Chapter 1

The day our family went out on the water, my husband took his first love, Maeve Hayes, jet-skiing in a restricted maritime zone.

After half a bottle of wine, Maeve insisted on riding to the island across the bay to draw a heart for him.

The moment she climbed onto the jet ski, she twisted the throttle all the way.

The machine shot forward and slammed straight into my younger brother's yacht.

Instead of caring about the yacht that was rapidly sinking, my husband, Adrian Cole, grabbed Maeve's hand and comforted her.

"As long as you're okay, that's all that matters. Those idiots shouldn't have taken their yacht into a restricted zone. If they got themselves killed, that's their own fault."

He didn't call for help.

He didn't even look back at the sinking vessel.

Only after the yacht had disappeared beneath the waves and everyone aboard had been reported missing did Adrian finally call me.

"Eleanor, your brother and mother went down with the yacht."

For a moment, terror swallowed me whole.

Then I saw my mother beside me, just as she used to be when I was a little girl, putting a freshly cooked piece of meat into my mouth.

My brother came running over, laughing as he tried to steal a bite.

"Mom, you always favor Eleanor!"

They were standing right beside me.

So who were the people trapped inside the sunken yacht?

——

Eleanor's POV

The beach was packed with people. Police officers shouted at the crowd, ordering everyone to stop taking photographs and recording videos.

Farther out, fragments of the yacht I had bought for my brother were scattered across the water.

I finally pushed my way through the crowd and overheard several yacht owners whispering angrily among themselves.

"Those two are disgusting. They're not even human!"

"They were closest to the accident. They could have saved those people, but they just stood there. Two lives!"

"And that's not even the worst part. The woman was complaining that she hadn't finished drawing her stupid heart. What did she think this was, her personal art studio?"

Cold sweat soaked my back.

How could Adrian have become such a person?

Did human life mean absolutely nothing to him?

Adrian had been quietly comforting Maeve when he turned and spotted me. The smile vanished from his face instantly.

He strode over, grabbed my arm, and dragged me away from the crowd.

"What are you doing here? Why are you making a scene?"

I tried to speak.

"My mother and my brother—there's no way they could—"

His eyes narrowed. He cut me off immediately.

"Those people are just spreading rumors. Do you honestly think I would stand by and let someone die?"

He stared at me as if I had insulted him.

"I'm your husband, Eleanor. Don't you trust me? Besides…"

His voice softened, taking on an almost tender quality.

"Maeve was terrified. She nearly fainted. I had to make sure she was okay first."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Her fright was more important than two human lives?"

His expression darkened.

"Your brother ignored the warning signs and drove into a restricted zone. He was going twice the permitted speed. If he got himself killed, he brought it on himself!"

I trembled with rage.

"Stop lying! That wasn't my brother! He learned to operate boats from one of the best in the business. He would never drive recklessly like that!"

I pointed straight at Maeve.

"She was drunk and operating a watercraft. That alone is a criminal offense!"

Maeve timidly clutched Adrian's arm, her voice trembling.

"Adrian, this is all my fault."

"I was so excited about my design making it to the final round. Please, don't make things worse for Eleanor. I don't want to ruin your marriage."

Adrian immediately turned to me, his voice low and threatening.

"They're already dead. What good will it do to keep pursuing this? Let it go."

"This concerns Maeve. You don't get to do whatever you want just because you're upset."

My body swayed.

The man standing before me was the same man who had once sworn he loved me more than anything.

Now, for the sake of his first love, he was twisting the truth and treating my family's lives as if they were worthless.

Rage surged through me.

I struck Adrian across the face.

His expression changed instantly.

"Eleanor Bennett, have you lost your damn mind—"

I slapped him again.

In all the years we'd been married, I had never once raised my voice at him, let alone struck him.

This was the first time I'd stood up to him like this.

And it would be the last.

He stared at me in utter disbelief, unable to react for several seconds.

Maeve wrapped her arms around him, tears filling her eyes.

"Eleanor, if you're angry, hit me instead. Please don't hit Adrian. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"If it'll help you forgive him, you can hit me as much as you want."

She even grabbed my hand and tried to make me slap her.

I pulled away coldly, refusing to participate in her pathetic performance.

"Adrian, those two slaps were for the people who died because of you!"

I hurried over to the police officers and explained who I was.

"The yacht belonged to my younger brother. I bought it for his birthday. I want the black box recovered and the footage from before the collision examined—"

Before I could finish, someone yanked me backward.

I fell hard onto the ground.

Adrian stood over me, his expression icy.

"The liability waiver and release have already been signed."

"Are you going to keep making trouble until everyone here is laughing at us?"