Chapter 34: Drowning On Purpose
He worried something might happen to Raylee. While genuinely hoping she was okay, he couldn't ignore the jealousy gnawing at him. He never imagined things would escalate so far. If Samuel hadn't stopped him, he would have jumped in much earlier.
“Cough, cough…”
After about five minutes of artificial respiration, Raylee gasped, coughing violently. Her eyelids felt heavy as lead. It took immense effort to pry them open; everything remained a blurry haze. Her heart pounded relentlessly, a sharp, burning pain radiating from her lungs, as if scalding water had been poured inside. Slowly, her vision cleared.
A wave of cold washed over her. Shivering, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. As she saw the people looming over her, their expressions unreadable, fear flickered in her eyes. Without thinking, she cried out, “Help me!”
“It’s okay now, Raylee. Don’t be afraid,” Jeremiah reassured her. He grabbed his blazer, draped it over her shoulders, and pulled her into a firm embrace. His warmth helped steady her heartbeat; the terror slowly faded.
Memories trickled back. Her gaze landed on Samuel, frozen, looking lost and overwhelmed. Instantly, rage flared in her chest. She had once known how to swim, but four years in District Nine Prison had stripped her of that skill. Bound hand and foot, she had been thrown into the sea repeatedly, forced to endure the torment of drowning.
The agony was unbearable, a cycle of suffering that made her wish for death. Every memory felt like a blade slicing through her flesh. Even the sight of deep water now sent ice-cold fear coursing through her veins. That night, seeing the swimming pool, she wanted only to escape.
Never had she imagined Samuel would push her in and then prevent anyone from saving her!
“Samuel!” Raylee roared.
Samuel tensed, his guilt evident, but lacked the courage to approach.
“Raylee, don’t be mad at Samuel!” Waverly’s eyes were red. “He really thought you could swim; that’s why he didn’t jump in!”
“You do know how to swim! I saw your high school medals at home. I don’t understand why you pretended not to…” She hesitated. “No matter what, I’m siding with Samuel. He didn’t do anything wrong!”
Samuel felt gratitude toward Waverly. “Waverly, don’t worry. I’ll handle this,” he assured her gently, taking slow steps toward Raylee.
Facing her, his expression showed little remorse, mostly confusion. “I thought you were faking it, so I ignored you.” His brows furrowed. “I still don’t get it. You obviously knew how to swim—why did you suddenly forget?”
“How else was she supposed to get Mr. Lorimer’s sympathy?” Shanice sneered. “Mr. Lorimer, don’t let her fool you. She’s pretending to drown just to make you rescue her! This woman is a master manipulator. Don’t let her play you.”
“Why don’t you try drowning yourself on purpose?” Jeremiah’s voice was ice-cold, barely masking his fury. His gaze was sharp.
Shanice shuddered, visibly rattled.
Sensing the rising tension, Casimir stepped in. “Mr. Lorimer, please don’t be upset. My sister speaks without thinking. I hope you can forgive her.”
“Forgive her?” Jeremiah scoffed. “That’s God’s job. Mine is to send her to meet Him.”
Before anyone could react, two bodyguards shoved Shanice into the pool. She couldn’t swim. Panic-stricken, she flailed, screaming for help. Casimir instinctively moved to dive in, but the bodyguards blocked him.
Waverly trembled. She couldn’t swim either. She shrank behind Samuel, barely daring to breathe.
Jeremiah’s gaze flicked toward Waverly. “I’ll let you off for now. I still need you to take your brother to the hospital.”
Samuel’s expression darkened. “Mr. Lorimer, what the hell is that supposed to mean? You want to fight me here and now?”
Seething, his gaze snapped back to Raylee. His logic was twisted, but he stood by it. “Would we have fought? Would I have accidentally pushed you into the pool if you hadn’t insisted on keeping that pink diamond? You think you’ve got it made now, huh? With Jeremiah backing you up, you’re making life hell for me on purpose!”