Chapter 93

“Yvonne, come back! It’s dangerous over there!” Lucy’s voice jolted me from my thoughts. Her warm hand then grasped mine, pulling me firmly back into the hallway.

“What are you doing?” she yelled angrily, her tone a stark contrast to the excited, gossip-loving detective I knew earlier.

I stared blankly. “Huh? What’s going on?”

“You’re asking me? You were about to walk over the edge! Don’t scare me like that,” Lucy said.

“It’s time. I was just looking at the waves,” I smiled, patting her hand. “Did you think I’d throw myself off because of Hayden? He’s not worth it.” I was asking Lucy, but also myself.

My pale face, perhaps, intensified Lucy’s worry. Tears welled in her eyes. “Yvonne, are you really okay? I’m worried about you.” Her voice cracked.

I leaned forward and hugged her. “I’m fine. I really just wanted to enjoy the waves.”

Lucy hesitated before pulling away. “What’s so special about the waves? Can they compare to how pretty you are?”

Her words made me laugh. “Definitely not. Let’s go check out the shopping area.”

The mention of shopping completely distracted Lucy. “What luxury brands are there! Take me there!” she exclaimed, already forgetting the near-miss.

We spent the entire day exploring the cruise ship, stopping for meals whenever hunger struck. When Lucy paused, she noticed the Pax Oceans logo and frowned. “Why do they call it a cruise ship and not a luxury liner?”

“Both terms are correct. Originally, large ships were used for postal deliveries, hence ‘cruise ships.’ Now, ‘luxury liner’ is used for sightseeing, but it sounds too…indulgent,” Richard, who had just arrived, explained.

“So it’s better to stick with ‘cruise ship’,” he concluded.

Lucy wrinkled her nose in disdain. “So it’s all just a fancy way of covering up the excessive luxury.”

I smiled and turned to Richard. “How did you end up here?”

“Mrs. Parker, everything’s been handled. The manager and staff will be replaced,” Richard began, his face clouding. “But Kurt…won’t let this go easily. And who can replace him?”

“Someone will,” I said, my brow furrowed. “If we don’t fire him because of his abilities, he’ll only become more arrogant. He’s kept Pax Oceana running smoothly, but he’s taken advantage of it. Letting him stay would be a future risk. In our line of work, decision-makers usually change every couple of years to prevent anyone from accumulating too much power.”

Richard nodded. “Mr. Parker agrees. Kurt’s gotten out of hand. Mrs. Parker, your decision to replace him is a big win for the Parker Group.”

Lucy, resting her chin in her hands, gazed at me like a fan. “Yvonne, you’re amazing!” It made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

“It’s not that impressive. I just don’t want to be held back later,” I said awkwardly.

“If it were me, I’d be too scared to do anything. Yvonne, I always thought you were smart, but you’ve never been true to yourself because of Hayden,” Lucy pouted, her voice laced with sympathy. “If it weren’t for that jerk, you’d already have your own career.”

Richard blinked, unable to refute her assessment of Hayden, privately agreeing with her opinion. Even he thought Hayden was a bit of a jerk. The whole mistress situation was incomprehensible, especially given Yvonne's otherwise impeccable character.

I reflected on the past, a faint bitterness touching my lips. “It’s never too late to start now. How about after this, we grab some buffalo wings? I’m craving something spicy.”

“Sounds great! You just read my mind,” Lucy replied, her excitement returning. She remained as simple as ever; a little gossip and good food were all it took to make her happy.

Richard hesitated. “Mrs. Parker, are you leaving now? Shouldn’t you say goodbye to Mr. Parker?”

“He hasn’t left yet?” I asked, surprised. A whole day had passed. Could he still be on the ship?

“Yes,” Richard nodded. “Mr. Parker handled everything with Kurt and the staff. He instructed everyone to be respectful toward you, Mrs. Parker. Anyone who dares upset you will be immediately fired.”

I furrowed my brows, unsure how to interpret Hayden’s latest action. Was he worried I wouldn’t command respect, that I might cause trouble for the Parker family? So he came to handle it himself?

Lucy, having almost forgotten Hayden, was reminded by Richard and grinned. “Looks like he’s really trying to help you, huh, Yvonne?”

I understood her implication, but wouldn’t admit it. I’m still his wife in name. If I make a fool of myself, so does he.

“You’re so stubborn!” Lucy huffed, urging me on. “Let’s go get those buffalo wings!”

Since Hayden had already taken care of everything, I saw no reason to linger. When Lucy and I left, I didn’t glance back at the cruise ship.

It wasn’t until we were in the car that Hayden’s call came through. I looked at the screen, then flipped the phone face down.

“Who was that?” Lucy leaned over, catching sight of Hayden’s name just before I could hide it. She blinked, then asked, “Why didn’t you pick up? Maybe he wants to take you to dinner?”

“Lucy,” I said, annoyed by her persistent focus on Hayden.

“Alright, alright,” Lucy quickly responded, but within seconds, she was back at it. “What’s going on between you two? Could it be that Hayden’s only just now starting to fall for you?”

Fall for me? What a joke, I thought.

“No matter what, Hayden would never fall for me. Lucy, weren’t you always calling me ‘blind by love,’ saying I was hanging onto Hayden like a fool? Why are you bringing him up now?” I asked, confused.

Lucy cleared her throat. “I was worried you’d get ruined over that guy, but now you’ve woken up. It’s different. Don’t you want to turn the tables on him? Make him fall for you hopelessly, willing to do anything for you?”

“The Queen of Revenge?” I raised an eyebrow, shaking my head. “Not gonna happen. Hayden will never love me.”

“How do you know unless you try?” Lucy shot back.

“I’ve tried for ten years. Trust me. It’s a lost cause,” I said with a bitter smile, looking out the window. The phone on the seat buzzed incessantly.