Araceli POV
I felt so hot...
"Ms. Chancey, are you okay?"
Royce's voice came from behind me.
I felt tiny beads of sweat seeping out of my forehead.
I pursed my lips and said, "Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom. Please wait for me for a few minutes."
I got up and walked out of the private room.
Just as I got out, a huge wave hit the ship. The cruise ship lurched, causing me to almost miss my footing and fall to the floor.
I held onto the railing, took a deep breath, and quickly went into the bathroom.
I unscrewed the faucet and slapped the back of my neck with cold water, feeling a little more awake.
I turned around, ready to go back to the private room. Suddenly, a wave of heat swept up from the bottom of lower abdomen.
This feeling was all too familiar...
Five years ago, on the night of my coming-of-age ceremony, after I drank the glass of wine that Carina handed me, there was heat coming from my lower abdomen.
Could I have been drugged again?
I only had one glass of wine after I got on the cruise...
Did Royce drug me?
An appalling coldness penetrated my scarlet face.
I took a deep breath, clenched my fist, stepped on my high heels and walked step by step towards the private room.
The hallway was dark. The lights were dim and wavered above my head.
It was as if my world was spinning. I just felt like I was going to faint the next second.
Suddenly, around the corner, a figure approached.
I didn't stand still and ran headlong into it.
A man's voice came.
"Miss, are you okay?"
"I'm sorry..."
I apologized in a hoarse voice, not having time to think about it, pushed him away and walked forward.
I knew that the people who could come to this cruise ship for a party were not ordinary people. Luckily, the man didn't suspect anything either and turned around and was ready to leave.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps came from behind me. The man ran towards me and grabbed me by the shoulders.
In the darkness, I could not see anything but despair.
Those eyes fell on my face, full of disbelief...
He grabbed me by the wrist.
"I finally found you."
I jerked my hand out, suddenly feeling so dizzy that my legs went weak.
I held onto the railing and took a step back.
This man stepped forward, opened both arms and hugged me tightly.
"Five years ago, we met the same way. I searched for you for a long time..."
The man's hand slowly reached over and hooked my hair that was scattered around my ears...
The effect of the drug gradually came up.
I no longer had strength.
The man in front of me blocked my way and squeezed my wrist.
What shocked me even more was that he was the same man from five years ago...
In other words, this man was Krish and Valeria's father...
Revulsion and disgust surfaced in my heart.
That night in the coming-of-age ceremony ruined my life. Along with that, I also hated Krish and Valeria's father, the man who took everything from me.
With all my strength, I raised my hand and slapped it hard.
A crisp slap resounded through the waves.
The man didn't expect me to have the strength to do it, and his face turned livid with anger.
He yanked my wrist, his voice was cold, and said, "Didn't you just want to hook up with a rich man on this cruise ship? You're still like this five years later! Since you still look so pretty, I don't care how many men you've been fucked by these years! Walk!"
The man yanked my wrist and dragged me towards a private room.
I was unable to resist and could only be pulled forward by him.
Just at that moment...
A tall figure appeared at the other end of the corridor.
As soon as he appeared, the temperature in the corridor dropped by a dozen degrees in vain, like the sudden arrival of winter.
"Let her go."
Raphael came step by step. His face was cold and sullen, like death from hell.
I trembled and my eyes filled with tears.
I had been bracing myself, planning to sneak up on this man when he wasn't looking, but at this moment, all my courage had dissipated.
I didn't know why, I just felt incredibly certain that Raphael would protect me...
"Mr. Lancaster."
The man narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Lancaster, do you remember me?"
Raphael snorted lightly. "Who the fuck are you?" Raphael's voice, nonchalant, carried mockery.
The man's face turned grim.
He was about to say something when Raphael had stepped forward.
He reached over and took me into his arms.
Raphael's cold eyes fell on the man.
"If you want to live, get out now."
His voice was unquestionable and full of authority. I raised my eyes and saw his eyes glowing with a faint golden light, the same as Micah's.
He took me in his arms, turned around and walked away.
My body was so hot that it followed the fire. My face, my neck, my chest were flushed.
Raphael poured me a glass of ice cold water.
"Drink it."
I drank the water in one gulp, but my throat was still dry and hoarse, and the fire in my body kept burning.
I tugged unconsciously at my collar. I just felt so uncomfortable...
Raphael frowned slightly and averted his eyes.
He narrowed his brow, turned and walked out of the booth, kicked open the door of the next room, and raised his hand to grab Royce's collar.
"Where's the antidote?"
I couldn't even hear what they were saying, I just felt the temperature in this room continue to rise.
I felt like a fish stranded on the beach.
I ripped open my collar, hoping that the cold air would pour in and wrap me up before I felt better. But the room was closed and not at all airy. I was panting, sweating, and hugging my body tight. I opened my eyes slightly and saw Raphael standing by the door, his eyes dark.
Raphael took a step away and slowly walked to the bedside.
His scent hit me...
A familiar scent...
Like the smell of sea salt, with strong hormones...
A shiver ran through my body.
That night five years ago entered my mind like a nightmare.
In a daze, it was as if I saw the man coming towards me.
He pinned me to the bed. No matter how much I resisted and struggled, I couldn't escape. That man took everything from me, and it was my first time...
I was eighteen years old at that time.
My fantasy of a better future was all destroyed that night.