Loving Him Led Me to Eternal Ruin

When my husband's childhood sweetheart fell overboard from my yacht, I had her pulled from the water immediately.

But instead of thanking me, my husband accused me of orchestrating the whole incident.

"You knew she was petrified of water, yet you steered us straight toward the rocks. That's cold-hearted!"

To get back at me for her catching a cold, he had me tied up on deck in the blazing sun, forbidding anyone from offering me even a sip of water or a bite to eat.

Sharks circled below, biding their time. Desperate, I pleaded with him, revealing my pregnancy to underscore the danger, but he just scoffed.

"Danger? The only danger in these waters is a captain who'd plot to kill out of jealousy!"

"Consider yourself lucky I'm not tossing you over to join the fish. Just bake here for a couple of days!"

He then cozied up to his sweetheart and vanished into the lower deck.

A shark burst from the water and clamped onto my legs, turning the deck crimson with my blood. My cries were lost beneath the revelry inside.

As dusk settled, he relented slightly, "Check if she's sorry yet and tell her to drag herself here to apologize!"

But by then, I was already gone. How could I possibly apologize?

——

David observed indifferently as his crew called out, probing if I had admitted my wrongs.

Silence met their calls.

The crew looked uneasy. "Could she have passed out? The sun was scorching today; she might have had a heatstroke."

My body had long been drained of blood, leaving nothing but a ragged mess from the sharks' feast.

"Heatstroke? Olivia was Special Forces, tough as nails. She's just ignoring me, that's all."

David grunted. "Fine, let her hang. She might handle the sun, but the night chill over the ocean? Doubt it."

He was hell-bent on making me suffer, even causing the crew to shudder. "Sir... moving ahead could stir more sharks. It'd be tragic if she got bitten..."

Despite their caution, David glanced at the radar and smirked.

"There's a small reef ahead, about sixty feet. Hit the gas, stir up some waves to soak her, then we'll pull her down once she's drenched."

Reluctantly, the crew informed the first mate.

Crash—

The ship jolted slightly, and a wall of water crashed onto the deck.

The sound of waves slapping against the deck filled the cabin, the imagery painful even in thought.

David's brow furrowed with annoyance.

Daisy was startled awake with a shriek, and David was by her side in an instant, "What happened?"

Panic still visible, Daisy clung to him, her eyes red, "I dreamed I was back in the water... sharks chasing me... it was so scary."

David soothed her, rubbing her back, a softness I'd never seen him show me.

Comforted, Daisy leaned into him, her cheeks flushed, "What if Olivia sees? I don't want to stir up more trouble. I hate being the reason for any spat between you two."

"Don't be upset with her because of me. Speak of which, where's Olivia? I've let go of the grudge about yesterday's mishap. Just a simple apology from her would smooth things over."

Apologize to her?

How could I, a mere specter now, trailing behind, unseen and unheard?

And why should I? I did nothing wrong!

And her mere accusation had me suspended all day long!

To dodge the sharks, I had to swing from side to side, utterly exhausting myself until one viciously snapped at my legs.

The agony was unbearable as it tore through flesh and bone. My screams echoed unheard.

As it thrashed, my bones shattered, and my flesh ripped away, sending pain all over me.

And my blood drew more predators.

More sharks surged from the depths, ripping into me repeatedly.

The pain knocked me unconscious, only to be awakened by another bite. Until the very end, pain was all I knew.

A long, red streak marked the water, even staining the deck.

Curious, I wondered how David would react when he saw it.

Part of me wanted to scream, to haunt him and his companions.

But as a ghost, all I could do was watch as David tenderly stroked Daisy's hair.

"You're too forgiving. She literally tried to kill you, and you're just letting it slide? What if she tries again?"

"She tricked you onto that deck, knowing the waves could sweep you over!"

Daisy, feigning concern, lowered her head, "But she's your wife, and as your sister, it's my duty to endure her wrongdoings."

David's eyes blazed with anger. "Don't talk about her! Did you hear what that woman claimed? She said she's pregnant. Ha!"

"I haven't been near her for months! Whose baby is she carrying, huh? She must be cheating on me!"

Daisy looked at him sympathetically, "I never thought she'd be that type. You've endured so much already."

The fire in David's eyes nearly leaped out, "Absolutely not. We can't let her off easy. She needs to learn the price of betrayal."

As a ghost, I clutched at where my heart would be, feeling a phantom grip tighten around it.

He was the one playing games, yet now he dared accuse me of unfaithfulness? It was beyond reason!

I was still suspended from the deck, and if one looked closely, they could see my abdomen slightly swollen, clearly showing I was far along.