Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

The others, after all, were mere bystanders. They could only see the surface of things. Julian was different-his mind was meticulous.

Previously, Ivy had indeed harbored resentment toward Aurora, but she didn't have the courage to act on it. So, was last night's incident an accident or premeditated murder? Everything needed to be thoroughly investigated.

The sea breeze tousled his hair as Heather followed behind him, silently watching his imposing figure.

What kind of woman wouldn't be drawn to a man like this? Heather wiped her tears while leading the way. "Mr. Barnet, the last tI saw Miss Montgomery was here. She said she wanted to feel the sea breeze before heading back to her room to rest. It's all my fault-I shouldn't have left her alone. If I had stayed by her side, none of this would have happened." Julian didn't bother to comfort Heather. Instead, his gaze fixed on the railing, his mind conjuring up the image of Aurora standing there, enjoying the sea breeze.

She loved the ocean so much. He could picture her relaxed, carefree posture. Just then, she had been texting him, complaining about being bored. Who could've known that message would becher last? The sour ache in his chest deepened at the thought of her, but he knew now wasn't the tfor grief. If something had happened to her, he'd have a lifetto grieve and remember. For now, his priority was uncovering the truth.

Julian carefully examined the railing. It was sturdy, with no signs of looseness. If she had been peacefully enjoying the breeze here, how could she have ended up by the loosened railing elsewhere? "Who else saw her last night?" Julian's sharp eyes scanned the crowd. With so many people on board, perhaps someone had seen something.

His gaze swept over the men and women assembled before him. They all shook their heads, claiming the last tthey'd seen Aurora was in the main hall.

One man, however, avoided eye contact. Julian noticed him instantly. "You. Chere." "M-Mr. Barnet." The man stammered, clearly the last person to have seen Aurora alive. "I didn't do anything! Last night, I saw Miss Montgomery alone here, enjoying the breeze. I offered to walk her back to her room, but she refused and said she'd go back herself. I swear, the last tI saw her was right here!" The man's cowardice was obvious. His weak demeanor and counterfeit charm betrayed him as someone who lacked integrity. Julian could see right through him. He was likely trying to flirt with Aurora, but that didn't excuse his actions.

Even so, Julian couldn't let it slide. Grabbing the man by his collar, he pulled him close. "You dared to touch my woman?" "No, no, I wouldn't dare! Even if I had a hundred lives, I wouldn't dare! It was that girl Ivy who told me... She said Miss Montgomery was both rich and promiscuous. She told me-" Slap! The sound echoed as Julian's palm landed on the man's face, leaving it red and swollen. This was no ordinary slap-it was the rage-filled strike of an infuriated man. The man didn't even dare to cry out in pain.

"You dare use such words to describe her?" Julian's voice was ice-cold. He, who wouldn't even dream of hurting Aurora, was enraged that someone else could be so brazen.

The man, utterly spineless, had overestimated himself. Flattered by Ivy's words, he had foolishly acted on impulse. He thought Aurora, with her beauty and wealth, was the perfect match for his shallow tastes. But Aurora had been cold and aloof, nothing like Ivy's description.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Now, standing before Julian-a man who was not only strikingly handsbut also wealthy and commanding-the man realized how foolish he'd been. With a boyfriend like Julian, why would Aurora ever stray? He cursed his bad luck. This was supposed to be his opportunity to board a luxurious yacht, yet it had turned into a disaster.

"I'm sorry! It was Ivy who toldall of this. I swear, I didn't dare do anything! I only said a few words to her before she left. I never had any improper thoughts!" Julian threw the man aside. He fell to the ground, too frightened to utter a word.

The onlookers were equally intimidated by Julian's icy aura. Among them was the man who had pushed Ivy overboard earlier. He marveled at Julian's sharp instincts. With just a glance, Julian had pinpointed the guilty party. Thankfully, his own training kept him from revealing anything about himself.

Heather continued leading Julian to the scene of the incident. "It's here. The railing was loose before, but workers repaired it last night." Julian observed the area. The railing still bore traces of prior damage. To prevent another accident, the workers had replaced all the nearby railings that had shown signs of wear.

Every other section of the railing was solid, except this one. "Mr. Warden, how long has it been since your ship was inspected?" "Mr. Barnet, I wouldn't dare neglect that! We have annual inspections, and before every voyage, I have everything checked. Especially last night, with such an important event, do you think I'd risk not inspecting the ship? If something went wrong, who would take responsibility? I never expected this to happen." "If it was inspected, that means someone deliberately tampered with this railing," Julian said, his tone firm and resolute.

"Could it have been Ivy? She hated Miss Montgomery and could have snuck aboard during the party to sabotage the railing while everyone was distracted in the main hall."

Julian knew Ivy and her family well. Even if she had murderous intent, she wasn't capable of such predise actions Even if she had grown smarter recently, this kind of work wasn't something a delicate woman could manage. This railing wasn't something that could be broken with bare hands. It required tools. Ivy couldn't have done this alone. Julian's suspicions grew stronger: there was an accomplice among them.

"Mr. Warden, it's getting late. We have to return to work. Can the ship dock now?" "Yes, we were supposed to disembark before 8 a. m.," someone chimed in.

The crowd began to grow restless.

To them, this was merely a spat between two sisters that had ended tragically. They weren't Aurora's relatives, so their concern only extended to mild sympathy.

This was the cold indifference of the world. After a long night, many were irritated. They had their own matters d to attend to Shad even boarded the ship with ulterior motives, now thwarted by the incident. Their frustration turned into resentment toward Aurora. Why couldn't she die quietly? Why drag everyone else into it? Mr. Warden, who had organized the event with good intentions, now felt cursed. Aurora's accident had not only marred the evening but also angered the guests. He looked to Julian for guidance.

"Mr. Barnet, what do you think we should do?" "Leave? Every one of you here is a suspect. I've already contacted the police. You'll all stay to assist with the investigation." mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1