Chapter 203

A thunderous boom echoed from the sky, jolting Jonathan back to reality. He had never spoken such words in his life.

His tone suddenly calmed. “You shouldn’t have let my mother give birth to me. If you wanted to keep the Bennett family’s wealth, you should have prevented it instead of tormenting a defenseless child.”

Whitney looked surprised. His intense gaze suggested he had figured something out. Whitney mused, "How could that be? I would never let him know!"

"We are destined to be each other's nightmares and shackles. Between us, there can be no other ties." Whitney's expression was chillingly calm as she said, "One minute's up."

Meanwhile, on deck, Cynthia and Nina awoke simultaneously, equally confused. Cynthia quickly assessed their situation. She rushed to the edge of the deck and realized they were on a yacht in the middle of the ocean.

Surrounded by waves and swirling currents, it was completely dark, the wind howling like a hidden monster. The yacht rocked violently; they could barely keep their balance. Nina struggled to stand, clinging to the rail.

"Where are we?" Nina asked, terrified. The darkness felt like an invisible giant hand.

Cynthia said, "Whitney threw us overboard." She recalled being knocked out on the balcony, and assumed Nina had a similar experience. A typhoon was approaching. Whitney had clearly hoped they wouldn't survive.

The wind intensified. A wave crashed beside them, soaking their clothes and chilling them to the bone.

Cynthia said, "Get inside the cabin." The interior was extremely worn and old. Cynthia went to the control room and found everything on the control panel broken, indicating the yacht had been abandoned. The outdated equipment suggested the yacht might fall apart during the typhoon.

Nina realized her predicament. In just 24 hours on the island, she'd experienced three near-death experiences. Whitney clearly wanted her dead.

Nina's voice trembled. "What should we do now?"

Cynthia, finding nothing of use, not even a life ring, sat down, disheartened. "I don't know."

"If Whitney wants us dead, why not just kill us?" Cynthia wondered. "Why leave us stranded at sea?"

A hologram suddenly appeared. Nina exclaimed, "It's Mr. Bennett!"

"Mr. Bennett, help!" Nina shouted.

Jonathan heard their cries. His screen also showed Cynthia and Nina. Simultaneously, Whitney was forcing Jonathan to make a decision—a decision she wanted Nina and Cynthia to witness.

Jonathan took a few quick steps forward, his fingers clenched, his shoulders trembling.

Whitney's tone was casual: "You have only one card to play. Which do you want to trade it for? Decide quickly; your time's running out. Pick one, and I'll bring them back immediately."

Jonathan gritted his teeth. "What about the other one?"

"A typhoon is about to hit and will rage for three days. That area will be the storm's center—survival is unlikely." Even three minutes could feel like an eternity, let alone three days.

Cynthia and Nina overheard, realizing the severity of the situation: Whitney was forcing Jonathan to choose only one to save.

Nina was stunned. Watching Jonathan struggle, she felt curious about his decision. She wondered who he would choose: her, or Cynthia. She had known Jonathan for eight years; Cynthia, less than three. They had relied on each other for eight years. Nina dared not examine the shadow that had appeared in her heart. Perhaps this choice was for the best. If he chose her, there would be no obstacles between them; if he chose Cynthia, she didn't want to live anyway.

She stared unblinkingly at Jonathan on the screen. Cynthia shouted, "Jonathan, don't choose! Don't do it!"

Cynthia knew this was the most difficult choice imaginable. Jonathan had said he didn't have the right to determine life or death, but Whitney was forcing him to endure unimaginable pain. His choice would haunt him forever. That was Whitney's goal: to break him completely.

Cynthia couldn't let Jonathan make the decision; he would be ruined.

Jonathan's gaze remained fixed on Cynthia. Fate had once again pushed him into the storm's eye. He couldn't stand by and watch her perish. He couldn't abandon Nina, betraying the helpless child he once was.

Cynthia rushed onto the deck, Nina following. The boat rocked violently. Cynthia saw tiny specks of light in the distance.

She shouted, "Jonathan!" and jumped into the ocean.