Chapter 7

Claire turned pale as she saw Brandon fall to the ground several meters away. He groaned in pain, unable to rise. She recovered from her shock and saw her rescuer: a man in a hat, holding a fishing rod. He appeared calm and self-assured.

Claire froze, recognizing him as Gilmore, the man who had been fishing and sleeping on the reef. The fishing rod in Gilmore's hand reminded her of the pole that had knocked Brandon down. Had Gilmore knocked Brandon unconscious with just a fishing rod? Brandon was still unable to get up. Could Gilmore be an expert fighter?

After a moment, Claire regained her composure and said with immense gratitude, "Sir, thank you for saving me!"

Gilmore offered his hand, smiling. "You're welcome. Are you alright?"

Claire shook her head. "I'm okay," she said, but it came out as, "I'm gkay". She took his hand and slowly stood, her injuries limited to a sprained right ankle and a few scratches on her right calf.

In the distance, Brandon lay seriously injured. He remained immobile for a long time, but Gilmore's voice sounded familiar. Raising his head, he snarled, "Gilmore, it's you!"

Claire looked curiously at Gilmore. "Your name is Gilmore? Does he know you?"

Gilmore helped Claire sit on a nearby rock and replied, "I am. He knows me, and I know him. We're enemies. I just didn't expect to run into him doing such a terrible thing."

Hearing that they were enemies, Claire asked wonderingly, "There's enmity between you two?"

Gilmore nodded. "Yeah, but thanks to this bastard, I saw the true colors of a certain woman."

"A woman?" Claire remembered something. "Did this jerk steal your girlfriend?"

Gilmore frowned, a pained expression crossing his face. "Yeah, Brandon did that yesterday," he said.

"Is your girlfriend Tiffany?" Claire asked quickly.

Gilmore looked surprised. "How did you know?"

Claire gazed at Brandon. "I caught this bastard and Tiffany committing adultery at the Hilton Hotel last night." She turned to Gilmore. "I've avenged you. The business dealings between my family and his company have been terminated. Without our supplies, his company will face bankruptcy!"

Pleasantly surprised, Gilmore took Claire's hands. "Really? Thank you so much."

Claire was slightly embarrassed but not upset. She pulled her hands away. "It's okay. I was his girlfriend, a victim just like you."

Gilmore nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, we're both victims, but don't worry. I will protect you. He can't hurt you anymore."

Claire fell silent, noticing the increasingly intimate tone of their conversation. Quickly regaining her composure, she said, "Thank you for saving me."

"You sprained your ankle. I'll take you to the hospital," Gilmore offered sincerely.

Claire hesitated. "Call the police first! Get this bastard arrested."

"Don't worry. I called the police before saving you. They should arrive soon," Gilmore said. "And I recorded Brandon trying to kill you. This video is enough evidence."

Claire was stunned. Gilmore had called the police before saving her and recorded the crime? How? It usually takes three people to accomplish all that.

As if reading her thoughts, Gilmore smiled. "I was filming the scenery and happened to capture the incident. I called the police immediately."

Of course, Gilmore hadn't actually been filming the scenery. He'd foreseen the entire event – his eyelid twitched the previous night, giving him a premonition of Brandon's attack on Claire. He'd known where and when to be to save her.

Brandon's attempt to kill Claire was more than just a crime of opportunity for Gilmore – his enemy was attempting to murder his former girlfriend's father’s business rival and girlfriend. This was personal. Therefore, he'd been fishing near Claire's house to intercept Brandon. He'd anticipated every detail of the crisis and even recorded it before calling the police.

Gilmore, naturally, didn't reveal his precognitive abilities. Claire accepted his explanation, though she remained skeptical.

Brandon, hearing that Gilmore had called the police and filmed everything, snarled, "Gilmore, damn it! I'll kill you!"

He struggled to rise, but the pain from his broken ribs sent him back down. Gilmore approached, squatting down. Smiling, he whispered, "Brandon, you're bold to try murdering the daughter of the Carter Group. Just wait for your life sentence!"

Brandon, eyes wide, panted, "Gilmore, you're dead. You set me up! I'll have my revenge!"

Gilmore sneered. "The dignified son of the Wilsons is in such a sorry state. Pathetic!" He stood and returned to Claire.

"Your foot is injured. I'll carry you to the doctor," he offered sincerely.

Claire lowered her eyes. "You don't have to carry me. I can walk"

Before she finished, she was lifted into his arms. Their eyes met. Gilmore beamed. "If I don't carry you, I can pick you up in my arms, right?"

Claire blushed deeply. Just then, Brandon howled in rage.

(The final line about the website promotion has been removed as it's not part of the story.)