Stella made her way toward the port, the salty breeze brushing against her face as the distant sound of waves echoed softly around her.
She spotted Emma waiting near the dock, standing calmly as though she had been there for some time.
Emma greeted her with a gentle, reassuring smile.
"From now on, you are Emma Smith."
Stella nodded, her expression steady and confident.
"Of course. You never have to worry about me."
Emma studied her for a brief moment before speaking.
"I wish you a safe and pleasant journey... and thank you."
A faint but sincere smile crossed Stella's face.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you. Without you, my father wouldn't have had a chance to survive."
Emma lowered her gaze slightly before nodding.
"It's my duty. Now go... you'll be late."
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Stella turned and walked toward the ship. Each step felt heavier than the last, yet she didn't look back.
As she boarded and stepped inside, her eyes widened slightly.
The interior was far more magnificent than she had imagined.
Polished floors, warm lighting, and an atmosphere of quiet elegance surrounded her.
She had never been on a cruise ship before. It wasn't particularly massive, but its understated luxury was unmistakable.
For a moment, she was impressed by what she saw, but the feeling quickly faded.
" I shouldn't be, "she reminded herself. "I'm supposed to be the daughter of a wealthy family."
She straightened her posture, unconsciously adopting Emma's quiet confidence.
The resemblance was remarkably convincing. The same formal clothes, the same hairstyle, even the same subtle gestures.
Everything was going according to plan.
Fifteen minutes later, the ship began to move, slowly leaving the port behind. Standing by the window, Stella watched as the skyscrapers gradually faded into the distance.
Meanwhile, far behind her, Emma stood watching the ship depart, accompanied by another silent figure.
The man beside Emma was a handsome young man with sharp features, blue eyes, and short dark hair. His flawless skin and tall, slender build gave him the appearance of a model, especially in his sportswear
A calm smile appeared on his face.
"So, Miss Meyer, you've finally gotten rid of your problem."
Emma returned the smile.
"Thanks mainly to you. I'm very grateful."
"It's my duty."
"You paid the full cost of the surgery this morning, just as I asked. Thank you again."
The man gave a slight nod.
"Yes. Now, let's leave. It would be best if I disappeared for a few months. My father has already traveled, so there shouldn't be any problems."
"What about your sister and her mother?"
Emma's expression remained calm.
"They'll regret what they've done. I can't wait to see their faces when I return with my report about the continent."
Meanwhile, inside the ship, Stella sat in her room, taking in the luxurious surroundings.
"Oh, the life of the rich is truly wonderful. Anyone who says money can't buy happiness is just a losers trying to comfort themselves."
As she walked around the room, a sudden knock echoed through the door.
A man's voice came from the other side.
"Miss Meyer, may I have a moment of your time?"
"Miss Meyer? Wait... that's not right. Emma's last name is Smith."
Assuming it was just a mistake, Stella opened the door.
"Yeah, what's up?"
The young man spoke, "Miss Emma, I just wanted to check on you. You haven't left your room in three hours. Is something wrong?"
A young man stood before her. He had fair features and a slightly confused expression, and unlike most of the passengers, he was dressed quite casually.
That must be the person she mentioned.
Stella gave him a polite smile.
"No, nothing's wrong. It's just..."
"Miss Emma," the young man interrupted, "your voice sounds different. Are you sick?"
"Yes. That's what I was going to say."
"And your eyes look brighter, too."
"Just lenses."
"Really? You always said they didn't suit you. You preferred to look natural."
"Now I understand why Emma called him annoying... What was his name again? Right. Ed."
"Anyway," Ed said, "I'll see you later, Miss Meyer. You should get some rest while you're recovering."
"See you later."
Stella quickly closed the door behind him.
"Finally... What a talkative person."
She paused.
I'd better find out what's going on outside. If he knows Emma that well, then calling me 'Miss Meyer' wasn't a simple mistake.
An hour later, Stella headed downstairs. Since she had claimed to be sick, she needed to show herself in public eventually to avoid arousing suspicion.
Her plan was simple, find the man again.
There was just one problem.
She had forgotten his name.
"Oh my God, I completely forgot his name. How am I supposed to find him now?"
Lost in thought, Stella suddenly heard someone call out to her.
"Hey, Emma! How have you been? I haven't seen you in a while."
Stella turned toward the voice.
A beautiful blonde girl was standing there. She was tall and slender, with a gentle appearance.
The girl spoke softly, "Ed told me you weren't feeling well, but since you're out here, you must be feeling better."
Stella smiled awkwardly.
"Oh, I think Ed may have exaggerated a little. I'm not feeling that bad."
"This must be Anna." Stella considered herself lucky to have met her instead of Ed.
She's probably one of Emma's close friends, she must know a lot about her.
Stella decided to test her, "how is your family doing?"
"They're doing well. How about your father and sister?"
Stella froze.
