hapter 4
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I quickly opened the hidden hatch on the small boat before the bomb could fully go off. I dove down as fast as I could, hoping to
minimize the impact. But even submerged, the explosion hit me like a punch to the gut, slamming me deeper into the water.
My stomach contracted sharply, and I choked on several mouthfuls of seawater.
The world threatened to fade to black.
The water was too deep; I fought desperately for the surface, exhaling in relief when I finally saw a glimmer of light above.
I looked up and saw the cruise ship was nothing more than a faint dot in the distance.
Great. I looked at the sun, a relieved smile finally spreading across my face. They wouldn’t be able to find me.
I surrendered my body to the current, drifting for an unknown duration before the waves finally deposited me onto the shore.
I collapsed face–down on the sand, my head reeling.
I struggled to focus, to get my bearings.
But before I could even begin to take in my surroundings, a pair of canvas shoes appeared before me.
“Oh my, how did you end up here?”
It sounded like a middle–aged woman. She grabbed my arm and tried to help me up.
“Peter! Come help me, quick!”
Another pair of footsteps approached.
In a daze, I felt myself being hoisted onto a three–wheeled cart and taken to a small brick house.
The woman laid me down on a bed and touched my forehead.
“She’s burning up!”
She frantically tried to bring down my fever. By the time she was done, I finally regained some clarity and gave her a weak smile.
“Thank you…”
The woman leaned closer.
“I’m Eva Abbott. Just call me Eva. That’s my husband, Peter Curtis.”
I nodded and slowly sat up with her help.
Eva asked if I wanted to contact my family. I nodded, and she handed me a phone.
I called Cecilia.
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Chapter 4
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As soon as she picked up, I smiled and said, “It worked.”
We’d successfully pulled off my fake death right in front of Terence. He would never guess that Cecilia was the cruise ship’s
engineer. She was the one who designed the hidden hatch in the small boat.
Both the bomb and its accompanying threat letter were our handiwork. In fact, my arrival on this island was a predetermined
course we set.
Cecilia eagerly said, “Alright, get some rest on the island. Catch the train out later.”
“Got it.” I ended the call and glanced at the date on the phone.
The ten days ahead would be enough for me to recover before I left for good.
Back on the cruise ship, most people still had no clue what Bethany’s prank was all about. They were still cheering when the small boat suddenly blew up before their eyes.
“Holy crap, the effect of that revenge was intense!”
“Do you think Ariana would pass out from the shock?”
“Probably…”
“Shut up!” Terence gripped the railing tightly, his eyes bloodshot.
“This is a real explosion! Call the police! Hurry up!”
Bethany’s face turned pale. The scissors in her hand clattered to the floor. She kept muttering to herself, “It wasn’t me… It wasn’t
me…”
The others were still somewhat dazed. However, they were utterly dumbfounded after seeing Bethany’s and Terence’s reactions.
Shaking, Bethany took out her phone to call the rescue team.
Terence was afraid that they wouldn’t arrive in time. His heart sank, and he dove into the water without hesitation.
“Terence!”
A chorus of shouts erupted from the deck.
“Are you insane?”
However, Terence couldn’t care less. He had never felt panic like this. He never meant for me to die.
The flames on the boat were still raging. He shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Ariana! Are you there?”
No one answered.
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Chapter 4
Another explosion erupted.
Terence didn’t have time to dodge. The blast sent him flying backward. He coughed hard before forcing himself to keep swimming forward.
All he saw were shattered fragments of the boat. He couldn’t help but think if I were blown to pieces too.
Terence didn’t dare finish that thought. He dove underwater after taking a deep breath.
He forced his eyes open, desperate to catch even a shadow of mine.
However, the seabed was too clear. There was nothing there.
Suddenly, Terence’s eyes began to sting. He could no longer tell if what blurred his vision was seawater or tears.
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