George reached into the flames without hesitation. He only grunted in a low voice, even when his hand got burned.

Unfortunately, all he managed to retrieve was a half-charred photograph. It was taken on our wedding day.

His eyes were red, and he was like a wild beast out of control. He roared to me, "Why did you burn them? These are our memories."

I took out the divorce papers with my signature and threw them in front of him. "These are useless things, so I burn them. It's time to cut ties between us. Let's get divorced."

"That's impossible." George didn't even glance at the papers before tearing them to shreds. "You are a member of the Wood family. We only part through death, not divorce."

He gripped my chin so tightly that it felt like he might crush my jawbone. "Clara, the Wood family has influence all over the whole city. You can't escape me."

"You jerk!" I shouted in anger.

Yet George merely scoffed and said to the bodyguards, "Prevent her from getting out."

I was effectively under house arrest in the villa by George.

My doors and windows were guarded by bodyguards, and my phone was monitored. I couldn't even step outside the front gate except for essential activities.

There was only a day left until my leaving with Andre, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't break free from George's surveillance.

Then, Savannah suddenly suggested to George that they take a luxury cruise for a vacation at sea, and George agreed.

Before departure, Savannah feigned concern and asked me, "Clara, do you want to join us on the cruise? You've never been on a cruise, right?"

"You're right. I haven't," I replied. I nodded immediately and said, "I'll join you. I want to go out and relax."

Savannah was stunned. Her smile froze for a brief moment, as she clearly hadn't expected me to join them.

George eyed me suspiciously and said, "What are you up to? Are you planning to escape?"

I sneered, "George, you're surrounded by a dozen bodyguards, and some of them even watch me when I read a book in my room. Don't you have any confidence? Besides, once we're at sea, there's nowhere to escape to. Am I going to jump and feed the sharks?"

"As if you'd dare do anything." George agreed to let me go with them.

I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as I got out of the villa, it would be much easier for me to leave.

I got into the back seat of the car, with George and Savannah seated in the front.

The bodyguards' cars surrounded us.

As soon as we got in the car, Savannah began chattering about the ocean's night scenery and the decor of the baby's room. I pretended to play a game with my phone while discreetly messaging Andre about my new location without being noticed by George.

Andre replied instantly, "Be careful. Stay in touch. We'll meet you at the port.

Upon entering the cruise cabin, I quickly checked every corner and found the miniature earpiece Andre had left behind the bathroom mirror.

As soon as I put it on, Andre's firm voice came through. "Clara, at ten o'clock this evening, someone will come to the emergency exit at the back of the cruise to pick you up. Keep an eye on your surroundings and stay safe."

"Understood," I whispered back, feeling a bit more assured.

As the time approached, I was organizing my belongings when there was a sudden knock on the door.

I opened it to see Savannah standing there. "I want to have a talk to you, Clara."

"I have nothing to talk to you," I said emotionlessly.

I was about to shut the door when Savannah persisted and blocked the doorway. She said with a smug tone, "Don't you get it? George doesn't love you anymore. Do you know what he and I were doing the day you lost your baby? We were camping on the hilltop, stargazing and moon-watching. He held me and told me that he would love me forever. On the day your mother passed away, he claimed to be on a business trip, but he was actually on a vacation with me. We were in the car..."

"Shut up!" I spun around sharply, and my eyes almost froze her with an icy stare. "Get out!"

Savannah smiled and stepped closer. "I just want you to face reality. George doesn't love you and never has. You'd better disappear. It is the end you can have."

Her shameless words made me tremble with anger. Just as I raised my hand to slap her, George appeared at the door.

Seeing my gesture, he quickly stepped in to shield Savannah. He looked at me with increasing disdain. "Clara, haven't I warned you not to bully Savannah again?"

At the same time, Andre's voice came through the earpiece once more. "Clara, in one minute, we'll create a mess on the cruise. Use the chance to shake off the bodyguards and head toward the deck."

Watching the fleeting scheming in Savannah's eyes, I realized that she had said those words deliberately to provoke me. She hoped I would lose my temper and make George despise me even more.

If it were in the past, I might have argued back, but now I didn't care.

I stepped forward and raised my hand to slap Savannah hard across the face.

Then, I looked George straight in the eye and said, "See? This is how I bully her."

My actions challenged George's authority. His eyes were filled with anger. He reached out and grabbed my neck.

My breath was cut off, and my lungs felt like they were about to explode. But I continued to glare at them defiantly.

Just as I was on the brink of suffocation, a sharp alarm suddenly rang throughout the cruise.

Someone shouted, "It's the police. Protect George and Savannah."

The atmosphere instantly froze and then descended into chaos.

The executives of the Wood Group turned pale. They urgently surrounded George and said, "George, the situation is critical. The helicopter is ready on the deck. You must leave now.

George released me, and I gasped for air.

He supported Savannah, who was pale-faced and cast a hesitant glance at me.

Savannah immediately clutched her stomach and cried out weakly, "George, I feel so terrible. My belly aches..."

"Forget about Clara," urged the bodyguard next to George. "Savannah is carrying your baby. She cannot be put at risk. The helicopter has limited space. We need to get you and Savannah out first."

George clenched his teeth and looked at me with a complex expression. He ultimately made up his mind and said, "Leave two people to keep an eye on her. The rest follow me to protect Savannah and leave."

With that, he hurriedly supported Savannah towards the helicopter.

The surrounding chaos was overwhelming. I heard screams, gunshots, and footsteps.

