Third person's POV
Forrest's eyes widened in sudden realization, his voice tense as he spoke, "Alpha Derek, you don't mean the ship's owner is..."
He cast a wary glance around, checking for any surveillance cameras.
Derek nonchalantly extinguished his cigarette, his tone affirmative. "Relax, I disabled all the cameras around us as soon as we boarded. Yes, it's him. He's determined to see me dead."
A salty sea breeze swept over them, raising goosebumps on Forrest's skin.
He had only ever known to follow Derek's orders, completely unaware of the intricate web of schemes and calculations hidden beneath.
What kind of difficult and perilous situation was Derek in?
Besides the discord within his family, he also faced fierce competition and endless machinations in his professional life.
"Alpha Derek, how should we proceed now?" Forrest asked, his face etched with confusion.
Derek's gaze was deep and dark, his voice as cold as ice, devoid of any emotional warmth.
"Inform Alvin, hold nothing back. Treat the ship as if it's our territory. Let them know that the three hundred and forty million isn't so easily obtained."
Derek flicked the burnt cigarette butt into the vast ocean, his expression hidden behind the mask growing even more ominous. "Those who take what's mine must return it with interest."
Forrest's eyes brightened, secretly admiring the brilliance of this move.
Derek had already mapped out the number and distribution of the opponent's enforcers on the ship. Acting at this moment would give them an absolute advantage.
Even if the enemy sought reinforcements urgently, it would take over six hours for them to arrive, by which time Derek's people would have vanished without a trace.
Even if they suspected Derek was behind it, they wouldn't find any concrete evidence.
Under the dark veil of night, Derek spoke slowly and firmly, "Tonight, let them revel to their heart's content."
Derek entered the room, his face full of concern as he inquired, "How is she?"
"Not good. The young lady's body is frail to begin with. Sedatives shouldn't be used indiscriminately," the doctor shook his head helplessly.
Derek pondered to himself. He had barely survived his own ordeal, and with Tabitha's weak constitution, another round could leave her with barely half her life.
"Is there no better solution?" Derek pressed anxiously.
The doctor shot him an annoyed look, his tone laced with a hint of blame and dissatisfaction. "Aren't you just a man? Do you need me to tell you what to do? I don't get it. It's as if you've all lost your minds. I'm at my wit's end."
Mumbling complaints, the doctor turned and left the room.
Derek looked at Tabitha, drenched in sweat, and spoke softly, "Ms. Hartley, I..."
Tabitha shook her head forcefully, her voice faint yet resolute. "Don't."
Even with only a sliver of sanity left, the idea of becoming intimate with a stranger was something she could never accept.
Clutching Derek's sleeve tightly, Tabitha said with unwavering conviction, "Carry me to the bathtub."
"But your condition..." Derek's face showed his concern as he tried to dissuade her.
"Take me there." Tabitha interrupted him.
With a resigned sigh, Derek carefully placed her in the bathtub as she requested.
"Fill it with water," Tabitha commanded.
Warm water cascaded from the showerhead, and Tabitha quickly added, "Cold water."
Reluctant, Derek nevertheless complied with Tabitha's insistence.
In the bathtub, Tabitha was covered in water droplets, her exposed skin adorned with shimmering glitter, the realistic wig soaked and making her appear like a mythical mermaid.
Her entire being presented an extreme beauty interwoven with a sickly allure.
The wet dress clung to her body, the garment grand in style but thin in texture, easily outlining Tabitha's perfect figure.
Derek quickly averted his gaze, cursing the makeup artist's exquisite skill under his breath.
The attire on Tabitha accentuated all her virtues, making her beauty seem surreal.
Gasping for air in the water, Tabitha's fingers clutched the bathtub's edge.
"Get out!" Tabitha shouted.
Derek refused. "No, you're in such a perilous state. I can't leave you alone. You might be drowning."
After a long while, Tabitha struggled to utter a sentence. "But with you here, I can't control myself."