Chapter 213

Alice Sterling hadn’t planned on bringing it up with Edward Hawthorne herself, not really. But after Jessica Lane’s casual reminder earlier, something clicked. Maybe it was time. No more letting it fester like a thorn stuck too deep—she’d talk to him once they got back from the hospital today. … Two days later, the cruise party day finally arrived. To make boarding easy, Alice threw on a strappy tank top and high-waisted pants, showing a glimpse of her fair waist. Sneakers on, hair loosely tied，she looked like she’d just stepped out of college—youthful and full of life. Edward, as usual, went with a classic shirt and trousers combo, his hand firmly holding hers. “Stay alert on the cruise, okay? Once we’re actually sailing, don’t wander around outside too much.” Alice nodded, mentally working out when to pull him aside for that talk. But before she could settle on a time, the ship jolted as the anchor was dropped. The yacht lurched forward onto open waters. They hadn’t even stepped full