The three of them were sharing a VIP suite while James stayed in the one next to theirs. He made sure to secure all connections in both rooms, ensuring he was just a call away and checking for any hidden dangers before allowing them to settle in.
By nightfall, the atmosphere was even more vibrant, with various events happening in different corners of the ship. After reviewing the events list that the staff had briefed them on, they decided on a pool party taking place on the ship's main deck.
"Wow, that looks gorgeous on you," Leah whistled as Sybella stepped out in a tight maroon dress that hugged her figure, her pale skin contrasting sharply with the dark shade.
Sybella frowned, glancing at her legs. "I should change…"
"If you're worried about the bruises on your legs, we can use some concealer. But honestly, even without it, they look good on you. They speak of your passion for ballet," Amara stepped out of the walk-in closet, gazing at Sybella's legs for a moment before adding, "Like battle scars."
Leah nodded vehemently.
Sybella thought for a moment, then let out a small smile and grabbed a beige scarf.
"Good lord…" Leah clutched her chest. "You look stunning, princess."
"It's not your usual style, is it?" Sybella nodded as she spoke "Wait… why does it look familiar…"
Amara wore a royal blue dress that barely reached her thighs, the fabric clinging tightly to her body. "Because it's yours," Amara shook her head, "Our clothes are sprawled everywhere. I thought this was mine until I put it on. I'm going to change."
In the end, however, Amara was convinced by the two to keep the dress on. The only one who didn't bother to dress up was Leah, who wore an oversized hoodie paired with black leggings. When asked, she simply replied that they would be more comfortable for the pool party.
At her response, Amara and Sybella exchanged uneasy glances, silently sharing the same doubts.
Two hours later, it suddenly dawned on them that they should have trusted their instincts more.
"Tell me, why…? Why? Why? One whole day has passed and he… hiccup… hasn't texted me… hiccup… hasn't called me. Isn't he worried? Isn't he regretting his words? His… hiccup… actions?" Leah sat by the pool, swinging her legs back and forth in the water, while her arm remained hooked around a random man she had grabbed in passing.
Although she wasn't dolled up, it didn't diminish her beauty in the slightest. The random man had gone along with it when a beauty like her suddenly grabbed him. But by this point, even he looked slightly creeped out as Leah's arm continued tightening around his neck.
James was close by. To avoid the nightclub incident from repeating, he stepped forward to intervene. But Amara shook her head slightly. The pool party had drawn a large crowd, and many people were already staring in their direction because of Leah's antics. If James stepped in, it would attract even more attention.
"Excuse me, our friend here is drunk. If you don't mind…" Sybella squatted beside Leah.
The man nodded hurriedly, attempting to move away from Leah, but she tightened her grip around his neck. "What?" she glared at him. "Am I not pretty? Even you're running off somewhere? How dare… hiccup… you!" She tried to swing a fist at him, but due to the alcohol, her fist swayed back and forth before falling limp.
Amara seized this opportunity to grab one of Leah's hands, while Sybella quickly grabbed the other, dragging it away from the man.
"Thank you… thank you…" As the man stood up and came fully into view, they realized he was quite young—barely in his late teens. He hurried away.
Sybella's lips twitched. "What she sees in that jerk to get this drunk over him… I don't understand." She whispered.
Amara sighed. Even she didn't understand it. But then, she had never been in love. She'd dated a few times as a teenager, but those relationships ended quickly—either someone from the royal family had threatened the guy, or they'd broken up when the man changed his behavior upon realizing her identity.
Her younger self had been heartbroken for half a day before concluding—'She was too good for them anyways.'
"I'll take her back to the room," Sybella said, balancing Leah in her arms.
"I'll go too," Amara offered.
"No, you stay here and get some fresh air. You finished all your assignments and exams in that hectic routine, plus you were babysitting this big kid yesterday. You need a break," Sybella yawned. "I'll just get her changed and throw her in bed. I'm tired too. Barely slept in days."
With that, Sybella waved and walked away without giving Amara a chance to follow.
"Princess, are we leaving too?" James slipped his phone into his pocket and approached Amara, looking casual in his polo T-shirt.
Amara glanced at her watch. "Isn't there a firework show in a while?"
"Yes, the staff did confirm it."
"Then we can leave after that. You were showing your girlfriend the night sky just now. Won't she want to see the fireworks too?"
James's lips parted in an embarrassed smile. "Don't tease me, princess."
For a man in his late 30s, James had thin skin. He flushed slightly when the topic of his girlfriend came up and walked back to his spot. Though he kept an eye on Amara, a few minutes later, he was busy on his phone again, his brows slightly furrowed.
A couple's fight seemed like a universal problem at this point. Shaking her head, Amara turned to walk around the pool, but as she took a step, her foot landed in empty air.
Her heel snagged on a chair, and she saw the pool rushing up to meet her. A strong gust of air swished past her body, sending her dress billowing, and she instinctively grabbed it with both hands, regrets coursing through her as she fell. Even if she wore potato sack, she would have looked beautiful, why in the world did she—AHHHH!