Chapter 4

Four armed security guards entered the room. The man in front blocked the doorway while another headed straight for the suitcase beside me.

I stopped him.

"Don't touch my things. I can leave on my own."

He looked back at Sebastian, who tilted his head toward the door.

"Take her to the gangway. Make sure she leaves the ship, and don't let her slip into the casino."

Liliana stood up and followed us.

Two guards flanked me as we left the suite, walked down the penthouse corridor, and were escorted to the VIP lounge connected to the gangway.

The lounge faced the pier. Through the glass windows, I could see the Royal's boarding ramp and the lights shining from the private club at the port.

Several passengers waiting to board turned to look. Liliana deliberately stopped in front of me, blocking the exit.

"Not so fast. We're not letting her go just yet."

She asked a crew member for a shoe-cleaning cloth and tossed it at my feet.

"Clean my shoes. Let everyone see what happens when someone dares to lay a hand on me."

I looked at the cloth on the floor, not bending down.

"Are you sure you want to keep making a scene?"

"What, afraid of being embarrassed?" She lifted her chin. "You should've thought about that before you threw coffee on me!"

Sebastian stood behind her, urging me to hurry.

"Please be quick. We have to sail the ship."

I parked my suitcase beside me, pulled out my phone, and dialed Marco's private number.

He answered almost immediately.

"Sis?"

The music in the background suddenly grew quieter.

"Why are you calling me now? Didn't Antonio say you were heading back to Sicellia tonight?"

"I'm at the Royal's gangway." I looked at Liliana. "The VIP you brought aboard wants me to clean her shoes, then she plans to throw me off the ship."

Silence fell on the other end for a moment.

"Who?"

"Liliana. You gave her a gold card."

I heard a chair scrape across the floor.

"Don't move. I'm coming right over."

I was about to say something else when Liliana suddenly lunged at me and grabbed my wrist.

The guards thought I was about to shove her and immediately stepped in to restrain me. I pulled my hand back to protect my briefcase, but Liliana snatched my phone.

"You think you can call someone to save you?"

She raised the phone to her ear without giving the person on the other end a chance to speak.

"You're the one this woman called for help? Listen carefully: I'm Marco Moretti's woman!

"She crossed me aboard the Royal. You could crawl aboard this ship on your hands and knees, and you'd still have to bow your head and apologize right alongside her!"

After finishing her tirade, she hung up and tossed my phone onto the reception desk. It struck the metal edge, cracking one corner of the screen.

"It doesn't matter who you call. This entire port belongs to Marco's family. What exactly do you think you can do to me?"

She waved at the security guards.

"Throw her luggage off the ship and keep her here! She hasn't even finished cleaning my shoes, and she thinks she can leave?"

I picked up my phone and lit the screen. A crack ran straight across Marco's name.

I put it away and looked at Sebastian. He extended a hand toward the gangway.

"Please."

I did not move.

Sebastian was about to urge me forward again when the communicator clipped to his chest suddenly crackled.

"Port authority notification. The Royal is to suspend departure immediately. Keep the boarding ramp clear. All personnel are to remain at their current positions."

He froze, then pressed the talk button.

"What's the reason? We're about to sail."

"Family orders."

The VIP lounge fell silent for a moment.

Liliana laughed and smoothed her hair.

"Marco must be on his way." She turned back to me. "Well, look at that. Now you can't leave even if you want to. Marco can deal with you himself for ruining my dress."

Outside, a row of headlights lit up the area in front of the private club. Several black sedans drove along the pier. The entrance barrier was raised ahead of them, and the guards on either side quickly cleared a path.

When Sebastian recognized the convoy, his irritation slowly gave way to nervous deference. He straightened his uniform and led Julian toward the gangway.

Liliana clutched her gold card and pushed her way to the front.

"Marco!"

The car door opened, but her voice suddenly died.

A team of men in black suits stepped out first. Silver insignias bearing my father's crest were pinned to their collars.

Those men had originally been assigned to escort the secret ledgers. After I boarded the ship, they were supposed to remain at the port with the old family butler, Antonio Greco, to complete the handover.

They climbed the gangway without acknowledging Sebastian's outstretched hand, entered the VIP lounge, and took up positions at every entrance and exit.

The guard standing beside me recognized their insignias and immediately took his hand off his holster.

Marco hurried out of the last car.

Liliana's eyes lit up. Gathering her skirt, she rushed toward him.

"Darling, you're finally here! That woman poured coffee on me and even called someone to threaten me!"

Marco brushed her aside and looked straight at me.

Behind him, Antonio stepped out of the car as well.

The moment Sebastian recognized him, he grabbed the edge of the reception desk for support.

The old man had served the Don for thirty years. Only moments ago, he had represented the family at the port office, receiving their quarterly business reports.

Liliana had yet to understand what was happening, but Julian already had his head bowed and had backed away several steps.

Liliana tried to grab Marco again, her voice turning plaintive.

"Didn't you say everyone on this ship had to listen to me?"

Marco stopped in front of me without answering her.

I set my briefcase down securely and pointed at the gold card in her hand.

"Is that what you told her when you gave her the card?"