Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

They were going to be investigated?

On the ship, everyone exchanged uneasy glances, silently questioning the necessity of Julian's actions. To them, it was nothing more than an unfortunate accident. The thought of a formal investigation, with all its complexity and red tape, was too much to bear.

"An investigation? Mr. Barnet, we understand that you're grieving, upset, and even angry right now. We all feel terrible about what happened-no one wanted this to occur. But, you see, we all have things to attend to today. Once the ship docks, perhaps we could quietly move on. After all, this was just an accident, wasn't it?"

"An accident?" Julian's piercing gaze locked onto the man who had spoken. A cold smile crossed his face. "Then explain this to me: how do you account for the condition of these railings? Everywhere else, they are intact and sturdy. If there were a structural issue, it would be widespread, not isolated to this one section."

"Well... maybe the workers cut corners during construction. Over time, this part of the railing might have weakened."

"Cut corners? On a cruise ship this lavish? Cutting corners on interior décor or hidden components might be plausible, but the railings? They're one of the most critical safety measures on the ship. What kind of idiot would risk cutting corners there?"

"Even if someone tampered with the railing, it's also possible that Ivy herself did something to it. Maybe she brought this upon herself and fell into the sea as a result."

"If Ivy had the skills to tamper with railings, I'd almost be impressed. If she could pull that off, I'd gladly chop my head off and let you use it as a stool. No, someone here- someone among you-is the one who tampered with the railing. I'm giving you ten minutes to come clean. If you step forward now and tell me the truth, I might be lenient.

The police will be here in less than ten minutes. When they arrive and uncover the truth, I'll make sure you'll never recover from this for the rest of your life."

Julian's sharp, hawk-like eyes scanned the group. One man's heart pounded in his chest. He hadn't expected Julian to arrive at this conclusion so quickly. Damn it! If he had known Julian was this perceptive, he would have arranged for someone to extract him sooner.

After all, it wasn't as though he'd killed a politician or someone important. Tampering with the railing and giving Ivy a push had been straightforward enough-it was just another job for a professional hitman like him.

The night before, he had effortlessly taken out two targets and even found time to enjoy himself with a woman, confident that he'd leave the ship today without a hitch and collect the rest of his payment.

Julian was just a businessman, no matter how clever he seemed. The tools he'd used were already at the bottom of the sea. No one would trace it back to him.

man felt a flicker of fear. He knew Julian's words were a bluff meant to trap someone, but those piercing eyes made

accident," someone interjected with a yawn, eager to end

replied, his tone cold. "These are

the police arrive, I'll call for you if

tension, dared not offend anyone. As the others dispersed,

the other

"Of course."

through the places they had visited earlier. As Julian retraced their steps, his mind was filled with images of Aurora

was our room last night. Miss Montgomery said she'd go out

few true friends. Heather's regret was overwhelming. If only she had taken

bag and toiletries were still there. His fingers tightened around a familiar

picked out those pajamas for her himself. Not long ago,

new year, wandering through

do you think looks best?" she had asked, tilting her head

had gently patted her head. "This

the pajamas, which were decorated with cartoon bunnies. "Don't men usually prefer something a little sexier? Why

Bunny," Julian had replied with a smile.

pajamas remained,

overwhelmed him. Heather watched as this strong man fought back tears, her

that their journey had been fraught with challenges. Why was fate

do. The killer was still on board, and he would not let them

the records of everyone on this ship,"

remained

where the adventure

Julian began