Chapter 91

A gust of salty sea breeze made it nearly impossible to keep my eyes open. When I finally saw who lay on the ground, Lucy beside me cheered, "Ethan won! Oh my god, he's amazing, Yvonne! Where did you find someone so incredible?"

I offered a faint smile. "Marlon introduced him."

"Marlon?" Lucy raised an eyebrow, her mind momentarily drifting. Looks like Marlon really cares about Yvonne. But I still think Dylan's more Yvonne's type, she mused.

Ethan was clean-cut and handsome, not from a prestigious family, but he steered clear of shady dealings. Dylan's pure love for me was invaluable.

Kum, lying on the ground, clutched his chest, spitting out a bloody tooth. The wind had died down, and that tooth gleamed mockingly under the light.

Kurt gritted his teeth, slowly rising and glaring at me. "Mrs. Parker, is this how you conduct business? Your people beat him up before a word was spoken!"

"What did I do wrong? You should have warned me," I replied.

Lucy snorted. "You knew the boss was coming, yet didn't bother to welcome her? You made her wait over twenty minutes! Do you think that's acceptable?!"

Kum scoffed, wiping blood from his face and spinning to display his bloody lip. "All this over that? I was just dealing with some things. Mrs. Parker, you really overreacted. How are we supposed to work for you?"

The gathered staff murmured their agreement. Seeing my silence, Ethan stepped forward, landing another punch that loosened another tooth. Gasps filled the air.

Stunned, Kurt's anger flared. Before he could retaliate, Ethan subdued him, slamming him to the ground, his face towards me.

Finally, I spoke calmly. "If you don't want to work for me, leave now." I shot Ethan a look, and he released Kurt.

Still reeling from the lost teeth, Kurt sputtered, "Leave? What...what do you mean?"

Lucy laughed at his slurred speech. "It means you're fired. You can get lost." She had no patience for bullies, especially those who disrespected me.

Kurt was clearly caught off guard, frozen. Seconds later, he protested, "Mrs. Parker, are you really firing me? I've worked for Pax Oceana for years! I won't accept this."

His outburst stirred the crowd. "Yeah, why's he being fired? Mr. Conway's such a good guy. What did he do wrong?"

I surveyed the crowd. Kurt had apparently cultivated many allies.

Ethan stepped forward, his usual emotionless tone evident. "Give them money. I'll handle the rest."

The murmurs ceased instantly. Everyone was stunned, none daring to speak. They had witnessed Ethan's skill; even Kurt was no match. Even Lucy's jaw dropped. Wow, Ethan is that powerful! she thought.

I chuckled. It seemed money solved most problems. "It's just to get them to quit. It's not life or death," I said slowly, silencing the room further.

Kurt lost his composure. "Why should we quit? We're doing fine! What do you want us to do if you fire us?"

His outburst rallied the crowd. "Yeah! Why should we leave? You should go!" Someone took the lead, and their courage grew. They shouted as if they had nothing to lose.

Lucy, less confident, tugged my sleeve nervously. "Yvonne, what should we do? They're about to revolt! It's just the three of us. Should I get reinforcements?"

"No need," I replied. "More people don't necessarily mean you're right."

I produced the cruise ship documents. "This is Xander's signature, transferring Pax Oceana to me. I am the owner. If you don't want to leave, follow the rules. Anyone with a problem can leave now."

I handed the documents to Ethan to show the staff. Kurt grumbled, "You're not even part of the Parker family. We don't recognize you unless Mr. Parker himself shows up." He was clearly trying to undermine my authority.

"Damn it. What a petty little man," Lucy muttered.

A deep, cold voice echoed from the deck. "She is my wife. Her words are my words," Hayden said.

I looked up, narrowing my eyes. He strode towards me, his presence commanding silence. He hasn't left yet. He's so shameless, I thought.

Lucy, however, lifted her chin thoughtfully. "Why is Hayden here? Is he really here to help you?"

Hayden, who used to never care about anyone...now he's actually concerned about Yvonne? she wondered.

"He's protecting the Parker family's reputation," I scoffed, unconvinced he'd do anything for me.

"No, I think he's helping you..." Lucy insisted.