Sunrise Over the Abyss My Husband's Deadly Voyage

Now that I had finally recovered, I bought a standard ticket and sneaked onto Julian’s luxury cruise ship. He had no idea I was on board. I remembered him telling me that whenever he missed me at sea, he would stand alone on the deck to watch the sunrise. I put on my best dress, did my makeup with utmost care, and fought through waves of seasickness just to wait for him on the deck. But when he appeared, he wasn't alone. Vivian Sterling was standing right beside him. A coincidence, maybe? The next morning, Vivian was still there by his side. Then came the third day, the fourth, the fifth... Every single dawn, as the first ray of crimson light broke through the horizon, they stood shoulder to shoulder on the upper deck. They laughed, leaned into each other, and bathed together in that blinding, piercing glow. Everything finally made sense. Over the past six years, Julian had spent five years and three months out at sea. And Vivian had been with him the entire time. I looked down at my phone. There was Julian’s text from this morning: *I miss you so much.* Below it were dozens of sunrise videos he had sent over the years. I let out a bitter laugh, pulled off my wedding ring, and hurled it into the ocean. At noon, Julian sent me a photo. The ring hadn't fallen into the water. It had wedged itself into a narrow gap on the wooden deck floor, and he had found it. Underneath the photo was a text: "Chloe, this looks just like your wedding ring. Did you lose yours?" I first saw this diamond ring during the darkest, most hopeless moment of my life. A horrific car crash had taken both of my parents. I was rushed to the hospital with catastrophic injuries, lingering in the ICU for thirteen agonizing days before doctors pulled me back from the edge. My face was horribly disfigured. My right leg was shattered. As an heiress who had been sheltered her entire life, I couldn't handle the reality. I tried to end my life multiple times, but Julian pulled me back every single time. "Chloe, you still have me." "I used to feel so inferior. I always felt like a nobody who didn't deserve you, which is why I never dared to propose." "Now..." "Will you marry me?" I nodded hysterically through my tears. After our wedding, I couldn't bear to face the world. I hid inside our mansion for years of physical therapy and endured countless painful skin grafts. I handed all of my parents’ wealth, connections, and businesses over to Julian. He handled everything brilliantly. He purchased several luxury cruise liners, and every voyage brought in massive profits. He paid for my exorbitant medical bills without hesitation, ensuring I lived in absolute luxury. The only problem was that each voyage kept him away for eleven months. Hurting for how exhausted he seemed, I begged him to stop going on every trip. He just smiled and shook his head gently. "Chloe, if I'm not on board to supervise, who knows how much the crew and captains will embezzle?" "Once we save up enough, I'll step down completely and stay home to take care of you forever, okay?" While at sea, he texted me every day telling me how much he missed me, attaching breathtaking videos of the ocean. Even when my trauma made me volatile and irritable, he never lost his temper. He always held me with boundless patience. I truly believed that marrying Julian Vance was the greatest blessing of my life. Yet now, watching his intimate silhouette with Vivian against the morning sun, an icy knife twisted in my chest. *Buzz. Buzz.* Seeing that I hadn't replied, Julian called me on FaceTime. I answered, stepping behind the cabin curtain. Through the window, I could see Julian standing on the deck, holding Vivian’s hand with an anxious expression. "Chloe, why aren't you answering my texts?" "Look at the photo I sent you. It looks identical to your wedding ring—it even has our initials engraved inside. Did you lose yours?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yeah. I must have dropped it during my last clinic visit for the skin graft." Julian didn't buy it. "That's impossible! That ring was custom-fitted to your finger. How could it just slip off? Besides, losing something that important—why didn't you tell me?" He paused, his voice turning sharp. "Chloe... are you on this ship?" He dropped Vivian’s hand and frantically scanned the surrounding decks. I watched him from afar, keeping my tone perfectly calm. "You're overthinking, Julian. I'm at home." "Stay safe out there. I'll be waiting for you to come home." Terrified I would lose control of my emotions, I hung up immediately. I had snuck onto this cruise ship hoping to give him a romantic surprise. Now, I knew I couldn't let him find out I was here. Most of this cruise took place in international waters. Making a person disappear out here was dangerously easy. For years, I had suspected that the crash that killed my parents was orchestrated by the Sterling family, our bitter corporate rivals. Julian had spent years consoling me, swearing he was secretly investigating behind the scenes to bring my parents’ killers to justice. And yet now, Vivian Sterling—the woman he claimed to despise the most— Was on his ship. And wrapped in his arms.That evening, I went down to the first-class dining hall to grab some food. I wore a baseball cap, oversized sunglasses, and a medical mask, concealing every inch of my face. Yet somehow, Julian recognized me from my silhouette alone. He rushed over, moving so fast that he completely forgot Vivian was trailing right behind him. "Chloe—" He pulled me into a fierce embrace, his eyes welling with tears. "I knew it was you! I checked the passenger manifest, and there was your name." "Why didn't you tell me?" Startled, I squirmed slightly, but