Chapter 305: Leaving in Hurry

Avery looks away, letting the blonde wig cover her face. She knocks on Jackson's door and then hits again, scared that Robert will force her into Evan's room.

"Excuse me," Robert shouts. "I'm talking to you."

She pounds on the door again, wondering why it's taking Jackson so long to open it. She can feel Evan's eyes burning into her back, and she's terrified he recognizes her. She's about to knock for the fourth time when the door flies open, and she finds herself face to face with a huge bodyguard.

"What a rude waitress," Robert says. "Sir, do you want me to speak to Jackson about her?" 

"Never mind," Evan snaps. "The helicopter will be here in ten minutes."

Avery's heart pounds in her chest. Is Evan leaving already? She wonders. This cruise is only half over. Why is he leaving so soon? Is he that upset about Andrew's wedding announcement? Avery shakes her head; she doesn't have time to feel guilty.

"What are you waiting for?" the guard asks. "Bring the cart in."

Jackson's presidential suite is almost exactly the same as Evan and Andrew's. Floor-to-ceiling windows give sweeping views of the blue sea and cloudless sky. A blue and white duvet covers the French-style bed, and a thick shag carpet is spread across the floor. Like the other rooms, the furniture is covered in luxurious silks and velvets, but it's not flashy.

Avery keeps her head bowed, using the long blonde wig as a shield. Before she left the locker room, she caked a thick layer of makeup onto her face, but she's still terrified that someone will recognize her. There's only so much the cheap makeup can do to change her appearance.

She grips the cart handle and pushes it across the room. The thick shag carpet catches in the heavy wheels, and she has to push with all her weight to keep the cart moving. Jackson watches her from under his long eyelashes.

"Put it all on the table," he orders.

The wooden table sits next to the room's private balcony. Avery keeps her back to Jackson as she places muffins, puddings, and fruit plates on the table. She sets up two coffee cups and prepares to pour the coffee. As she works, she steals secret, quick glances around the room.

The door to the bedroom is open, and she can see the large unmade bed. Gabrielle isn't in the living room, and she's not in bed either. Avery wonders if her sister is in the bathroom. She hears a door close and looks over her shoulder at the bedroom.

Relief floods her when she sees Gabrielle. Gabrielle walks barefoot across the bedroom, dressed in nothing but a terry cloth robe. Her wet hair drips down her back, and her skin is flushed pink from the hot shower.

Gabrielle spots Avery and smiles happily. For a moment, Avery worries her sister has recognized her, but she quickly realizes Gabrielle's smile is for the table of delicacies.

"Are you hungry?" Jackson asks in a bored voice.

"A bit," Gabrielle says.

"Well, hurry up and eat something," he says.

Gabrielle runs over to the table and begins piling strawberries and small scones onto a plate. Jackson stands and joins her, running his hand across the small of her back in a casual but intimate gesture. Gabrielle shudders, and Avery bites her tongue and tries to focus on preparing the coffee cups. 

As she passes Gabrielle her cup, she slips a small note into the saucer. As soon as Jackson has his back turned, Gabrielle unfolds the note. Avery watches her sister's eyes dart back and forth as she reads the message. When she's done, she crumpled the paper and sticks it in her bathrobe pocket. Then she looks curiously at Avery.

Avery stares back, wondering if her sister will recognize her. Gabrielle squints her eyes, wrinkles her forehead, and then turns around. She sits down at the table as if nothing has happened. Either Gabrielle has become a really good actress, or she has no idea who I am, Avery thinks.

She stays standing by the table, waiting to serve Jackson and Gabrielle if they need anything. She observes as Jackson adds a spoonful of sugar and a splash of cream to his coffee. He stirs it with a small silver spoon, and the rich smell fills the air. He raises the cup to his lips and takes a small sip before putting it back down.

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"Sir, is there something wrong with your coffee?" she asks, making her voice as low and scratchy as she can.

"Mind your own business," Jackson says.

