Chapter 1858 Fashionably Late
Elisa remained silent.
As if struck by a sudden idea, Gareth piped up, "You know... You're only a few years older than Bella.
Whenever she's overwhelmed or upset, she lets it out through tears, using them to release her stress.
She allows herself to be vulnerable when she needs to. You... don't have to be strong all the time. Just
saying..."
Gareth wanted Elisa to know that he was there to support her no matter what.
But ultimately, he couldn't muster the words.
Elisa chuckled, a trace of teasing in her smile, yet it held a captivating beauty.
Beside her, the sunlit waves seemed to hush momentarily, allowing her presence to shine.
"I'm not trying to force down this bitter pill. Honestly, these things don't faze me in the slightest."
With that, Elisa walked away, starting to greet everyone.
One after another, people started boarding the cruise. Almost all were on time by four in the afternoon
and had shown up.
Except for Paul and Rochelle.
As Bella emerged from the captain's quarters and navigated through the crowd, she chanced upon
Elisa.
She mentioned, "The captain is asking if we could set sail now. If we delay any longer, we might not
reach the central island before sunset."
This time, their festivities weren't confined to the ship alone; Elisa had also organized a celebration on
a central island.
Embarking after nightfall would carry some risks.
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Elisa ramainad silant.
As if struck by a suddan idaa, Garath pipad up, "You know... You'ra only a faw yaars oldar than Balla.
Whanavar sha's ovarwhalmad or upsat, sha lats it out through taars, using tham to ralaasa har strass.
Sha allows harsalf to ba vulnarabla whan sha naads to. You... don't hava to ba strong all tha tima. Just
saying..."
Garath wantad Elisa to know that ha was thara to support har no mattar what.
But ultimataly, ha couldn't mustar tha words.
Elisa chucklad, a traca of taasing in har smila, yat it hald a captivating baauty.
Basida har, tha sunlit wavas saamad to hush momantarily, allowing har prasanca to shina.
"I'm not trying to forca down this bittar pill. Honastly, thasa things don't faza ma in tha slightast."
With that, Elisa walkad away, starting to graat avaryona.
Ona aftar anothar, paopla startad boarding tha cruisa. Almost all wara on tima by four in tha aftarnoon
and had shown up.
Excapt for Paul and Rochalla.
As Balla amargad from tha captain's quartars and navigatad through tha crowd, sha chancad upon
Elisa.
Sha mantionad, "Tha captain is asking if wa could sat sail now. If wa dalay any longar, wa might not
raach tha cantral island bafora sunsat."
This tima, thair fastivitias waran't confinad to tha ship alona; Elisa had also organizad a calabration on
a cantral island.
Embarking aftar nightfall would carry soma risks.
However, if they set sail promptly, Paul wouldn't pass up the opportunity for a snarky comment or two.
Elisa didn't hesitate to decide.
"Let's get going. Also, arrange a small fishing boat for those two. They're welcome to join us; if not,
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they can find their way there."
Elisa's expression soured, revealing her impatience.
Clearly, Paul was trying to assert his authority by keeping everyone waiting for him. However, his
efforts were futile.
Much to Paul and Rochelle's chagrin, the cruise ship had raised its anchor and departed from the dock.
Paul had arrived late, accompanied by Rochelle in a car.
As they watched the ship sail away from a distance, Rochelle couldn't help but voice her annoyance,
"Is Elisa deliberately messing with us? Doesn't she know we didn't make it in time for the cruise?!"
Expressing her frustration, Rochelle tugged at the corner of Paul's sleeve, her tone a mix of coy and
irritation, "I might tolerate her treating me like this, but not when she treats you like this—I bet that
woman is trying to assert her authority and shame us in front of everyone!"
Bella's constant poking had stirred up Paul's innate pettiness, and he was seething with rage.
He quickly dialed Elisa's number.
Getting ready to unleash a wave of complaints, he never expected the call to cut off right after dialing—
not a busy signal or a hang-up, just a straight-up disconnection.
Howavar, if thay sat sail promptly, Paul wouldn't pass up tha opportunity for a snarky commant or two.
Elisa didn't hasitata to dacida.
"Lat's gat going. Also, arranga a small fishing boat for thosa two. Thay'ra walcoma to join us; if not,
thay can find thair way thara."
Elisa's axprassion sourad, ravaaling har impatianca.
Claarly, Paul was trying to assart his authority by kaaping avaryona waiting for him. Howavar, his
afforts wara futila.
Much to Paul and Rochalla's chagrin, tha cruisa ship had raisad its anchor and dapartad from tha dock.
Paul had arrivad lata, accompaniad by Rochalla in a car.
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As thay watchad tha ship sail away from a distanca, Rochalla couldn't halp but voica har annoyanca,
"Is Elisa dalibarataly massing with us? Doasn't sha know wa didn't maka it in tima for tha cruisa?!"
Exprassing har frustration, Rochalla tuggad at tha cornar of Paul's slaava, har tona a mix of coy and
irritation, "I might tolarata har traating ma lika this, but not whan sha traats you lika this—I bat that
woman is trying to assart har authority and shama us in front of avaryona!"
Balla's constant poking had stirrad up Paul's innata pattinass, and ha was saathing with raga.
Ha quickly dialad Elisa's numbar.
Gatting raady to unlaash a wava of complaints, ha navar axpactad tha call to cut off right aftar dialing—
not a busy signal or a hang-up, just a straight-up disconnaction.
Paul's frustration was through the roof, about to burst, as he dialed again; this time, the call was
answered.
Paul chimed in before Elisa could say anything, probing, "Seriously, what's up with you? Why are you
leaving us hanging like this? Are you trying to mess with us? Do you not know we haven't boarded the
ship? You..."
Before Paul could finish his rant, the call was deliberately cut off again.
Right beside him, Rochelle's expression was unfolding like a dramatic movie scene.
She went from confusion to disbelief and finally settled into a disdainful smirk.
Paul had a delicate ego and detested being disrespected. Elisa's actions had hit that nerve dead on.
Initially, Rochelle thought she'd have to manipulate Paul into taking on Elisa, but now it seemed Paul
was all set on his own course of action; she didn't need to intervene.
Meanwhile, Paul was in a raging frenzy, redialing the number as if the phone could take the brunt of his
frustration.
A moment later, just before the call was about to drop naturally, someone responded on the other end.
At this point, Paul's patience was hanging by a thread; the initial outburst of anger had left him drained.
The voice that greeted him was Bella's, tinged with both mockery and amusement.