couldn't break free from his grip. "You recognized me like this?" He gently peeled off my mask, smiling warmly. "I've taken care of you for six years. How could I ever fail to recognize my own wife?" His voice was pure tenderness. The love in his eyes—the same look I had cherished for nine years—seemed impossible to fake. Three years of dating, six years of marriage. I had never once doubted his devotion to me. I couldn't understand. Why was there another woman in his life? And why did that woman have to be Vivian Sterling? I didn't dare confront him here. Pretending I hadn't noticed Vivian standing nearby, I reached up and wiped a tear from Julian’s cheek. "Don't cry. My leg has completely healed, so I wanted to come surprise you. We should be celebrating." "The scars on my face still need a few more days of cream to fade, so I wanted to wait until they were gone. I didn't expect you to catch me so soon." I gave him an easy excuse. Julian’s grip loosened slightly, and he let out an imperceptible sigh of relief. Right then, Vivian took a step forward, a sweet smirk playing on her lips. "Chloe! It's been ages!" I looked at her, my fingernails digging into my palms. Instinctively, Julian shifted half a step to block her from my view. I forced a smile through clenched teeth. "Yes. Long time no see." Vivian’s eyes gleamed with malice. "The last time I saw you, you were wrapped up in hospital bandages like a mummy. Look at you now, finally presentable enough to walk among people." "I'm so jealous that Julian pampers you so much. You get to lounge around at home doing nothing." "Unlike me. I have to manage our overseas business ventures. For the past six years, I've spent over five years drifting out on this ocean." Every single moment she spent on the ocean matched Julian’s voyages to the exact day. Before I could snap back, Julian pulled me closer, cutting me off smoothly: "I ran into Vivian by chance on this voyage. We were college classmates after all, so it would’ve been awkward to ignore her. We were just catching up." "Chloe, this is your first time at sea. Let me take you back to my suite so you can rest." "Get some sleep. Tomorrow, I'll wake you up early so we can watch the sunrise together." Back in the stateroom, Julian meticulously applied ointment to my scars. He brought up Vivian on his own accord. "Chloe, I didn't mean to keep her presence a secret from you." "I finished my investigation. Your parents’ crash was truly an unfortunate accident; the Sterlings had nothing to do with it. That's the only reason I allowed her to book a cabin on this line." I put on a bewildered expression. "Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" He took my hand, his eyes filled with earnest sincerity. "What kept you going through your darkest days wasn't just my love—it was your anger, your desire for justice." "I was terrified that if that drive disappeared, you’d become suicidal again. With me being away so often, I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. That's why I hid it..." What he hid was the fact that he never sailed to make money for our family. He sailed simply to get away from me, so he could live openly with Vivian. I had trusted him blindly, never auditing our offshore holdings. Only now did I realize that our family’s main revenue came from our domestic holdings, not these cruise liners. My entire world shattered in a single night. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him pouring a glass of water. With a subtle flick of his fingers, he tapped a pinch of white powder into the glass.A wave of sheer terror crashed over me. I couldn't believe my own eyes. Julian was trying to drug me? The man who saved me from suicide, the husband who nursed me back to health for six years—he wanted me dead? I wasn't imagining things. The white powder dissolved instantly into the clear water. "Didn't you say you were thirsty, sweetie? Drink up." His eyes were still dripping with affection. To me, that gaze had turned demonic. I clutched the cold glass tightly. "Julian, I trust you. Since you cleared Vivian, I must have been paranoid all along. The crash was just an accident." Julian’s smile stiffened for a split second before returning to normal. "I'm glad you see it that way. Never think about hurting yourself again, okay? I can't live without you." "Now drink your water so we can rest. We have to be up by four to catch the sunrise." Even after I backed down, he still wouldn't let me off the hook? His sweet smile felt like venom seeping through my pores, suffocating me. A beat later, a flicker of impatience crossed his eyes. His gentle demeanor hardened. He grabbed the glass and pressed it firmly against my lips, practically forcing it down my throat. I had no choice. We were in international waters. Everyone on this ship answered to him. I took two swallows. Only then did Julian set the glass down and begin softly describing the breathtaking colors of an ocean sunrise. I didn't hear a single word. Muttering that my stomach hurt, I bolted into the bathroom, jammed two fingers down my throat, and threw up everything I had just swallowed. After rinsing my mouth, I walked back out as if nothing had happened. I palmed a small paring knife under my sweater, gripped the handle tight, and slipped into bed next to him. When he tried to pull me into his arms, I turned away. "Let's just sleep. The seasickness is making me dizzy." Soon, his rhythmic breathing turned into light snores. My eyes stayed wide open in the dark. Memories flooded my mind. During those agonizing years when I couldn't even leave my bedroom, Julian had described the oceanic sunrise to me countless times. He made it sound like heaven on earth. He used to say: *Focus on your physical therapy, Chloe. Once you're fully healed, I promise I'll take you out to sea, and we'll watch the sun rise together.