The waves had swept away my daughter during summer camp. Paul Hiddleston, the captain of the rescue team, rushed to the scene with his men at the very first moment.
I had thought my daughter was finally going to be saved, yet, after receiving a phone call, Paul stayed for less than three minutes before turning away.
His eyes had been filled with urgency. "Claire Reeves, there’s an emergency mission; someone’s life is at stake. I have to go first."
Half an hour later, I saw my daughter’s lifeless body brought back to shore by the waves.
Paul’s phone remained unreachable no matter how many times I tried.
That night, Arizona’s hot search lit up with news of Paul’s bravery, rescuing a beauty at a swimming pool.
In the video, Hailee Norman shyly hid in Paul’s arms, her cheeks flushing softly under the teasing of reporters.
"Of course I want to repay this life-saving grace by giving myself to him, but Paul already has someone in his heart…"
I immediately reposted the clip with the caption, [I step aside.]
In an instant, the topic exploded into a hot search.
Paul called, his voice sharp with reprimand. "Claire, what nonsense are you spouting?! Arizona is no longer under your family’s control! Who exactly do you think you’re trying to intimidate?!"
"If you piss me off, I’ll just…."
"Let’s divorce, Paul."
I cut the call without hesitation. Then I took a screenshot of Paul and Hailee tangled in each other’s arms and sent it to that familiar number.
[Clean the house. They should be buried alongside the child.]
——
No sooner had I sent the message than Paul called again, fury blazing through the line.
[Claire, I’ve shown you enough face already, haven’t I? And now you have the nerve to mention divorce? Fine, since you’re so defiant, I’ll give you what you want!]
The moment he finished speaking, the doorbell rang. Before me lay the divorce agreement, long ready.
Paul’s voice on the phone was cold and harsh, like issuing a command to a subordinate. "Sign it quickly. I don’t have time for empty talk."
The reason for divorce was, ‘Wife’s negligence causing child’s death’, which was stamped in bold letters, and my head spun.
I clutched the document, shaking uncontrollably.
"Paul, where is your conscience? Don’t you know how our daughter died? The pool at Waterfront Hotel was less than a meter deep, yet you chose to save that woman instead of her! You and Hailee were the ones who killed our daughter!"
Paul paused for two beats.
"Claire, if you don’t want a divorce, then say it. I’ll give you an out. Why look for excuses like this?"
"Waterfront Hotel’s swimming pool isn’t deep, but Hailee is terrified of water. Without me, she really would have died today. Claire, Hailee’s life has never been easy; it took so much for her to get here. I grew up poor, too, so I understand her desperation to live. She can’t come to harm.”
“Besides, we can have another child. Anyway, I have other matters to handle. I’m hanging up."
As soon as the call disconnected, Hailee’s voice drifted over from the delivery guy’s phone.
I quickly opened the app, and Hailee was in tears during a livestream.
"I just learned that Paul lost his child to save me… This is my fault. I’m a sinner. I never should have called for rescue when my life was in danger. Why… why wasn’t it me instead…"
Hailee wept, her tears falling without pause.
The livestream comments poured in without pause.
[Girl, it’s not your fault. If ordinary people face danger, are we supposed to just wait to die instead of calling for rescue?]
[Yes… I heard the captain’s daughter had an accident during summer camp; it’s clearly the mother’s carelessness. Otherwise, why send her to such a dangerous camp?]
