Running into Trouble
Before he could finish speaking, his superior crumpled the poster into a ball and tossed it to him; he caught it quickly.
“How many family members?” his superior inquired, and Cleveland, careful not to inspeak, replied, “Just one, I think.”
Maxwell was in charge of the hotel and resort operations, but recently, the cruise line had also come under his management. He was still getting to know Maxwell’s personality but was already familiar with his high standards. After hesitating briefly, he corrected himself, “Mr. Maxwell, just a moment, I’ll contact the cruise director.”
“No need,” Maxwell replied, his eyes fixed on his assistant. “If they can’t create an event for one person without disturbing the other guests and still ensure both the guest and the sponsor have a good experience, they can pack up and leave.”
“Understood, Mr. Maxwell,” Cleveland said, suddenly grasping the true purpose behind his boss’s inspections across various locations—to thoroughly understand operations and check on employees’ attitudes. Maxwell was clearly considering a staff shake-up, intending to dismiss any employees who weren’t committed.
After inspecting this deck, Maxwell continued his checks elsewhere, leaving Cleveland slightly unnerved. According to the old adage, ‘a new broom sweeps clean,’ but Cleveland had hoped that Maxwell’s first major challenge wouldn’t have backfired on him.
Seizing the moment when Maxwell instructed him not to follow, he went to speak with the cruise director, not to hint at any potential layoffs, but to arrange for Maxwell to disembark whenever he wished.
Mid-conversation, the cruise director stepped aside to take a call. Cleveland overheard him say after hanging up, “I wonder which tycoon’s son is playing the romantic card this time, adding a hefty sum to our account, insisting we take extra good care of his wife.”
As the cruise ship began its journey, drifting slowly out to sea, Ellis stood on the spacious balcony, gazing at the endless ocean and enjoying the salty breeze. Her mood was lifted, and a radiant smile, long absent, graced her face. She wasn’t particularly fond of the sea, but being away from land seemed to distance her from all her recent misfortunes and disagreeable people. The thought that no one could reach her on the cruise made her feel truly relaxed. This kind of case was something she couldn’t find back in Stonebridge!
She stretched her arms behind her back, then spread them wide, shouting joyfully towards the blue sky, “Ocean, here I am! Are you ready for me?”
Her shouts weren’t the naive babblings of a child but a release of the negative emotions that had built up inside her. It felt as though all the sorrowful things that had happened were erased.
Unexpectedly, a soft laughter echoed from the next balcony. Who’s laughing? Ellis instinctively looked over.
“We meet again,” Maxwell said, his smile fading to a somber tone. Having met in Kyrador twice and once on a plane, and now encountering each other again on the cruise, Ellis was aware of how small the world could be, but it still amazed her sometimes. Wait. Has he heard my shouting? She felt so embarrassed that she nearly curled her toes, trying to appear nonchalant as she responded, “Yeah, what a coincidence.”
Noticing the embarrassment she couldn’t quite hide, Maxwell realized his laughter might have troubled her and apologized. “I didn’t mean to laugh at you just now. Your happiness was contagious, and I couldn’t help myself.” Ellis’s unmistakable joy was hard to ignore and easy to catch. I was usually not hard to tell if someone has bad intentions, and Ellis didn’t sense any malice from Maxwell. Besides, Maxwell was a second-generation wealthy individual, quite handsome and seemed genuinely well-meaning; he had even warned her to be cautious at the airport. Yet, it was always wise to be wary, so she gave him a slight smile before swiftly retreating into her room and drawing the curtains shut.
On the neighboring balcony, Maxwell touched his nose, slightly embarrassed. He was here to ensure the staff were doing their jobs and that the ship’s facilities were well maintained, not to overhear conversations of unfamiliar women speaking loudly to the sea.
Turning away, Maxwell stepped out of his room and ran into Cleveland. Having just finished his talk with the cruise director, Cleveland respectfully asked, “Mr. Maxwell, it’s lunchtime. Are you hungry? Shall I take you to the dining room?”
“Sure.”
Following Cleveland downstairs, Maxwell glanced at the door of the room belonging to the woman he had just encountered. The last time they’d met, when she accidentally spilled milk on him, he’d suspected she might be a gold digger seeking wealthy connections. But seeing her today, he felt he might have been overly suspicious. His travel plans were self-directed, often changing inspection locations spontaneously. No one knew his next destination, and encountering her on the cruise must be just coincidence. He couldn’t suspect her based on that alone.
Chapter 328 Retail Therapy at Sea