Chapter 38 Chapter Thirty-Seven

Jill flew to New York on David's private jet, where a limousine was waiting for her and dropped her off at the Regency Hotel on Park Lane.The manager himself led Jill to an enormous room on the top floor. "The restaurant is at your command, Mrs. Temple," he said. "Mr. Kennivan has ordered us to attend to all your needs." About ten minutes after Jill completed the formalities, David called from Texas. "Comfortable?" he asked. "It's a little cramped," Jill laughed. "Five bedrooms, David. What am I going to do with them?" "I'd tell you if I was there," he said.

"Blank promise," she joked, "when will I see you." "The 'Bretagne' sets sail tomorrow at noon. I have some business to clear up here. I'll meet you on board. I've got my honeymoon booked. Happy, dear?" "I've never been happier," Jill said.This is real.All the past events, all the pain, all the sorrow, seem to be worth it now in exchange for today's scene, all that now seems very far away and very blurred, like a dream that has almost been forgotten. "A car will pick you up tomorrow morning. The driver will bring your ticket."

"I'll be ready," Jill said. tomorrow. Possibly the photo of Jill and David Kennivan, taken after Toby's funeral, was sold to the newspaper; or a staff member at the restaurant where Jill was staying could have leaked, from the sailors of the Brittany.In short, the marriage plans of a person so famous as Jill Temple could not be kept secret.First, the Associated Press broke the news of her impending marriage.She then became front page news in newspapers across the United States and Europe. The "Hollywood Report" and "Vanity Fair" even reported extensively.

The time when the car arrived at the hotel was exactly ten o'clock.A porter and three bellboys loaded Jill's luggage into the limousine.There were not many vehicles on the street in the morning, and it took less than half an hour to arrive at Pier 90. Jill was greeted on the gangplank by an officer of the ship. "Our ship is honored to have you here, Lady Temple," he said, "everything is ready for you. Come with me." He accompanied Jill to the deck and led her into a large, well-ventilated room with a balcony.The interior is filled with flowers. "The captain has asked me to greet you in your honor. He will see you at dinner this evening. He wants to tell you how much he looks forward to officiated at your wedding."

"Thank you," said Jill, "do you know Mr. Kennivan is on board?" "We just got a call from him. He's on his way to the airport. His luggage is on board. If you need anything, just ask." "Thank you," Jill replied, "no more." It was true.There wasn't a single thing she needed that she didn't get.She is the happiest person in the world. Someone knocked on the cabin door, and an attendant came in with another bouquet of flowers.Jill looked at the business card, it was from the President of the United States.The past came to mind.But Jill didn't want to think about it anymore, and she started to unpack the luggage.

There was a person standing on the main deck, leaning on the railing, looking at the passengers coming on board.Everyone is in high spirits, ready to vacation or gather with loved ones on board.A few people smiled at him, but this man didn't care about them.He was only looking at the diving board. At 11:40 in the morning, twenty minutes before leaving the ship, a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow luxury car driven by a person drove straight to Pier 90 like lightning.The car stops.David Kennivan jumped out of the car, looked at his watch, and said, "That's right on time, Otto." "Thank you, sir. Happy honeymoon to you and Mrs. Kennivan."

"Thank you." David Kennivan hurried up to the diving board and took out his ticket.He was received aboard by the crew who had taken care of Jill. "Mrs. Temple is in your cabin, Mr. Kennivan." "thank you." David seemed to see her in her bridal attire, waiting for him.His heart beat faster.David was about to move forward when a voice stopped him: "Mr. Kennivan..." David turned around.The man standing by the railing came towards him with a smile on his face.David had never seen this man before.David has the instincts of a millionaire, and he doesn't trust friendly strangers.They're pretty much all the same, just looking for something to fish for.

The man held out his hand, and David shook it carefully. "Have we met?" David asked. "I'm an old friend of Jill's," said the man.David relaxed. "My name is Lawrence, Clifton Lawrence." "Hello, Mr. Lawrence." He was still anxious to go away. "Jill wants me to come and meet you," said Clifton. "She wants to give you a little surprise." David looked at him: "Why are you surprised?" "Come with me, I want you to see." David hesitated for a moment. "Okay, how long is it?" Clifton looked up at him and smiled. "I don't think it will last long."

They took the elevator down to the C deck, passing through the ship's passengers and visiting crowds.Through a hallway, into a suite with double doors.Clifton opened the door and accompanied David inside.David found himself in an empty coliseum.He looked around, puzzled. "Is it in here?" "In it." Clifton turned to look up at the projectionist in the projection room and nodded.Projectionists are greedy.Clifton had to give him three hundred dollars before he agreed to help Clifton. "If people find out, I will lose my job." He once complained! "Nobody will know," Clifton assured him. "It's just a prank. All you have to do is lock the door when I come in with my friend and start showing the film. We Out in ten minutes."

