14. No Way Back

The screen still glowed behind her that cursed slide, frozen in time, refusing to vanish. Ruby's hands were clenched at her sides, her knuckles white, her thoughts scrambled.

The silence in the room was unbearable. Not just awkward, punishing. The kind of silence that vibrated with judgment. That left no doubt something had shattered.

Mr. Wen remained standing, arms crossed over his chest, his jaw like stone. The others at his table stayed seated, eyes forward, stiff with discomfort, some looking away as if they couldn't witness the fallout.

Carla stood nearby, her body angled between Ruby and Mr. Wen like she could shield her from the impact. But Ruby knew it was pointless.

~ Mr. Wen: "Well? Where is your director?"

his voice was quiet, but it echoed like a slap.

~ Carla: "He's on his way. Please, Mr. Wen, may I offer you" her smile never reached her eyes.

~ Mr. Wen: "No more performances. No more offers. I want answers."

And as if conjured by the heat of that demand, the door at the back of the room opened.

Evander Ward stepped in.

Pressed navy suit, crisp white shirt, pocket square folded with surgical precision. His dark hair was swept back, and the sharpness in his jaw was mirrored by the chill in his expression. His eyes scanned the room once: quick, assessing, professional.

He took in Mr. Wen, the frozen slide, the flushed and visibly shaken redhead near the front of the room.

Ruby didn't move.

Evander's steps were slow but deliberate as he approached. He stopped beside Carla, offered a courteous nod to Mr. Wen, then turned slightly, facing the entire table.

~ Evander: "Mr. Wen. I was informed there was a concern. I came immediately." his voice was smooth, measured. The kind of voice made for calming storms.

Mr. Wen didn't return the greeting. He stared at Evander, hard and unforgiving.

~ Mr. Wen: "You've insulted my culture, Mr. Ward. Not just me. Every guest at this table."

~ Evander: "That was never our intention."

~ Mr. Wen: "No? Then explain why I just watched a ship under your command label my country a *province* of another. That isn't ignorance, Mr. Ward. That's a message."

The words were acid. And they left no room for misinterpretation.

The Captain turned to look at the screen, then at Ruby, just briefly. His face didn't change, but his eyes told her everything.

He knew. He understood the scale. And he was furious. Still, when he spoke again, his tone remained perfectly smooth.

~ Evander: "Mr. Wen, on behalf of Ocean Odyssey, I offer you a full and sincere apology. What was presented here does not reflect the views of our company, our values, or our understanding of global politics. It was an unauthorized presentation, created in error by a new staff member. I take full responsibility."

Mr. Wen narrowed his eyes.

~ Mr. Wen: "You take responsibility. Good. Then you won't mind hearing what I intend to do."

Evander nodded, as if bracing for it.

~ Mr. Wen: "I have donated more than a quarter of a million dollars to Ocean Odyssey over the last three years. I've hosted events, brought friends and investors aboard. Do you know what that kind of influence earns you?"

Evander remained still.

~ Mr. Wen: "Expectations. That your staff will be educated. That your crew will not insult my homeland and call it a detail."

He turned back to Ruby, cold fury in his eyes.

~ Mr. Wen: "She is not qualified. She should not be here."

The young woman's stomach twisted. Her ears rang. Every word hit like a slap.

Mr. Wen turned back to the Captain.

~ Mr. Wen: "I expect action. Or my donation stops today. And I will make sure others know exactly what kind of company you run."

The room was silent. Every eye was on Evander. Ruby couldn't breathe.

Then, finally, Evander looked at her. The disappointment in his gaze was palpable, not loud, not theatrical. Just… devastating.

He stepped forward, crisp and professional.

~ Evander: "Ms. Walker. You will apologize to Mr. Wen. Now." his voice was cold. Clipped.

The redhead opened her mouth, the words catching in her throat. Her cheeks burned, her pulse roaring.

~ Ruby: "I… I'm sorry, Mr. Wen. I didn't know... I wasn't trying to'.'"

~ Evander: "That's enough." his voice sliced through the air. Quiet but absolute. "You've done enough."

And that broke something in her. Humiliation bloomed in her chest, sharp and hot. She swallowed hard, blinked back tears she refused to let fall.

She bowed her head slightly.

~ Ruby: "I sincerely apologize."

Mr. Wen didn't reply. Evander turned back to him.

~ Evander: "Again, our deepest apologies. I will speak to you privately regarding next steps."

Mr. Wen gave a curt nod, then sat down slowly, his silence louder than any outburst.

Evander turned away without another glance at Ruby. His posture stiff, his jaw clenched.

Carla put a gentle hand on Ruby's arm. It was the softest thing she'd felt all night. But it didn't matter.

She had made the mistake. And now, the damage was done.

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The knock on her cabin door came less than an hour after the event ended. She didn't need to be told who it was.

Jada opened the door for her, eyes wide and cautious, like she already knew what was waiting outside: a junior officer stood there, uniform crisp, expression unreadable.

~ Officer: "Miss Walker. Mr. Ward wants to see you. Immediately."

She nodded, her throat too tight to answer. She pulled on her shoes with shaking hands and followed without a word.

The walk to Evander's office felt like a hallway stretched into eternity. Each step felt heavier than the last. She kept her eyes on the carpet. She didn't want to meet the eyes of anyone who might've heard. Anyone who might've seen the moment she broke the trust of every guest in that room and the trust of the man in charge.

