8. There's no one

Sara shot him a withering look. "If you don't trust me, call my assistant and ask her."

"You called Mom and said you were going to..." Neel trailed off, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Sara Owen cut Neel off mid-sentence.

"Hold up, Neel. I know what I'm doing. I lied to Auntie, okay?" She turned to Natalie and reached out to hold her hand.

"I'm sorry, Auntie. But we've got a big client interested in a product. If we seal the deal, it'll be a huge boost for the company. And I knew you wouldn't let me go if I told you the real reason. Will you forgive me?"

Natalie smiled sadly.

"Your husband always wanted this company to be the biggest in the world, and you're doing everything you can to make that happen. I'm so proud of you, Sara."

"Well, I may not be forgiven, but at least the punishment will be worth it." Natalie added.

Neel rolled his eyes. "You guys are too much."

Sara turned to Natalie. "So, what's the punishment gonna be, Auntie?"

Natalie gave her a playful scowl.

"Oh, you'll see. But how can I punish you when this house lights up just by having you around?" She pulled Sara into a gentle embrace.

Sara wiped away her tears and held Natalie's face.

"How about we go shopping tomorrow, just you and me?"

Natalie's face lit up. "That sounds wonderful, my dear."

With a smile on her face, Sara Owen glanced at the elders who were engaged in a cheerful conversation. Their happiness lifted her spirits, even though she had her own worries. She didn't want to let them down by confessing that she had no idea where her husband was.

After dinner, she walked the elders to their bedrooms and then headed to the swimming pool. The sparkling water under the soft poolside lights brought back memories of the first romantic dinner she had with her husband. Despite the enchanting ambiance, she couldn't ignore the heaviness in her heart due to his absence and the responsibility she felt to find him.

The first date...

Their first date…

Sara Owen found comfort and serenity by the swimming pool, memorizing a peaceful evening she once shared with her husband. They had a romantic candlelit dinner together and had a playful moment falling into the pool, which helped her overcome her fear of swimming.

Sara removed her robe and entered the pool, finding comfort in the water's warmth. As she swam, she tried to imagine her husband's presence, but her peace was interrupted by tears of sadness. The water couldn't soothe the ache in her heart.

Suddenly, as she made her way towards the pool stairs, someone grabbed her leg, attempting to pull her underwater. Panicked, she struggled to grab the handrail, but the force was overpowering, and she felt overwhelmed, fearing she might drown.

In the darkness, the housekeeper heard splashing and commotion coming from the pool but couldn't see anything. Desperate to help, the housekeeper's voice called out from the nearby veranda.

“Are you in the swimming pool, Madam?”

Sara felt the grip on her leg weaken, allowing her to hoist herself out of the pool. She gasped for air, her body trembling with fear, trying to make sense of the situation.

The housekeeper hurriedly switched on the pool lights. As soon as she reached, Sara collapsed into her arms.

Sara struggled to catch her breath and clung onto the housekeeper, eventually losing consciousness.

“Madam… Madam…”

Two hours later…

“Sara… Are you alright?” Neel Dixon caressed her forehead.

“Neel…” She stiffened.

“Neel… Did you see him? Did you?”

“Sara, what’s wrong?”

Sara Owen took a peek around. The doctor, the housekeeper, and Neel Dixon were all staring at her.

"Someone grabbed my leg and tried to pull me under. I didn't see who it was, but it was definitely a person."

The housekeeper's eyes widened in surprise.

Neel asked, "Were you swimming alone?"

"Yeah, I was by myself. Someone wants me dead, Neel."

The doctor and Neel Dixon shared a quick look with each other. Neel Dixon then let out a sigh of despair.

“Sara, don't worry. I'll ask the security team to check on this. Just try to get some rest, okay?”

“But what if someone tries to kill me again?”

“If you're scared, I can wake up Mom and she can sleep with you tonight.”

Sara glanced at the wall clock, “No, don't disturb her. She'll be worried. I'll just try to sleep.”

Neel Dixon left Sara's room and closed the door.

"Thanks, doc. And sorry for bugging you this late."

"No worries," the doctor replied. "Is what Mrs. Dixon said true?"

Neel Dixon shook his head, "I have no idea. You know how tight the security is here at the Dixon Villa. I don't know how someone could get in like that. But I'll try to find out."

The doctor hesitated before speaking up, "Based on Mrs. Dixon's condition, I have an idea. If you don't mind..."

"Sure, shoot."

“I know this is a stressful time for her with everything that's happened. And being pregnant on top of it all can't be easy. But now she had a scary incident in the pool and I'm worried about her mental state, especially since she's pregnant. It's normal for pregnant women to have mood swings, but stress can make it worse. So, if you can, try to keep her away from stress and maybe delegate some of her work responsibilities."

"Yeah, you're right. She's been dealing with a lot lately."

In the morning…

When Sara Owen emerged from her room, she saw the elders and Neel Dixon engaged in a serious conversation about the previous night's events. Their discussion abruptly halted as soon as they noticed her.

Natalie rushed forward and embraced Sara tightly.

"Two weekends in a row now. Can you believe it?" Natalie said, frowning.

"Don't worry, Natalie.” Bruno replied.

"The security is supposed to be top-notch. How could someone get in the villa?"

"I don't know, but we'll get to the bottom of it. The security team is investigating."

“What if it happens again?"

"There's no one, Mom." Neel said suddenly.