The projectionist finally agreed. David looked at Clifton, confused. "Movies?" David asked. "Sit down, Mr. Kennivan." David sat down in the aisle seat, his long legs stretched out.Clifton sat facing him in a seat on the other side of the aisle.The lights went out, and vivid images appeared on the large color screen.Now he was looking at David's face. David felt as if someone was hitting his temple with a hammer.He stared at the obscene action on the screen, his mind unable to take in what his eyes saw.Jill, young Jill, just as he had been when he fell in love with her.Now he was lying naked on the bed.He could see every movement clearly...David thought he was going to throw up.For a moment, he took it for granted that it was just a stunt sequence, a fake.No, every action shown on the screen was done by Jill.Then the Mexican lay on top of her.A blood-red cloud floated in front of David's eyes, and he seemed to have returned to the time when he was fifteen years old, that day he met her sister Bette on her bed, riding on the naked Mexican gardener, and said in his mouth Saying, "Oh God, I love you, Juan." David stood in the doorway, looking at his dear sister in disbelief.In a blind, uncontrollable rage, he took a steel paper knife from the table, ran to the bed, knocked his sister aside, and drove the knife into the gardener's chest, hard and hard, until the wall It was splattered with blood.Then Bate yelled, "Oh God, no. Stop it, David! I love him. We're getting married!" There was blood everywhere.David's mother ran into the room.She told David to go away.He later learned that his mother called the local prosecutor.The prosecutor was a close friend of the Kenevenans.They talked for a long time in secret in the study.The bodies of the Mexicans were sent to prison.The next morning, it was announced that he had committed suicide in his cell.Three weeks later, Bate was admitted to a mental hospital.

