It seemed that making things official did make a difference
A Stephan openly wrapped his arm around Felicia <b>and </b>walked out the doos, Scarlet deliberately turned back to nce at Maurice, who looked like he was about to explode with anger.
She might feel a little sympathy for the poor gay, but it wasn’t much.
Scarlet hit back a smile and quickly followed behind the couple
At the shore, Maurice’s men <b>had </b>prepared a ship for the journey. However, as soon as they arrived, Stephan took one look at it and let out a scoff
Before Felicia could even react, another ship <b>appeared</b>–one far superior in both safety and defense. It was clear that Stephan had arranged for it.
Compared to Maurice’s vessel, Stephan’s ship was in a league of its own–something money alone couldn’t buy
Beyond just the ship itself, the crew was also on a different level. Stephan’s men stood with perfect posture, trained to the highest standard. The crew bustled about, ensuring everything was in order, while chels prepared meals <b>in </b>the galley
After everyone boarded, Stanley strolled over to Felicia and called out with an exaggerated smide, “Mrs. Russell, what <b>would </b>you like to <b>have </b>a drink? We have coffee, juice, wine whatever
<b>You </b>want
The key detail here wasn’t the drink selection but the way <b>he </b><b>addressed </b>her as “Mrs. Russell“.
<b>Maurice </b>scoffedeoldly and was the first to step inside the cabin
Initially, he didn’t want to board Stephan’s ship at <b>all</b>, but their destination was unknown, and the open sea was full of unpredictable dangers–storms, <b>hidden </b>currents, and whatever <b>else </b>lurked beneath the surface
If they traveled on separate ships, there w
was always the risk of getting separated, <b>which </b><b>could </b>be disastrous
Left with no other option, Maurice begrudgingly boarded Stephan’s ship, but his expression <b>was </b><b>dark </b>the entire time.
The journey would take many days. Even if everything went smoothly, it would take at least a werk
Luckily, Stephan’s ship was enormous. With multiple levels and plenty of rooms, it was easy to go an entire day without running into each other unless one made <b>a </b>deliberate effort.
On the third night of their voyage, Feliciay on a lounge chair on the deck, staring <b>up </b><b>at </b>the stars. As she gazed at the endless sky<b>, </b>a hint of regret crept in. Maybe she should <b>have </b>brought Pete along with or without that map, she had a nagging feeling they were nowhere close to finding the ind
Then again, if she <b>had </b>cooperated with Pete and set all together, who knew what schemes he would have prepared behind her back? That might’ve been even more dangerous.
Just as she was lost in thought, Stephan appeared beside her. He knew her too well and didn’t even need to ask to figure out <b>what </b><b>was </b>on her mind.
“I have the map: We’re following the coordinates marked on it. When I interrogated the robed <b>man</b><b>, </b>he mentioned that the <b>ind </b>can only be found using celestial patterns and tidal shifts. This phenomenon only happens once every decade. If we get to the right spot, finding the ind shouldn’t be difficult”
Of course, that was assuming the robed man had told the truth.
Felicia nodded before turning to look at Stephan. “You once said you!
nce said you had a reason yu
reason you had to find this ind. What is it?”
They had already promised each other not to keep any secrets from the other.
Felicia had spent so much of her life trying to handle things alone, carrying every burden by herself. But now, things were different. She wasn’t alone anymore. In this rtionship, she wanted to share Stephan’s burdens too.
Stephan reached out and gently traced his fingers along the back of her neck. Her skin was soft and smooth, supple andfortable to the touch
“Do you remember the story I <b>told </b>you about that ind?” he asked, <b>raising </b>an eyebrow
Felicia nodded. “I do”
he told her about the legend
<b>Back </b>when they were in the rainforest, she <b>was </b>chased by a giant python for quite some time. After Stephan saved her, they <b>tended </b>to each other’s wounds, and he
of the <b>ind </b>