The Opal slowly sailed back toward Laguna Port, the setting sun once again draping the seaport city in a golden coat.
The clamor of the day gradually settled, and the people on deck enjoyed the tranquility at the tail end of their voyage.
Rover had finished handling Phoebe's situation—pacifying her emotions and advising her to temporarily keep the documents safe and stay quiet until they returned to Laguna to plan their next move. Now, he was nursing a bit of a headache, wondering how he was going to explain the situation to Coletta.
He could feel the surging anger and trace of grievance hidden beneath Coletta's calm exterior when she left his room.
However, Coletta's behavior for the rest of the day, right up until dinnertime, completely exceeded his expectations.
She remained busy arranging the docking procedures, smiling as she bid farewell to the guests, and directing the staff to help the passengers pack their belongings.
She even had a brief, highly efficient exchange with Cantarella regarding a minor topic for the upcoming council meeting, remaining entirely professional and calm throughout.
Whenever she saw Rover, her gaze would naturally sweep past him with a polite aloofness, as if that awkward scene from the morning had never happened.
This deliberate, business-like normalcy actually made Rover feel the situation was even trickier.
He knew she wasn't apathetic; rather, she had perfectly concealed her emotions—or perhaps, transformed them into a certain kind of resolve.
After dinner, moonlight replaced the setting sun, spilling across the calm surface of the sea. The yacht was about to enter the port and had slowed its pace.
Most of the guests had long since returned to their rooms to pack their luggage and prepare for disembarkation, leaving the deck quiet.
Rover leaned against the railing at the stern of the ship, gazing at the distant lights of Laguna, pondering the events of the day.
The blowing sea breeze carried a chill that also blew away some of his vexation.
The sound of light yet firm footsteps came from behind him. He turned his head to see Coletta walking over.
She had changed out of her daytime nautical suit and was wearing a simple white dress. Her silvery-white hair cascaded down, shimmering with a soft luster under the moonlight.
She wore no makeup, and a hint of exhaustion lingered on her face. Yet, those blue-red eyes were exceptionally bright, clearly reflecting his silhouette.
She walked to his side without speaking, simply leaning against the railing next to him, gazing out at the same stretch of sea.
The two remained silent for a moment, the only sound being the waves gently lapping against the hull.
"Rover." She finally spoke, her voice softer than the sea breeze but carrying an unquestionable firmness.
"Mm?" Rover turned his head to look at her.
"Thank you." Coletta turned her head, looking straight into his eyes.
Rover raised an eyebrow slightly, a bit surprised. "Thank me for what?"
He had assumed she was going to question him about Phoebe.
"Thank you for seeing my efforts, and thank you for your validation," Coletta said, her tone incredibly earnest. "And thank you... for making me see how childish and ridiculous I was being."
She paused, as if organizing her words. Her voice grew softer but clearer: "All my anxiety before, all my fierce competitiveness... thinking back on it now, it was like a little kid throwing a tantrum."
"I tried desperately to prove that I wasn't inferior to Cantarella, tried to defeat her in the domain she excelled at most, and tried to make you see that I was more... worthy of your attention than she was."
She gave a self-deprecating smile. "But now I understand that it was completely meaningless. Imitating her, or even defeating her, won't make me the ideal Coletta Mortari."
Her gaze burned with unprecedented sincerity and courage: "I am who I am. I make mistakes, I get impulsive, and I even get jealous and angry over trivial things."
She paused here, her eyes flickering slightly. "But I am also striving to grow. I want to truly protect Laguna, and I want... to become the Coletta who can shoulder the future of Mortari."
She took a slight step forward, closing the distance between them. Looking up at him, the moonlight flowed in her eyes: "What I want is not to win against anyone. What I want... is for you to see this real, authentic me. What I want... is you."
Her confession was direct and frank, devoid of any pretense, offering her true heart right before him.
Rover remained silent for a moment.
He looked at her, looking at this girl who, under the moonlight, had shed all the halos of a Young Miss and the shell of fierce competitiveness, leaving only pure sincerity.
Her directness and courage were like a warm, powerful tide, crashing against the defenses of his heart.
Complex emotions flashed through his golden eyes, ultimately melting into a gentle, profound recognition.
"I see you, Coletta," he finally spoke. His voice was deep and affirming, exceptionally clear amidst the sea breeze. "Your growth is more dazzling than any gemstone in Laguna."
An indescribable radiance instantly burst forth in Coletta's eyes, tears of joy practically welling up.
Taking a deep breath, as if making a momentous decision, she carefully pulled a small velvet box from the pocket of her dress.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened the box. Lying side-by-side inside were two rings.
The ring settings were simple yet elegant, each inlaid with half of a pearl that emitted a unique gilded halo—it was the exact same Gilded Pearl she had bought at a sky-high price, the one that had made her a laughingstock.
Now, it had been perfectly cut and polished, transformed into this pair of one-of-a-kind couple's rings.
"This pearl..." Coletta's voice carried a slight tremble, born of both nervousness and excitement. "It used to represent my impulsiveness and... my unwillingness to lose. But now, I want it to represent something else."
She picked up the slightly larger men's ring, looking up at Rover, her eyes filled with earnest pleading and absolute sincerity: "I hope it can represent my growth, my true heart, and... the future I want to share with you."
"No matter how far your journey takes you, please take this with you. Let it... take my place, witnessing every path you walk."
Her fingers trembled slightly from nerves as she carefully and solemnly took Rover's left hand. Gently, she slid the ring inlaid with half of the Gilded Pearl onto his finger.
The cold touch of the metal and the warm luster of the half-pearl seemed to form a stark contrast with her scorching, passionate heart.
Rover looked down at the ring on his finger. Under the moonlight, the half-pearl rippled with an understated, mysterious brilliance.
He hadn't expected her to do this at all. The value of this pearl and the story behind it were all condensed into this ring at this moment, transforming into a heavy and sincere emotion.
He lifted his head to see Coletta watching him nervously. Her eyes were filled with anticipation and a trace of unease, as if she were waiting for his final judgment.
_____
+50 advanced chapters monthly on my patreon, join now and read...
Patreon.com/IndifferentVillain
Ur support keeps me motivated thanks in advance.
Chapter 270 is out on my patreon!!!!!
________