I ignored her taunts and turned to leave, but someone grabbed my wrist.
Julian was barely containing his rage.
"Haven't you caused enough trouble? I told you to stay home and be Mrs. Gilbert!"
I wrenched free, my stare ice-cold.
"Mr. Gilbert, I'm just trying to earn enough to bury my mother. Is that a problem for you too?"
Disappointment flooded his eyes. He waved his hand, and someone emerged from the cabin carrying an urn.
"Drop the act. I had my assistant notify you—your mother's arrangements are already taken care of. What burial costs could you possibly need?"
Before he finished speaking, Eve took the urn and walked toward me.
As she got close, she pretended to stumble—and slammed it against the deck.
"No!"
I screamed and lunged forward, but I was too late.
The urn hit the ground and split in two.
A gust of sea wind swept through. The ashes scattered everywhere.
I scrambled on my hands and knees, grabbing at nothing, catching nothing.
It felt like something inside my chest was being ripped apart. The pain was blinding.
My eyes burned red as I stared at Eve.
"Why? Why won't you even let her rest in peace?"
She just giggled, sweet as poison.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Doris. It was an accident!"
I couldn't hold back anymore. I threw myself at her, ready to slap her across the face.
But before I could touch her, someone grabbed my collar and yanked me back.
Julian's eyes were full of venom as he slapped me hard.
"Enough! It's just a pile of ash—gone is gone!"
"Eve already apologized to you. What more do you want?"
"Look at yourself. Who is this pathetic act for?"
He tore open my collar and tossed me onto the deck like garbage.
"Lock her up. No one lets her out without my order."
I lay there, clothes torn, barely covering me. But he didn't look back. He just lifted Eve into his arms and walked away.
He didn't turn around, so he didn't see the men dragging me into the cabin, grins spreading across their faces.
My wounds tore open. My fingernails ripped back. I left a trail of blood across the deck.
Three days later, the yacht docked.
As they prepared to disembark, Julian finally remembered me.
He frowned, a mocking smile curling his lips.
"Go bring Doris out. She's coming home with me."
"A few days locked up should've taught her a lesson. Tell her to stop making trouble."
The next moment, Godfrey dropped to his knees at Julian's feet, face white, voice shaking.