Chapter 358
Ethan couldn't swim.
The bitter winter air had turned the pond's surface into a fragile sheet of ice.
His body convulsed violently as the freezing water swallowed him whole.
The man who once carried himself with such arrogance now thrashed helplessly, his pride shattered like the ice beneath him.
"Someone... please..." he choked out between gasps.
Overhead, fireworks burst across the night sky in dazzling colors. The Caldwell family's planned celebration illuminated the darkness.
The perfect viewing spot was the grand balcony, too far away to hear anything from the isolated pond.
No matter how desperately Ethan screamed, his cries dissolved into the night.
Evelyn sprinted toward the water's edge.
She never imagined Vanessa would actually follow through with this.
She'd witnessed their heated argument, but attempted murder? That crossed a line even Vanessa wouldn't—
Ethan's head disappeared beneath the surface again. The pond might not be ocean-deep, but it was more than enough to claim a drowning man.
The icy water burned his lungs as he swallowed another mouthful. His thrashing grew weaker.
Evelyn's pulse hammered in her throat. She had to act now.
Vanessa stood frozen nearby, her face unreadable in the fireworks' glow. Was that regret in her eyes? Or satisfaction?
Ethan's hand broke the surface one final time before sinking beneath the black water.
The grand finale of fireworks exploded overhead, painting the scene in garish red light.
Evelyn didn't hesitate. She kicked off her heels and—
SPLASH.
The cold hit like a thousand needles.
Somewhere above, Vanessa screamed.
But Evelyn only had eyes for the dark shape sinking into the depths.
She reached out.
His fingers brushed hers.
Then slipped away.
The water swallowed them both.
Above the surface, the fireworks ended.
Silence fell over the Caldwell estate.
No one had seen a thing.
The icy water swallowed him whole, dragging him deeper with every frantic movement. Panic only made it worse—the more he fought, the faster he sank.
"Take my hand!" Evelyn shouted.
She dropped to her knees at the water's edge, arm outstretched toward Ethan.
She couldn’t just watch him drown. No matter their past, she wasn’t cruel enough to wish death upon him.
His fingers clamped around hers in sheer desperation.
Dragging him onto solid ground took every ounce of her strength. The moment he collapsed onto the shore, his legs seized violently.
Ethan writhed on the damp earth, muscles locked in agony, gasping like a fish out of water.
Evelyn exhaled sharply, torn between frustration and pity.
She had planned to walk away the second he was safe. But seeing him like this—helpless, shivering—she hesitated.
Her conscience won.
"Where does it hurt?" she demanded.
She gripped his calf, kneading the knotted muscles with firm pressure.
The night air bit through his soaked clothes, turning his skin to ice. His body trembled uncontrollably, lips darkening to a chilling shade of violet.
Evelyn's voice was icy as she spoke. "Don't look at me like that, Ethan. Let me remind you once more—there will never be anything between us. I belong to your uncle."
His expression darkened at her words, his jaw tightening.
She was drawing a line, one so sharp it left no room for doubt—or hope.
Ethan's voice dropped low, edged with frustration. "If you feel nothing for me, why did you save me?"
Evelyn met his gaze steadily. "Consider it repayment for what you did for me years ago."
She hadn’t forgotten.
Back in college, when cruel whispers and sharp glares had followed her, Ethan had been the shadow shielding her. If not for him, those tormenting her would never have backed down.
And then there was the accident—Ethan, eighteen, driving through a storm to reach her, losing control, slamming into a pole. The coma that followed.
Ethan stiffened. He hadn’t expected this—her using his own rescue as another wall between them.
A bitter laugh escaped him. "Who asked you to repay me?"
Vanessa's lips curled into a wicked smile as she raised her hand, fingers splayed as if to shove him back into the water.
Ethan blinked, his expression shifting from shock to something darker. "Don't bother," he said flatly. "I'll do it myself."
Before she could react, he threw himself backward with deliberate force. The water swallowed him whole, the splash echoing across the lake's surface.
Evelyn could only stare, her breath catching in her throat.
"Ethan, you're insane."
This time, he didn't fight it. His body sank deeper, his eyes closing as if in surrender.
"Ethan!" Her voice cracked. "Have you completely lost your mind?"
The water rippled, silent and mocking.
Secret Longing: A Love Reclaimed (Evelyn)