* That very promise had kept me fighting through six years of hellish skin grafts and bone surgeries. Along with my thirst for the truth, it was my sole reason for living. And now, that dream was nothing more than ashes. In the dead of night, Julian sat up and whispered softly, "Chloe?" I squeezed the knife under my pillow, holding my breath. In the pitch black, I heard Julian let out a quiet sigh of relief. A second later, the suite door clicked open. Vivian’s voice floated inside: "Julian, is it done?" Julian walked toward her. "Everything's handled." "I did what you asked and put her to sleep with the powder. She won't wake up until noon." Vivian let out a smug chuckle. "Worthless little bitch. Her parents died by my hand, and she actually thought she could play games with me?"It was true. Vivian was the murderer. And they were in this together. In that instant, all fear vanished. Only one thought remained: Even if I died tonight, I would plunge this blade into both their throats and avenge my parents! Just as I prepared to launch myself out of bed and strike while their backs were turned, Julian sighed quietly: "Enough, Vivian." "Chloe has suffered enough. She bought my story and won't come after you anymore. Just treat her like a harmless, docile pet from now on." Vivian scoffed, her voice laced with venom. "What’s that supposed to mean? Don't tell me you actually have feelings for her?" "Vivian, if I had feelings for her, would I drug my own wife just so I could watch the sunrise with you?" "I don't care! You promised me that whenever we're on this ship, your eyes and your heart belong to me alone." Julian’s voice softened into that familiar, indulgent tone. "Stop throwing a tantrum. It's your birthday, so I indulged you tonight. But we can't push our luck." "The Reynolds family fortune is still registered under Chloe's name. I only have power of attorney." "Be patient. Until I finish transferring all the assets into your offshore accounts, we cannot afford to blow our cover..." Their voices grew faint as their footsteps faded down the hallway. Trembling, I dragged myself to the window. Outside, the sun was still hidden, but the pale moonlight cast long, intertwined shadows of their figures on the deck. Julian hadn't planned to kill me tonight. He drugged me simply because this ship belonged to him and Vivian. And on their private sunrise deck, there was no room for me. Fine. As long as I was alive, I had a chance. Over the next two weeks, despite Julian swearing he wouldn't drug me again, Vivian’s whining swayed him every single time. Every night, I waited for him to look away, took a sip of the laced water, snuck to the bathroom to throw it up, and deliberately "overslept" through every dawn. Each morning, Julian would playfully tap my forehead. "Looks like you were built for the sea after all. You sleep deeper on this ship than you do at home. I couldn't even wake you up." I smiled right back. "Whenever I'm with you, I feel completely safe." That used to be true. Those rare months he spent at home were the happiest times of my life. Even now, wrapped in his counterfeit warmth, I found myself slipping into nostalgic illusions. Even though I knew every smile was a calculated performance. I still couldn't wrap my head around it. How could Julian fall for the woman who destroyed my life? Did he catch feelings while investigating her? A few days later, while watching the sunrise on the deck, Vivian developed a light cough. When Julian returned to our suite, his face was clouded with panic. "Chloe, we need to swap cabins. Vivian caught a nasty chill. She needs a warm stateroom with direct sunlight." I froze. He wasn't even pretending anymore. "You want me to give up my master suite to my family’s rival?" I asked, keeping my voice flat. "My immune system is fragile too, Julian. Don't I deserve sunlight?" Julian wrapped his arms around me, coaxing me softly. "Chloe, I told you, your parents’ crash was an accident. It had nothing to do with her." "She's genuinely sick. All the other oceanview suites are fully booked by VIP guests. Yours is the only one available." I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ached. "I am a paying passenger on this ship!" "You're my wife," he countered, his tone turning cold. "You're family." His brow furrowed with mild disgust. "Because of your baseless accusations back home, Vivian’s reputation was dragged through the mud. She was forced to hide out at sea just to escape the slander." "You wronged her, Chloe. This is your chance to make amends." "Be a good girl and move to an interior room. I'll make it up to you once we get home." Words died in my throat. I simply gave a hollow nod. After I moved into the windowless interior cabin, Julian’s patience with me evaporated. His displays of affection with Vivian became utterly brazen. Julian was brilliant—he had to be to run my family’s empire. He had to know his actions would raise red flags. He had to know telling me to "make amends to Vivian" would infuriate me. Yet he didn't care anymore. His obsessive devotion to Vivian had stripped him of every shred of logic and caution. Two months slipped by. In just a few days, the cruise liner would finally make port in a foreign harbor. My original plan was to play along until we docked, establish safety on land, and then strip him of everything he stole. Until my private investigator sent me a file. It contained the complete, unvarnished history between Julian Vance and Vivian Sterling. Reading through the dossier, I dug my nails into my palms until blood dripped onto the floor. Every drop of sorrow and disgust in my veins morphed into pure, unadulterated murderous intent.