Love Says She Once Returned

Chapter 9 The Fall Was No Accident

　　Chloe lifted her wine glass and took a big gulp of the red liquid before the glass slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.

　　She suddenly let out a laugh. "Why? Because... I want you dead!" Her voice trembled slightly. "My brother died because of you, and yet..." Her words caught in her throat, cut off before she could finish.

　　Without warning, she seized Elena's hand and stumbled back a few steps. From the outside, it looked like Elena was forcing Chloe backward.

　　"Let go!" Elena tried to pull her hand away, but it was useless—Chloe gripped her tightly, her strength completely unlike the gentle, delicate girl she appeared to be.

　　The two moved quickly toward the deck. Chloe's grip tightened as she suddenly screamed, "No, please! Don't do this to me!" Then, in a flash, she hit the guardrail and tumbled over it headfirst.

　　Elena reached out in panic but only caught a silver high heel in her grasp.

　　With a loud splash, ripples spread across the sea's surface.

　　Chloe's sudden fall into the water at her own engagement party caused quite the commotion on the cruise ship.

　　Brandon acted quickly, giving orders in a calm, cold tone. "Get professional divers in the water, contact the hospital, and..." his eyes locked onto Elena, filled with fury, "detain that woman!"

　　Right after giving the command, he dove straight into the sea without hesitation.

　　The chaos continued above. Chloe's family was in total disarray. Diana's cries were the loudest of all.

　　She stormed up to Elena, rage written all over her face, and screamed, jabbing a finger at her.

　　"You filthy witch! When my son died, Chloe kept saying it was just an accident, that you weren't to blame. But now? Clearly you planned this! She treated you like a friend, and you repay her by trying to kill her at her own engagement party? How evil are you?"

　　Her voice cracked as she lunged at Elena, ready to hit her, but was stopped by crew members nearby. "Mrs. Dawson, she's a suspect now. We'll make sure justice is served."

　　Elena stood frozen, her eyes dull and empty as if none of it had anything to do with her.

　　Just then, shouting came from the other side of the ship.

　　"They pulled her out—they got her!"

　　Elena crumpled to the ground, her eyes drifting toward the rush of people. Brandon was carrying Chloe in his arms, heading back to the cabin without sparing Elena even a passing glance.

　　She knew in her gut—Brandon wouldn't let her off that easy. Not a chance.

　　She was right. Before long, she was taken to a hidden room back on land.

　　Even though it was on the second floor, the place was dark, damp, and cold. High brick walls surrounded her, with only a tiny window way up near the ceiling letting in a sliver of air.

　　Everyone else had been cleared out of the room. Faint noises, strange and unsettling, came from outside—soft, tortured cries that made anyone passing by blush.

　　Elena's gown was ripped and tattered, her arms tied up with ropes that rubbed her wrists raw. Chains locked her legs in place.

　　Her body was stretched out in the shape of a cross.