Three days later, at the port of Nassau.
Hunter observed the sheer number of police officers patrolling the docks. It was a significant increase compared to a few days ago.
He knew his recent actions had stirred up a hornet's nest.
"Sam, are you really ready to leave the Bahamas?"
Near the pier, the ever-popular Sam was chatting with an attractive Black female police officer.
The officer's name was Sophie, a sergeant in the Nassau Police Department. She had studied in the US before returning to her hometown, and within a few years, she had built a solid reputation in the local force.
She and Sam were friends. Running into each other at the port, they naturally started talking.
Sam looked a bit embarrassed, unsure of how to answer.
Honestly, she hadn't planned on leaving the Bahamas. When Hunter first suggested taking her to the Dominican Republic to "clear her head," she knew it was just an excuse to take her away.
Initially, she hadn't agreed.
But over the last few days, after their intense "deep communication," her resolve had slowly chipped away.
Every time Hunter gently suggested it, she found it harder to say no. Now, days later, even though her logical mind still felt attached to the island where she had lived her entire life, when Hunter brought it up one final time... she didn't agree out loud, but she didn't refuse either.
Sensing her predicament, Hunter smiled and smoothly stepped in.
"Sam hasn't been in the best mood lately," he explained easily. "So, I invited her to take a cruise to the Dominican Republic with me for a few days to relax."
Sophie looked Hunter up and down with keen interest.
Her first impression of the handsome, polite Asian man was highly favorable. Standing next to him, Sam looked genuinely happy—a stark contrast to how she usually looked when dragging her ex-boyfriend, Jared, around.
Sophie knew Jared. He was handsome enough, but his temper was garbage. He couldn't hold down a job, constantly fought with coworkers, alienated tourists, and had even once thrown his boss into the ocean over a dispute.
Sophie also knew that ever since Sam started dating Jared, the guy had practically become a parasite. He was unemployed most of the year, had borrowed money from everyone he knew, and essentially lived entirely off Sam's paycheck.
When rumors spread a couple of days ago that Sam had finally dumped Jared and was seen with a wealthy American tourist, Sophie had been relieved.
While she was a bit sad that the "Flower of Paradise Island" might be leaving for good, she firmly believed that a dreamer like Jared—who obsessed over sunken treasure but refused to do actual work—was completely unworthy of a good woman like Sam.
Though Sophie didn't know Hunter, she already liked him simply because he was pulling Sam out of that toxic cycle.
"Well, then, I hope you two have a wonderful trip," Sophie said warmly, silently acknowledging that Sam likely wasn't coming back.
"Thank you," Sam replied, genuinely touched.
She looked up at Hunter, her eyes practically melting with affection.
Ever since meeting him, Sam felt like the happiness she had always chased but never caught was finally in her hands.
He was unfailingly gentle with her. When she was with him, all her anxieties seemed to vanish. It was as if he could read her mind, anticipating her needs and ensuring she never felt stressed or cornered.
In fact, her only regret was that she hadn't met him sooner.
Hunter, naturally feeling the shift in her gaze, smiled back. He then turned to Sophie, feigning mild curiosity.
"By the way, Officer Sophie, what's going on around here? A few days ago, police came to my rented villa on Paradise Island asking questions about a homicide. And then my cruise ship was delayed for two days."
"Looking around now, it seems like half the police force is on the streets."
Sam had spent the last three days practically sequestered in Hunter's villa. Because of their exhausting nighttime activities, she slept until noon and only ventured out for brief afternoon walks. Wanting to avoid gossip after her dramatic breakup with Jared, she hadn't kept in touch with her friends.
She was genuinely oblivious to what had been happening outside and looked at Sophie, curious.
Sophie hesitated, pressing her lips together.
"Well," she sighed, "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but since rumors are already flying and you're leaving anyway, I suppose it won't hurt."
"Nassau has been chaotic the last few days. There's been a string of homicides—over a dozen dead."
"And Sam, you actually knew two of the victims."
Sam blinked, her brow furrowing. "Who?"
"Bryce," Sophie said. "Jared's friend from the States. He was found shot to death. His valuables were stripped, so we're treating it as a robbery gone wrong."
"And the other one is Bates."
Sam gasped, the color draining from her face.
She wasn't close to Bryce, but she knew he was Jared's childhood friend. They had just spent a few days out on a boat together. She hadn't liked Bryce much—she had caught him staring at her with undisguised lust more than once—but to hear he was suddenly dead was shocking.
As for Bates, she knew him well. He was Jared's bitter rival in the salvage business. Bates had always been oddly polite to her, even if she knew he had ulterior motives. He hadn't harassed her like other men did, so she had a relatively neutral opinion of him.
To hear both men had been killed within days of each other was terrifying.
Hunter stood beside her, maintaining a polite, neutral smile. Not a trace of emotion showed on his face.
He had personally executed Bates and several of his crew members yesterday.
Consider it a parting gift. Before leaving the Bahamas, he had eliminated Jared and Amanda's most dangerous, well-armed enemy.
However, he knew Jared and Amanda had already painted a massive new target on their own backs.
When Hunter had tracked Bates down to kill him, he discovered that Bates was actually gearing up to wipe out a local drug cartel boss.
Why? Because Jared and Amanda had apparently managed to haul up several bricks of cocaine from the sunken plane and had tried to fence it to that very same cartel boss.
The drug lord, realizing two amateurs were sitting on a mountain of high-grade product, had already mobilized his enforcers to kill Jared and take the rest.
Hunter had warned Amanda. She chose to ignore it, blinded by greed, and followed Jared straight into the abyss.
Hunter no longer cared how their story ended.
BZZZZZT!
The massive, deep horn of the luxury cruise ship suddenly blared, echoing across the port.
Hunter gently tugged on Sam's arm, pulling her away from her shocked thoughts.
"Sam, they're starting boarding procedures. We should go."
Sam hesitated for a fraction of a second, her mind swirling with the news of the murders. But looking at Hunter's calm, reassuring face, she nodded and swallowed her remaining questions.
They said their final goodbyes to Officer Sophie, picked up their two small travel bags, and walked toward the towering cruise ship.
The Bahamas, with all its sunken gold, sunken planes, and bloody consequences, was now behind them.
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