Chapter 2

The ship's Dr. Davies blinked, instinctively looking at Eleanor.

Eleanor's face tightened. She lowered her voice, a sharp warning in her tone. "Scarlett, it's your big day. Don't make a scene."

I met her gaze without flinching. "Precisely *because* it's my engagement party, we need to get to the bottom of this. Serena is the Thorne family's adopted daughter, and her status is... unique. Falling into the water and retching at an event like this? Shouldn't there be a public explanation? What if she has something contagious? Who's going to explain that to all these VIPs if they get sick?"

Ethan held Serena, his brows furrowed deeply. "Scarlett, can't you see she's already suffering? Why are you pushing her?"

I stared at him, my eyes devoid of warmth. "Am I pushing *her*, or are *you* hiding something?"

The words hung in the air, and a deathly silence fell over the deck.

Dr. Davies knelt to examine Serena. Serena's eyelashes fluttered violently, her fingers digging into Ethan's shirt. I saw it clearly: she'd been awake the whole time, just pretending to be unconscious.

After a moment, Dr. Davies removed her hand from Serena's wrist, her face ghost-white.

Eleanor immediately reached out. "What's wrong? Is she just cold?"

Sweat beaded on Dr. Davies's forehead. She swallowed hard before speaking. "From her pulse and her current state... Serena... she appears to be pregnant."

Pregnant.

The word exploded like thunder on the deck.

I heard gasps all around me.

"Pregnant? Serena doesn't even have a boyfriend! Where would she get a baby?"

"Look how nervous Ethan is... Could it be...?"

The whispers surged like a tide, impossible to suppress.

Eleanor panicked, her voice sharp. "That's ridiculous! It's windy, Dr. Davies, you must be mistaken! Get her out of here!"

"Hold on." I took a step forward, my high heels clicking crisply on the wooden deck.

"Mrs. Thorne, if Serena is pregnant, we need to know who the father is, right now. If someone coerced her, or if there's any hidden relationship, we'll call the police. This ship hasn't docked. No one's getting off."

At the mention of calling the police, Serena finally dropped her act.

She abruptly opened her eyes, her gaze bloodshot, tears streaming down her face. Her voice hoarse, she pleaded, "Scarlett, please don't call the police... It's my fault, all my fault..."

I looked down at her. "Who's the father? You tell us."

She bit her lower lip, stubbornly avoiding the main point, just burying herself deeper into Ethan's arms, crying her eyes out, a picture of distress. "Ethan... please don't say anything... please..."

*Ethan*. Such an intimate address.

I suddenly felt incredibly sick. I pointed at Ethan. "She's your *adopted* sister, yet she's carrying a child with no known father. You're defending her, telling her not to be scared. Ethan, what are *you* so afraid of?"