Where Love Sank

The scholarship student, Izzy Waite, whom Craig Green had been funding, decided to seek some thrills by engaging in group intimacy in the open sea. They messed around in a way that drew blood and unintentionally attracted a shark.

I risked my life to drag her back to shore. Once we made it to land, I warned her the ocean was full of bacteria and that she should get a check-up, just in case.

She nodded and pretended to listen. However, the moment I turned my back, she ran to Craig, claiming I’d slandered her reputation. She even threatened to throw herself back into the ocean in some dramatic attempt to end it all.

Craig was furious. Without giving me a chance to explain, he shoved me into the mouth of a massive, still-living shark. I beat against the inside of that monster’s stomach, screaming for help.

The fishermen on the beach panicked at the sight. “Mr. Craig, please. This’ll kill her!”

Craig simply held the weeping Izzy in his arms and sneered. “I heard people can survive inside a shark for a whole month. Doesn’t she love studying marine biology? Now, she can do some real research from inside.”

Trapped in utter darkness, I curled up, gently cradling my belly.

“Baby, this time, Mommy can’t protect you…”

One month later, Craig finally came to gut the shark himself and bring me home. Unfortunately, all he found on the wind-swept shore was a skeleton.

In the darkness, I curled up, trembling inside the belly of the shark.

At first, the stench of blood and decay, mixed with my pregnancy symptoms, made me vomit over and over again. However, I had since grown numb to it, and all that remained was a dizzying nausea that never left.

Still, I knew I couldn’t let myself pass out. I had to conserve my strength and call for help. The baby inside me still needed me to hold on. I had to survive until Craig Green came for me.

Just two hours ago, he had taken Izzy Waite to a fast-food restaurant nearby for dinner. A small monitor was set up in front of me, allowing me to see a live feed of the world outside. So, I waited and waited until, finally, I saw him.

Craig appeared arm-in-arm with Izzy. The two of them were laughing and sipping iced drinks, casually taking turns drinking from each other’s cups like a picture-perfect couple. That scene hit me like a knife to the heart.

They stopped about ten meters away from where I was trapped. Craig wrinkled his nose in disgust, clearly bothered by the stench of rot lingering in the air.

“Andrew, how’s she doing?” he asked flatly.

His assistant, Andrew Barker, glanced nervously at Izzy, hesitating to speak.

“I asked you a question. Are you mute now?”

Andrew stiffened. “According to the monitor, sir, her vital signs are stable, so she should be fine.”

There was a medical sensor stuck to my skin, transmitting my vitals to a display outside.

Izzy leaned over to read it and let out a surprised little gasp. “Wow! Her heart rate’s spiking, almost double mine. I’m only in the fifties.”

Craig scoffed, reading the numbers. “Well, considering she was out in the water with multiple guys, it’s no surprise she’s full of energy. I guess that stamina really comes in handy.”

Izzy giggled. “Craig, Jane is sensitive and petty. I’m afraid she’ll come after me once she gets out.”

His voice softened, so much that I almost didn’t recognize it. “Then I’ll keep her in a little longer. If she hadn’t tried to drag your name through the mud, she wouldn’t be in this mess. She needs to learn her lesson.”

Then, he turned back to Andrew with a command. “Notify the media right away. Leak everything. Tell them Jane’s been living wild behind my back. If she wanted to be the talk of the town, I’ll make sure she gets her wish.”

He glanced down at Izzy, smiling tenderly. “Come on, let’s head to the villa. You deserve some rest—a nice spa, maybe. You’ve been under too much stress.”

Izzy beamed and clung to his arm as they turned to leave.

However, one of the fishermen on guard couldn’t hold back anymore. He called out, “Mr. Craig! Your wife… She’s been screaming for help hundreds of times a day. Her voice’s gotten weaker and weaker. If this keeps up, she’s not going to make it…”

Craig stopped in his tracks, his expression darkening. “Who asked for your opinion?”

Izzy quickly chimed in, “Jane’s vitals are perfectly stable, and she’s got access to nutrients in the shark’s body. We even gave her bottled water. She’ll be just fine.”

Craig’s frown relaxed, and he reached out to gently pat her head affectionately.

“You’re right. I wouldn’t trust anyone else, but you’re the top of your class in marine biology. If you say she’s okay, she’s just being dramatic.”

Right then, I felt something snap inside me. She was lying. I knew it.

That vital sign monitor? She had tampered with it last night while no one was watching and manually boosted the numbers. The truth was that my body was already going cold, and my breathing was shallow.

Amidst the despair, I closed my eyes and clutched my belly tightly. Hot tears slid down my freezing cheeks, and for a moment, I thought I was hallucinating.

A bitter smile curved at my lips. ‘So that’s it, Craig… You really don’t love me anymore.’