33

Francesca

I WAS SURE I would die that night.

For the first few hours, I explored the yacht. The ship was incredible, with no detail or expense spared. I saw all the bedrooms, the living areas, the bathrooms. Only one room remained locked, and I assumed it was Faust's office. The crew nodded politely, and I quickly realized they didn't speak much English. When I asked for a snack, they brought me more prosecco.

I ended up going back to the pool deck, where I found bottled water in the minibar. They brought me dinner, which was an amazing shrimp and lobster pasta dish that I wanted to eat every day for the rest of my life. Then I watched the sun set over the water, wishing I had a phone to call my sisters.

Wait, there had to be a phone on the boat, right? Fausto received a call at one point.

Wandering to find a crew member, I asked about a phone, putting my hand to my ear. He shook his head. — No, signorina. Sta nell'ufficio .

— Office?

He beckoned me closer and led me to the locked doo