From the deck above came Adrian Ashford's voice, shrill with panic, pitched almost like a command.
"Leave her! Save Winslow first. You must save Winslow!"
In that moment, every last thread of hope collapsed.
Seawater flooded my nose and mouth. I choked, unable to breathe. My strength drained away degree by degree, and the cold sank into my bones.
When the next wave broke over me, I had no strength left to surface.
Consciousness sank into the dark.
In the end, it was the rescue crew from the cruiser who pulled me out of the water.
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed.
Unlike Adrian Winslow, who was surrounded by a ring of anxious Family members and compound staff, my bedside was empty.
The doctor making rounds saw that I was awake. He flipped through my chart, went quiet for a moment, and let out a soft sigh.
"You just had a miscarriage and then went into the water. If you don't rest properly, there will be lasting damage."
"I understand. Thank you, doctor."
I answered in a low voice and lowered my eyes. He gave a few more instructions, then left the room.
He had barely reached the doorway when he brushed past Julian Moretti standing just outside.
Julian walked in and sat down beside my bed. He didn't say a word. He just watched me, still and silent.
My heartbeat spiked. I had no idea how long he'd been standing out there, or how much he'd heard.
I didn't speak. Neither did he.
The air seemed to congeal. It stayed that way for a long time before he broke the silence, his voice low.
"Adrian Winslow is my wife, after all. So I went to her first…"
When I heard that, something in my chest actually loosened.
So he hadn't arrived early enough to hear what the doctor said.
As for who he chose to save first, I only nodded. My expression was calm.
"Of course. Brother-in-law."
The address made him visibly freeze. Something flickered behind his eyes, quick and unsteady.
"You never wanted to call me that before."
"I do now." My tone was flat. I didn't even look at him. "I've accepted it. The fact that no one loves me."
The words were quiet. Perfectly calm.
And because they were too calm, there was nothing he could say against them.
He looked like something had lodged in his throat. For a long time, he couldn't get a single word out. Finally, he managed.
"There's still my brother… He loved you."
I laughed.
I laughed for a long time.