Chapter 568

Hannah unmistakably caught Brixton calling for Scorpio. She lingered by the door for a moment,yet the voices within were little more than whispers,impossible to decipher. Not wishing to stir suspicion,she slipped away swiftly.

Upon reaching the corridor on the second deck, her path was suddenly barred by a cluster of women.They were the newly hired casino dealers on the cruise, led by a woman named Luna Hammond.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Ward's favorite girl," Luna sneered, arms folded, her words soaked in mockery."Where are you off to? Why aren't you enjoying the luxury on the third deck?"

Hannah had no patience to engage with them. With a cool tone, she replied, "To the kitchen."

"The kitchen?" Tina Olson, another dealer, burst into exaggerated laughter. "You can't be serious!Overnight, you've become Mr. Ward's girl, and you still need to cook? Who are you trying to fool?"

"If I don't cook, will you?" Hannah halted, her gaze steady as stone.

Something in that look unsettled Luna, though she tried to hold her ground. "You do have a sharp tongue."

The other dealers snickered.

"Looks like her sharpness isn't confined to her tongue. I bet she's sharper in bed.How else could she climb so fast?"

"Exactly! With her appearance, she must have bewitched Mr. Ward. Who knows what spell she cast?"

Hannah gave a derisive laugh. "I once thought every woman who survived aboard this ship had at least half a wit. Seems I overestimated you. You're nothing but fools."

"You!" Luna's face burned crimson, fury choking herwords, "How dare you insult us? Girls, let's put her in her place! Let's show her who really ought to bow their head!"

The moment they began to close in, Hannah's eyes turned cold as winter steel. "The last group of dealers who forgot their place-they are gone. You should know their fates better than I do. Rumor has it they were thrown overboard as fish food. If you'd like to join them, by all means, test your luck."

The words froze the cluster of dealers in their tracks,a flicker of fear darting across their faces.

But Luna, more vicious than cautious, shrieked, "Do you think you scare us? We're the casino's most popular dealers. The casino needs us. Why would the casino risk losing us over you? Girls, she's bluffing.Don't hold back! Even if we don't kill her, scratching up her face will be enough. Let's see how she seduces Mr.Ward then!"

With that, Luna lunged forward, her long nails aimed like claws for Hannah's face.Hannah's gaze sharpened, and she moved like lightning, seizing Luna's wrist and landing a slap.

The sharp crack echoed through the air.

Luna's head snapped sideways, a glaring red mark blooming across her cheek.

The other dealers shrieked in shock and pounced ferociously.

Just as Hannah braced herself for a full-on fight, a petite figure darted out from the side. Throwing her arms wide in front of Hannah, she shouted at the dealers, "Stop! I've already told Scorpio, and he's on his way with people. If you want to keep your jobs and avoid punishment, you'd better scatter now-while you still can!"

At the mention of Scorpio, dread flashed across the dealers' faces. They exchanged uneasy glances,hesitation gnawing at them. In the end, none dared advance, though they hurled venomous glares at Hannah.After muttering threats like, "Just you wait,"they retreated quickly.When the corridor cleared, the petite ggirl exhaled with relief, clasped Hannah's hand, and whispered urgently, "Come on, let's go! I was bluffing-Scorpio knows nothing of this!"

Hannah caught on at once, gripping her hand in return. "Thanks. Follow me."

Instead of heading back to the third deck, Hannah led the petite girl down into the storage passage on the first deck, a place seldom visited by others.

"Thank you for what you did earlier," Hannah said sincerely. "My name's Hannah Scott. And yours?"

The girl gave a shy smile, eyes sparkling. "I'm Aanya Chadwick. I just couldn't stomach watching them bully you."

Hannah studied her, feeling a quiet stir within. After a pause, she offered, "You helped me, so let me return the favor. How about I cook you something? The kitchen's on the lower deck. I'm a fair hand with food."At once, Aanya's eyes lit with delight. "Really? That sounds wonderful! I'm a bit of a foodie, you know!"

Hannah chuckled softly and guided her toward the kitchen below.

At this hour, the place was nearly deserted.

With nimble hands, Hannah gathered ingredients and quickly whipped up a few snacks.

One bite, and Aanya's eyes went wide. "Wow, this is delicious!"

Watching Aanya enjoy the food, Hannah felt her vague intentions take shape. Allies-she needed them.More hands, more hearts that could stand with her on this ship. And Aanya, simple on the surface yet kind at heart, might just be someone worth winning over.