"Father? Sister? How is that possible? Didn't Emma tell me that her father was dead and that she had no siblings?"
The realization hit her hard.
First, the lie about the name... and now this?
"Emma has a father and a sister too?"
Stella stood there in disbelief, her thoughts racing.
Anna noticed her hesitation.
"Emma, are you okay? What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Stella snapped out of her daze and forced a smile.
"Ah, I'm just feeling a little tired. I think I'll go back to my room."
Before Anna could respond, Stella turned and hurried away, her mind filled with confusion and unease.
Anna watched her leave and sighed.
"Does she always act like this when she's sick?"
Back in her room, Stella slammed the door behind her with such force that she startled a crew member passing by.
She collapsed into a chair and covered her face with her hands, overwhelmed by everything she had just discovered.
"What on earth is going on? Why did she lie to me? My intuition is telling me I've gotten myself into some kind of trouble!"
For the rest of the day, Stella didn't leave her room.
During that time, several of Emma's colleagues came by to check on her, including Anna and Ed.
Stella assured them that she was fine and simply needed some rest.
The expedition team consisted of thirty people: twenty men and ten women.
They were a diverse group of researchers specializing in biology, archaeology, and anthropology.
Hours later, Ed knocked on Stella's door again and informed her that they were about to reach the continent and that everyone should get ready.
Two hours later, the ship finally docked at their destination.
As soon as they disembarked, the entire team was captivated by the scenery.
The beach was unlike anything they had ever seen. Its black sand was scattered with white pebbles, resembling a starry night sky. The water was crystal clear, with patches of reddish-purple seaweed swaying beneath the surface.
The beauty of the landscape captivated everyone, momentarily easing Stella's fears.
But then, something in the water caught her attention.
A transparent creature was moving swiftly beneath the surface.
Stella's heart began to pound as she realized what it was.
Her face filled with horror.
"Everyone, be careful! There's something poisonous in the water! Get away from it!"
The team immediately retreated from the shoreline.
Stella spotted a long tree branch lying on the sand. She picked it up and carefully dipped one end into the water before pulling it back out.
The moment they saw what was clinging to the branch, everyone shuddered.
Ed immediately recognized it.
"It's a box jellyfish!"
Box jellyfish are among the most venomous creatures in the world. Their venom can kill a human in only a few minutes, and even a small amount can be fatal.
They were small and almost completely transparent, making them easy to mistake for harmless creatures. Unlike many dangerous animals, they gave no obvious warning of the threat they posed.
The group quickly moved away from the beach, knowing there was no known antidote for the venom.
The expedition leader decided they should head toward the forest, but this time, everyone proceeded with greater caution.
At first glance, the forest seemed ordinary.
But the deeper they went, the more obvious it became that there was nothing ordinary about it.
The trees came in an astonishing variety of colors, different shades of green, orange, and yellow, alone with several unfamiliar hues.
The researchers eagerly took out their cameras, capturing the strange and vibrant scenery.
Their excitement grew when they discovered a flock of birds none of them had ever seen before.
Yet while everyone marveled at their discoveries, Stella couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
"We almost lost people as soon as we arrived. If I were in the leader's position, I wouldn't have acted so recklessly. Going deeper into an unknown forest like this is definitely not a good idea."
Her instincts continued to warn her that something was terribly wrong.
As she scanned her surroundings, something unusual caught her eye.
A butterfly unlike anything she had ever seen fluttered between the trees. Its vivid turquoise wings almost seemed unreal.
Intrigued, Stella moved closer and raised her camera, but the butterfly suddenly fluttered away.
Determined, Stella followed it.
"Well... I'll catch up with you. You're worth the trouble."
After a short chase, she finally managed to get a clear shot.
Pleased with the photograph, Stella smiled, only to realize where she was.
"Oh no... where's the group? I was so focused on taking pictures that I didn't notice I'd fallen so far behind."
She quickly turned around and tried to retrace her steps.
I remember leaving them near the red tree.
The group had gathered around it earlier, studying its unusual color and documenting it from every angle.
Suddenly, distressed voices echoed through the forest.
She recognized those voices.
Confused and frightened, she nevertheless followed the sounds.
When she reached the source of the voices, Stella froze.
A group of masked men surrounded the expedition members.
They were tall and strongly built, their movements calm and deliberate. Strange masks covered their faces.
The researchers slowly backed away, but the men continued to close in around them.
Stella stood there, unable to move.
Then one of the masked men suddenly attacked.
Everything happened so quickly that the researchers barely had time to react.
Screams filled the forest as the men attacked one after another.
Stella watched in horror, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene.
One by one, the people she had traveled with fell to the ground.
She wanted to run, but fear kept her frozen in place.
Then the screams stopped.
Stella's breathing became unsteady.
The expedition members lay motionless on the ground, surrounded by broken equipment and scattered belongings.
The masked men were still there.
They stood among the fallen researchers in complete silence.