Chapter 171
Nestled in Yasir’s arms, Lucy felt a sense of security she’d never known. The ship was quickly returning, Elysiumville harbor already in sight. Fireworks exploded, their colorful bursts dazzling against the dark sky. Lucy, tears still in her eyes, hurried to the railing, her gaze fixed on the spectacle. “Yvonne would have loved these fireworks,” she whispered. Yasir followed her gaze. "Yvonne must be able to see them in heaven," he murmured.
Both mourned Yvonne’s passing. The constant rumble of fireworks completely masked the sound of fighting from outside their door. Covered in blood, Ethan reached Lucy’s room, secretly slipping an encrypted USB drive into the door crack. As he finished, a man in a black jacket grabbed him, punching him hard in the stomach. Blood gushed from Ethan’s mouth; his once handsome face was bruised and scarred. He’d been hiding on the ship for days, but he’d been found, seriously injured and too weak to call for help. The man beat him mercilessly and dragged him into the darkness. In his final moment, Ethan glimpsed Lucy’s door, thinking, “You are the one Boss trusts most. Please, help her.”
Half an hour later, Yasir opened the door to leave, stepping on something. He picked it up—a USB flash drive. “Is this yours?” he asked Lucy. She shook her head. “No.” “It was behind your door,” Yasir added.
Startled, Lucy looked around but found nothing unusual. Even the blood from Ethan’s earlier attack had vanished. Sensing danger, she quickly closed the door, pulled Yasir inside, and drew the curtains. “Open it!” she urged. They found a computer, but the drive was encrypted. “Who gave you the USB drive without the password?” Yasir asked, frowning.
Lucy examined the drive. “This looks like Ethan’s.” Yasir’s eyes widened. “How do you know?”
“I remember Yvonne buying several USB drives, saying she wanted to copy information for Ethan to learn, so he could find a job even if he didn’t become a killer,” Lucy recalled. Over the years, she and Yvonne had shared everything. Recently, Yvonne had become unusually clingy, calling or video-calling constantly. Once, Lucy had seen Yvonne receiving a package and joked about her finding an exit strategy for a killer. Unexpectedly, this information proved crucial.
“Why didn’t he come to you directly?” Yasir was suspicious. He couldn’t believe an assassin, especially one who disappeared after Yvonne’s death, would act this way. Lucy shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe he had other things to do, or couldn’t come to me. But there must be something important on that drive!” Otherwise, Ethan wouldn't have risked so much.
Seeing her serious expression, Yasir said, “I know a computer expert. When we return to Elysiumville, I’ll take you to see him.” “Okay,” Lucy replied, hope filling her eyes. Looking at Yasir, she felt a dazzling light emanating from him. Yvonne was gone, and she’d felt lost and helpless. Having Yasir by her side felt like a blessing. Yvonne is right. I really like Yasir… she thought.
“Thank you, Yasir,” Lucy said softly, her shyness evident. Yasir, slightly embarrassed, rubbed the back of his head. “You’re welcome. Rest. I’ll pick you up at the port.” “Okay,” Lucy nodded, watching him leave.
After closing the door, Lucy looked at photos of her and Yvonne, weeping silently. If only I’d known, she thought, I wouldn’t have let Yvonne go to sea.
At 11:10 pm, the Pax Oceana arrived at the port twenty minutes early. Families waited to collect their loved ones, Joanna’s family prominent among them. Sophia had complained of a stomachache two hours earlier and insisted on immediate medical attention—a suspicious circumstance. Nevin, on the upper deck with Hayden, snorted. “A stomachache now? I wonder if it’s genuine.” Since ceasing to view Joanna as his sister-in-law, he’d found the Jackson family increasingly unbearable. He’d always found Joanna odd.
“Look into her background,” Hayden said, his cold voice carried on the sea breeze. “Didn’t you already?” Nevin was surprised. Hayden would surely have investigated Joanna’s connections after they started dating. “There was no need before,” Hayden smirked coldly.
Nevin pondered. What did he mean? Hayden had thoroughly investigated Yvonne’s family and even her elementary school classmates before marrying her. Why not Joanna? Or rather, did Hayden never intend to be with Joanna seriously? Now he wants to investigate… could it be…
A chilling possibility struck Nevin. Cold sweat broke out on his face. His terrified eyes darted towards Hayden. This time, it seemed genuinely serious. Joanna's actions, or lack thereof, would determine her fate.
By two in the morning, all guests had disembarked. Parker Group staff delivered the remaining luggage. Nevin volunteered, “Hayden, go home and rest. I’ll watch the ship.” Richard was stunned. Has Mr. Parker finally matured?