Everything appeared before David's eyes.He felt an unbearable anger and guilt for what he had done.He went berserk.He picked up the man across from him and punched him in the face with his fist.He punched and yelled some unconscious words that no one could understand.For Bet, for Jill, and for the shame he suffered, he beat him hard.Clifton Lawrence tried to defend himself, but he was unable to stop the oncoming attack.The first punch hit him on the nose, and he felt something break; another punch hit his mouth, and blood flowed immediately.He was helpless and stood there, waiting to hit him again.But suddenly no more.There was no sound in the room except his painful snoring and the lewd sounds from the screen. Clifton pulled out a handkerchief to stop the blood.He staggered out of the theater, put his handkerchief over his nose and mouth, and started for Jill's room.As he passed the dining room, the revolving door to the kitchen was open, and he entered the kitchen, passing the rowdy cooks, stewards, and waiters.He saw an ice machine, and he scooped up a few pieces of ice, put them in a handkerchief, and covered his nose and mouth.He walked out.Facing it was a huge plate of wedding cake topped with two heads of the bride and groom made of tiny pieces of marshmallows.Clifton reached up and twisted off the bride's head, crushing it flat with his hands. Then he went to Jill. The ship is sailing.Jill could feel the movement of the fifty-five-thousand-ton ship as it left the dock.She wondered what was holding David up. Jill was unpacking the luggage when there was a knock on the cabin door.Jill ran to the door and called out, "David!" She opened the door and held out her arms. Clifton Lawrence stood there, his face battered and bleeding.Jill lowered her arms and stared at him. "What are you doing here? What's happened to you?" "I was just passing by to say hello, Jill." She could hardly understand what he was saying. "And brought you a message from David." Jill looked at him, unable to understand: "David's?" Clifton stepped into the cabin. Jill was at a loss: "Where's David?" Clifton turned to look at her and said, "Remember how movies used to be? There were good guys in white hats, bad guys in black hats, and in the end, you always saw the bad guys get their due." Nemesis. I grew up watching those movies, Jill. I was raised to believe that life really was like that. The youth in the white hat always wins." "I don't know what you're talking about." "It's nice to know that life is sometimes like those movies back then." He grinned at her from his battered, bloody lips, and said, "David's gone, gone forever. " She didn't believe it and stared at him. At this moment, both of them felt that the boat was not moving.Clifton stepped out onto the corridor and looked down over the side of the ship. "Come here." Jill hesitated for a moment, then followed him, peering over the railing with a nameless and growing terror.Far below, on the water, she could see David board the tug in territorial waters and leave the Bretagne.She gripped the railing, bracing herself. "Why?" she asked in disbelief. "What happened?" Clifton Lawrence turned to her and said, "I showed him your film." She understood immediately what he meant.She begged, "Oh my God. No! Please, no! You're killing me." "Then we'll be even." "Get out!" she yelled, "Get out of here!" She threw herself at him, clawing his cheek with her fingernails, leaving several deep scratches on one side.Clifton turned and slapped her hard.She fell to her knees, holding her head in pain. Clifton stood looking at her for a long moment.This was exactly the one memory he wanted her to leave him. "Good-bye, Josephine Zinski," he said. Clifton left Jill's cabin and went out onto the deck.His lower half of the hole was wrapped with a handkerchief.He walked slowly, surveying each traveler for a new face—an unusual facial expression.He thought, not necessarily when he will meet a new genius.He felt he could go back to work again. But who could have predicted it?Good luck to him.Discover another Toby Temple. Not long after Clifton left, Claude Dessa walked up to Jill's cabin and knocked on the door.No one answered.However, the purser could hear voices in the room.He waited a moment, then said loudly: "Mrs. Temple, this is Claude Dessa, Chief Purser. I would like to know if you need my services?" no answer.At this moment, Desa's internal alarm system sounded.He instinctively felt that something was seriously wrong, and he had a premonition that all this was somehow focused on this woman.A series of strange, sinister premonitions flooded his mind.She had been murdered, kidnapped, or—he tried the doorknob.The door didn't lock.Slowly, Desa pushed the door open.Jill Temple stood at the back of the cabin, looking out the porthole, with his back turned to him.Desa opened her mouth to speak, but her cold and rigid posture stopped him.He stood there awkwardly for a moment, considering whether he should back out quietly.Suddenly there was a sharp and strange cry in the cabin, like the cry of a wounded wild animal.Faced with such deep private pain, Desa was helpless, he backed out, and closed the door carefully. Desa stood outside the cabin for a while.Listen to the silent cry inside.Then he moved apprehensively to the theater on the main deck. When dinner was given in the evening, there were two empty seats at the captain's table.After eating for a while, the captain signaled to find Desa.De Sza was sitting two tables away, with some minor guests.De Sar apologized to the banquet and hurried to the captain. "Ah, Desa," said the captain kindly.He lowered his voice and changed his tone. "What's the matter with Mrs. Temple and Mr. Kennivan?" Desa looked around at the guests and whispered, "As you already know, Mr. Kennivan followed the pilot and left on the pilot boat Ambrose. Mrs. Temple is in the cabin." The captain cursed in a low voice.He's a rigid guy who doesn't want to have his schedule disrupted. "Bah! All the wedding arrangements are ready," he said. Night fell.Jill sat alone in the dark cabin, curled up in a chair.She rested her knees on her chest, staring blankly into the void.There was a deep sorrow in her heart, but it was not for David Kennevan, not for Toby Temple, not even for herself.Rather, for that little girl named Josephine Zinski.Jill had done so many things for that little girl, but now the road she paved for that little girl to the magical fantasy has been cut off.All dreams are shattered, shattered forever... Jill sat there, seeing nothing.She was numb with an inescapable sense of failure.Just a few hours ago, she had the whole world, she had everything she could ever imagine, and now she has nothing.She slowly felt her head ache again, maybe she had just noticed the headache, because the greater pain—the lung-torn pain was gnawing at her heart.The veins in her head seemed to stretch tighter, and she pressed her knees to her chest, against her mortal part.She resolved to think of nothing, of nothing.She was terribly tired, terribly tired.She just wants to sit here forever and do nothing.Then maybe the pain can stop, at least for a while. Jill made her way to the bed, lay down, and closed her eyes. However, she felt it.A foul-smelling cold wind was blowing at her, surrounding her, caressing her.She heard his voice.He called her name.Yes, she thought, yes.Slowly, as if in a kind of drowsiness, a kind of confusion, she walked out of the cabin and walked towards the voice calling her in her head.At two o'clock in the middle of the night, the deck was empty, and Jill came out of the cabin.She gazed down out to sea, watching the aggressive waves lapping gently against the sides of the boat as it cut through the waves.She heard the voice calling. Jill's head ached even more, and grief gripped her like a pair of pincers.But the voice told her not to worry, that everything would be fine. "Look down," said the voice. Jill looked down at the water and saw something floating on it.It was a face.It was Toby's face, smiling at her.Blue eyes flooded with water looked up at her.A gust of icy wind, blowing from behind her, gently pushed her over, close to the railing. "I had to do that, Toby," she whispered. "You understand that, don't you?" The head in the water was nodding, bobbing up and down, inviting her to join him.The wind became colder, and Jill's body began to shiver. "Don't be afraid," the voice said to her, "the water is deep and warm... Come here with me, come on, Jill." She closed her eyes for a while, but when she opened them again, the smiling face was still floating there, moving forward with the boat.The crippled limbs slumped in the water. "Come to me," said the voice. She leaned forward, and she wanted to tell Toby not to bother her.But the harsh wind pushed her body.Suddenly she was levitating, floating in the soft, velvety night sky, dancing brightly over the sea.Toby came closer to her, and he came to meet her.Jill felt the paralyzed arms wrap around her tightly.They were united again, forever, forever. Then, only the gentle sea breeze and the eternal sea of ​​blue waves are left. And the brilliant starry sky, on which all this is recorded. (End of the book)