Chapter 4

Dylan blinked in surprise. He handed me the waiver, and after a second’s hesitation, I signed my name at the bottom: *Chloe Miller*.

When I geared up and climbed onto the boat, my hands were clammy. Looking out at the endless expanse of dark blue ocean, a suffocating dread clawed at my throat.

The further we moved from the shore, the faster my heart hammered. Cold sweat slicked my palms.

The trauma hit me in flashing fragments: the fading consciousness, the agonizing gasp as the regulator gave me nothing, the helpless realization that nobody was coming as I sank into the abyss.

After that accident, I hadn't set foot in deep water for three years. Julian had stayed by my side, nursing me through therapy, making me entirely dependent on him.

A warm hand touched my shoulder.

"Hey," Dylan said softly, his voice grounding me. "No rush. Take your time."

I gripped the railing, staring down at the water, and forced my breathing to steady. I ran through the safety protocols in my head, rolled backward over the side, and hit the water. Dylan was right behind me.

Underwater, Dylan reached out and took my gloved hand, giving me an anchor of steady strength. Together, we descended.

The chaotic noise of the world faded into profound silence. Schools of silver fish darted around us as we sank deeper. Dylan stayed close, matching my rhythm.

Thirty meters down, the ocean unveiled its majesty. Brilliant coral gardens, towering rock formations, shimmering schools of tuna circling upwards, and majestic sea turtles gliding by.

And suddenly, the heavy knot in my chest vanished.

Julian truly believed that without him, I could never dive again. He believed I would always be sitting on the shore, waiting for him.

He had forgotten that before I met him, I had been an extreme sports enthusiast preparing for my advanced dive certification.

This suffocating marriage had trapped me for three years. I wasn't going to let it trap me for the rest of my life.

I gave Dylan the thumb-up signal to ascend. Pushing through the water, we executed our safety stops, rising gradually toward the golden sunlight. The ocean felt warm and embracing.

When we broke the surface, Dylan pushed my dive mask up and gently tucked a wet strand of hair behind my ear, grinning.

"You're definitely not a beginner, are you?"

My head was clearer than it had been in years. I smiled back.

"I used to dive for three years. Just took a long break."

He stared at me, momentarily stunned, his expression unreadable behind his mask.

We returned to the shop to return the gear. The moment I walked through the door, I saw Julian sitting on a gear crate, his face dark with fury.

He leaped up, grabbing my wrist.

"I told you to wait for me! Where the hell did you go?"