Chapter 499: Romantic Encounter
At nine o'clock, the cruise ship left port.
Following the bustling dock night view of Emerald City all the way down to Starlight Haven City, the scenery along the route was breathtaking. This was one of the finest cruise routes in the country.
Sean listened to the sounds of changing clothes coming from the bathroom, his gaze falling on the river outside the window. The luxurious, extravagant life on the cruise ship seemed completely out of place with the people working on the river.
"Ready yet?"
"I want to redo my makeup. Why don't you go down first?"
Bella came out wearing a pink dress. Sean glanced at her loose hair - it really wasn't suitable.
He nodded. "I'll go down first. Hurry up."
Bella hummed in response.
Sean walked over, put his arm around her waist, and kissed her. "Call me if anything comes up."
The moment the door closed, Bella's expression collapsed. What little smile she had completely vanished without a trace.
She turned back to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror, then raised her hand and scrubbed hard at her face.
That physical revulsion made it unbearable for her to let a man like Sean touch her even for a second.
The eighth-floor lounge was only open to guests - others couldn't come up. And at this time, William was still at the card table downstairs, with everyone gathered on the seventh floor having fun.
Who would come up here?
Sean had just stepped into the elevator when he vaguely felt something was wrong. The heat coursing through his body was unbearable.
He turned to go back out, but the elevator doors closed. Sean lowered his head, veins bulging on his forehead, his jawline tensed, his whole body radiating killing intent.
He was about to press the elevator button when unexpectedly, the elevator doors slowly opened.
A woman in a pink dress before his eyes cleared his foggy mind somewhat.
"Bella..."
...
"Ms. Smith," John hurried over and whispered something in Thalia's ear.
Thalia's eyes lowered, her long lashes trembling.
"Mr. Brown," from the crowd, Bella ran over in a qipao, frantically pushing through the people.
At the card table, William slowly turned around, looking at the person running over in a panic. "Mrs. Jimenez, what's wrong?"
"In the time it took me to change clothes, Sean disappeared."
"Maybe Mr. Jimenez ran into a friend and went to catch up? The ship has already left - there's no way he got off. There are security guards at the deck and railings too. They would notify us immediately if anything happened."
Finn stood beside William, watching the people around them. When he heard Bella's words, he couldn't help but respond.
William looked at her, waiting for what she would say next.
Bella looked around frantically and saw that everyone who had been relaxing and having fun was now staring at her.
At the pool table nearby, Daniel leaned against it, holding a cue, watching this drama unfold from afar.
Nicholas came over, lit a cigarette, and handed it to him. "What kind of show is this?"
"Just watch, and we'll find out," Daniel said, taking the cigarette and smoking it leisurely.
The entire seventh floor was a recreational area - pool tables, golf, card tables, cafes, everything you could want.
Originally, everyone was scattered around, but as soon as Bella made this scene, those looking for entertainment instantly gathered together.
"Or maybe Mr. Jimenez is in another room! Tonight's event is so lively - perhaps he encountered an unexpected romance?"
Adults all tacitly accepted this kind of thing happening.
Especially adult men.
As soon as that person's mocking voice landed, Eileen heard it and pushed through the crowd, eyes blazing at the person speaking filth. "What kind of garbage are you talking?"
"Don't use your dirty thoughts to judge others."
The person being scolded was a famous, rich kid from Emerald City who used to follow Thalia around. Later, because his father's health failed, he had no choice but to give in to family pressure and go back to inherit the family business. His father took him around the business world a few times, and he made something of himself.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be here today.
Hearing Eileen's words, he laughed. "Who do I see? So it's someone from Regal City! What's this? Is it popular in Regal City to have family elders come out and deny things? It was just a joke, but the way you're glaring at me - people who don't know better might think what I said was true?"
"Everyone in business and high positions knows how these things work! Just because you won't let people talk doesn't mean they don't know, right?"
"It's not your place to make that call."
The man shrugged indifferently. "Oh!"
Men joking around together was perfectly normal. It was just teasing, but when Eileen jumped in, the whole nature changed.
Thalia glanced at Amara and stepped back a few paces, entering the crowd.
Amara laughed and raised her voice slightly. "The Brown family's event shouldn't have such tactless people, right? Finn, go check the surveillance and see where Mr. Jimenez went."
"I'll go right now."
One word from Amara could make William's personal bodyguard spring into action, showing her importance.
"Who is this person?"
Because Amara spent all her time at the hospital and rarely attended these events, some people in Emerald City's elite circles didn't recognize her.
"Mr. Brown's sister!"
"Sister? Didn't they say Mr. Brown's father raised him alone? When did a sister appear?"
"Mr. Brown's father found a new wife a few years ago, also a professor at Westbridge University. This is Mr. Brown's stepmother's daughter."
"Wow! Talk about a life winner. This one right here!"
"Suddenly I feel like working hard - I need to work hard for my future daughter!"
"She just jumped straight to the winner's podium!"
In three to five minutes, before the crowd's discussion ended, Finn returned, coming in with his phone and looking rather uncomfortable as he faced William. "Mr. Brown!"
"The surveillance shows Mr. Jimenez went to the fifth-floor lounge."
Tsk...
"What did I tell you? Looks like Mr. Jimenez not only had a romantic encounter, but the woman's level isn't very high either," the person who had mocked Eileen earlier spoke up again.
Everyone knew that the Celestia Group's year-end appreciation banquet was divided by levels - all the VIPs were on the sixth floor and above, while below the sixth floor was where the company's internal employees were.
Sean had gone down to the lower floors.
"Other people climb up, but he's going down - how interesting! No wonder he's from the Jimenez family - the whole family keeps getting worse."
"How dare you!" Eileen was so angry at this young man's mocking words that her whole body trembled. She slapped her hand on the card table.
Half of William's chips in front of him were swept away.
The man's lips curved slightly as his gaze swept coldly over Eileen, radiating cold, angry killing intent.
"Finn, pull up the surveillance."
Hearing this, Amara perked up. "Since everyone's arguing, just checking surveillance seems weak. Mrs. Eileen Jimenez, if you really believe in Mr. Jimenez, then come with us to the fifth floor and take a look."
"She definitely won't dare!"
"Hahahaha!"