Chapter 1

Job Henson had been a captain for five years now.

Without telling him, I quietly booked a room on The Voyager, the luxury international cruise ship he commanded, planning to surprise him.

The welcome dinner had just ended. I was about to jump onto his back the way I always used to, when someone beat me to it.

"Job, happy fifth anniversary."

"I honestly thought you'd forgotten our promise and would bring Hettie on board. She's been begging for five years, and you never once let her come. Aren't you worried she'll throw a fit at you?"

Job stood with his hands in his pockets, his whole face soft with affection.

"She won't."

"I told you. Off the ship, I belong to her. On the ship, I belong only to you. That will always hold true."

But he had also promised that Job Henson would never, in this life, betray Hester Pruitt.

My eyes burned red, and I rushed forward to demand an answer.

Job shifted aside in a flash, and only then did I see the woman's face clearly.

My feet felt nailed to the floor, cold seeping up from the soles.

1

I stood there, staring blankly at the two of them.

A group of crew members in uniform passed by, teasing.

"Micky, five years on, and you and the captain still can't stop with the sugar. We're all sick of it."

"Right, Micky, teach us your secret. How do you keep the captain so hooked on you? Let us learn something too."

Michelle Swanson's face went bright red under their back-and-forth, and she looked to Job for help.

Catching her glance, Job let out a soft laugh and pulled her into his arms. "All right, my Micky's shy. Stop picking on her."

Whatever the others said after that, I didn't catch it.

My eyes were locked on Job's hand resting at Michelle's waist, tears blurring my vision.

Five years ago, Michelle had been let go by her company, and I was the one who took her in when things were at their worst.

She'd grown up by the ocean and was a strong swimmer, so I asked Job to find her a job on the ship.

Two years ago she was promoted to floor supervisor, and she even treated Job and me to dinner. Until the moment she appeared just now, I had never once suspected that my closest friend would betray me with my boyfriend.

No wonder Job never let me come aboard, always saying the conditions on the ship were poor, that he didn't want me to suffer.

The truth was, he was afraid I'd find out about him and Michelle.

And all that talk about how the time off the ship belonged to me, and on the ship he belonged only to Michelle.

But he spent more than half the year at sea, and the time he gave me wasn't even a third of what he gave her.

The fireworks show began. The passengers were all up on deck watching, while I stood on the balcony, the howling sea wind driving a bone-deep cold straight into my face.

In no time at all, I was frozen numb.

By the time I went back inside, the fireworks outside had ended too.

The moment I opened my phone, I saw a new post from Michelle.

【The most beautiful fireworks and the person I love most.】

The photo was of her and Job kissing under the fireworks.

Job's face was hidden, but after eight years together, how could I not recognize who it was.

My fingertip hovered over the screen for a second, then tapped save.

When I refreshed again, the post was already gone.

That was exactly when Job's message came through.

【The fireworks tonight were beautiful.】

Below the photo there was a location tag.

Less than a hundred meters from me.

For five years, Job had reported his schedule to me every single day without fail, and everyone envied me for having such an obedient, clingy boyfriend.

I used to think so too.

Only now did I understand that behind every one of those check-ins stood another woman.

I put my phone away with a bitter laugh.

The next second, I changed my mind.

I typed out a message to test him. 【It really is. Next time I'll come watch it with you.】

The message had barely gone through when Job's call came in.