Chapter 240
“What’s happening? Why did Mr. Jean round up all the waiters?” someone asked.
“Beats me. Maybe someone got food poisoning on board?” another speculated.
“If that’s the case, they should call the chef to answer for it, right?” a third joined in.
Dinner guests who’d just finished eating stepped out of their cabins when they saw the male waiters gathered on the main deck, all craning their necks to whisper among themselves.
Just then, Marcus arrived with Delilah.
Seeing the crowd, Delilah tugged at Marcus‘ sleeve nervously. “Marc, you should’ve let me fess up to Theodore earlier. Now with all these people around, what if I get ratted out? That’ll be so much more humiliating.”
Marcus let out a frustrated sigh. “For heaven’s sake, will you quit whining?”
He thought, ‘If a simple apology could fix this, I’d have made you do it already. This is make or break for our partnership with Russell Group!
When Theodore and Eliana joined Franco, they heard him say in an amiable tone, “Ellie, all the male waiters are here. See if you can spot the one who led you to the gangway.”
Ellie?
Theodore had been too preoccupied earlier to notice Franco’s familiar address. Now he shot Franco a pointed look.
Franco felt a pang of awkwardness. He’d called her “Ellie” to curry favor, hoping it might help him get back in Theodore’s good graces.
“Thanks, Mr. Jean,” Eliana replied, then started scanning the faces one by one.
The male staff there were all good–looking and memorable, so she was confident she’d pick out the right person.
Theodore asked, “Positive no one’s missing?”
Franco held up the staff roster. “Here’s the list. Anyone not present or unaccounted for, we’ll put out an APB.”
Moments later, Eliana pointed into the crowd. “Theodore, Mr. Jean, that’s the guy.”
At this, Theodore’s eyes narrowed sharply. “You, step forward.”
The male waiter called out trembled as he shuffled forward. Theodore resisted the urge to toss him overboard to the sharks, instead grabbing his shoulder with a vice–like grip. “Who told you to lead my wife to the gangway?”
The waiter winced, sure his shoulder blade would crack. “It was… it was…”
“Spit it out. I won’t hurt you,” Theodore said.
The waiter looked hopeful. “Promise, Mr. Russell?”
Theodore’s voice was steel. “I know you were just doing this for money. Confess, and I’ll let bygones be bygones.“.
The waiter scanned the crowd, his gaze flicking past Delilah before landing on someone. “Her.”
Annabelle, caught in the crosshairs, looked utterly bewildered.
Theodore followed his finger to a strange face and frowned. “You certain it’s her?”
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Chapter 240
“Positive,” the waiter insisted. “Ms. Evert paid me to set this up.”
As Theodore and the others advanced sternly, Annabelle balked. “Hey, why the hell are you pointing at me?”
The waiter avoided her eyes. “Ms. Evert, the game’s up. Fess up now. Maybe they’ll go easy on you,”
“Excuse me?” Annabelle gaped. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
The waiter grew frantic. “You told me to lead Mrs. Russell to the gangway. You can’t weasel out of this.”
“I never said any such thing!” Annabelle shot back, more frantic than him.
“Then you’ll have to answer for it,” the waiter retorted.
Theodore fixed her with a hard stare. “Did you push my wife overboard?”
Annabelle stood stunned for a beat, then her eyes went wide. “No way, Mr. Russell. Why would I do that? I… I don’t even know her!”
Just then, someone beside Annabelle piped up. “Hold on. When Ms. Wren was playing piano earlier, you wouldn’t stop trashing Mrs. Russell.”
This set off a flood of agreements.
“Exactly. I heard it too. You said Mrs. Russell was from a nobody family and didn’t deserve Mr. Russell,” one voice called out.
Another chimed in, “And you claimed not to know her, but you straight–up mocked her, saying you could play piano at five and asking if anyone still didn’t know how these days.”
Cornered by the accusations, Annabelle panicked, wishing she could vanish into thin air. ‘Why did I have to run my mouth like that?” she thought.
Theodore turned to Eliana. “Eliana, is this accurate?”
Eliana studied Annabelle closely before nodding. “I remember her. She did make those comments.”
Theodore, who’d been skeptical, now started to buy the story.
Seeing Theodore’s piercing gaze, Franco stepped in to defuse the situation. “Theodore, maybe we should let the police handle this?”
Theodore’s cold eyes flashed. “Good call.”
Even in police custody, he had plenty of ways to make her life miserable.
Annabelle’s eyes welled up. “Mr. Russell, Mr. Jean, I admit I dissed Mrs. Russell, but I never pushed her overboard. It wasn’t me, I swear!”
Theodore arched a brow. “Where were you an hour ago?”
Annabelle replied, “Holed up in my cabin, keeping to myself.”
“Anyone who can back that up?” Theodore asked.
“My… my dad went abroad and specifically gave me his spot at the cruise party. I came here all by myself.” By the end, even Annabelle sounded hopeless.
Theodore’s eyes turned icy again. “Take her away.”
“Yes, sir!” The security guards promptly dragged Annabelle off.
Her sobs trailed behind her. “No, Mr. Russelly It really wasn’t me. I didn’t do it!”
Watching Annabelle get hauled off, Delilah leaned in to Marcus and whispered, “Marc, you’re a genius! I just mentioned how she tried to suck up to me by dissing Eliana, and you managed to pin the whole thing on her?”
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Chapter 2401
Marcus shot her a glare. “Consider yourself lucky. If it weren’t for her, you’d be the one in trouble. When we get home, you’re grounded no exception: –
“Okay, okay. You’re the big brother. I’ll do what you say.” Delilah had not only pulled a prank on Eliana but also gotten away with it, so she was happy to comply.
Meanwhile, after dismissing all the waiters, Franco turned to Theodore. “Theodore, now that we’ve caught the person who pushed Ellie overboard, do you think you should…”
Theodore cut him off with a mocking tone. “Another pitch to make me discuss business and boost the city’s economy?”
AD
