As dusk settled over the ocean, guests gathered along the railings of the Royal Princess cruise ship, their gazes fixed on the vast expanse of the sea. As the ship approached Ontdale Harbor, one woman in particular caught everyone's eye.
Clad in a red silk dress that billowed like liquid fire under the dim lights, she radiated allure. The fabric clung to her curves, sculpting her waist, while her long, elegant legs seemed to stretch endlessly. Her hair was pulled back into an intricate bun, and her bold red lips, paired with pearl earrings, whispered understated luxury. The outfit was simple, yet undeniably seductive.
"My darling, look at you now! The legendary queen, the Scarlet Serpent, has returned!" Rebecca exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder. "You have been dressing like a nun for three years! How embarrassing!"
"Scarlet Serpent" had been Allison's code name during her missions, a persona as bold as the red she often wore. Back then, she'd taken pride in her looks, dressing to match her fierce identity. But Colton… he'd rejected her, calling her style obnoxious and demanding she imitate Melany. Allison complied, hoping to win him back by blending in. Modest whites, housewife duties, trying to be the perfect woman her family had wanted… nothing worked. The Stevens family had discarded her despite everything.
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Allison's lips. "You're right, Rebecca," she replied. "It's time for me to be myself again."
As those words left her lips, she still didn't realize that Colton and Melany had just arrived at the port. They were greeted by Kaelyn, whose loyalty to Colton knew no bounds.
"Miss Johnson, you're finally here! You can't imagine how much Mr. Stevens has missed you. He's planned a special surprise for you on the cruise tonight," Kaelyn exclaimed, overly eager to please.
Melany shook her head, her lips pursed. "Colton, you don't have to go to all that trouble. People will get a negative impression of you."
Colton took her hand. "You don't have to worry about their opinions. I'm already divorced; no one will say anything."
As more guests filtered onto the ship, Allison and Rebecca made their way through the crowd to the third floor, where the banquet awaited them. The ship, lit like a palace of decay, exuded period glamour. In the center, the music was loud and wild, and bodies swayed to the rhythm without a care.
Rebecca handed Allison a key card. "Enjoy tonight! I have eight gigolos booked for you. They're all clean and perfect," he joked.
Allison raised an eyebrow, amused. "Weren't we here to track down the perfumer, not to flirt?"
"Don't worry. We have an hour before the event starts. I have people watching the Charisma Company guests for you. You might as well have fun while you wait."
She pointed across the room to a striking man. "Speaking of fun, I think I'll go dance with that fine specimen over there." Allison watched as the man winked at Rebecca. She shook her head, laughing softly, and slipped the key card into her purse. "Come on then. I'll be in the hallway to the right."
He wasn't in the mood for romantic distractions, so after ordering a tequila, he headed to the quieter part of the ship, where the breeze and endless horizon offered respite from the noise. But the peace did not last long.
"Hey, gorgeous. Drinking alone?"
Allison looked up to see a short, slimy-looking man leering at her. "If you're feeling a little lonely, me and the boys can sort that out," he sneered, pointing to a small group of equally unpleasant men standing a few feet away.
The short man strutted over, his gold chain swinging with every exaggerated step and his fingers glistening with flashy rings, as if they were worth more than his dignity. He leaned in, his breath thick with arrogance. "I've got money to burn, babe. How about… my hand!"
There was a sharp crack as Allison effortlessly twisted her wrist. The movement was so fluid it seemed rehearsed. Her bones creaked like dry branches, and she didn't even dignify him with a glance. "Get out while you can."
The man stood frozen, not fully processing what had just happened. Then he felt pain, howled, and pulled his hand back in disbelief. A woman had just knocked him down as easily as swatting a fly. Humiliation quickly turned to fury. He grabbed a nearby bottle with his uninjured hand, his face red with rage. "You think you can get away with this? You're dead."
This cleaned-up version improves grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and word choice for better flow and readability. Some minor inconsistencies remain, which could be addressed by adding further context (e.g., is Rebecca male or female? Some dialogue feels slightly unnatural).