Chapter 2 The Man Who Saved Me From Dealth

• “Pull the rope ladder up! Don’t let her climb back up!”
• Struggling desperately, I tried to grab the rope ladder hanging over the side of the yacht to climb back aboard, but Julian’s voice, cold as though it had come straight from the depths of hell, reached my ears.
• The rope ladder quickly disappeared from my sight before I could even reach it.
• I looked up in bewilderment, only to see him gently holding Camille in his arms, not even sparing me a glance.
• As though I were nothing more than a stranger unworthy of his concern.
• Meanwhile, the guests aboard the yacht calmly looked down at me, casually mocking me and discussing me as though I were nothing more than a joke.
• “Vivian, hurry up and find the bracelet. Why are you just swimming there?”
• “Everything will be over once you find it, so hurry up!”
• “Otherwise, just swim back here, kneel down, and apologize to Camille!”
• Every word pierced through the darkness of the night, leaving me chilled to the bone. The icy seawater kept flooding into my mouth, while my evening gown tangled tightly around my legs, making it nearly impossible for me to breathe.
• My cries for help caught in my throat, I gritted my teeth and swam in the opposite direction, toward the shore.
• I truly did not want to die here, and even less could I afford to stake my life on Julian.
• I had to save myself!
• Wave after wave crashed against me, making my lungs ache as though they were about to burst, yet I continued struggling through the water.
• The vast expanse of the sea seemed almost endless. I kept swimming, yet I could not see the shore anywhere, while my strength rapidly drained away.
• My legs suddenly cramped violently, the pain draining what little strength I had left until my entire body began sinking toward the bottom of the sea.
• No, I couldn’t die like this!
• I struggled desperately, kicking against the water, but my body no longer obeyed me. The laughter and voices from the yacht grew farther and farther away, yet I could hear the sound of an engine drawing closer and closer.
• Perhaps it was merely an illusion born from my utter despair.
• In the final moment before I disappeared completely beneath the surface, I suddenly thought that perhaps this was the price I had to pay for loving the wrong man.
• I had once gone against my family for Julian and endured those years of hardship with him. Yet after he finally succeeded, he pushed me into the sea simply because of another woman’s baseless accusation.
• A tear mingled with the icy seawater, and I gave a weary, bitter laugh. However, I suddenly saw a luxurious speedboat appear within my line of sight, speeding toward me at incredible speed.
• “Help! Help me!”
• Clenching my hand into a fist, I used the last of my strength to wave for help, my throat choked with bitterness and hoarse. The light from the speedboat drew closer and closer, illuminating me.
• My eyes lit up. I desperately struggled in the sea despite the waves of pain shooting through my injured leg, but my body continued sinking deeper.
• In the end, perhaps I still wouldn’t make it.
• I struggled desperately as I finally sank beneath the surface.
• Then, in the final moment before I completely disappeared beneath the water, a hand suddenly reached through the water and seized my wrist tightly.
• Then, my body was violently pulled forward.
• Hunched over and coughing violently, I vaguely looked around, only to realize that I had been pulled onto the speedboat.
• “Vivian!”
• A familiar, handsome face leaned close to me with a mocking smile.
• “So..."
• His deep, husky voice rang clearly in my ears.
• “This is the happy life you chose with the man you once fought tooth and nail to marry, even cutting ties with your own family?”