The door to Captain's private office was closed when they arrived.

The officer knocked once, sharp.

~ Evande: "Send her in."

Ruby stepped in. The door clicked shut behind her, sealing the silence.

Evander stood behind his desk, not seated, a message in itself. He wasn't here to have a conversation. He was here to deliver a verdict.

The room was spotless, structured. Framed certificates, a globe on the shelf, dark polished wood and navy-blue accents. Authority made solid.

He didn't ask her to sit. He didn't smile.

~ Evander: "Explain."

That was it. Just that.

The young woman opened her mouth. Her lips were dry. Her voice barely worked.

~ Ruby: "I thought it would be helpful to include some cultural background in the presentation. I thought it might add depth to the event and show respect"

~ Evander: "Respect?" his voice snapped like a taut wire.

~ Evander: "You insulted a group of influential international guests and implied their country doesn't exist. You didn't show respect. You showed arrogance."

She flinched.

~ Evander: "You didn't research. You didn't consult Carla. You didn't ask anyone to review your presentation before presenting it in front of one of our most generous patrons. You didn't even check the damn flag, Miss Walker."

The words hit like blows. She opened her mouth again, desperate to explain.

~ Ruby: "I didn't mean to..."

~ Evander: "Intent doesn't matter. Not here."

his voice was icy. Professional. But behind that control, she could see it, the disappointment, the frustration.

~ Evander: "You took initiative without guidance. That alone is reckless. But to do it on a matter as politically sensitive as this."

he broke off, jaw tight.

Ruby stood frozen. Her palms itched. Her stomach turned.

~ Evander: "This cruise is not just a vacation. It's a brand. A business. A reputation built on precision and trust. People like Mr. Wen don't just take cruises. They fund them. They recommend them to partners. To diplomats. And now he's threatening to blacklist us. All because of you."

He stepped closer, not looming, he didn't have to.

~ Evander: "You embarrassed this ship. You embarrassed me. And I will not tolerate that."

There was a long pause. Heavy. And then came the final blow.

~ Evander: "You're fired."

The words shattered the air. The redhead's heart stopped. The silence that followed was louder than his voice had been.

The word "fired" echoed in her head like a scream. She stood still, barely breathing, her body cold, her hands numb.

This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not after everything. Not after surviving the darkness, the despair, the climb out of the pit she had spent months buried in.

~ Ruby: "No...Please. Don't do this." her voice broke. Lsßzs,

Evander's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't speak.

She stepped forward once. Her chest ached. She felt like she was standing on the edge of something massive and unforgiving.

~ Ruby: "I made a mistake. I know I did. I wasn't thinking. I wanted to do something extra, something thoughtful. I should've asked. I should've checked. I get that. But please don't take this from me."

~ Ruby: "You have no idea how hard I worked just to get here. I left everything. I had nothing before this. I was completely lost. And then I got this chance and it saved me. You can't just fired me like that, please. I'm begging you."

Her voice cracked. Her eyes burned. But she stood firm. She didn't beg like someone who was weak. She begged like someone who had fought their way back from the edge and knew she couldn't go back there again.

The Captain's face was unreadable. His posture stiff. But his jaw clenched. And he didn't look away.

Evander didn't flinch.

He didn't soften. Didn't lean forward. Didn't sigh or hesitate. He just watched her like a man deciding the fate of someone already gone.

When Ruby stopped speaking, the silence didn't lift. It deepened.

~ Evander: "You should've thought about all of that before you decided to play cultural ambassador without even asking your supervisor."

His voice was low now. Controlled. But colder than before. Measured in the way only someone furious and finished could sound.

~ Evander: "I don't care how badly you wanted to prove yourself. This ship doesn't run on good intentions. It runs on discipline, precision, and respect for protocol. You showed none of that."

She felt herself shrinking. As if every word stripped her down piece by piece.

~ Evander: "This wasn't a mispronounced name or a spilled drink, Miss Walker. You made a politically loaded statement in front of one of our most important international guests: unvetted, unapproved, and completely unresearched."

His eyes locked on hers.

~ Evander: "You embarrassed this ship. You embarrassed me. And I'm not going to risk that happening again."

The finality in his tone was absolute.

~ Evander: "Your contract is terminated, effective immediately. Crew services will arrange your transport off-ship at our next port. You are to stay in your cabin until then unless instructed otherwise. Do not speak to guests. Do not attempt to work another shift. That's all."

He stepped back behind his desk and sat, already reaching for the next file.

Dismissed.

Just like that.

She didn't move. She couldn't. Her body felt like stone. Her breath stuck in her throat, cold and sharp. Her eyes burned, but she wouldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of him.

She swallowed hard. Nodded once.

~ Ruby: "Understood." her voice was hollow.

She turned. Opened the door. Walked out. She didn't look back but her chest cracked open as she did.

The hallway beyond his office felt darker than before. Every step felt like it echoed with failure. Final. Public. Shame thick on her skin.

Back in her cabin, she sank onto her bed, still in uniform. The ship still hummed around her, alive, moving forward without her.

She stared at the floor, chest hollow. This wasn't just losing a job. This was losing her last chance. The last thing she had fought for. The last proof that maybe she wasn't a mess, that maybe she could belong somewhere.

Now?

Now she was a cautionary tale. A mistake in someone else's file.

And in 48 hours, she'd be gone.

Erased.