Chapter : 1077
Zada’s eyes lit up. “The boat’s here!”
Sierra froze. A boat? She hadn’t actually expected one to show up.
The phone call earlier hadn’t even gone through–she had just been talking to herself. So this boat definitely wasn’t here for Zada.
But if Zada got on that boat and left, that would ruin everything.
After all her careful planning, Sierra had still missed something. She was speechless.
Zada turned to her with a bright smile. “Thank you so much, Sierra. The boat’s here. I’m getting on now–I’m finally leaving this place.”
Sierra panicked. “Wait! You didn’t bring any luggage or money, did you? You don’t even know anyone out there! Just wait a second. I’ll grab you some cash!”
She was trying to stall Zada, to trap her with an excuse.
But Zada caught her hand. “No, it’s fine. I’ve got some money on me, and it’s enough to get by. What matters right now is getting on that boat!”
Sierra’s heart started to race.
Zada brought her own money? Then what excuse could she use to stop Zada? One way or another, she couldn’t let Zada leave.
Where the hell was Shaun? And how did this boat just happen to show up right now?
A chill ran down Sierra’s spine. Something about tonight felt wrong. She could sense that trouble was about to hit.
She said quickly, “I just remembered that Emerson never sent me the ticket info!”
Zada froze. “What? He didn’t send it? But the boat’s already here! How am I supposed to get on without a ticket?
“I don’t know what’s wrong with that guy,” Sierra said, pretending to sound annoyed.
“Then call him!” Zada urged. “Please, call Emerson right now! I have to get out of here. Mr. Lane’s people are after me. If they catch me, I’m done for! And I’ll never find out who killed Halsey!”
Sierra put on a sympathetic face. “I know, I know. I’m worried too. I’ll call him right now.”
She pulled out her phone and dialed a fake number.
Zada leaned in. “Did he pick up?”
Sierra frowned. “Not yet. Come on, Emerson, where are you? Pick up, damn it!”
Zada grew more anxious. “Try again! Please!”
“He’s not answering,” Sierra said, feigning frustration. “He’s probably busy. Let’s just wait a bit.”
Zada frowned. “Are you sure this Emerson guy’s reliable?”
“Of course he is,” Sierra lied smoothly. “Let me try again. Just stay calm.”
She dialed the same empty number once more, knowing no one would ever answer. She only needed to buy time until Shaun got here.
Phone in one hand, she scanned the horizon, silently begging for Shaun to appear.
Normally, he was lightning–fast, especially when it came to anything involving Halsey. He’d practically fly over if needed. But tonight, he was taking forever.
No matter how hard she stared, he never showed.
When Sierra finally turned back, her heart skipped a beat–Zada was gone.
She looked toward the dock and saw Zada standing by the boat, talking to the captain. From their gestures, it looked like she was asking questions. The man nodded.
Then Zada came running back, grinning from ear to ear. “Sierra! No need to wait! You don’t have to call Emerson anymore!”
Sierra’s stomach dropped. “What do you mean? You can’t just get on without a ticket!”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.