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Novel Catalog
Chapter 61
The punch Veronica had received in the car was still fresh in her mind, the lingering pain in her head making it hard to think clearly. The force of the blow had left her disoriented, and even after some time, she hadn’t fully regained her senses.
The trip to Saint Hospital had been an ordeal in itself. Located in a remote area, the hospital had no easy access to transportation, so Veronica had been forced to get into Yvonne’s car when the two crossed paths. It was the only way to avoid being caught by the people who might still be hunting her down.
Truth be told, Veronica had been paranoid that the Larson Family might send men with guns after her. She knew she could dodge one or two bullets if she was lucky, but no matter how fast she was, evading a constant barrage of gunfire was impossible.
And it wasn’t just the danger of being shot that haunted her. That night during the fire, when she had hidden in the bathroom, she had purposely allowed the flames to burn her arm, her foot, and—perhaps most regrettably—her long hair. It had been a calculated risk, one she had taken so that she could escalate the situation. Only once it became a bigger issue would she be able to push the Larson Family into the spotlight.
However, she hadn’t expected Yvonne to be just another source of trouble. That, too, had been a miscalculation on her part.
When they finally exited the room, Veronica’s gaze swept across their surroundings. They seemed to be in the storage area at the bottom of the ship. As they dashed toward the end of the hallway, Veronica spotted the floor plan posted on the wall. She studied it for a moment before pulling Yvonne upstairs.
They found their way into the employees’ changing room. Veronica quickly dragged Yvonne inside and they both changed into servants’ attire. The plan was simple: blend in and avoid drawing attention.
Once they had changed, Veronica went to the washroom, where she found some shampoo and soap. She scrubbed her face clean, slowly removing the thick layers of makeup she had been wearing for the past ten days. The dark foundation and heavy concealer came off, revealing her naturally fair complexion underneath.
When she emerged from the bathroom, Yvonne’s jaw dropped. “W-Who are you?” she asked, her voice full of disbelief. “Where’s Veronica?”
Veronica rolled her eyes, already tired of the questions. “Cut the crap. I’m Veronica. Let’s go.”
Yvonne’s eyes widened. “Oh, God. How can you be Veronica? Veronica is so ugly, but you’re gorgeous.”
“It was all makeup.”
“Can makeup last for ten days?”
“I used special cosmetics,” Veronica explained, barely masking her irritation.
Yvonne’s eyes sparkled with fascination. “Oh, my! That’s amazing! But why did you purposely make yourself look so ugly? Who exactly are you?”
Veronica shot her a glare. “Are you a child? Why do you have so many questions?”
“I—I was just too astonished,” Yvonne stammered, still gaping at Veronica.
Unable to resist, Yvonne reached out and touched Veronica’s face. Her fingers brushed lightly against Veronica’s soft skin, her expression one of awe. “Goodness, how did you maintain your complexion even after wearing makeup for ten days? You’re actually more beautiful than me. That’s unbelievable.”
“Dig your eyes out if you don’t believe it!” Veronica snapped, making Yvonne flinch and fall silent.
Veronica didn’t waste another second. She grabbed Yvonne by the collar and, with her hand firmly gripping Yvonne’s, they exited the room, pushing a dining cart in front of them to blend in.
They passed through the hallways, not a single guard in sight. Since there were no security cameras at this level, their change in appearance gave them the confidence to pass by the mercenaries without being noticed. They discarded their old clothes in different trash cans to ensure they wouldn’t be traced.
An hour later, the ship docked at the port. Veronica and Yvonne, now in fresh clothes and with Veronica having applied light makeup on Yvonne, mixed in with the crowd as they disembarked.
At the dock, Matthew and Thomas were already standing, scanning the crowd. The cruise ship, Selvy, had just arrived in Castron from Destor, and they were there to oversee every single passenger that disembarked.
“Young Master Matthew, there are 1,200 passengers on the ship, and countless rooms. It’ll be difficult to find Miss Murphy,” Thomas said, a heavy frown on his face.
Matthew stood to the side, cigarette in hand, his gaze sharp as he surveyed the crowd. “If we can’t find her, we’ll board the ship and search room by room.”
“Yes, sir.” Thomas nodded and turned to the men in suits behind him. “Keep a close eye on everyone. There can’t be any mistakes.”
The men spread out, carefully watching each person who exited the ship.
Veronica, still holding Yvonne’s hand, kept her eyes on their surroundings. “Stay calm,” she whispered to Yvonne. “Don’t give us away.”
The two of them stepped off the ship and into the port, blending in with the rest of the crowd. But just as they did, a few men in suits approached them. Despite Veronica’s calm exterior, she could see the panic creeping into Yvonne’s face. Before she could stop her, Yvonne bolted, running away in a panic.
“What an idiot!” Veronica cursed under her breath. She had a choice—ignore her or go after her. But she couldn’t just leave Yvonne behind, especially not now. So, she chased after her.
As Yvonne ran, she inadvertently drew the attention of the mercenaries. The men had been keeping a close eye on the crowd, and they immediately recognized the frantic woman running ahead of them.
Veronica, now focused on Yvonne, didn’t even see Matthew standing off to the side. He was just two meters away when Yvonne ran past, and Thomas noticed her.
“Young Master Matthew, isn’t that Miss Larson?” Thomas asked, his voice low. “Why is she here?”
Matthew’s sharp gaze followed Yvonne, but then something caught his attention. “She’s not Tiffany,” he muttered, his frown deepening. He observed the woman’s movements, noting the way she ran—it was entirely different from how Tiffany would move.
Meanwhile, Veronica was gaining on Yvonne when the mercenaries closed in. Two of them grabbed Yvonne, and one of them discreetly slipped a gun under a piece of clothing, the outline of the weapon clear to Veronica.
Yvonne, seemingly defeated, didn’t fight back. She cast a glance at Veronica as she was escorted away, but she chose not to drag Veronica into her mess. Veronica watched, feeling a pang of guilt and indecision.
Her feet moved before she could stop herself. “Stop right there!” she shouted.
The mercenaries halted, exchanging confused looks before turning to face her.
Veronica’s mind raced. She knew that they were likely connected to the people on the ship, which meant they could come and go without much interference. With so many passengers still disembarking, though, she couldn’t afford to make a scene and risk innocent lives. Not yet.
She took a deep breath and took a step forward. “Let go of Yvonne!” she demanded.
“Who the heck are you?” one of the mercenaries sneered, not recognizing her.
“Doesn’t matter,” Veronica shot back, her voice low but firm. “But you have to let her go.”
With that, she charged at them, her foot aimed directly for the face of the man holding Yvonne.
