Ocean's Cage, Lover's Game

Dylan is this ship's marine engineer, and he knows better than anyone how to render the lifeboats useless.

If the lifeboats are disabled, we will lose our only means of escape.

The once-raucous deck fell deathly silent, but the storm raging at sea did not cease, and the ship's hull continued to be battered relentlessly.

Dylan’s gaze swept across the deck. Seeing everyone visibly recoiling in fear, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

Finally, his gaze landed on me:

“Bennett, I never knew you could be so understanding. Don't worry, I'll be sure to treat you very well once we get back.”

“Our wedding won't be postponed any longer. We'll get married the moment we're back.”

“You know this, baby. My body and my heart will always belong only to you.”

In my past life, I fell for those very lies and was toyed with in the palm of his hand, time and time again.

This time, I swallowed back my disgust and forced a look of delighted surprise, nodding my head.

His scorching lips pressed against my forehead, the tip of his tongue lightly grazing my skin, as if marking his possession.

I lower my head, hiding the lucid indifference in my eyes.

Meanwhile, from the repeated impacts, the topmost deck of the hull was beginning to take on a massive amount of water.

The massive hull was also showing signs of fracturing and disintegrating.

Whichever came first, our deaths were certain.

Yet Dylan remained, fiercely guarding the gangway to the lifeboat, his gaze burning with anticipation as he awaited the return of the woman he worshipped.

I knew, deep down, that even if Isabella made it back, we wouldn't be able to escape on this lifeboat.

Because, in the collision just moments ago, the lifeboat's fuel system had been damaged.

Even if we managed to board it, the damaged system wouldn't have enough power to carry us safely back to shore.

The young men on deck had already clenched their fists, but deterred by the emergency hammer in Dylan’s hand, they didn't dare to step forward.

“To hell with this, I’m done waiting! If we wait any longer, we’re all going to die!” a muscular man exclaimed, rising to his feet.

Dylan didn't even flinch, instead glaring back at the man. “Done waiting? Then I’ll send you to your death right now.”

Just then, a soft, breathless voice called out:

“Dylan! I'm here!”

Isabella appeared before everyone, breathless and dragging a Louis Vuitton suitcase.

The case was stuffed so full that its zipper couldn't be completely closed.

Tiffany jewelry and stacks of cash spilled out from the gap, and her neck and body were draped in numerous diamonds and pieces of jade.

It was painfully obvious to anyone what she had been up to.

But Dylan seemed completely oblivious, rushing over to Isabella and saying urgently, "Isabella, you're finally here. I was worried sick."

Isabella boasted with a smug, triumphant smile, "It's a good thing I was quick, otherwise all these treasures would have been washed away."

She triumphantly flaunted her loot, her eyes sweeping over the crowd on deck before finally settling on me:

"Bennett, darling, thank you for waiting for me. But it seems all your things have been washed away."

Hearing her words, Dylan's expression tightened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. "Bennett, Isabella is here now. We can get in the lifeboat and leave."

But just then, the man who had been pushed over earlier exploded:

"You made us all risk our lives just so you could wait for her to go loot her valuables?"

"And every single one of us had to leave all our valuables behind!"

His words immediately ignited the furious glares of the crowd.

Because some people had spotted their own Rolex watches and diamond rings in Isabella's suitcase.

In other words, she hadn't just packed her own jewelry—she had taken advantage of the chaos to steal from others.