She watches carefully, hoping he'll take another sip. She put three powdered sleeping pills into his cup, but he needs to drink it all for them to work. As soon as he's asleep, Gabrielle can escape. She starts to drag the cart toward the door, but the ship rocks violently to the left.

Jackson spills the hot coffee all over his suit and drops the cup to the floor. A painting falls from the wall and a mirror tip over and smashes. The sky is still a perfect, cloudless blue, and the sea is calm and smooth, but the ship tilts back and forth like it's falling apart. Gabrielle screams and dives under the table. Avery lets go of the cart, and it rolls across the room and crashes into the wall. She drops down onto the plush rug and covers her head with her arms.

The door slams open, and a tall bodyguard stumbles across the room, thrown left and right by the ship. A painting falls from the wall and slams him on the head. He staggers but keeps walking.

"Mr. Oliver, the propeller of the ship is broken," the guard says. "The lower cabin is taking on the water really quickly. We're sinking."

Jackson reaches under the table and pulls Gabrielle out by her leg, "Tell everyone to get to the deck." 

The bodyguard runs out of the room, and Avery tries to get up. Jackson is already halfway across the room, dragging Gabrielle behind him. They don't even glance down at her on their way to the door. Avery chases after them, but the hallway is in chaos. Passengers and staff run back and forth, crowding the elevators and pushing each other into the stairs.

Avery pushes past them and knocks on Andrew's door. There's no answer, so she slides her card key out from under her stockings and opens the door. The room is abandoned—broken sculptures and mirrors cover the floors, and the sofa has flipped over. She runs back into the hall and pushes her way to the stairs.

The narrow stairs are packed with people. Someone elbows her in the ribs, and she gasps with pain. The people behind her push her forward, but there's nowhere to go—there are too many people in front of her to move. She looks behind her and sees an older adult fall to the ground. No one helps him up—they just step over and on him in their panic to get out.

She puts one arm over her belly and uses the other to push anyone who pushes her. The crush of bodies makes it almost impossible to breathe, and the loud babble of voices makes her dizzy. Her ribs ache, and her heart hammers in her chest. When she gets outside, she almost collapses onto the deck, but she takes a deep breath and starts to run through the crowd. Andrew is nowhere in sight.

The crew starts preparing the first lifeboat, and the crowd swarms toward it. Though the boat can only fit fifty people, hundreds are waiting to get in. She watches as a man in a wrinkled tuxedo pushes an older woman out of his way. She wants to go help the old woman, but she has to find Andrew first.

She climbs on top of the poolside bar counter and scans the crowd. She sees Jackson, Gabrielle, Jessica, and James standing apart from the crowd. Jackson is shouting something into a phone, but she can't hear a word over the screams of the other passengers.

She spots Evan and Robert on the other side of the crowd. Evan is talking into his phone, as calmly as if the ship isn't sinking. Robert looks up and sees her standing on the bar. He stares for a minute and she wonders if he recognizes her. Her wig has slid to the side, and she's sure her hair is visible. Robert leans toward Evan, and Evan looks up from his phone, locking eyes with her.

The ship is sinking fast. A wave crashes over the side of the deck, leaving several inches of water behind. The people scream and push even harder, trying to get into a lifeboat. A strong wind almost pulls the wig off her head, and a dull roar fills the air like a helicopter with the Howel family crest flies close over the deck.

Jackson looks up at the helicopter and snaps his fingers. James starts to push his way through the crowd, and Jackson pulls Gabrielle and Jessica behind him. As they walk past the bar she's standing on, Jackson is still screaming into his phone.

"Thanks for calling the helicopter, Evan," he shouts. "We're on our way now."

"No, Gabrielle," screams, trying to free herself from Jackson. "I have to find my sister!"

"Andrew is already looking for her," Jackson says. "Now hurry up, or I'll throw you to the sharks."

The helicopter drops a rope ladder, and Jackson, Gabrielle, James, and Jessica begin to climb. Evan stands under the ladder as if he's waiting for something. Robert shouts something, and Evan looks at Avery. He stares at her sadly for a minute, then turns around and begins to climb the ladder.

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