendy, "I don't wish to revisit the past. Goodbye.”
“Wait!” Wendy hurriedly called out. "When should I return the fingerprint paper to you? Let me know when it's convenient, and I'll bring it over."
The receiver was too close—Grace heard every word Wendy said. She could almost picture the entire scene unfolding. Feeling no need to listen further nor witness Wendy's foolishness, Grace grabbed Benjamin's hand, thrust the phone into his palm, gave him a mocking smile, and turned to leave the kitchen.
Grace went to the bedroom to change. She had just slipped out of her pajamas when the door opened from the outside. Without turning around, she said coldly, "Please knock next time."
There was no response behind her. She covered her chest with her clothes and turned to look at him. Benjamin stood in the doorway with a floral apron tied around his waist and his shirt sleeves rolled high. He looked like a domestic god, but he struck a model's aloof pose: arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, silently studying her.
She didn't want to argue with him at that moment. She glanced at him, smiling. "Can I take your picture?"
She hastily pulled on a sweater, pretended to take pictures with her phone, and joked, "I could sell them to a gossip magazine and make a little money."
Seeing her like this, Benjamin felt a sudden ease. He stood there and let her take several photos before smiling and walking over. He tackled her onto the bed and said, "Photos like these aren't worth anything. We should take some bedroom shots and sell them to the crisis PR team at Norman Science instead.”
She nodded in agreement, her expression turning serious. "Good idea."
They both couldn't help but laugh again. He propped himself up above her and watched her for a moment before suddenly explaining, "Grace, there are still some unresolved matters between me and the Meyers. That's why I've been in contact with Wendy. Don't read too much into it. This has nothing to do with you.”
Grace understood everything. She wanted to sneer at his words but didn't dare show it. She only said, "If it has nothing to do with me, then don't tell me about it. I won't ask, and you won't say anything, okay?" After saying that, she feared her indifference might arouse his suspicion. Hesitating, she added, "But I still want to say, 'Live and let live.'"
Benjamin studied her face intently before finally replying, "Alright."
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to appear cheerful again, and pushed him firmly. "Hurry up and get dressed! Didn't you say we were going to the movies? Come on, I don't want to be late."
They both seemed eager to forget what had just happened. He smiled, stood up, and watched her get dressed. Then he led her out the door.
They went to see the movie first, then grabbed a late-night snack after it ended. Around 1:00 a.m., Benjamin finally drove Grace home.
Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, she didn't rush him out. She simply brought out a blanket for him and said, "You can sleep in my room. I'll sleep in my parents' room."
Benjamin was taken aback and grabbed her arm. "Why?"
She clearly didn't want to have sex with him in her own home, yet she offered an excuse: "Don't you think it's ridiculous to have sex in my parents' house? We're devout believers, and there's a Bible displayed outside the door. And it's Christmas Eve, for heaven's sake."
He couldn't care less about that. Smiling, he held onto her, refusing to let go. "I won't touch you. Just sleep with me."
Hearing this, she rolled her eyes at him. "Who would believe that? Go sleep on your own, or I'll kick you out."
Only then did he reluctantly let go.
Grace reached the doorway, paused, and turned back to tell him, "Don't wake me tomorrow morning. My period is coming, and I'm super cranky when I wake up. There's food in the fridge—just heat it up in the microwave."
True to her word, Benjamin didn't wake her the next morning. After hearing him leave, she finally climbed out of bed and crept to the window to peek down. A car was already waiting below. Michael had arrived earlier and was standing outside it. As soon as Benjamin stepped out, Michael hurried over and opened the door for him.
Only after the car vanished from sight did Grace feel a wave of relief wash over her. She went to her bedroom, opened the bedside drawer, and carefully checked the positions of the phone and documents. Seeing no signs of disturbance, she finally felt completely at ease. She turned her phone back on, checked the train schedules for the following night, and memorized every possible route she might take. She didn't overlook the cities these trains would pass through or the available connecting options.
Fortunately, her memory was excellent. By noon, she had forced herself to memorize all possible escape routes. What followed was an agonizing wait. Benjamin remained silent all day. Only in the evening did he finally called her, "What are you doing?"
Even though she was sitting on the sofa staring blankly at the TV, she answered cheerfully, "Watching a movie. What about you?”
