Chapter 30 Chapter 30
That evening, Benjamin learned that Grace had reached out to Gia through Isabella. He anticipated that Grace wouldn't just sit idly by, but he hadn't expected her to make such a foolish move.
"Through Isabella?" Benjamin raised an eyebrow, surprised.
Michael nodded. "That's what Isabella said. They had lunch together. Near the end of the meal, Ms. Hill suddenly brought it up and showed Isabella a photo of Gia. Since it was a candid shot, though, Isabella didn't recognize her at the time and agreed to ask around.”
A faint, almost imperceptible sneer touched Benjamin's lips. “How did she know Isabella?”
"Isabella drove Ms. Hill back from Garma that day. She said she had no ulterior motives—she only wanted to befriend Ms. Hill because you were the one who brought her there."
Michael had just met Isabella. Seeing that he was personally inquiring about this matter, she told him everything without holding back.
Benjamin fell silent. Perhaps he had overestimated that woman. She was indeed ruthless, stubborn, and spirited—a rare beauty. Unfortunately, she faltered off the bed, proving herself to be an insufficient opponent.
He felt slightly relieved yet disappointed. Michael stood nearby with his hands at his sides, awaiting instructions. After a moment, Benjamin said, "Tell Isabella to inform her of Gia's whereabouts in two days. I'm curious what she can do."
Though Benjamin had specified two days, Isabella dared not wait until the third day. Early the next morning, she promptly contacted Grace.
When the call came through, Grace was in the middle of a mobilization meeting at the academy. An international economic forum was set to convene in Seattle, requiring volunteers from the foreign language department—an honor that had fallen to Grace and her students.
Seeing "Isabella" on the caller ID, Grace hurried out to take the call. Isabella began, "You won't believe the coincidence—that girl is hanging out at Garma right now! She's using an alias, and her plastic surgery is so extreme that I didn't even recognize her in the photo the other day!”
It was hard to tell if this was true, but Grace just laughed. “Don’t alert her yet, Isabella. Let me come take a look first."
Isabella quickly agreed. "Alright, call me when you arrive. I'll take you straight to her!"
Grace hung up and returned to the conference room. She had barely sat down when the dean slammed his pen hard on the table. "The counselors who led the group must take responsibility! If any student causes trouble, I'll hold you accountable!"
The dean raged until he was hoarse. A colleague leaned close to Grace and grumbled, "They call it volunteering, but it's forced labor! They want us to pick top students to serve them for free. What if the students refuse to go?”
Grace murmured, "It should be fine. It's a great opportunity for them to gain experience."
"Fine! Then you go. Hand over my students to you, too. I'm not going there." Her colleague quickly added, then muttered under her breath, "If we're assigned to the convention center, it'll be manageable. But if we end up at an airport or train station? We'll be exhausted!"
Grace smiled faintly. "It's all about luck."
As it turned out, her luck was surprisingly good this time. All twenty of the students she brought were assigned to host foreign guests, a rare privilege. To facilitate their work, the conference organizers arranged for these volunteers to stay at the same five-star hotel as the attendees. Though the rooms were basic, it was still a surprise for the students.
With the conference not yet underway, Grace had no immediate duties. After settling her students in, she drove straight to Garma to find Isabella. According to her information, Vito was notoriously lecherous and frequented Garma most often since returning to the country.
Yes, her target had never been Gia, but rather Vito.
This was the entry point she had chosen after much deliberation.
Without taking risks, escaping Benjamin's grasp was impossible.
Vito was dangerous, yet he was her best chance for escape.
She had always known it.
Isabella waited outside Garma. Seeing Grace approach, she hurried over. "As you instructed, I didn't alarm her. I didn't assign her any clients yet.”
"Thanks, Isabella. I shouldn't have involved you in this. She works under you, after all. I'm deeply grateful for everything you've done.” Grace thanked her, instinctively adjusting her coat collar before stepping inside Garma. She added, "Actually, could you arrange another private room? Once I find Gia, we'll need a quiet place to talk.”
Having received Benjamin's instructions to comply with any of Grace's requests, Isabella agreed readily. "No problem. I'll have them prepare a private room for you in the VIP section.”
This was exactly what Grace had hoped for. "Thank you, Isabella."
Isabella waved it off and personally escorted Grace to a small private room. She instructed the waitstaff to bring a full selection of drinks, fruit, and other refreshments, then excused herself. "Please take a seat. I'll go fetch Gia."
"Thanks a lot," Grace replied politely. She rose to see Isabella out before returning to her seat to strategize. After about five or six minutes, there was a knock at the door, followed by it being pushed open.
A young, pretty girl entered. She had long, straight black hair and wore minimal makeup, giving her an innocent look. Upon seeing Grace sitting on the sofa, she froze. Her smile stiffened for a moment before she called out, sounding extremely unnatural, "Ms. Hill."
Grace remained calm and replied softly, "Come sit down first."
Gia sat down beside her. The moment her bottom touched the sofa, she blurted out, "Ms. Hill, I didn't mean to deceive you. I had no choice. I needed money to pay off my loans..."
Grace abruptly cut her off. "Did you know who Benjamin was before?"
Gia froze, then hurriedly explained, "I didn't know, Ms. Hill. I hadn't come here yet, and I didn't know who Mr. Norman was either. A mutual friend said they could recommend me for a job here and help me arrange a leave of absence. That's what made me interested.”
Grace nodded slowly, took a sip of water, and then picked up the glass in front of Gia and handed it to her. "Don't rush. Have some water first."
Gia took a sip and continued, "Ms. Hill, please believe me. I only heard of Mr. Norman after I arrived at Garma. I secretly inquired about him and was shocked myself, but I didn't dare ask what was really going on."
She chattered on while Grace remained silent, simply listening. After about three or four minutes, Gia's speech slowed suddenly. Her eyes became unfocused, and her body swayed twice. Before she could finish her words, she collapsed.
Grace remained impassive, rising to check on Gia. Satisfied that she was truly unconscious, Grace swiftly shed her coat, revealing the tight black dress she wore underneath.
She let down her long, coiled hair, applied bright red lipstick, checked her reflection quickly in the mirror-like wall, and slipped out of the private room.