Chapter 70 Cruise III
And Heaven stood there frozen her hand outstretched. She didn't understand at first but slowly it began to sink in what Eva had done.
The world around her erupted into chaos. “Someone fell into the ocean!!!” a guest screamed, voice slicing through the cruise.
Maverick saw it.
He didn’t spare Heaven a single look.
He ran full speed, vaulted over the railing, and plunged straight into the blue water after Eva.
Heaven’s legs buckled.
She dropped onto her injured knees the wounds ripping open again but she couldn’t feel the pain.
Only the terror and disbelief.
The smirk she had seen on Eva’s face.
Lifeguards dove into the sea. Others lowered rescue boats, shouting orders over each other.
Heaven’s gaze caught on something
Eva’s phone lying on the floor.
Her heart seized.
She crawled,her palms burning against the floor, grabbed the device with trembling hands, scrolled frantically her breath wheezing..
She searched for th video and deleted it instantly.
All she heard was footsteps thundering. Voices spilled in.
General Richard and Eleanor rushed out as they heard about the commotion of someone falling over the deck , more guests gathered, murmuring, panicked.
They found Heaven on the floor, shaking like a leaf.
“Where is Maverick and Eva?!” Eleanor gasped. Her head whipped around.
But Eva was nowhere.
Neither was Maverick. It soon registered in her head.
Eleanor’s hand flew to her chest. Her knees gave way, and only General Richard’s arms kept her upright.
In the water, Maverick reached Eva before anyone else. She was limp, half-conscious, lips blue, having swallowed too much water.
He dragged her up, keeping her head above the surface.
The rescue boat reached them. They hauled her in.
Maverick immediately started CPR.
"one two three" he pumped air into her mouth.
“Come on… come on…” he muttered through clenched teeth.
Then…
Eva choked, coughed, water spilling out of her mouth.
Maverick exhaled…shaking.
Eva clung to him like a drowning child grabbing its only salvation.
Arms tight.Face buried in his chest.Refusing to let go.
A blanket was thrown over them as they were lifted back to the deck.
Eleanor rushed forward the moment she saw Eva alive.
“Eva, darling..oh God..are you alright?!” She wrapped her arms around her. “How did you… how did you fall over?”
Maverick’s jaw clenched.
His eyes..cold, sharp, unreadable…slid to Heaven.
Heaven froze. Her stomach turned to ice.
Eva trembled pitifully in Eleanor’s arms. Her voice was small, broken as she pointed at Heaven.
“Heaven pushed me…we got into a little argument..”
Every head turned.
The air cracked.
Heaven’s eyes widened, tears spilling instantly.
“I…I..I didn’t…” Her voice was barely a breath. “I didn’t push her..please..I didn’t..”
The first guest spoke.
“I saw you both talking and you pushed her.”
Heaven’s heart stopped.
Another voice.
“And I saw it too”
Another.
“I did too!”
A wave of voices rose, agreeing, insisting…none of them knowing what truly happened.
Heaven’s breath turned sharp and shallow.
Her pulse roared in her ears.
Eleanor stepped forward..rage twisting her face…then..
SLAP.
The hit snapped Heaven’s head to the side.
Her cheek burned instantly.
Mavericks hand turned into a fist he attempted to move when Eva noticed she clutched him tighter, pretending to be dizzy, sick, fragile.
“How dare you push her?” Eleanor hissed. “Bad luck…that’s what you are!”
“Mother, I didn’t…” Heaven sobbed, shaking. “I swear I didn’t…”
“Oh, so she threw herself over the rail?” Eleanor snapped, voice dripping venom. “Is that what you’re saying?”
Heaven couldn’t answer.
Her throat felt crushed.
“Why would she throw herself overboard? Hm?” Eleanor spat.
“She was with you, wasn’t she? And jealousy…jealousy can make a woman do ugly things…”
Every word jabbed deeper.
Heaven looked at Maverick begging for truth, for help, for anything.
But he wasn’t looking at her.
He never even glanced her way.
Eva’s earlier words echoed in Heaven’s mind like a curse:
“If this goes out, Mother will die from hypertension. Maverick’s life destroyed. His career finished. The Richard name ruined.
You were bought for 500 million… imagine when they ask for it back.”
Eleanor’s voice rose again, trembling with fury:
“Ever since you entered this family, tragedy has followed us. My first son died on your wedding day. Maverick got shot the first time he stood near you. And now Eva..!”
“Eleanor…enough,” General Richard muttered, pulling her back before she revealed more than she should.
Heaven felt like she was shrinking, collapsing under the weight of every glare, every whisper, every accusation.
Eva gave her a subtle smirk…then her eyes rolled back, and she “fainted” in Maverick’s arms.
Maverick instantly picked her up and carried her away without a single look at Heaven.
Heaven’s heart cracked so violently she could barely breathe.
Why would he defend her?
She was nothing but a filthy secret slut who opens her leg for anyone.
And she realized in that moment that she was utterly alone.
Someone Somewhere in the deck had seen all that transpired.