Chapter 8

• When they arrived, Desiree grabbed her arm and ran toward the lake, speaking in short, frantic bursts.
• "Barbra's ex followed her back from overseas, begging to get back together. My brother got mad and fought with him. Barbra didn't stop it, she even egged him on. She threw a necklace in the lake and said whoever could get it, she'd be with them.
• "Her ex jumped in after it. And my brother followed. The lake's way too deep, even pros won't dive in there. A bunch of people tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. Vilma, please, you have to help me, he's my only brother!"
• With each word, Vilma's silence deepened.
• She wanted to tell Desiree that if this was about Barbra, not even a hundred pleas could make Frederic change his mind. But seeing the fear in Desiree's eyes, Vilma couldn't bring herself to say it.
• When they reached the lake, Frederic was already in a wetsuit, preparing to dive in.
• Barbra's ex had already disappeared beneath the surface. Frederic's expression darkened as he watched, his movements growing more urgent.
• His friends surrounded him, shouting warnings.
• "This lake's too deep! There's no way to find the necklace, it's pointless!"
• "Is she really worth this? Frederic, think about it!"
• But Frederic didn't listen. He snapped on his oxygen mask, pushing through the crowd, intent on diving in.
• Desiree couldn't hold back anymore. She rushed forward, grabbing his arm desperately. "For her, you're willing to die? Brother, have you thought about me? About Mom and Dad? About Vilma? If you go, I'll lose you!"
• The atmosphere froze.
• Frederic stopped, turning to look at his sister, his gaze firm.
• After a long, tense moment, he reached out, gently taking her hand. His voice was low, barely above a whisper. "I'll be back. Don't tell Mom and Dad. And don't tell Vilma."
• With that, he pried her fingers off one by one and, without a second thought, dove into the water.
• Vilma stood a distance away, her fists clenched, watching the ripples spread across the surface.
• The quiet around her was unsettling, until suddenly, someone's soft laugh broke the silence. It was Barbra.
• With a smug, almost arrogant air, she walked up to Vilma, her smile full of superiority. "He loves me," Barbra said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "He's willing to die for me. Vilma, what do you have that I don't?"
• "Barbra, you're playing with someone's life like it's a game. You're sick. Get yourself some help!" Seeing Barbra flaunt her victory, Desiree, so furious she could hardly breathe, suddenly lunged at her and slapped her across the face.
• Barbra, stunned, had never been treated like this before. She was about to retaliate when the crowd quickly pulled the two apart.
• Vilma stepped in, helping Desiree regain control. It took a long while, but eventually, Desiree settled, staring blankly at the monitor screen.
• An hour passed. Barbra's ex, who had run out of oxygen, finally resurfaced, gasping for air. The lakeside, once calm, erupted in a flurry of anxious movement as everyone searched the water, hoping to spot Frederic.
• Five minutes passed. Still no sign of him. The oxygen in his tank was nearly gone, and panic started to set in.
• But Vilma remained eerily calm.
• She called the rescue team, pleading with them to assist. Soon, several professional divers plunged into the lake.
• Another ten minutes ticked by. Desiree was close to breaking down, and even Barbra, who had been so carefree before, now looked nervous, her face pale and drawn.
• Vilma's face was as stoic as ever, but her fingers dug painfully into her palms.
• Around them, Barbra's friends, who had once been excited to watch the drama unfold, began to murmur in quiet despair, "It's over... they've been out of oxygen for so long... it's not looking good."
• "If something happens, you think the Warren family will just let us walk away?"
• "It's not our fault. He chose to risk it all for Barbra."
• Before they could say more, a sound broke the eerie silence of the water.
• Several rescuers appeared, dragging Frederic's unconscious body toward the shore.
• The crowd surged forward, desperately trying to help pull him out of the water.
• Frederic was on the edge of losing consciousness. When they removed his oxygen mask, his pale face sent a chill through the crowd. Desiree and his brothers blinked back tears.
• But Frederic, his hand pressed to his chest, locked eyes with Barbra. "I... found it... the necklace..."
• With trembling fingers, he raised his right hand.
• In the late afternoon sunlight, the diamond necklace sparkled, catching the light like a star—blinding, dazzling, and too bright.
• Frederic's gaze never left Barbra's. He didn't notice Vilma standing just a few feet away, watching him, seeing the depth of his devotion to someone else.