I shook my head and eagerly pulled out a coconut laced with sleeping drugs.
"I was just worried you’d be thirsty, so I got you a coconut." I deliberately showed him my injured finger, as if I’d hurt myself while opening it.
Jaren took my hand, his brows furrowing. "Does it hurt?"
His eyes filled with distress, and his guard visibly dropped.
I urged him to drink quickly, asking if it was sweet enough.
A look of gratitude flooded his face. He downed the coconut water in one gulp. Moments later, his vision blurred, and he reached out for me.
I yanked my hand away and ran without looking back.
Ignoring the pain in my leg, I sprinted toward the escape route I had planned.
The drug’s effects wouldn’t last long so I had to leave before he woke up.
—
Meanwhile, Jaren woke up and realized Reese was gone.
At first, he was in disbelief. Then, panic set in as he searched frantically for her.
After a while, reality hit him—Reese was escaping.
He grabbed his phone and called his contacts on the mainland.
"Reese is missing! Activate the satellite tracking system and find her!"
Just then, a group of people arrived at the cave, stopping him.
They were sent by Suzzette.
Jaren frowned in confusion. "Why are you here?"
"The young miss sent us to retrieve you. A week ago, the meteorological system detected an incoming tsunami. We’re here to evacuate you."
"Impossible! Why didn’t I know about this?"
Then, realization struck him—Reese's area of study in university was meteorology.
"Find Reese! We have to find her!"
One of the men grabbed his arm. "Calm down! The tsunami is coming—if we don’t leave now, we’re all going to die!"
"No! If Reese isn’t leaving, then I’m not leaving either!"
The satellite system locked onto her location.
At the same time, Reese spotted them.
"Reese, come back!" Jaren shouted behind me.
Her mind went blank.
But one thing was clear—if they caught her, she would be imprisoned on this island forever.
Summoning every ounce of strength, she ran toward the edge of the cliff.
Waves crashed violently below.
The moment the next wave surged upward—she jumped, letting the tsunami swallow her whole.