"The kids are exchanging gifts," he replied, seemingly holding the phone farther away so she could hear.
The lively, boisterous clamor of children drifted through the receiver.
Grace suddenly felt a chill and clutched the blanket tighter in her right hand.
She instinctively glanced around the room. The space that could hold a family now held only her, sitting alone in the living room.
In past years, she had always been with Adrian, sharing corn porridge with her parents.
She had never hated Benjamin more than in that moment. If not for the man on the other end of the line, the four of them would be sitting together in front of the TV. Or perhaps she and Adrian would be traveling with her parents. Either way, she wouldn't be alone, watching the warmth and togetherness belonging to others.
Under such pressure, it was easier to lose control of her emotions. She mustered every ounce of strength she had to keep from smashing the phone in her hand. When he softly asked if she could hear it, she forced a smile and replied, "Yes, it's quite lively."
Benjamin chuckled softly. Someone seemed to be calling him on the other end. He didn't have time to say more and hung up.
She managed to handle it, but when the clock on TV was about to strike and Mrs. Hill suddenly called, Grace couldn't control her emotions. Her eyes instantly reddened. "Why are you calling me?"
"Because I miss you, of course," Mrs. Hill replied. "It's Christmas. Why didn't you say 'Merry Christmas' to us?"
Grace hadn't expected her mother to call just to say "Merry Christmas," so she laughed out loud.
Then, controlling her emotions and holding back tears, she lowered her voice.
"Merry Christmas, Mom."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end before her mother's slightly aged voice came through.
"Merry Christmas, Grace."
Mrs. Hill sighed. "Thinking of you home alone doesn't make us feel much better, either. Even though your dad seems angry, he still cares about you."
Grace smiled and told her mother a lie to reassure her. “I’m perfectly fine home alone. I went out with friends today and had a blast. They just dropped me off, and we've already planned to hang out again first thing tomorrow morning. Don't worry about me. Enjoy yourselves over there, and stay safe.”
Her cheerful tone convinced Mrs. Hill, who brightened as she recounted their itinerary—the places they had visited and their upcoming destinations—before adding, "We're catching a direct flight to Vancouver tonight. We're staying there for two days, and then we're heading to Ottawa."
Grace knew her parents' itinerary better than they did, yet she listened patiently, occasionally asking a question. They chatted for a good half hour. Mrs. Hill even brought her husband over to speak with his daughter. Only when Grace's phone grew hot to the touch did the call finally end.
The phone in her palm felt uncomfortably warm. She didn't linger in front of the TV any longer. She turned off her phone and crawled into bed, wanting to save her strength and energy for the escape that would begin in twenty-four hours.
The entire next day passed quietly. Benjamin must have been too busy to make a single phone call.
As night fell, Grace double-checked the items she planned to bring and stowed her packed backpack in the wardrobe. Then she sat quietly, leaning against the headboard, waiting for Adrian's message.
Her new phone was powered on, and she kept the old one close at hand. She silently considered potential emergencies and planned that, if Adrian called, she would delete all data from the old phone before leaving and toss it somewhere someone might find it—to throw Benjamin off the trail.
The closer the escape drew, the harder it became to bear. Every second felt like an eternity.
Just before 1 a.m., the long-awaited call finally came. Adrian's voice was steady, yet his tension was palpable. "Grace, I've taken Mom and Dad out. The tail is still at the hotel—they haven't spotted us."
She took a deep breath and replied, "Good. I'm heading to the station now. Keep Mom and Dad calm. Once I'm free, I'll tell them the truth." As she gave instructions, she pulled her backpack from the closet. Just as she slung it over her shoulder, her phone in her pocket suddenly rang.
In the silent darkness, the sound was abrupt and loud, making her shudder and nearly drop the phone. Adrian must have heard the ringing, too. Suppressing his urgency, he said in a low voice, "Grace, don't panic. See who it is."
Grace's hands trembled as she pulled out the phone. When she saw "Benjamin" displayed on the screen, her heart instantly plummeted.
The ringing persisted, clearly insisting that she answer. Her fingers trembled so badly that she could barely press the answer button. When she finally got through, Benjamin's voice came through the receiver: "Grace, get up and open the door. I'm outside."