My palm cracked across Melly’s face.
Smack!
The entire cruise ship lobby fell into stunned silence.
“Laura, what are you doing?!”
Aron shoved me aside, his eyes reddening as he rushed to cradle Melly in his arms.
“She’s just here to see the world. Was that really necessary?! If you’re that jealous, then get out!”
His words sliced like ice.
My fingers curled into fists as I opened my mouth to respond—but Melly suddenly burst into tears.
“Sis, if you don’t like me, I’ll leave right now. I’ll even swim back…”
She turned dramatically toward the deck.
“Melly, what are you saying?!” Aron shouted in panic.
“You can’t swim! Stop this nonsense!”
The two of them clung to each other while I stood there, smiling faintly—until a shrill, mocking laugh pierced the air.
“We’ve got this bet in the bag. Let’s split Brother Aron’s winnings between us.”
“Laura’s nude photos? Man, I’ll get off to those for three days straight!”
Their vulgar whispers twisted my stomach.
Aron dragged Melly back and suddenly shoved me down, pressing hard on my shoulders until I was forced to my knees.
“Laura, apologize. Now!”
“I won’t say it again!”
His hoarse voice was like a blade, his eyes cold and merciless.
Gritting my teeth against the pain, I jerked sideways to shake him off.
His hand missed and in frustration, he shoved me hard.
Crash!
I toppled into the pink cake display, shards of glass slicing across my hand. Blood poured out in a rush.
“Laura, are you okay?”
For a fleeting moment, concern flickered in Aron’s eyes as he reached down to help me up.
But behind us, Melly’s sobs grew louder.
“Aron, I’m being cyberbullied! I’m so scared…”
She wailed, clutching her phone as tears streamed down her face.
On her latest post, thousands of comments had erupted—people calling her a mistress after seeing the photo I’d shared.
“Laura, you’ve gone too far.”
Aron lit a cigarette, his brows furrowed, his tone heavy with reproach.
“You really took a girl’s joke seriously? I promised to reward her after graduation—to fulfill her wish, to make her happy. But today, you slapped her and cyberbullied her online. So here’s your punishment—my proposal to her.”
With that, Aron pulled out a ring and dropped to one knee.
Through my blurred vision, I saw him kneeling passionately before Melly.
His friends’ jeers echoed like poison in my ears.
“Just wait—Laura’s madly in love with Aron. She won’t survive this humiliation. The swimsuit we prepared will come in handy soon!”
“Exactly! Everyone knows Laura gave up marrying the Dawson family’s young master just to be with him. She’s doomed!”
As their laughter spread, my phone buzzed endlessly.
The group chat with Aron’s brothers filled with filthier and filthier messages.
I shut off the screen, wiped the blood from my palm and strode toward Aron.
“Laura, I told you—this is your punishment. Don’t even think about stopping me!”
Aron’s lips curled into a sneer, his eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction.
I let out a soft chuckle, then slipped the ring onto Melly’s finger myself.
“Aron, you were too slow with the proposal. Let me help you out.”
Pulling out my phone, I opened the group chat and addressed his brothers directly.
“The bet’s over. Looks like I won.”
With a light laugh, I watched their faces twist in shock.
Behind me, Aron shot to his feet.
“Laura, when did you find out?!” His voice cracked with panic.
“It’s not what you think. I never planned on going through with that ridiculous bet—”
But before he could finish, the hall’s massive screen suddenly lit up.
Grandpa Howard’s agreement with me appeared in bold letters, enlarged for everyone to see.
“Holy crap! Did the old man really leave behind something like this?”
