6
450words
So long, my body ached again.
This man, whose wealth was built on shady dealings, was suddenly trying to turn over a new leaf.
On the phone, he said," Cut all gray business ties. Done."
"Donate$10 million to orphanages."
"And keep looking for Sissy."
To the air, he pleaded," Sissy,I'm doing well now, earning karma. Come back, please."
"I'm rich. I bought your favorite apples."
"Come back...please."
His voice broke.
The closer we got to the cruise, the more I hurt.
He went back inside.
I had no choice but to follow, drifting into the suite.
The pain was excruciating, like dying again.
The room was spotless.
No trace of blood in the corner where I died.
The manager knelt by the couch, beside another man I recognized—Nathan's" foreman."
Once, delivering Nathan lunch at a site, the foreman praised his work ethic.
"Does any dirty job to earn cash."
"Skips$12 meals, eats$1 buns."
"Why so frugal?"
His words made me ache for Nathan, vowing to share his hardships.
I was so stupid.
Now, the fake foreman, James Holt, looked worried."You're not serious, are you?"
Nathan smirked."Do I report to you?"
James, rattled by Nathan's cold tone, fumbled, pulling a small box from his pocket.
"I'm worried about you."
He opened it, showing Nathan.
"You custom-made these earrings for her.$5 million. One-of-a-kind."
Nathan's already gaunt face turned ashen.
The earrings he'd lied about, calling them$30 junk.
He clutched them, his smile uglier than tears.
"She didn't like them, threw them away?"
My eyes stung.
I collapsed on the cold floor, writhing in pain.
"It hurts…"
To my shock, my mouth worked.
Nathan whipped around, staring at my spot, grief-stricken.
"Did you hear something?"
The others shook their heads.
He did too, walking slowly forward.
Near me, his shoulders slumped, body sagging.
He spat out blood.
Later, in the hospital, I felt better.
I couldn't leave him,couldn't speak to him.
I was a numb spectator, watching him wake, deluded." Where's Sissy? Found her?"
The manager still knelt.
James, likely close to him, couldn't keep lying.
He forced the manager to confess.
"I didn't know it was Ms.Sissy.The ship has tons of girls with similar names."
"Servers never had issues—pro models handle the elites, so no one touches servers…"
"But Evan went nuts and killed her."
"He told me to dump her in the sea. I couldn't refuse."
"When I saw her earrings, I thought she was some rich girl slumming it. I panicked and gave the earrings to James…then we knew."
He kowtowed repeatedly.
Nathan seemed deaf to it.
His eyes blazed red. At Evan's name, his hands shook on the bedrail.
"I didn't recognize her."
