Ethan Bennett

Brian's tone was filled with entreaty, and his gaze was tender yet anguished.

Marigold was utterly bewildered.

"If there's truly something going on, I should face it with you. After all, I am your bodyguard, am I not?"

The nearby bodyguard sneered and said, "Miss Allard, please don't take the young master's romantic games seriously. Who would genuinely expect protection from a woman like you?"

Brian glared at him, and the bodyguard immediately fell silent.

Brian departed with the bodyguard. Soon, Brian's personal butler, Taro, arrived and escorted Marigold back to Brian's and her own room.

The chilling sea breeze rustled Marigold's hair as she sat by the window, lost in thought.

Her room was next to Brian's, with a hidden door connecting the two for late-night communication convenience. However, as a gesture of respect, Brian had specifically exchanged the rooms, so she was actually staying in the master bedroom. Thus, she could directly access Brian's room, but Brian couldn't enter hers.

Once back in the room, Taro remained seated in Brian's room, and all main doors were tightly shut, except for the open hidden door between the two rooms. It was supposedly for protection, but it felt more like surveillance on her. Marigold remained melancholy, staying in the room and eavesdropping on any sounds coming from Brian's side. But after a long while, Brian still hadn't returned. In a fit of pique, she went to Brian's room and caused some minor mischief, rummaging through his clothes and socks, then collapsing onto the bed in a huff.

However, when she had successfully made a mess of his neatly arranged bed, her attention was captivated by a fallen shirt.

On the pristine white shirt, there was a small dried dark red stain.

What is this? Marigold immediately became highly alert.

Having served in the military, she had witnessed real battlefields, so she was particularly sensitive to bloodstains.

She picked up the shirt and cautiously sniffed it; there was a metallic scent. It was highly likely to be blood.

But whose bloodstain was it? This shirt was the one he wore during their last conversation at the café. If nothing unexpected happened, it should be his own bloodstain.

Why would he be bleeding? Judging by the concentration of the bloodstain on the back and a small amount on the arm, the front of the shirt was clean. Back bleeding, and from the shape of the bloodstain, it seemed to be from a wound seeping onto the shirt. The wound didn't appear to be a minor accidental one but rather a long and narrow major injury.

Marigold felt a sharp pain in her heart. Was he injured? When did he get hurt? And why didn't she know?

What frustrated her even more was that while he was suppressing discomfort and avoiding meeting her, she was engaging him in unrelated conversations, stimulating him with tales of Greywolf's past to make him jealous.

"On the young master's shirt, how could there be blood? Taro, do you know what happened?"

Taro calmly took the shirt and tidied up the bed as well. By the way, he had already taken the 500 million-worth gift dress and gone to clean it. Both rooms were also tidied up, as if reborn. In every sense, Taro was an excellent butler.

"Miss Allard, there are some things you shouldn't know. Please refrain from curiosity. Within the high walls of the aristocracy, there are many things that should remain unknown to outsiders."

"But he said he wants to marry me. As his lover and fiancée, am I not allowed to know either?"

"You can ask the young master yourself. I regret being unable to provide any information."

"Brian..." Marigold buried her face in the shirt as if going mad. Aside from the faint scent of blood, the shirt also carried Brian's unique fragrance mixed with the sea breeze.

She searched through the other clothes, confirming that only this shirt had bloodstains, and then she put on the clothes closest to her skin, under her wool sweater.

She wanted to find Brian and demand a clear explanation. This time, she must strip away all his facades and make him reveal the whole truth!

Ding

A text message arrived at the perfect moment. It was from Brian.

There was only one short sentence.

"Mary, I want to talk to you. I can tell you all my secrets. Meet me on the stern deck."

Marigold immediately replied, "I'm coming right away. Wait for me. I also have something to ask you."

Her fierce determination ignited.

No one could deceive her in this manner and walk away unscathed. She wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.

It is already 1:45 in the deep night, and the pitch-black sky is adorned with dense clouds, as if it is about to rain. The bone-chilling wind, like an unseen whip, ruthlessly lashes Marigold's thin cashmere coat. She finally managed to escape from Taro and the presidential suite that resembled a gilded cage.

In a little over six hours, the ship will dock. They will arrive at Hazel Harbor, the northernmost port of the Teal Kingdom. The investment conference will successfully conclude, and after daybreak, they will take the latest flight back to Coral City.

