Simone Carter’s hands were steady as she adjusted the playback speed on the surveillance monitor. Most people would be shaking. Most people would be crying. But Simone had built a multi-million dollar maritime empire by staying calm when everyone else panicked. And she would not fall apart now. The footage was from 3 hours ago.
Camera 12, the main deck of the Azure Dream, her newest luxury yacht. The time stamp read 2:47 p.m. There was Derek,ping aboard in his expensive sunglasses and that blue linen shirt she bought him for his birthday. He was smiling wider than she had seen in months. His arm was wrapped around a woman with long auburn hair, her sundress blowing in the ocean breeze.
Simone turned up the volume. “This is incredible, baby,” the woman said, looking around the polished deck. “You really own all this?” Derek laughed. That same laugh Simone used to love. The whole fleet. Wait until you see the master suite. Simone’s jaw tightened. The master suite. The one she designed herself after visiting yacht shows in Monaco and Dubai.
The one with the imported Italian marble and the custom skylight above the bed. She watched as Derek pulled the woman closer, kissing her right there on the deck. The captain, Miguel, stood at a respectful distance near the helm, clearly uncomfortable. He had worked for Simone for 5 years. He knew exactly who Dererick was married to. “Mr.
