Chapter 322

Nathan Blackwood's piercing gaze locked onto Evelyn Sinclair. His expression turned glacial, suspicion radiating from every pore as he clearly doubted her motives.

Evelyn's heart constricted painfully. Not only had he failed to recognize her as the drowning victim from years ago, but he didn't even remember being her rescuer - not once, but twice.

With sudden determination, Evelyn met his stormy eyes. "You will marry me," she declared, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

A violent shudder wracked Evelyn's body as the memories assaulted her. The inky blackness of the ocean swallowing her whole. The terrifying sensation of lungs burning for air. Those traumatic moments felt as fresh as yesterday.

Was it the saltwater stinging her eyes, or something else entirely? Evelyn gasped, her face draining of color as phantom pains gripped her chest.

The sea lay eerily calm now, not even a ripple disturbing its glassy surface. Panic clawed at Evelyn's throat as she scanned the horizon. The nearest vessel floated hopelessly distant - at least fifty meters away.

Would they reach them in time?

Evelyn sprinted to the speedboat's edge, screaming toward the distant sailboat until her voice cracked. "Help! Someone help! He's drowning!" Nearly six minutes had passed since Ethan disappeared beneath the waves.

Her raw cries echoed across empty waters. The sailboat remained motionless, showing no signs of life. Evelyn's vision blurred with unshed tears as she collapsed to her knees.

"He'll die... just like I almost did..." Each passing second amplified her terror. Sweat slicked her palms despite the ocean breeze.

Even if drowning didn't claim him, what about sharks? Frantically patting her pockets, Evelyn realized her phone was gone. Then she spotted the speedboat's emergency button.

Her hands trembled violently as she struggled to stand. Staggering toward the controls, she located the bright red SOS button.

Just as her finger hovered over it - SPLASH!

Ethan surfaced beside the boat.

Evelyn nearly tripped in her rush to the railing. Ethan, clad in his diving gear, heaved a massive crate onto the deck with visible effort. She immediately moved to assist.

The container weighed more than she expected.

No wonder even Ethan's muscular frame strained under its bulk. Finally, he hauled himself aboard, collapsing onto the deck while gasping for air. Tearing off his dive mask, he exhaled sharply.

"Ms. Sinclair, this thing's weighted for two people," he panted. "Seriously, take swimming lessons when we get back."

Evelyn nodded rapidly, her eyes still glassy. "Are you hurt?" she asked, voice thick.

Ethan coughed before answering. "Please. Professional explorer here. Drowning would be embarrassing."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "They say it's always the strong swimmers who drown."

Noticing her red-rimmed eyes and shaky voice, Ethan studied her curiously. The underwater dive had deafened him to events above the surface.

Evelyn ducked her head, hastily passing him a towel and water bottle to mask her emotions.

After catching their breath, they examined their prize - a complete parasailing kit. "Ever tried this before?" Ethan asked.

Evelyn shook her head.

"Easy. I'll teach you," he assured with a confident smile.

Since their challenge required teamwork, Evelyn resolved to push through - swimming aside, she could handle anything else.

Ethan secured the parasail to the speedboat's tow rope with expert knots before fastening the harness around them both. Evelyn had skydiving experience and assumed this would feel similar, so her nerves remained steady.

If anything, anticipation buzzed through her veins.

Ethan engaged the autopilot. The speedboat's engine roared to life, accelerating across the open water with exhilarating speed.