Dumping Him for His Uncle (Natasha and Zachary)

After all, there were quite a few pairs like Natasha and Xavier-just two people traveling together.

"Quiet!"

A middle-aged man dressed like a butler stepped forward. The staff member looked visibly relieved, as if someone had just come to his rescue.

"You're all here for the academic conference, not a cruise vacation. If you can't manage three days, you're welcome to leave the ship right now."

His tone was sharp and steady, enough to silence several of the couples immediately.noveldrama

Honestly, he wasn't wrong. Everyone on this trip had ambitions. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been invited. It was only three days, after all.

"Who do you think you are, telling me who I can or can't room with? It's just the room fee, right? It's not like I can't afford it. Are there any available rooms? I'll take one," Nicole snapped.

She pulled off her sunglasses and retrieved a thick wad of cash from her bag.

The way she did it screamed "rich girl with no class", and people around them started murmuring.

The senior staff member didn't even flinch. "Miss, if you're unwilling to follow our rules, you're free to leave now."

With that, the rest of the group returned to drawing lots. Natasha pulled a slip for room number 503 and was paired with a sweet-looking girl.

They exchanged a quick hello and started getting to know each other.

Although Nicole clearly didn't want to draw lots, she had no choice but to go along with it once she realized no one was going to back her up.

Her roommate turned out to be a girl with glasses, a face dotted with acne, and a short, slightly chubby frame. Still, she had an incredibly warm and friendly smile. "Hi! Looks like we'll be sharing a room for the next three days. Let's look out for each other," Thalia Menzie said, holding out her hand politely.

Nicole glanced at her with disgust and ignored her completely.

Natasha could only shrug. That was just how Nicole treated people.

The ferry had five floors of rooms in total, and Natasha lucked out. Room 503 was just one floor below the deck, making it the topmost level.

After dropping off her luggage, she and Xavier agreed to meet up on the deck.

The ferry also featured several onboard shops and cafés. Natasha ordered a coffee, grabbed a book, and settled into one of the deck chairs.

Before Xavier arrived, Natasha spotted someone walking toward her-Zachary.

"You're late-"

She started to speak, thinking it was Xavier. But when she looked up and saw who it was, her voice cut off mid-sentence.

"Mr. Foster?"

Everyone attending the academic conference was from the medical field, so seeing Zachary here felt completely out of place.

"I already made myself very clear last time, Mr. Foster. If you think- there's anything inappropriate going on, you're welcome to call the police," Natasha said.

As far as she was concerned, there was nothing left to discuss. She could still recall, word for word, what he had whispered in her ear the last time they met.

"I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding, Ms. Bradley. The Fansville facility we're visiting is one of the largest research centers under Foster Group.

"I'm here to inspect the site. It seems like there's been quite a bit of miscommunication between us," Zachary replied calmly.

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Natasha's face cycled through several shades of red and purple She realized that what she'd just said made her sound like someone creating drama out of thin air.

"Sitting across from someone

without asking isn't exactly the most gentlemanly move, Mr. Foster," she added, trying to protect whatever was left of her dignity.

Just then, Xavier appeared with perfect timing to rescue her from the awkwardness.

Zachary stood and offered an amused smile. "I didn't mean to offend. You might want to check your jacket."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked off the deck.

Natasha took off her jacket and finally saw it. Her price tag was still attached, hanging from the side.

It was no wonder people had been giving her strange looks when she boarded.

"You were with me all morning and didn't notice this?" she asked Xavier. Xavier, completely unfazed, shrugged. He had assumed she left it on intentionally.