Chapter 177 Into the Deep End
Chapter 177 Into the Deep End
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“Ah!” Selina cried out in shock as Anneliese shoved her toward Zacharias.
She stumbled forward with a face full of bewilderment. She couldn’t understand why Anneliese would push her away. Since when did Anneliese have such a kind heart?
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At the same time, Anneliese slammed into the railing. With a sharp crack, the wooden barrier snapped, and she plunged straight down.
“Honey!”
Everything happened in just a few seconds. Zacharias shouted in alarm, instinctively surging forward to catch Selina while stretching his other hand toward Anneliese. But Selina’s body blocked his movement. His fingers closed on nothing, and he could only watch helplessly as Anneliese’s figure disappeared off the terrace.
With a loud splash, she crashed into the pool below.
“Anne!” Zacharias shouted again, ready to leap after her.
Selina clung to him tightly, sobbing. “Zacharias, I didn’t push her, I swear. I… I’m terrified of water; I can’t swim. I almost fell too.”
Her grip was iron tight, and for a moment, Zacharias couldn’t break free. His expression darkened. “Let go!”
Tears streamed down Selina’s cheeks as she stared at him in disbelief. “You’re yelling at me? You still think I’m guilty, don’t you? Fine, I’ll prove it to you!”
With that, she released him, spun around, and jumped.
She had been the subject of too much criticism that night.
If Anneliese fell into the water while she stayed dry, the accusations alone would drown her. She believed Anneliese had pushed her deliberately–letting her fall would make it look like she was guilty of attempted murder.
Selina refused to let her get away with that. So, she jumped without hesitation.
Zacharias barely had time to react before he found himself standing alone on the terrace.
“Selina!” he yelled and dove in after her.
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9:40 Thu, Sep 11
Chapter 177 Into the Deep End
Anneliese, meanwhile, had been prepared for this all along.
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When Selina called the day before, she had deliberately provoked her. The more reckless Selina became, the more it worked to her advantage.
On a freezing night like this, Selina had insisted on talking outside on the terrace instead of somewhere warm. Seeing the shimmering water below, Anneliese had already guessed what might happen.
Selina wanted to prove that Zacharias still chose her, to make Anneliese look humiliated. She wanted everyone to believe Anneliese bore a grudge and pushed her into the pool. That way, even if people suspected Selina of causing what happened four years ago, they would think Anneliese had hurt her too. They would call it even.
The White family would only despise Anneliese more, while Selina could still lure Zacharias into diving down to save her. A perfect strike against her. One move, three wins. So, when Anneliese hit the railing, she had intentionally shoved Selina.
But no matter how much she had braced herself for it, the sudden plunge into the icy pool still stunned her. The bone–chilling cold locked up her limbs almost instantly, as if her blood had frozen in her veins.
She flailed a few times and managed to swim a little before a sharp cramp seized her leg. The more she thrashed, the faster she sank, coughing and swallowing more water. Panic crept in, and she bit down hard on her tongue to force herself to stay calm.
The commotion was loud enough that someone would come soon. She just had to hold out. So, she stopped struggling and let herself sink deeper, holding her breath.
Through the shifting water, she saw Selina splash down. A moment later, Zacharias dove in after her. Anneliese watched as he swam furiously toward Selina. Her lips twitched into the faintest smile, a stream of bubbles rising from her mouth.
This is pretty good too… She thought, but the water was so cold. And it felt as though she would never reach the bottom.
The chill was draining her faster than she anticipated. Her consciousness started slipping, pulling her back to that childhood memory of drowning–sinking into a vortex with only freezing water invading her nose and mouth, crushing her chest, and leaving her trapped in despair.
She forced her eyes open. Was it a hallucination?
A shadowed figure cut through the dim water, swimming toward her with incredible speed- just like back then.
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9:40 Thu, Sep 11
Chapter 177 Into the Deep End
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Zacharias? Is he coming for me again? No, it can’t be him. He’s gone to save Selina. He was never my salvation. He’s the one who’ll push me into the abyss!
Desperate to see clearly, she bit her tongue once more. Pain sharpened her vision–or perhaps the figure had already come so close that his features finally appeared. Refined, striking, and unforgettable.
Those narrow, deep–set eyes locked onto her through the water, sharp and unyielding.
9:41 Thu, Sep 11
Chapter 178 Pulled From the Depths
