Noreen didn''t sleep well that night.
It was also the first time she''d lost sleep over Seth since she had truly let him go.
As soon as the sun came up, she called Wade.
She knew Wade had a habit of feeding his fish early in the morning, so she timed her call perfectly.
Wade''s voice sounded a bit hoarse, not as strong as it used to be.
Noreen asked about his health first.
"I had a bad flu a while back, but I''m mostly recovered. The family doctor is looking after me, so it''s nothing serious."
"And everything else is okay?"
"Everything''s fine."
Noreen let out a small sigh of relief, thinking she might have been worrying for nothing.
Before the call ended, Sophia pushed the door open. "Noreen, the car to the marina leaves at ten, so we need to be downstairs by nine-thirty. I''ll help you pack now. Oh, and I already bought everything you''ll need for the vacation-swimsuits, sun hats, sunsses, sunscreen, all that stuff. It''s in my suitcase. I''ll bring it to your room once we''re on the cruise ship."
Noreen agreed.
Wade must have overheard Sophia. He paused for a moment before asking, "Going on vacation?"
"Yeah. Everyone''s been working so hardtely, so this is a little reward for them." "As you should. It''s a good chance for you to take a break and get some rest, too," Wade said supportively.
But he didn''t forget to add a word of caution. "Rx, but be careful."
A warmth spread through Noreen''s chest. "Okay. I''lle visit you when I get back to Rivercrest City."
"Alright."
Reassured that Wade was fine, Noreen felt her own unease settle.
On the way to the marina, the tour guide informed everyone that there was no cell service on the cruise сен
ship and that they would have t
purchase a Wi-Fi package. The guide warned that it was expensive and not a great
alue so they
rmended everyone take care of anyst-minutemunications
now and just enjoy being
disconnected.
Everyone pulled out their phones to contact friends and family.
Noreen had already spoken with Rosalind, so she had nothing left to arrange. She used the time to browse the day''s financial news.
She''d intended to check on the stock market, but the first thing she saw was a story about Seth.
The media was always bold with their stories, especially when it came to clickbait headlines.
Even Noreen was shocked when she read the title.
"Billion-Dor Deal Copses! As Power Woman Faces Ruin, Her Lover Steps in to Save the Day: Unlucky in Business, Lucky in Love."
The article reported that after Bianca
left the stock exchange in defeat, she went straight back to her hote
with Seth by her side. The two of them didn''t emerge until the evening The
of the next day. Story, e
hinted at a passionate
reconciliation"...
*So, I really was worrying for nothing,* she thought. *Seth and Bianca are clearly doing just fine.*
She really shouldn''t overthink things. Besides, this was Seth''s business; she had no reason to get worked up about it. It was just needless anxiety.
Noreen switched off her phone and boarded the ship, ready to enjoy her vacation in peace.
Less than half an hour after the cruise ship left the marina, there was a knock on Noreen''s cabin door.
She assumed it was Sophia bringing her things. But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see Castle, with Katy standing beside him.
Castle looked a bit helpless. "She wouldn''t stop fussing about finding you. I had no choice but to bring her here."
"It''s no problem at all." Noreen
smiled and took Katy''s hand.
"Actually, when the driver came this
morning, I was debating whether to
bring her along to get her mind off things. I was
Twas just worried would interfere with her studies, so I had her sent home."
"She''s a smart kid. You don''t have to worry about her studies."
"In that case, I''ll make sure she has a good time for a few days." "Sorry to trouble you."