Chapter 3
The ship hadn't docked yet, and the Lane Family had full control over all communications on board. I was like a fish trapped in a glass tank—could see the light outside, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't break free.
Emily caught up to me, her face twisted with anger.
"Alex, are you done making a scene yet?" she snapped.
I managed to break free from the bodyguards for just a moment.
"Give me my phone. I need to check on my mom," I said.
She gritted her teeth.
"Sign the statement first," she said.
I gave a cold laugh.
"You threaten my mom, and now you expect me to sign a confession?" I said.
"Emily, you've really trampled all over the idea of being a good wife and mother," I added.
Pain flickered in Emily's eyes.
"Why do you always have to think the worst of me?" Emily asked.
I stared at her.
"So hand over my phone," I said.
She stayed silent.
Her silence said it all.
Ryan walked over with a coat draped over his shoulders, medical tape on his face, looking so fragile that a stiff breeze could shatter him.
"Alex, don't blame Emily," Ryan said.
"She's just really worried about both of us," he added.
"You're so emotional right now. What if you contact someone outside and end up saying something hurtful?" Ryan said.
I looked at him.
"Who put you in charge of my life?" I shot back.
His eyes were rimmed with red again.
"I know you hate me," Ryan said.
"But your mom matters to me, too. I won't let Emily really stop paying for her care," he added.
I almost laughed out of anger.
"Since when is my mom your elder?" I shot back.
Ryan lowered his eyes, his voice so disgustingly gentle it made my skin crawl.
"Emily and I are as close as family. Naturally, her family is my family too," he said.
Brian Hughes immediately chimed in from the side.
"Did you hear that? Ryan's more of a decent guy than you'll ever be," he sneered.
"If your mom knew you were out here trying to kill someone tonight, she'd probably be so pissed she'd die on the spot," Brian added.
I looked up sharply.
Brian instinctively took a step back.
Emily snapped, her face twisted with anger.
"Alex, are you really going to hit him?" she demanded.
I turned to her, my voice hoarse and low.
"He's using my mom against me," I said.
She frowned.
"Brian just ran his mouth," she said.
"He wasn't trying to be mean," she added.
Those words were all too familiar.
'No ill will.'
'Just a joke.'
'Just worried.'
'Just for your own good.'
For the past three years, every hurt she inflicted on me was always covered up with some flimsy excuse, as if it didn't matter at all.
Suddenly, I remembered the first year of our marriage.
My mom's condition got worse, and she needed to be moved to a new care facility.
I went with Emily to Ryan's birthday party. She promised we'd leave in thirty minutes.
But then Ryan got drunk, grabbed her hand and complained about having a headache.
She ended up staying with him all night.
My mom's phone ran out of battery after she kept calling me over and over. The next day, the caregiver told me my mom had spent the whole night calling out for me.
I confronted Emily about it.
With tears in her eyes, she said, "Ryan has no parents. I'm all he has."
"Ryan has no parents. I'm all he has."
Back then, I actually thought I shouldn't blame someone just because they were sick.
'I really couldn't have been more pathetic.'
Seeing me stay silent, Emily's tone softened a bit.
"Alex, just sign the papers and I'll let you call your mom right away," she said.
"And I promise, from now on, Ryan won't come over to our place by himself anymore," she added.
I looked at her.
"You think that's some kind of favor?" I shot back.
Emily's expression froze.
Suddenly, Ryan clutched his chest and collapsed to the side.
"Emily I can't breathe" he gasped.
Emily panicked instantly.
"Ryan!" she cried out.
Everyone rushed over to help.
I took advantage of the chaos and bolted for the communications room.
Just as my hand touched the doorknob, a sharp pain hit the back of my neck.
A jolt of electricity shot through me, and my knees gave out right away.
I collapsed to the floor, my vision swimming.
Brian hovered over me with the stun gun, crouched down, and tapped my cheek with a sneer.
"Alex, still trying to run?" he sneered.
"People like you should be kept on a leash," he added.
Emily turned around, still holding Ryan, and when she saw me sprawled on the floor, her eyes flickered with shock and anger.
"Brian, who gave you permission to use that?" she demanded.
Brian just shrugged, not giving a damn.
"Emily, he was about to barge into the communications room," he said.
"What if he calls the cops and says you're holding him against his will?" Brian added.
Emily's lips went pale.
"I didn't" she stammered.
I lay on the floor, staring up at her.
"Didn't you?" I shot back.
Emily was so caught off guard by my question, she couldn't even get a word out.
Ryan slumped against her, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Emily, don't worry about me," he said.
"I don't want Alex to misunderstand you because of me," he added.
Emily closed her eyes for a moment.
When she opened them again, all that panic was gone—she was calm and collected, just like always.
"Get Alex back to the medical room," she ordered.
"Have Attorney Mason get the supplementary agreement ready," she added.
I was dragged to my feet, my legs still weak and unsteady.
Attorney Mason soon came over with a new set of documents.
This time, it wasn't just a confession.
There was also a spousal property trust agreement.
If I signed it, all the voting rights for my shares would be temporarily handed over to Emily.
I stared at the document, and the truth finally dawned on me.
Tonight's cruise was never meant to celebrate our anniversary.
It was a trap all along—a banquet with hidden knives.