Rock finally understood why Julian had reacted so strongly earlier. If Aurora had only been injured or ill, there might have been a glimmer of hope. But last night, she fell into the ocean. The chances of survival were slim to none. Finding her body would already be a blessing; the worst outcome would be that even her corpse couldn’t be recovered.
Julian, suppressing his inner agony, dialed Nick’s number with trembling fingers.
“What’s so urgent this early?” Nick answered, his voice carrying the irritation of being woken up, even if it was Julian calling.
“Nick, you have good connections with the military. I need your help,” Julian said, his voice hoarse despite his efforts to remain composed.
“What happened?” Nick’s tone immediately turned serious, sensing something was wrong.
“Aurora fell into the ocean last night. I just got off the plane and heard about it. Can you… call your military contacts and ask them to help with the search… and recovery?” Every time Julian spoke of the situation, he felt as though a knife was twisting in his heart.
His beloved Little Bunny-how could she… How could her life end in such a cruel way? She had promised to grow old with him.
“She fell into the ocean last night? How did this happen?” Nick was stunned. Though his personality was cold, he had always liked Aurora’s kind nature. More importantly, she was the woman Julian had loved for years. If she died, what would become of Julian?
“I’m heading to the scene now. I didn’t see it happen with my own eyes, so maybe-maybe she’s still alive.” This faint hope was the only thing keeping Julian going.
“Alright, don’t panic. Go check it out first, and I’ll call my contacts,” Nick replied before hanging up and immediately making another call.
Julian rushed to the port. His driver, as usual, was waiting to greet him, but Julian yanked the man out of the car without a word and sped away himself.
The driver stood in the cold wind, bewildered. “Rock, what’s wrong with the boss?”
“Don’t ask. This might become the norm from now on,” Rock replied knowingly. He understood Julian well. The once-emotionless iron-blooded CEO had begun to show a softer side lately. But now that Aurora was gone, everything was over. Julian was likely to become even more volatile than before.
Julian drove like a madman. The cruise ship was still out at sea conducting the search. Without waiting, Julian took a speedboat and caught up with the vessel.
After a sleepless night, Heather looked utterly haggard. Mr. Warden, on the other hand, was pacing nervously.
“Why is Mr. Barnet back so early?” he muttered.
“What, you think he’s back too soon?” someone retorted.
“No, I just thought he wasn’t supposed to arrive until tonight,” Mr. Warden stammered. Julian’s early arrival was the last thing he wanted. Now that Julian had just gotten off the plane and learned of Aurora’s disappearance, he was bound to be at his most volatile.
Aurora had been invited aboard at his behest. Regardless of how she fell into the ocean, he was responsible.
If it were someone else, money might resolve the issue. But Aurora? Her family didn’t lack money, and neither did Julian. Recently, Julian had closed a multi-billion-dollar deal. Even a small fraction of that would be enough to crush him. Throwing money at Julian was impossible.
Julian’s reputation for ruthless efficiency preceded him, and he was also known for his undying loyalty. Now that something had happened to the woman he adored, how could Mr. Warden possibly compensate him?
Mr. Warden could already imagine the storm brewing. His nerves were frayed, and he felt as though Julian might storm onto the ship at any moment.
“Mr. Warden, Mr. Barnet is here. He’s asking to board the ship.”
“Then hurry and invite him aboard!” Mr. Warden said, his voice trembling like a death knell. His legs shook as he rushed to the deck.
The other guests were whispering among themselves, while the person who had pushed Ivy off the ship looked visibly uneasy. He needed to leave the ship quickly.
Hearing that Julian himself had arrived, everyone followed Mr. Warden to the deck. The crew was lowering the boarding ladder.
The wind at sea was fierce, especially at dawn. Julian climbed the ladder with urgency, an action others found dangerously reckless. He only wanted to reach the place where she had been, to uncover the truth for himself.
“Mr. Barnet, I’m deeply sorry for what happened…” Mr. Warden’s attempt at an apology was cut short by Julian’s icy glare, silencing him instantly.
Julian’s gaze swept across the men and women standing on deck. Everyone he looked at felt a chill run down their spine.
“Mr. Barnet, it’s my fault. I wasn’t by Miss Montgomery’s side. I…” Heather had cried all night. Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were red and swollen. She looked utterly miserable.
Aurora had always told her not to cry unnecessarily, but this time, she couldn’t hold back. They had searched the sea all night and found nothing.
The ocean was vast, the waters deep. No one knew what lay beneath the surface.
“Take me to where it happened,” Julian commanded. He wasn’t interested in blaming anyone. He refused to believe Aurora would meet her end here. She had overcome so many challenges before-how could she die here? She had promised to stay with him.
“This way, Mr. Barnet,” Mr. Warden said, now acting like Julian’s lackey. If this matter wasn’t resolved properly, his career was finished.
For anyone else, he might have felt uncertain. But Julian was another matter. His connections and influence were not something Mr. Warden could contend with.
Even after hearing Heather’s account, he couldn’t believe Ivy had the ability to push Aurora into the ocean.
Aurora was resourceful, while Ivy was a delicate princess. If the two had clashed, Ivy might not have come out on top. If Ivy had pushed Aurora, she must have had help. Otherwise, how could she have managed it alone?
And then there was the issue with the railing. Heather had mentioned it, and Mr. Warden had already inspected the luxurious cruise ship. The ship was well-maintained-how could the railing fail?
Someone must have tampered with it in advance.
The more frantic Julian appeared, the calmer he became. By the time he arrived, he had pieced together most of the puzzle.
There was no way Ivy could have acted alone. Since only Ivy and Aurora had gone missing from the ship, Ivy’s accomplice must still be on board.
If Aurora didn’t survive, Julian wouldn’t spare those who had harmed her. They would pay the ultimate price as her burial companions.