Fair Trade - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

48 hours ago.

On a resort over the sea, a super luxurious cruise also known as the ‘Paradise on Earth.’ 

More than 2,000 people began boarding the Petrov’s DE:A. The crew, who were all prepared for their arrival, moved in unison to greet the passengers.

DE:A’s main characteristic was that the number of cruise ship attendants was no less than the number of passengers. DE:A’s system, which focused on one crew member being responsible for two passengers, had boosted passenger satisfaction throughout their many voyages and continued to record sold-out cabins every year.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Cecilia Lawrence and I am here to help you travel comfortably. Your room is here in room 821. Your itinerary and meal tickets have been provided in your bedroom. So if you have any questions, please feel free to visit me anytime.”

“Thank you, Miss Lawrence.”

“Well then, have a nice trip.”

She took the card directly and opened the door to the room. Then she dragged the man’s luggage inside.

The man who followed behind her scanned her alluring back and then looked around the room contentedly. Satisfied with the room, he offered her a tip.

“Miss Lawrence’s service gets better day by day.”

“Thank you.”

Taking the tip, she turned around with a smile. Seeing her leave, the man suddenly reached out his hand and hugged her. At this, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up, discreet enough to not go noticed by passersby. 

Her brown eyes shook in confusion.

“Sir, what are you doing…..”

Stefano Luciano. Age 39. Italy’s most well-known F1 player; had retired from active duty due to a knee injury. However, he later turned out to be the team’s investor and became a millionaire. Stefano Luciano’s main hobby was collecting high-end watches.

Sei stared at the man with reddened cheeks. Then he slowly bent his body and whispered as if telling her a secret.

“Miss Cecilia Lawrence. I heard that the cruise ship attendants have no time to go home. So, what should I do if I want to ask you out on a date?”

“By date… you mean me?”

“I think I fell in love at first sight. You’re really quite charming.”

Black-haired Asians were common, but her appearance was rather unique. She was tall with pearly white skin and had mysterious features that made it impossible to guess her nationality. She looked like an actress or a model that had popped out from a famous magazine.

If it weren’t for the name tag of Cecilia Lawrence, no one would have thought of her as an average cruise ship attendant.

Sei smiled at the man who showed interest in her.

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“So, there’s no chance?”

“Unfortunately, we are prohibited from having personal meetings with clients. DE:A is also famous for casinos and bubble pool parties. Please refer to the itinerary and enjoy it.”

Emphasizing that she was really sorry, she opened the door and came out. Fortunately, the man had good manners. He only sighed and didn’t stop her.

With quick steps, she reached her room, escaping the eyes of the people passing by. Her face became cold in no time. Her smile and the name tag of Cecilia Lawrence hanging on her chest were all fake.

Click!

Locking the door, Sei opened her laptop straight away and then plugged in the card that she had just used to open the door to Stefano Luciano’s room a while ago. He probably didn’t know yet that his one and only room key had disappeared.

The key of room 821 was quickly copied. Using the spare card she had, she made two copies of room 821’s key. Then she left her room and placed the key back in Stefano’s room with a relaxed smile.

A click of a door unlocking sounded but she leisurely passed by it. Before leaving, she took a quick glance at the man’s expensive watches and bid her farewell.

“See you later.”

Outside the window towards the direction of the stern of the ship, the sight of the shimmering sunlight lightening up the sapphire Mediterranean sea entered her eyes. It was an unusually clear day. As she got closer, she saw people gathered at the lido deck. She smiled contentedly while observing the people wrapped up in high-end goods and jewelry.

Bravo!

She shook her head and clapped her hands happily. She had waited a year for this day. She finally obtained the passenger list of DE:A, joined its crew, and successfully copied all the security codes of the ‘state of the art‘ security system.

This is the place where I can meet the clients who’ll be my way to my million bucks.

She only had one purpose.

Isn’t there a saying that goes ‘Those who don’t work should not eat’? She decided to work to be full. They will complete their journey of 15 days and 14 nights without ever knowing they had encountered her.

Sei remembered the words of an old man who said that her hands were even quicker than her eyes. She went into the bathroom, quickly changed her name tag, and untied her hair.

Just by changing the color of the lens, Cecilia Lawrence turned into Diana Olsen.

Wrapped in a white apron, she took a round tray and headed to the deck, where the bubble pool party was in full swing. Her eyes quickly and accurately scanned all the valuable clients. Knowing that she would be set for a whole year, an exuberant smile lit up her face.

And so, her second ‘client’ was decided.

“Sir, would you like some champagne?”

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