Twenty minutes later, a wet and shivering Tiffany finally managed to drag herself up the back emergency ladder of the yacht. Her beautiful golden sequin dress was ruined, covered in algae, smelling like salt water, and dripping wet onto the deck. Her expensive blonde hair hanging like wet noodles around her face, and her makeup was running dark down her cheeks. People laughed quietly behind their hands as she stumbled past them, shivering uncontrollably from the sea breeze and deep shame. She walked straight toward the VIP lounge door, wanting to find the yacht owner and demand that Evelyn be arrested immediately. She slammed the door open with her foot, stomping into the air-conditioned room with water dripping everywhere around her feet.
Tiffany: Where is the captain?! I was assaulted on this boat by a crazy old beggar woman!
The ship captain turned around from his desk, looking at Tiffany's terrible state with a cold and professional expression. Beside him stood the ship lawyer, holding a clean digital tablet that displayed several live security camera angles from earlier. Sitting in the middle of the soft leather sofa was Evelyn, now wearing a fresh dry jacket provided by crew. She was sipping hot tea from a white porcelain cup, looking completely relaxed as if nothing bad had happened today. Tiffany pointed her wet finger directly at Evelyn's face, her voice shaking with intense rage and cold physical shivering.
Tiffany: Arrest her right now! She threw me into the middle of the ocean!
Captain: Miss Vance, we have already reviewed the full high-definition video recording from the top deck.
Tiffany: She assaulted me! Look at what she did to my expensive golden designer dress!
Lawyer: The video clearly shows you slapping Mrs. Evelyn Miller across the face first without provocation.
Tiffany froze when she heard the full name spoken out loud by the lawyer in the calm office room. Her eyes went wide with sudden shock, her mouth opening and closing like a fish pulled out of the water. Evelyn Miller was the founder and primary owner of the biggest real estate management corporation in the entire state. Her family owned the shipyard, the harbor marina, and even the very luxury yacht they were standing on right now. Tiffany's father worked as a mid-level manager at one of Evelyn's branch companies, relying on her contract for their income.
Tiffany: You... you are Evelyn Miller?
Evelyn: I am. And you must be Robert Vance's daughter, Tiffany.
Tiffany: I... I didn't know it was you in that plain simple suit...
Evelyn: That is your primary mistake. You measure respect by shiny gold sequins instead of basic human decency.
Tiffany felt her stomach drop like a heavy stone as cold sweat mixed with the salty ocean water on her skin. She had just slapped the top boss of her father's entire career and thrown insults at her face publicly. If Evelyn canceled her father's management company contract, her family would lose their large house, cars, and high lifestyle instantly. She took a step backward, her wet shoes making a loud squelching sound against the expensive red carpet floor underfoot. She looked at the captain, hoping he would say this was all just a bad joke or mistake today. But the captain looked away with a stern face, crossing his arms tight over his dark white uniform shirt.
Tiffany: Mrs. Miller, please... I was just stressed out about the heat today!
Evelyn: Stress does not give you permission to scratch my face or order guests around like slaves.
Tiffany: I am so sorry! I will pay for your suit and medical bills right now!
Evelyn: Money cannot clean the ugly character you showed everyone on my boat today, Tiffany.
Evelyn set her teacup down on the small glass table with a soft clink sound that sounded like thunder to Tiffany. She took out a crisp white document folder from her leather briefcase, laying it flat on the glass table carefully. She picked up her silver pen—the same pen Tiffany had knocked over earlier—and tapped it against the clean paper edge. Tiffany stared at the document, seeing her father's corporate company name printed across the very top in bold black letters.