Chapter 589

Brixton let out a low laugh, his tone dripping with mockery. "I've long known, Mr. Chadwick, that beauty is something you value highly. Consider this a gesture tailored especially for you-an amuse-bouche before the main course, a small delight meant to catch your interest."

Hudson's lips curved faintly, the shadow of a smirk breaking across his features."Ah, Mr. Ward, you've put a lot of thought into this," he muttered, his voice unhurried, every syllable drawn out as though savoring the taste of irony. "I'll make sure to enjoy it thoroughly."

The music swelled once more, the rhythm shifting, and the dancers pressed their movements into bolder,more provocative shapes.

When the performance concluded, Luna and the others lingered. They did not retreat but rather closed in on Hudson, whispering flirtatious phrases, their laughter airy and coaxing as they tried their best to entice him.

Hudson received them without hesitation, pulling the women close against him. His hands wandered unrestrained, roaming over silken fabric and warm skin, drawing bursts of coquettish giggles from their painted lips.

From her vantage point at the edge of the gathering, Hannah's disdain toward Hudson deepened.Everything unfolding before her only confirmed what she already believed-Hudson was a man enslaved by lust,predictable and shallow.

Brixton measured Hudson's every movement and interjected smoothly,"So, Mr. Chadwick, does this little gift satisfy your expectations?"

Hudson slowly released his hold on the women. Reachìng for a napkin, he wiped his hands with deliberate care, his smile cooling into detachment. He shook his head lightly, his voice carrying sharp dismissal."Tawdry. Cheap. Unworthy. They cannot compare to what you provided before. It seems, Mr. Ward, that your taste has declined.Wouldn't you agree?" For a fleeting instant, Brixton's fixed smile faltered. He dipped his head slightly, his tone suddenly stripped of warmth."So you find them lacking. Then they have no value here."

Turning his gaze aside, his voice became glacial. "Vulture."

"Mr. Ward!" Vulture stepped forward immediately.

"Didn't you hear Mr. Chadwick say he's not satisfied? Deal with it. Cleanly." Brixton's command rang flat,final.

"Understood!" Vulture responded without a flicker of hesitation. At once, several of his subordinates surged forward, seizing Luna and the others with brutal force.

It was only then that the women understood their fate. Their faces drained of color, terror stripping the playfulness from their eyes. Screams burst forth as they struggled wildly, clinging to survival, begging for mercy,casting frantic looks toward Hudson as though he might intervene.

But Hudson merely lifted his glass, savoring a leisurely sip of wine, his eyes never lifting, his expression one of indifferent detachment.

Vulture carried out the order with cold precision. The cries of the women were ignored, their resistance meaningless. They were dragged mercilessly to their doom. Moments later, their bodies disappeared into the dark sea.

The banquet hall froze, silence descending heavy and suffocating.

A chill ran down Hannah's spine, dampening her back with sweat. Her earlier assumptions were shattered.Hudson was not some gullible libertine. His crueIty and indifference surpassed even Brixton's. The entire spectacle had been nothing more than a test.

Hudson remained composed, as though no lives had just been erased. He picked up his napkin and dabbed his mouth with an air of elegance, turning his gaze back to Brixton with asolemn air. "The entertainment is over. Shall wNe now turn to the real matter at hand?"

With that, the mood within the grand hall shifted, taut as a drawn bowstring. Brixton kept his practiced smile, but the gleam in his eyes sharpened. "Mr. Chadwick, isn't that rather hasty of you? We haven't even touched the dishes, and the wine has only just breathed."

Hudson gave a smile that carried no warmth. His fingers tapped lightly against the table, a measured rhythm. "Peace at the table comes only once business is concluded. Otherwise, Mr. Ward, every bite will taste bitter. Don't you agree?"

Brixton inclined his head a fraction, conceding the point with restraint."Very well. How do you propose we proceed?"

He leaned forward slightly, adopting a seemingly conciliatory posture. "To demonstrate my sincerity, the cruise ship's revenue for the year will remain divided sixty to forty. You, of course, retain the forty percent share."

This had been their arrangement for years. Hudson had accepted it before, though reluctantly.

But at Brixton's words now, Hudson's pleasant facade collapsed. His voice cut sharply.′′Areyou joking with me? The majority of patrons onboard are here because of me. Without me, would your offshore casino business be this prosperous? Fairness dictates I take the sixty, and you the forty. That is the only logical split."

Hannah observed silently, realizing she didn't need to stir up any conflict. Greed alone would set these two men against each other, their alliance crumbling over how to split the revenue. When they finally turned their power inward, she and Vincent would seize the moment to free the women locked up on the second deck.

Brixton's eyes turned cold, his voice like steel. "Mr. Chadwick, you wound me with your words. Without me taking the risk to set up this offshore casino, providing the venue, security, and operations, no matter how many connections you have, the money wouldn't be flowing into your pocket. Forty-sixty is already the biggest concession I can make for the sake of our long-standing cooperation. You only provide for your household; I provide for every man risking his life aboard this vessel. Forty-sixty is just."

Hudson gave a derisive laugh, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve with leisurely disdain. "Forty-sixty may be just -but only if the roles are reversed. As a minister of the state, every time l introduce clients to you, l place my career and life on the line. Asking for sixty percent is a reasonable demand, a compensation for therisks I take."

Brixton's words turned to ice. "Your demand is unreasonable to me."

Hudson's expression darkened, final. "Then we have reached an impasse."