Chapter 1

Splash!

As I was thrown roughly into the sea, cheers erupted from the cruise ship's deck. Applause and shouts of approval filled the air, yet no one seemed concerned if I would make it back alive.

I flailed desperately, and my limbs thrashed in the water as I opened my mouth and tried to scream for help. However, all I swallowed was salty seawater.

"Help… Please, help me…"

My desperate cries only entertained them. My cries were a thrill to make their night even more exciting. Some even tossed pieces of bread and wine into the water, laughing so hard they doubled over.

In their eyes, I wasn't a person drowning in the sea but a spectacle for their amusement.

Soon, my limbs grew heavy, my legs cramped, and I started to sink.

In my haze, I saw two people on the deck, watching.

One of them had once given me new life, and now he was gazing at my struggle with a blank expression.

The other had promised to be kind to me forever, yet now he was holding another woman in his arms with the same twisted mirth on his face as everyone else.

Mockery, scorn, and derision.

To him, I was merely a plaything.

I felt so tired, both physically and emotionally. All I wanted was to let go and rest. The undulating sea felt like the comforting embrace of my mother's arms when I was a child, rocking me to sleep.

With a faint smile, I slowly closed my eyes. Here, in her embrace, I didn't have to hear their mocking laughter or wonder if anyone truly cared. I just needed to close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

But even this safe harbor was fleeting.

Murmured voices pulled me back, and when I opened my eyes, I was blinded by the white surroundings.

My mind was blank. I couldn't remember anything, not even who I was.

Then, the voices around me changed tone.

"The patient is awake. Notify Mr. Cooper and Mr. Reed immediately."

"Run another check on her, and prepare her for further treatment."

I lay there on the bed and let them move me as they needed. Someone offered me a bit of water, and the dryness in my throat eased. Gradually, my mind cleared.

I remembered I'd attended Rebecca Greene's birthday cruise party as Jonathan Cooper's date.

In her usual thrill-seeking fashion, Rebecca had proposed a gamble between Jonathan Cooper and William Reed: the loser's date would be tossed into the sea for five minutes, without any safety measures.

Whether one of us would live or die was left entirely to chance.

While Rebecca loved her dangerous games, I didn't want any part of her madness, let alone wager my life. But to appease her twisted desire, Jonathan and William had both held me down and agreed.

I had looked at Jonathan, silently pleading for him to come to his senses. To my dismay, he hadn't spared me a glance, focusing solely on his cards.

I'd turned to William, hoping for some mercy, but he only had eyes for Rebecca.

He had smirked and chuckled at me. "Don't be scared, Cherry. Who knows? Maybe Jonathan will win this last round."

Two rounds had already passed, and each had scored one. All my hope rested on this final hand—I would have given up every ounce of luck I had left to be spared.

But in the end, Jonathan laid down his cards in defeat.

Gasps of disbelief rippled through the crowd, and I, too, was wide-eyed. Jonathan was known for his relentless drive to win, yet he had surrendered.

For the first time, he had uttered, "I give up."

William had snickered. "Sorry, Cherry. Looks like I won."

Any last bit of hope had drained from me, leaving my heart feeling cold and heavy as stone.

Rebecca had clapped her hands, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Sorry, Ms. Davis, but it looks like you're going for a swim tonight. Make way, everyone—I want the best view."

Two bodyguards had seized me, one on each side, and as they dragged me past Jonathan, I had clung to his sleeve and begged, "Jon, I can't swim. Please, don't do that."

But Jonathan had just looked at me calmly and covered my hand for a brief moment.

"Cherry, I lost. I have to accept the punishment."

It was the middle of summer, yet a deep chill had overtaken me.

I had been thrown overboard, plunging from the cruise ship into the water. The impact had jolted my mind, and a piercing ache had throbbed in my temples as I struggled to breathe.

And those two people—the ones I had believed would be there for me my entire life—had looked on, detached and almost entertained.

At that moment, I had felt an overwhelming sense of despair I'd never known before.