That was how it was supposed to be. However, Brian still hasn't appeared until now. Although they agreed not to leave their rooms, he sent her a text message.

Marigold first went to the bar on the second floor, where she downed a full glass of whiskey and instructed the bartender to charge it to Brian Bennett's account. Then she picked up her coat and prepared to go to the deck.

She wondered what earth-shattering secret Brian would reveal to her. She needed alcohol to bolster her courage.

"Miss Allard, would you like a lollipop?"

Marigold turned around and saw Fey. She had removed the makeup that transformed her into a fairy and now appeared as an ordinary girl. She wore a red and green sweater with a snowman pattern, paired with fitted jeans. Her chestnut hair was braided in a loose side braid, cascading gently down her neck, exuding a sweet Christmas vibe.

Fey extended her hand, holding two new lollipops in her palm, while still holding one in her mouth. As she approached, a sweet fruity aroma wafted through the air.

"You look troubled, Miss Allard. Have some candy to ease your spirits."

Marigold accepted one of the lollipops and placed it in her mouth, her expression visibly softening. "Thank you, Fey."

The moment the candy touched her tongue, it dissolved. It was grape-flavored. She truly enjoyed grape-flavored sweets, as they provided a calming effect.

"Fey, do you have any secrets of your own?" Marigold suddenly inquired.

"Why do you ask? Everyone has secrets that they cannot share with others. It's normal, and I'm no exception."

"But doesn't it cause you pain? I can't live with the burden of keeping something hidden. It's tormenting. Am I being too demanding by asking others to confess without reservation?"

"When I was in school, I was bullied," Fey spoke up suddenly, handing over a fresh martini to Marigold, who naturally accepted it and drank it in one gulp. "They dragged me into the restroom, hit me on the head with a baseball bat, burned my shoulder with a cigarette, and subjected me to various forms of verbal abuse. It was agonizing, but they threatened me into silence. So, I kept that secret from my parents and teachers."

Fey smiled at Marigold, took the lollipop out of her mouth, and licked it once more. "I agree with what you said during the competition. Secrets do indeed cause harm. However, in life, it's inevitable to get hurt. That's why many people choose to carry their secrets to the grave. I haven't even dared to tell my parents about my experience with bullying until now."

"But at least you told me, so it's no longer a secret. If you choose to reveal a secret, at least you believe it won't harm me. And I'm worried about the consequences behind that disclosure."

Marigold continued to support her cheek, hesitatingly gazing out the window.

Fey gave her a push. "Go quickly. Don't keep them waiting. We'll celebrate when you come back. It's the perfect opportunity for an all-nighter!"

Marigold playfully punched Fey while making up her mind. She put on her coat and left the bar. She arrived at the stern of the ship, where there was a sealed glass observation deck used by passengers to whale watch during winter. Marigold couldn't find anyone around, so she entered the observation deck and sat down, hoping to observe the activities on the deck from this elevated vantage point.

The night was dark, and the moon was hidden behind a fog, making everything hazy and indistinct. The observation deck was originally cramped, but the heating was turned up, so it should have been quite warm. However, Marigold's chill only intensified as she sat there, and every time she raised her head, she felt a dizzying sensation.

Could it be that her dizziness was acting up again? It shouldn't be the case; she hadn't experienced it for a long time, and her health had improved significantly since her unemployment days.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the wooden door of the observation deck was forcefully pushed open. A chilling gust of ominous cold wind howled its way inside. Marigold instinctively wrapped her coat tightly around her.

Marigold swiftly turned her head and found herself facing the barrel of a dark void, aimed directly at her head.

Her heart instantly leapt to her throat.

The man before her was tall and robust, dressed in a tailored suit. His clothing seemed to conceal something beneath, perhaps a bulletproof vest, and he likely carried other weapons. He appeared to be a bodyguard. Soon after, their master emerged from behind the bodyguard.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

In the silent air, a sudden burst of crisp applause shattered the stillness. A man, draped in a fur coat and wearing a plaid scarf, leaned in close to her.

"You don't seem surprised at all, Miss Allard. Do you remember who I am?"

Indeed, this voice, though heard only once, she would never forget. It was Ethan Bennett, father of Brian.