Chapter 3

"Splash!" Water exploded in the pool as Kiera fell in, her fancy evening gown becoming a trap. The complicated dress tangled around her in the water, leaving her completely unable to move.

Kiera started screaming, her arms frantically slapping the water surface as she cried out in terror: "Help! Caspian! Help!"

Evelyn stood at the pool's edge, watching Kiera struggle in the water, her mind going completely blank.

The next second, urgent footsteps came from behind.

Caspian rushed out. He quickly glanced to the side, clearly checking who had fallen in.

Kiera's miserable screams rang out again: "Help!"

Caspian smoothly took off his suit jacket, kicked off his leather shoes, and dove into the pool without hesitation.

Water splashed across Evelyn's face. The icy pool water slid down her cheeks as her hands and feet had already gone cold with fear.

During those three years when she was hunted by drug lords, she almost got caught by a mercenary once.

That mercenary was arrogant and cruel, skilled in torture. He wrapped an anchor around her waist and hung her from a boat. As the boat rocked, she was tortured to the point of mental breakdown through repeated suffocation.

Fortunately, her mother briefly regained consciousness that day and called the police, saving her from the mercenary's hands. Since then, she became extremely afraid of water.

Though she wasn't in the water now, fear had already gripped her. Her whole body was stiff, completely unable to move.

Evelyn's vision was already becoming blurry, but somehow the image of Caspian and Kiera in the water was especially clear.

She saw Caspian swimming hard toward Kiera in the water, tightly wrapping his arm around her waist, struggling to lift her above the surface.

Kiera nervously wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed against Caspian's chest, sobbing: "Caspian, I'm so scared. She pushed me. It was Evelyn who pushed me."

Caspian looked back at Evelyn on the shore, his eyes carrying some knowing resentment, as if he had always known she would do this. In his eyes, she had become a cruel woman who didn't care about others' lives.

Evelyn opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat was completely blocked by fear. She couldn't make a sound.

She could only stand there, watching Caspian carry Kiera to shore, watching him gently wrap her shivering body, watching him lower his head and kiss her forehead, gentle just like when he dated Evelyn at 18: "It's okay now, I'm here."

The two embraced without restraint, their kisses moving lower, tongues tangled together. The guests who came following the sound cheered this sweet love, and no one noticed Evelyn trembling all over.

Evelyn silently repeated words to comfort herself, going over and over just two names - her mother's name, and Caspian.

Except now, her lover had long become someone else's comfort. She turned to leave, but felt a strong push from behind. Her feet slipped—

"Splash!"

Before falling into the water, she saw Kiera in Caspian's arms flash her a nasty, smug smile.

Did Kiera want her to clearly see the difference in how Caspian treated them? She couldn't help but smile bitterly. Water rushed in from all directions, flooding into her nose, mouth, and ears.

Her fear kicked in. Terror made her unable to even move her body simply. She could only let herself sink like a stone.

The pool water was icy cold. She felt like her lungs had become a sponge being squeezed tight by a big hand. Even breathing became painful.

She struggled to lift her head. Through the water surface, she could only see blurry lights and figures.

Caspian was holding and comforting Kiera. A few guests who had just arrived stood at the pool's edge pointing and talking. No one came into the water to save her.

She didn't want to die and wanted to call for help, but only countless bubbles came from her mouth. Water took this chance to flood into her organs again.

She slowly sank toward the bottom of the pool, her vision becoming blurry.

When she regained consciousness, someone was pressing on her chest. Sharp pain spread from her ribs throughout her body. Under the heavy pressure, she suddenly coughed up a large mouthful of water.

"She's awake! She's awake!"

Evelyn opened her eyes and saw a paramedic kneeling beside her. She was lying on the cold ground by the pool, soaking wet, hair stuck to her face, wrapped in a towel someone had thrown over.

She turned her head with difficulty and saw Caspian standing not far away, still holding Kiera.

Kiera was wrapped in a blanket, her face pale, looking pitiful as she leaned against Caspian. Their intimate position was somewhat glaring.

"Caspian," Evelyn called out hoarsely, her voice so small it was barely audible. This was completely instinctive. She hadn't expected that when feeling wronged and hurt, this name would still slip out.

Caspian's gaze fell on Evelyn, but only for a moment before he quickly looked away.

The ambulance came, and she and Kiera were sent to the hospital together.

Kiera was arranged by Caspian in a VIP room, while Evelyn was casually placed on a temporary bed in the hallway.

Evelyn curled up on the bed, only daring to take small breaths. The nurse who examined her earlier said her ribs might be broken.

She was covered in bruises. Through her clothes, she gently touched the scar left from her previous kidney donation surgery. The wound suddenly felt a bit itchy.

She carefully lifted her clothes to look. The scar was swollen and ugly after being soaked in cold water.

Maybe this was heaven warning her? Telling her to let go of the past.

Evelyn didn't care and put her clothes back down. She turned over with difficulty, listening to the nurses gossiping: "That woman fell into the pool herself? I heard she pushed someone."

"She doesn't look like that kind of mean woman."

"Who knows? Rich people's business."

Evelyn swallowed the painkillers the nurse had prescribed earlier and fell into a drowsy sleep.

At 2 AM, a nurse hurried over and woke her up: "Evelyn? Kiera suddenly slit her wrists trying to commit suicide. She needs an emergency blood transfusion. Her blood type is very rare, and you're the only match. Please come with me."

Actually, Evelyn wasn't given a chance to refuse. The nurse grabbed her and dragged her to the blood donation room.

Caspian was already waiting at the door. He had changed into clean clothes, but had dark circles under his eyes. He must have stayed with Kiera all night.

As soon as Caspian saw her, his tone was hostile: "You bitch, how far are you going to hurt Kiera before you're satisfied?"

"You threatened her, framed her, and now you've driven her to suicide! You're completely unreasonable. You're still useful to Kiera right now, so I won't deal with you yet. After you donate blood, I'll teach you a good lesson!"

Caspian wasn't a jerk who couldn't tell right from wrong. He was just blinded by love. Or perhaps there was also hatred for her at work, turning him into an irrational fool who couldn't think independently.

Evelyn was too tired to argue. She nodded coldly, accepting his threat.

She obediently followed the nurse's instructions and lay down, beginning the pre-donation physical exam - blood pressure, medical history, blood test.

Since she had promised to give Kiera a satisfactory birthday gift, she might as well play this scene well according to her script.

Let Kiera have a healthy body, let Caspian have no place for her in his heart.

A few minutes later, the doctor frowned at the test results: "Mrs. Drake, you're missing a kidney? And your hemoglobin levels are low. You have a history of major blood loss. Blood donation is not recommended."

Caspian looked at her in shock, trying to stay calm as he asked: "What do you mean missing a kidney?"

Evelyn's heart suddenly raced. She bit her lip. She couldn't let him know that kidney was donated to him. She couldn't let him know the truth, or he would investigate, would learn about her father, would get involved in the drug lords' hunt for her.

Now, this truth also involved Kiera. If he found out, Kiera's happiness would be ruined too.

She had already decided to fake her death and leave. She couldn't be so selfish as to make these two people bear the consequences of the past alone.

Evelyn's mind raced, trying to find a suitable reason. But before she could speak, Caspian suddenly realized and snorted coldly: "What, to avoid donating blood, are you planning to make up a lie about missing a kidney? Or are you trying to tell me that the person who donated a kidney to me back then was you?"