Chapter 147

My heart skipped a beat. If Hayden had continued speaking, I didn't know what I would have done. My nerves were on high alert. The footsteps paused before fading away, ending with the sound of a door opening and closing. My tense body relaxed, and I collapsed onto the soft bed, taking deep breaths. It was a good thing he left.

Lost in thought, I gently caressed my belly. I vowed to protect my child and never let Hayden find out. When the room quieted, only the wind and faint sounds of waves were audible. After calming down, I went to the balcony. It wasn't completely dark; the stars were particularly bright. Many people were still enjoying the swimming pool below, their laughter echoing.

I sighed sadly, thinking, "One person's tragedy is another's joy." I couldn't sleep that night, perhaps due to being at sea.

Ethan returned while I was having breakfast. He reported, "Boss, Nevin lost 2.7 million gambling last night. He was so angry he drank and slept until dawn. He's still asleep. Dylan seems to be following him."

I took a sip of orange juice and said lightly, "Keep an eye on him; don't let him do anything stupid."

"Yes," Ethan nodded. He then asked, "What about Joanna and Zachary? Have you seen them?"

"No," Ethan replied quickly. "Zachary came to Nevin's door in the middle of the night but only stayed a few minutes. They didn't meet."

"Is that so?" This piqued my curiosity. Zachary was a sly old fox; I wondered why he'd sought Nevin.

Ethan took a bite of his food and continued, "Hayden had someone guard Nevin's door this morning."

"He's probably protecting him," I sneered, suspecting Hayden feared I'd harm Nevin. After all, they were family.

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted. "Yvonne!"

I looked up and saw Lucy running towards me, followed by Yasir. I wondered why they were together. Lucy reached me. "Yvonne, why are you still eating? The group chat's exploding!"

"What happened?" I asked, puzzled. The sea was calm; I wondered what the commotion was about. At that moment, I felt that as long as the cruise ship didn't capsize, nothing else truly mattered.

Lucy quickly showed me her phone. "See for yourself!"

I frowned, took the phone, and scrolled through the group chat. Sophia had woken up to find her necklace missing and was complaining about the Pax Oceana's security, implicitly questioning me. Panic had spread, with everyone regretting their tickets and wanting to return.

"Is Sophia out of her mind? I saw her yesterday; she wasn't wearing a necklace! Besides, can she even afford jewelry?" Lucy scoffed. She hated those who treated me poorly.

I smiled faintly. "She may not have lost a gemstone necklace, but she certainly wants to return to Elysiumville."

"Is she crazy?" Lucy was puzzled.

Yasir added, "Yeah, why does she suddenly want to go back?"

"My father probably received news that the Jackson Group is about to be sold," I explained slowly.

Lucy and Yasir were stunned. They looked at each other, shock evident in their eyes.

"Yvonne, are you serious? Why did you sell Parker Group?"

"Yvonne, did you do this behind your father's back?"

"Yes," I nodded, continuing to eat my pastry. Silence fell. Ethan, having almost finished eating, silently left.

Lucy sat beside me. "Did you really intend to fall out with your father?"

"Pretty much," I admitted. They'd find out soon enough.

Lucy sighed, squeezing my hand. "It's better not to have a father like that!"

Yasir frowned. "You hate that family so much. Why would you sell tickets to them? I thought you…"

"You thought I was blinded by money?" I asked, my expression unchanged.

Yasir laughed awkwardly. "How could I possibly think that?"

Lucy glared at him. "What about Sophia? With her causing this scene, all those VIP customers are getting agitated! What are we going to do?"

Pax Oceana's real profits came from onboard entertainment and spending. Returning so soon would be a huge loss and damage the ship's reputation.

I frowned, not answering immediately. Lucy became anxious. "Yvonne, I heard Hayden's on the ship. Why don't we let him…"

Before she finished, I saw Jamie giving me an okay sign. Understanding, I smiled. "Don't worry, the ship won't be going back."

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked, doubtful.

Without explaining, I stood. "Come on, let's go watch Sophia's performance."

Lucy looked at Yasir, completely confused. He replied, "I don't know what's going on either!"

I took two steps, then remembered something. I turned to Lucy. "And, I am not Hayden. He doesn't need to handle my business." I wanted to draw a clear line between us.

Lucy was speechless. "Yvonne, you're like a completely different person." She had witnessed my growth over the past ten years. I used to be clingy to Hayden, always thinking about him. My tastes mirrored his; I cooked for him, brought him lunch daily in college (though he rarely ate it), and always had water or an umbrella for him.

I smiled faintly. "I said, I'm not interested in him anymore."

Lucy shook her head, her voice choked. "You're not happy."

I froze, my heart feeling crushed.