Seizing the moment when the bodyguards were distracted by the gunfire, I bent down and slipped into a nearby passage. Then I frantically ran towards the rear deck as Andre had told me.

The power was cut, and the surroundings were in darkness.

I stumbled and fell. I hit the deck hard.

A nearby oil drum tipped over, and liquid was spilled everywhere. The pungent smell of gasoline overwhelmed me.

A spark from a bullet ignited the gasoline, and a fierce fire quickly spread through the gasoline. It also blocked the path behind me.

"Clara!" George's anguished shout suddenly came from behind. I froze. Had he actually returned?

I turned back and saw George rushing over. He was illuminated by the firelight. The bodyguards tried to stop him. "George, it's dangerous. You can't go back."

"Let go of me," George shouted, shaking off the bodyguards. His eyes were red as he looked at me. "Clara, come over here. Come back with me."

I looked at him and suddenly felt that the dark ocean wasn't so terrifying after all.

"I am finally breaking free from you, George. I am free now," I said inwardly.

"Clara, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have betrayed you. I shouldn't have hurt you. Come back with me. We can start over."

Through my earpiece, Andre's voice came. "Clara, our boat is right below the deck. Be brave and jump. I'll catch you."

"Please, Clara, I can't live without you. I'll do anything for you. Don't jump off the cruise."

"George, it's too late. From the moment you chose Savannah, it was all over between us."

Nothing could change my resolve to escape, not even death.

I looked at George's face, which was filled with pain and despair. I said softly, "Goodbye, George."

With those words, I leapt off the deck.

The icy seawater enveloped me instantly, and I instinctively held my breath and let my body drift with the waves.

"Clara!" Just when I thought I was about to sink, I was pulled out of the water by strong arms.

Andre wrapped his jacket around me and said firmly, "Don't be afraid. You're safe now."

I tightened the jacket around me and watched the speedboat cut through the waves and race towards the horizon.

Behind us, the cruise was engulfed in flames. George's cries were torn apart by the sea breeze. I couldn't hear it anymore.

I glanced back at the blaze with no regrets. I just felt relieved.

...

George stood on the burning deck. Waves crashed, and he could see nothing but the dark sea. "Clara!"

George frantically sent the search and rescue teams to scour the sea for me.

Helicopters and rescue boats kept patrolling the area day and night. Many divers plunged into the deep sea to search every place.

"You still haven't found her?" George stood on the rescue vessel. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse.

The rescue team leader bowed his head and said in a heavy tone, "Mr. Wood, we've expanded the search area, but the sea is vast, and the currents are affecting us. We've found any clues."

"Keep searching." Even if I became a dead body, he wouldn't let me go.

"Clara, you belong to me alone."

Savannah sat in the lounge and watched the busy rescue teams outside. A shadow of malice flashed in her eyes.

In her eyes, even in death, Clara couldn't stop causing trouble.

Two weeks later, George returned to the villa, worn out and unkempt. My father was already waiting in the living room.

He looked at George's haggard appearance and frowned. "George, don't neglect Savannah due to Clara."

George said, "Clara is your daughter. Aren't you worried about her?"

Charles sneered, "She loves playing these tricks to get your attention. She must aim to ruin Savannah's birthday party."

George frowned. "Clara isn't like that."

"But your heart has already wavered because of her, hasn't it?"

George tried to say more but found he couldn't deny it.

"Don't let her affect you, George." Charles said, "The most important thing now is Savannah's birthday party. We'd better head out now."

Savannah's birthday party was lavish. The banquet hall was bright and filled with celebrities.

Yet, George suddenly remembered my birthday not too long ago.

There was no party or cake. He hadn't even wished her "Happy Birthday."

In the twilight glow, I quietly and alone ate an expired sandwich.

Even earlier, when I was first publicly praised by Friuqego University, Charles wasn't proud of me. Instead, he chided me for being too ostentatious just because Savannah hid in a corner and shed tears.

But that day, Charles stood on the stage and said proudly to everyone, "Thanks to Savannah's remarkable talent and hard work, she has successfully patented a new anti-allergy drug and received an offer from the national research center."

As soon as he finished speaking, the room erupted in applause.

Many guests showered Savannah with admiring glances, praise, blessings, and flattery.

Savannah was dressed in a champagne-colored gown with exquisite makeup. She wore a graceful smile and slightly bowed to the guests. "Thank you all for your support. I will continue to strive at the institute and live up to your expectations."

Her gaze swept over the crowd and finally rested on George, filled with anticipation.

George stepped forward and looked at her, who was radiant, but he kept thinking about me.

I had spent countless nights poring over materials at my desk. I had meticulously studied experimental data and repeated tedious and complex operations over and over...

That patent was clearly the result of my countless sleepless nights.

"George, would you care to dance with me?" Savannah extended her hand, interrupting his thoughts.

George returned to his senses. He suppressed the unease in his heart and reached out to take her hand.

The music began, and the two moved slowly on the dance floor. But George was distracted, and his mind was entirely filled with my image.

"George..." I had said to him with a smile, "I've set up a special number just for you. Whenever you miss me, call me with it. Even if I'm in the middle of an experiment, I won't miss your call."

George had never paid it much attention, but that number was vividly clear in his mind at that moment.

Before the must ended, George released Savannah's hand. He ignored her stunned expression and quickly went to the corner. He called the number that he hadn't dialed for a long time. His fingers were trembling.

As the call connected, George's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. He gripped the phone tightly, and his voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement and tremors. "Clara, is that you?"