Chapter 5

"By the way," Ethan said carelessly, "about that yellow diamond ring. Once Hailey gets tired of wearing it, she’ll give it back to you."

"She doesn't even care about it that much, she's just playing around with it. You're the only one who treats it like some sacred treasure, locking it in a safe for seven years."

I simply nodded, keeping my thoughts to myself.

A moment later, Hailey walked over. The moment I saw my grandmother’s yellow diamond sparkling on her index finger, my face went rigid.

"Chloe! Ethan is over here! Come over to the pool!" one of the guys yelled out from across the deck, making the atmosphere even more awkward.

Marcus immediately covered the guy’s mouth. "Shut up and get back inside."

"My stomach is feeling a bit off. Excuse me," I said, standing up.

I didn't want to make a scene and ruin everyone's night just yet.

Ethan stared at me for a few seconds, but ultimately, he didn't follow me.

When I returned to the grill area, the table was fully packed. There was no seat left for me.

Ethan and Hailey were sitting side by side.

Hailey’s legs were draped over Ethan’s lap, and his hand was naturally resting on her waist.

They looked like a passionately in-love couple. Meanwhile, I stood there like an unwanted ghost.

Eventually, Marcus noticed me and dragged over an extra chair for me to sit on.

"Alright, everyone is here! Let's play a game," Marcus announced, holding a glass bottle. "Spin the bottle. Whoever the neck points to has to choose Truth or Dare."

In the first round, the bottle pointed to Hailey. She chose Truth.

The guy who had yelled earlier immediately smirked. "Ethan, you ask! Only someone who knows her intimately can tell if she's lying!"

Ethan didn't refuse. He casually asked, "What’s the most exciting thing that happened to you recently?"

Hailey lowered her head with a shy smile. "Well... I had a nightmare and woke up terrified in the middle of the night. Someone rushed over so fast to comfort me that his suit jacket was buttoned completely wrong."

It wasn't a secret. She was clearly saying it just to humiliate me.

Marcus glanced between us, looking terrified of offending either side. He didn't even know how to break the silence.

The atmosphere froze again.

"Let's keep going," I said with a light smile, breaking the ice.

Marcus immediately jumped on it. "Yes, yes! Ethan, you spin this time!"

As fate would have it, Ethan spun the bottle, and it landed directly on me.

"Well, Ethan can't ask again. That's boring," Hailey spoke up before anyone else could.

"And Chloe just chose Truth earlier. Doing Truth every time is so boring. Chloe, why don't we play for real this time?"

I stared at her, amused. I knew whatever came out of her mouth next wouldn't be good.

"Isn't it up to the player to choose? I choose Truth," I said.

Hailey’s eyes darted down to my abdomen, glinting with malice.

"Oh, come on, Truth is so boring! We're the only two girls here. Are you really afraid these guys will tease you?"

"Since we're all in swimwear anyway, and this is a pool party, why don't you show us a routine in the pool?"

"Ethan told me you were a varsity synchronized swimmer in college and won a national championship. I've only ever seen synchronized swimming on TV. I'd love to see it in real life. Can you show us, Chloe?"

To coax me into the water, she had even dropped her usual smug attitude.

But I wasn't going to play her game. "Synchronized swimming requires intense preparation, and I haven't touched the water in years. No, thank you."

Seeing me decline so quickly, Hailey's eyes instantly welled with tears. "Ethan..." she whimpered.

Ethan's face darkened immediately. "Chloe, stop being so arrogant. It's just a quick swim. It's not going to kill you."

Before I could react, he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the deep end of the pool.

"Ethan Carter! I said no! I'm not doing a Dare, and I'm not swimming!" I yelled, struggling against his grip.

Hailey didn't want to see a performance. She wanted to treat me like a circus animal for her amusement!

"Chloe, who do you think you are? Asking you to swim is a compliment to your skills. Don't be so ungrateful!"

"Didn't you say you haven't touched the water in years? Let me help you get reacquainted!"

With a cruel smirk, Ethan grabbed my hair and slammed my head down into the water.

Immediately, the stinging smell of chlorine rushed up my nose. I gasped, swallowing a mouthful of cold water. It felt like ice in my lungs.

I thrashed violently, splashing the water to find something to hold onto. But Ethan didn't give me a chance. He clamped his hands around both of my wrists, pinning them behind my back.

Just when I thought I was going to drown, Ethan suddenly let go.

I plunged deep into the pool.

Water filled my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. I couldn't breathe. My chest felt like it was exploding.

Relying on sheer muscle memory, I fought to kick my way back to the surface. As I grabbed the edge of the pool, gasping for air, I heard Ethan's tender voice speaking to Hailey on the deck.

"Alright, sweetie, it was just a little show. If you want to see it again, I'll make her jump back in, okay?"

"Come on, smile for me. Don't be sad."

Seeing Hailey still pouting, he turned back to me, crouching down at the edge of the pool. "Get back to the center and do a routine. You don't come out until Hailey is happy."

"Ethan Carter!" My eyes were bloodshot. This was the first time I had yelled at him since I checked out emotionally.

Even if he loved Hailey, he had no right to trample on my dignity and treat me like a toy to please his mistress!

"My lawyers have already drafted the papers. I am divorcing you!"

The moment the words left my mouth, Ethan burst into laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. "Divorce me? With what? You're a penniless housewife who relies on me for everything. You think you're qualified to divorce me?"

"Who else would want a used-up second-hand trash like you once I dump you?"

He looked down at me with absolute disgust, then placed his foot on my shoulder and shoved me violently back into the deep end.

My foot slipped on the wet tile. I fell backward, my body sinking like a stone. I couldn't move.

As my body sank into the dark abyss of the pool, my senses began to fade. But right before I lost consciousness entirely, I heard someone on the deck scream in terror:

"Blood! The pool water is turning red!"

"Call 911! Oh my god, there's blood everywhere!"