The night of that big announcement, Ivanna tossed on her bed with uneasiness. Marriage was the last thing on her mind as it was the only obstacle she was encountering on her way to achieving her big dreams.
She needed a plan. But She didn't get the chance to think when an almost silent knock came on her door.
"It's me, Nicholas," A voice said from outside. She hurried to it and unlocked it. "Are you alright?" He asked immediately as his face came into view with a concern-filled tone.
Nobody knows her more than her brother. His concern brought tears to her eyes.
She shook her head softly.
"Don't worry," He said as he pulled her into a hug. "I know how much you aren't happy about this, it's my fault for supporting father instead of you." She tightened her arms around him. "So it's up to me to correct it,"
She raised her face and looked at his face. "What do you mean?"
"There's a ship leaving for the capital, It's father's ship but they answer to me. I can get you inside and transport you to the capital unnoticed. Father would be forced to cancel the engagement when you're declared missing for five or six months." He said. His plans seemed flawless, but that only brought fear to her mind. The flawless was the most flawed.
"And when caught?"
He grimaced at the thought. "All the workers on the ship that day would be arrested or more, but you won't be caught, I assure you."
"I'll not put the lives of people or their jobs in danger,"
"This is not the time to think about others rather than your future, I'll protect them if they're caught and give them money to start a new job if they lose it. So don't worry."
It didn't take long for her brother to convince her.
Half an hour later she was already inside the ship. And God, it was big and beautiful. Nobody seemed to pay attention to her, well probably because her brother already warned them not to.
_______________
"She's leaving for the capital," Merton said as he watched the CCTV. Inside the large room were Rogue and Marius. "Did we scare her off?" His immature eyes scanned the room as he peeked at their expressions.
"Leaving for the capital after the date of the wedding has been declared, and at night? That's not a scare, Merton, It's escaping." Marius said with a bored expression as usual.
"I still think ending her was a better option." Rogue butted in.
"She's your brother's wife-to-be," Merton said as he threw a disgusted look at Rogue.
"Don't start with that bullshit, he can get another girl to marry. Besides, what is the rush? I bet he'll understand I'm doing him a huge favor."
Merton didn't retort as he gazed with a doubtful expression at his computer. "You both would want to see this…" He backed away from the computer to give the others more view of it. It was a scene of a ship erupting into flame. The familiar logo on the ship made them alarmed.
Pierlot's logo. That was Pierlot's ship.
"What the hell?" Rogue jaw ticked at the scene. "When did this happen?"
"Just… now." Merton's voice trailed.
Before Rogue could respond his phone chimed. He glanced at it before unlocking it. It was a video of his man suffocating Ivanna with a handkerchief at the party. He shut his phone with a deep sigh. Someone was planning on using this as evidence that he planned her murder. He did plan her murder, but not like this. Not when he knew it would take more than one life.
"Where is this located?"
Merton glanced at Marius with doubt as he replied. "49° south. Why?"
He stood up from his chair and nudged it backward. "We have some rescuing to do." He spoke with distaste in his mouth.
Merton knew seeing him proposing to a lady or becoming a threat to his plans wasn't the only reason he wanted her dead. He still wonders what the actual reason is.
____________
As they stood at the shore, their eyes scanned any form of life, but there wasn't. There's no way a person survives such an eruption. But Rogue seemed to disagree with them. He pulled his coat off his body before removing his shoes.
"So much for wanting her dead," Merton commented as he diverted his eyes from the intensive glare from Rogue.
Rogue ignored them and dived into the water. The ship hadn't gone any further into the sea before it exploded.
His arms waved inside the water as his cheeks became spheroidal. It took him some time to get his eyes adjusted to the water.
It didn't take long for him to see her numbing deeper into the water. She appeared to be motionless, but he knew better.
Ivanna wasn't a girl who dies easily, he knew that more than anyone else. He reached for her hand and heaved her before swimming to the top with her. He tugged her with him off the water.
After a little while of pressuring her chest and mouth-to-mouth respiration, she began to cough as she came back to life.
But then the sirens started screeching.
The Pierlots as well as the Quinns were here, alongside the police.
Things were gonna get messy.
With a cocked gun pointing at them, "Hands behind your head and turn around slowly." The policeman instructed.