Ethan followed Leandro and came out of the food court. Leandro said something to a man. Then we went to the Bridge. This is the control room at the front or middle of the upper decks where the captain and officers steer and navigate.
The ship’s pilot said, "Mr Leandro, a short boat is ready for you and your friend."
"Ok", Leandro replied.
Ethan and Leandro jumped into the boat.
"Here, take this mask and wear it. We can’t let your father’s people know that you survived."
Leandro said with a serious face.
"Ok"
Ethan replied.
The boat stopped at the seashore near the beach. Leandro and Ethan got out of the boat and left the beach. Near a beach resort, a black sedan stood, as if waiting for someone.
Ethan and Leandro approached the car. The rear window lowered, and a beautiful, cold, middle-aged woman’s face came into view.
The woman looked at Ethan’s face in a calculating way.
"Is she my mother’s best friend?"
Ethan asked.
"Yes, the famous CEO of Bright Look. Her name is Lara Watkins. She was your mother’s best friend from childhood."
Leandro replied.
Ethan was surprised about the ceo part.
’Hmm, she was my mother’s best friend. Should I trust her?’
’No, let’s hear her out first, then I will decide whether I should run or not.’
Ethan thought.
Ethan entered the car and sat beside the Ceo.
"Hello Ethan, my name is Lara Watkins. I was your mother’s best friend. We grew up together and studied at the same university."
Lara said.
"Hmm, then why didn’t you come to her funeral? And what do you want from me?"
Ethan asked her with a cold expression.
"Hmm, I can understand your hostility. But I couldn’t interfere in your mother’s case because of a promise."
Lara replied.
"Promise? What Promise?"
Ethan asked with a confused look.
"Before your mother’s marriage. We had a huge argument with each other. From that day, I promised her that I would never meddle in her affairs."
Lara said with a sad face.
"I thought that my leaving her side would stop her from marrying that sinister man."
"But I was wrong. She was so blinded by her love for John. That she severed all ties with me. After that, we never crossed paths. I went overseas for many years. I came back to the country five years ago."
She continued with a sigh.
"When I came to know about her death and John’s second marriage. I was shocked myself. I warned her, but she didn’t listen..."
Lara said with a heartbroken face.
Ethan listened with a silent expression. He believed her because her face didn’t look like she was lying, plus what could she even get from him?
"Hmm..... I see."
"So what do you want from me?"
Ethan asked.
’I can’t let my guard down.’
Ethan thought.
"Hmm...I want to train you, so you can take revenge for your mother and take back whatever rightfully was yours."
"I kept my promise, i didn’t in indulge her private matters, but now she is dead. I will not just sit back and watch my best friend’s killers having a peaceful life and enjoying her money."
Lara said with a cold expression.
Ethan was shocked, and finally his composure cracked.
"Killers? What did you just say?"
Ethan blurted out in pure fury.
"Just as you heard. I am not sure they killed her, but they were involved in her accident."
Lara replied.
"Ok."
Ethan said, but inside his mind he had many questions. Ethan accepted her offer of getting trained.
"Fine, I have decided to send you to France. You can’t live in America. Your father’s connections are widespread in the country. It will be better for you to continue your academics in France. He doesn’t have connections there."
"Plus, I will change your identity. Study well and prepare yourself for upcoming hardships."
Lara said.
"Ok"
Ethan replied.
Meanwhile, at the beach resort, John was shouting at his hired bodyguards.
"Why didn’t you find his body?"
"Do you know what will happen if he escapes?"
"I will turn you all into shreds!!!"
One of the bodyguards came forward and said
"Sir, I have seen blood in the water; maybe some shark ate him. That’s why there is no body."
John sighed in relief.
"Are you sure?"
John asked.
"Sir, I’m 100%sure."
The bodyguard replied.
"Nice"
"You all will get your payment tomorrow. Now leave and don’t talk about this to anyone."
John warned them and left to enjoy his vacation.
The black sedan stopped near a mall.
Lara bought clothes and daily necessities for Ethan.
She bought clothes that looked fine for a middle-class boy; the reason was to make Ethan look ordinary so no one would suspect him and news of his survival would not reach to his dad.
On top of that, he was going overseas. Getting attention there would only bring more difficulties.
A Robotic voice chimed in his mind, and a blue screen popped up in front of him,
<PERFECTION SYSTEM>
<Name: Ethan Goldberg>
<Age: 15>
<Gender: Male>
<Skills: Good swimmer(Temporary skill due to the user’s life being in danger.)>
<Mission: Complete middle school.>
"Ya, I have to complete middle school. For the last two years, I didn’t attend classes. I have to complete two standards."
"Hmm... I have to leave my country for academics. Mom, I promise that I will come back to take revenge. Enjoy as much as you want, Dad. No, not my Dad anymore; I will call him John Goldberg."
"I have to learn French first. I want to learn about business as well so I can handle things in the future. Now I have a system; it will be easy to do."
Ethan said to himself.
Lara booked a plane ticket to France for Ethan. Before booking the ticket, Ethan’s surname Goldberg was changed to Hales. The surname was actually Ethan’s maternal grandmother’s surname before her marriage.
Hiding Ethan was the number one priority.