Marianne stayed quiet, and Suzanne knew she had won.
"Uncle Ken will always remember his late first love and love me," Suzanne added. "I'm her daughter, and I look just like her. But you? Nobody loves you."
She flashed a sly smile and gave Marianne a pitiful look. "You need to realize, the living can never beat the dead."
'True,' Marianne thought, 'the living couldn't compete with the dead.'
But a person with a dead heart didn't need to compete.
"Well, good luck trying to take my place. I hope you and your dear Uncle Ken end up happy together," Marianne said coolly as she stood to leave.
But as she stepped away, Suzanne stuck out her foot.
In an instant, Marianne lost her balance. She fell straight into the lake, and cold water quickly surged around her.
"Ahhh!" she cried. "Help! Hel—"
The foul, freezing water rushed into her mouth, choking her, and leaving her unable to scream properly.
Her limbs went numb, and a sharp ache pierced her stomach.
Even though she knew the baby would eventually leave her body, she instinctively curled around her belly.
"My baby… my baby… hang on," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the splashing.
"Marianne!" a voice broke through her panic.
'Am I hearing things? It sounds like…' she thought, 'Kennedy?'
Just as she was about to sink completely, she felt a hand grab her, pulling her toward the surface.
From the shore, voices shouted.
"Mr. Bryden, don't jump in! You can't swim!"
"Sir, stop! We've already called for help!"
It was indeed Kennedy saving her.
His hand didn't stop gripping hers, pulling her up while the people on the shore reached for her.
That moment was like deja vu 10 years ago.
Back then, he jumped in without thinking, knowing he couldn't swim, just to save her.
"Marianne, don't worry. I'm here!"
Today, he made the same choice.
'Why?' She wanted to ask him so badly. 'Why save me when you don't even love me anymore?'
Before she could speak, Suzanne screamed and jumped into the water.
"Uncle Ken! You can't swim—what if you drown? I'll save you!"
Then she started flailing in the water.
"Uncle Ken… help me…"
"Suzanne! Where are you?" Kennedy immediately let go of Marianne and turned to where Suzanne had fallen.
Marianne reached for him, but he pushed her away.
The shore was so close. If only he had held on for one more second, she could've made it.
But without him to hold her up, the icy water dragged her back under, the shore and the shouting voices becoming distant.
As darkness enveloped her, one thought echoed in her mind.
'Suzanne was right. I can't win against her.'
Ten years ago, Kennedy had jumped in to save her without hesitation.
Now, 10 years later, he let her go just as easily to save Suzanne.
If that's how it was, what was left for Marianne to hold on to?
When she opened her eyes again, the blinding hospital lights made her dizzy.
Dr. Obrien came rushing over, immediately scolding her. "Marianne, do you realize how reckless you were? You almost lost the baby!"
"Whatever. If it's gone, it's gone." Marianne said, giving a half-hearted, lifeless smile. She couldn't even force a real one.
The doctor was stunned.
Marianne had been coming to her for years. Just recently, when Marianne got her pregnancy results, her eyes lit up with joy.
But now… all that light was gone.
"It's that damn Kennedy, isn't it?" the doctor muttered angrily. "Stop saying things out of spite. I'll call him right now and tell him to come stay with you!"
"No need. Don't bother him," Marianne interrupted.
'Don't bother him while he's with someone else,' she wanted to add.
"Marianne, what are you saying?!" the doctor snapped. "If something's wrong with the baby, he needs to know! It's his child! What's he so busy with?"
