The Wedding He Stole From Me

Chapter 5 Left to Drown

The freezing water hit Christina like a wall of ice, stealing her breath in an instant. She thrashed wildly, slapping at the surface and letting out raw, wordless cries in a desperate bid to catch anyone's attention.

But the music inside the private room was deafening. No matter how loudly she struggled, her sounds never reached the party. Water rushed into her lungs again and again until she could barely breathe, yet still no one noticed what was happening at the pool.

On the edge, Bianca stood with her arms folded, watching with triumphant glee.

She threw her head back and laughed. "Christina, you might as well die right now. Once you're gone, no one will ever fight me for Hector again."

Christina stared up at the woman whose eyes burned with pure malice. Rage flared hot in her chest, but she could not utter a single curse. All she could do was watch helplessly as her body grew heavier and heavier, sinking deeper until the dark water swallowed her completely.

Just before everything went black, she heard a loud splash cut through the noise. With the very last of her strength, she forced her eyes open and glimpsed a familiar figure diving straight toward her through the water.

She never got to see the face clearly before darkness pulled her under.

When she woke again, she was lying on the sofa inside the private room. Someone had changed her into dry clothes, but her hair still hung in wet strands, making her look utterly lost and broken.

The waitress who had been keeping watch let out a long breath of relief the moment Christina stirred. "Miss, thank goodness you're awake. I was just about to call for an ambulance if you didn't come around."

Christina rubbed her aching head and signed to her, "Who saved me?"

The waitress could not understand the gestures, so she guessed at the question. "You're asking who pulled you out? That was me. I saw you drowning and jumped straight in. There was a couple nearby, too, but the wife suddenly got terrible stomach pain, so her husband rushed her off to the hospital right away. He didn't have a second to spare for you."

Christina's heart went still. The last tiny spark of hope in her eyes faded to nothing.

This was the man who had changed. She had nearly drowned, and Hector could not even be bothered to save her.

At that moment, the door opened, and Hector stepped inside. Seeing her awake, he exhaled as if a weight had lifted. "Christina, are you okay?"

She shook her head. This time her signs came fast and sharp with anger. "Bianca has hurt me again and again. No matter what you say now, I am calling the police."

Hector's brows drew together even tighter, a flicker of unease in his voice. "Bianca is just spoiled. She throws little tantrums sometimes. Don't take it personally. Besides, I already punished her."

Christina signed back, "How did you punish her?"

Hector answered casually, "I grounded her at home for the whole day. She's not allowed to step outside."

Christina gave a hollow laugh, her eyes filled with quiet, aching sorrow. She signed again, "Hector, have you really forgotten the promise we made? You swore you would never let your family hurt me..."

His expression shifted. A trace of impatience crept into his tone. "But Bianca is my wife in name now. She's the one I'm supposed to protect."

The words dropped like stones into still water, and the whole room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.

Realizing he had gone too far, Hector softened his eyes and lowered his voice. "Christina, you've seen every single day of the pain I've endured at home all these years. That should show you how much I care. Only ten more days until our three-year deal is over. Then I can finally take you away."

Christina simply looked at him, long and deep, without saying a word.

In her heart, she already knew the truth that even when those three years ended, Hector would never truly come back to her.