"Milo, have you forgotten what I told you the other day? She refused the Thompson Family project, which was worth over ten billion, and she rejected it outright."
Dakota pulled out her phone. "This time I didn't just record audio, I filmed it too. Before, I didn't dare show you, afraid it would affect your relationship. But now you have to see this."
Milo looked at the video, his expression turning dark and frightening.
"Milo, I'm afraid she's not after me at all; she's after you. She can swim; she's just waiting for you to come so she can drown you."
Dakota looked toward me. "Her heart hasn't been with you for a long time. Think about it, why would the young master of the Thompson family give our company that ten-billion-dollar project? Wasn't it to make up for stealing Alia from you?"
"Alia doesn't even want to give you that compensation; she wants to treat the company as her dowry, a pledge of loyalty to the Thompson Family."
Dakota's voice grew colder. "My instincts say killing you today is her real goal."
Milo looked at me in silence, his gaze cold. My cries for help grew weaker.
"If she doesn't die, she'll probably think of other ways," Dakota said softly, softly on purpose so Milo could still hear. And he did hear.
His gaze grew colder, and he stepped toward me.
Behind him, Dakota softly reminded, "Milo, be careful."
Calm… I had to stay calm…
I shouted it in my heart, but with my leg cramping, my stomach hurting more and more, and the despair of knowing no one would save me, I couldn't stay calm at all.
Suddenly, my phone rang.
The urgent ringtone pulled me back a little. The phone inside the waterproof pouch gave me a small spark of hope. Who was calling?
Seeing the contact name, I quickly answered.
"Alia, we… we're also near the beach where you're playing. Don't worry, we stayed at the hotel and didn't come over. We just want to see you, even for a moment. Is that okay?"
“Save me… save me…” I used the last of my strength to cry out.
"Alia, what's wrong?"
"Don't be afraid, your dad and I will come right away."
A worried voice came from the phone, followed by a loud shout. "Melvin, our daughter's in trouble!"
They had abandoned me back then; would they save me now?
They should… right?
I had to stay calm. As long as I held on, I still had a chance to live.