CHAPTER 288: PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

~Bonus Chapter for today:

This Chapter is dedicated to "Noni_Byz". Thank you so much for the review!

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Georgia’s POV

"I guess we’ll have to work double time recruiting in the next few days," Bella muttered, flipping through the pages of the document Steven had brought, her brow furrowed in concentration.

I leaned closer, scanning the figures beside her. "Five hundred and fifty seafarers... that’s no small number. Most of our active crew are still under contract—they won’t make it by the date you’re requesting," I said, half to myself, half to Steven.

He flashed that confident grin of his. "I have faith in you. If anyone can deliver, it’s your team."

The room chuckled lightly, but I only shook my head. "You’re forgetting—we’re not that big of an agency anymore. Things are better now, yes, but still... manpower isn’t magic. Don’t worry though, we’ll start the postings today."

Bella tapped her pen against her chin, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Or... I could reach out to the other seafarers under different agencies. Convince them to transfer here."

I gave her a wary look. "And which agencies are we talking about?" I asked, though a part of me already knew the answer.

"The Meyer Enterprise and KBL Manpower Group," she said, wiggling her eyebrows like she’d just cracked the code to the universe.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Sure—if you want to make enemies, that’s a great start."

Bella only smirked. "Not necessarily. Think about it—their contracts with Knight Fleet Maritime will expire in a year or two. We’d just be offering them a smoother transition, a job waiting for them when that time comes."

I paused, her words logical but dangerous. "Maybe. But Sarah Meyer—yes, that woman is about to marry Reagan, Nick’s older brother. Which means sooner or later, her company will likely merge with Knight’s group, just like mine." I met her eyes and added softly, "And trust me, the last thing I need right now is another reason for Sarah to see me as her enemy."

The room fell silent for a beat. Steven looked between us, his expression unreadable, almost as if he knew more than he was saying.

And for some reason, that silence carried weight...

like the calm before something neither of us could see coming.

"Wait a minute, hold on." Steven’s tone cut through the air, his brows furrowing as if he’d just caught something that didn’t quite make sense. "Did I hear that right? Sarah Meyer is marrying Reagan?"

I nodded, watching the surprise deepen in his eyes. "Yes. Apparently, it was their decision. Their parents just went along with it."

Steven leaned back in his chair, arms crossing as he thought for a moment. "Hmm... that’s interesting. I always thought those two weren’t close at all. Reagan’s request before seemed purely business, but now..." His voice trailed off meaningfully. "I don’t know anymore."

That made me pause. "What request?" I asked, my tone casual, but my instincts were suddenly sharp, listening for more than just words, reading between the lines, hearing what was unspoken.

Steven hesitated for a beat before answering. "It was before your brother’s death. Reagan’s birthday, I think. The captain assigned to the ship he chartered from East West Cruise Line got sick.

At that time, Nick was still under Meyer Enterprise, which supplies manpower to Raymond’s company. Nick worked there after he rejected his father’s decision to be the heir of Knight Group of Companies."

I nodded slowly, urging him to continue.

"Well, Reagan asked Sarah if she could appoint Nick as the substitute captain. His credentials were better than anyone else on their list. And Sarah... well, she’s not exactly the type to grant favors unless there’s something in it for her or for their company. But she agreed. I always assumed it was business."

He glanced at me, his expression thoughtful. "Now, though? Maybe it wasn’t just business after all. Maybe it was something... else. You know the history of Nick and Sarah. Why would Sarah agree to marry Reagan that easily, right? Unless they are close enough. I just find their relationship weird and confusing, really..."

My pulse quickened—steady, but heavy in my chest. I couldn’t tell why, but a flicker of unease rippled through me, sharp and cold.

Something about what he said didn’t sit right.

Or maybe it was the way he said it—like there was a piece of the puzzle everyone had missed... and I was just beginning to realize it.

Before I could say anything else, Melanie clapped her hands lightly, breaking the silence that had settled in. "Alright, let’s park the Knight family mysteries for now and get back to business," she said, her tone bright but purposeful.

She turned toward Bella. "Actually, I think you have a point. It’s faster to reach out to people already working in the field rather than waiting for new applicants to knock on our door. We don’t have to poach them, just send formal invitations or email offers. If they’re interested, great. If not, then we move on."

Bella smirked triumphantly, clearly pleased to have someone backing her up. "Exactly what I was thinking. It’s not stealing, it’s giving opportunities."

I nodded, the practical side of me taking over again. "Fine. Do it that way, but be subtle. I don’t want word spreading that we’re trying to lure seafarers from other companies." I turned to Bella. "And while you’re at it, post a hiring ad. Let’s also prioritize the certifications and promotions of some of our current crew members; it’ll open space for new cadets. We need to grow smart, not just fast."

"Got it," Bella said, already jotting down notes, her expression focused now.

"Perfect." I leaned back in my chair and exhaled softly, the weight of earlier thoughts still lingering somewhere behind my calm. "I think that wraps things up for now."

As the meeting began to wind down and everyone gathered their files, I turned to Steven, who was slipping his laptop back into its bag. "By the way, Evelyn called earlier," I said casually. "Nick’s stuck at the office and can’t pick me up tonight. Would you mind if I hitched a ride with you back to your office?"

Steven looked up at me with a quick, easy smile. "Of course, no problem at all. I was heading straight there after this anyway."

"Great," I said, returning the smile. But as I glanced at the clock on the wall, something about Evelyn’s tone earlier echoed faintly in my mind—soft, hesitant, almost warning.

Whatever was happening in Nick’s office tonight...

I had a feeling that it was something that could affect us both tonight.

******

Thanks for the Golden Ticket!

Noni_Byz

Kukeng15