Chapter 1
OPHELIA’S POV
The night was perfect. The sky was clear,filled with a sprinkle of stars. The yacht party was in full swing. Laughter,clinking glasses, and soft music floated in the air. It was supposed to be acelebration, an engagement party to remember. But something gnawed at me, afeeling I couldn’t shake off. Where could Ryan be at this time?
This rare night brought a genuine smile to myface, a warmth I lost in the past four years since losing my parents in a planecrash. I pushed through the crowd, smiling at friends and acquaintances.
"Has anyone seen Ryan?" I asked,trying to keep my voice light. The usual smiles and nods greeted me, but no oneseemed to know where he was.
"Probably enjoying the view,"someone laughed. I nodded, trying to hide my growing unease. I made my way tothe upper deck, hoping to find Ryan there.
As I approached the secluded corner, I heardhushed voices. "Ryan, stop. Someone might see us," a familiar voicegiggled.
"Relax, babe. No one's coming uphere," Ryan’s voice, low and husky, sent a chill down my spine.
I stepped closer, peering around the corner.Ryan wasn't alone. Veronica, my stepsister, was pressed up against him, herlips locked on his. My breath caught in my throat. Fuck. This couldn't behappening.
"Ryan! Veronica! What the hell?" Myvoice trembled with a mix of anger and betrayal.
They pulled apart, but instead of lookingguilty, they both glared at me. "What the fuck, Ophelia? Who badges inlike that? ‘Privacy!’ Ophelia. Don't you know what that word means?"Ryan's voice was cold, and for a moment, I wondered if he was the man I wasengaged to.
Veronica smirked, wiping her lips with theback of her hand. "Yeah, don't you know how to knock?" She laughed, acruel sound that made my blood boil.
"Are you fucking serious? You're myfiancé, Ryan! And you, Veronica, gosh!" My voice rose.
"C’mon Ophelia," Ryan stammered,taking a step towards me. I backed away, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Don’t touch me!" I spat, tearsbrimming in my eyes. "How could you do this to me? Both of you!"
"Ophelia, calm down," Ryan said,trying to reach for me again. "You're overreacting."
"I am overreacting?" I laughedbitterly. "I just saw you with your tongue down her throat! How the hellam I supposed to react?"
Veronica crossed her arms, her smirk widening."Oh, grow up, Ophelia. You’re so naive. Did you really think he wasfaithful to you?"
"Shut up, Veronica!" I screamed, myvoice breaking. "You’re my sister!"
"Stepsister," she corrected, hertone icy. "And Ryan was never yours to begin with."
Her words pierced my heart like a dagger. Ofcourse, I should have known it would happen. I should have known he would goback to her.
Ryan, his face twisted with anger, came closerto me. "This is your problem! You always act like a goddamn saint. Can'tyou mind your own damn business for once?"
Veronica giggled, leaning against Ryan."Yeah, maybe if you weren't such a stuck-up bitch, Ryan wouldn't need tofind comfort elsewhere."
I felt a rush of heat to my face. My handsclenched into fists at my sides and I tried so hard to hold back my tears."Comfort? Cheating on me with my sister at our engagement party iscomforting?”
Ryan's eyes flashed with fury and then he wenton to tell me how much he loved Veronica, his ex-lover. There was no atom ofremorse as he spoke and for the first time we started dating, I realized I wasmerely filling in her space until they reconciled.
My world felt like it was crumbling around me.Their betrayal cut deep, deeper than I ever thought possible.
“How long?” Was all I managed to ask.
"Does it matter?" Ryan interjected,his voice suddenly cold.
I stared at him, the man I thought I wouldspend my life with, now a stranger. "You’re both disgusting," I said,turning to leave.
But Ryan grabbed my arm, his grip like a vice."Don't you walk away from me, you bitch. It's our engagement night and youmust not embarrass me!”
I shot him a warning glare. “Get yourdisgusting hands off me.”
Ryan pulled me back, tightening his griparound my wrist. “Where do you think you’re going? We’re not done here,”
"Let go of me!" I struggled, but hishold was too strong.
Veronica stepped closer and grabbed my otherarm, her eyes glinting with malice. "No, I think you need to learn alesson, Ophelia,” she hissed, her nails digging into my skin.
She glanced at the ocean, dragging me closerto the edge of the deck. Ryan seemed to immediately realize what she was tryingto do. "Veronica, seriously?," he said, but his voice lackedconviction.
She looked at him, then back at me, her eyesfilled with hate. “She needs to learn her place," Veronica said, her griptightening.
Before I could react, Veronica shoved me hard.I stumbled, my heel catching on the deck. The world tilted, and then I wasfalling.
“Ryan, no!" I screamed, but it was toolate.
Splash! The cold water engulfed me, the impactknocking the air out of my lungs. Panic surged as I struggled to surface. Icould hear muffled laughter and shouts from above, but the water was pulling medown, down, down.
"Help!" I tried to scream, but waterfilled my mouth. I kicked and tossed my arms, desperate to stay afloat but itwas like something was pulling me down.
Above me, Ryan and Veronica peered over theedge, with a wicked smile to show their satisfaction. "Serves you right,bitch!"
"Enjoy your swim, Ophelia!" Veronicaadded with a laugh.
I fought against the water, my limbs growingheavy but it was no use. I didn't know how to swim and it was impossible tolearn in a minute.
I started to sink and the yacht was movingaway, the lights fading. No one was coming to help. I was alone. I would diealone, killed by my step sister and fiance.
My vision blurred, darkness creeping in."Stay awake, Ophelia. Don't you dare give up," I muttered to myself,teeth chattering. But my body was betraying me.
Just as I was about to slip intounconsciousness, I heard it. The faint hum of an engine. It grew louder, andcloser. My heart leaped with a flicker of hope. I tried to scream, but my voicewas barely a whisper. "Help..."
A bright light shone on me, blinding me for amoment. "Over here!"
"Get the lifebuoy! Hurry!"
In a second, strong hands reached into thewater, grabbing me. "We've got you. Hold on!"
I was lifted onto a boat. I coughed out waterfrom my lungs, and then darkness claimed me.
