Chapter 3

Ben’s voice rose an octave in panic.

“She’s not causing trouble! Get over here right now, and bring the first-aid kit!”

Colin scoffed and switched off the walkie-talkie.

He turned to Kimmy and spread his hands in defeat.

“See? She’s even managed to get Mr. Robinson to play along. She’ll do anything to make me give in.”

Kimmy set down her fork and looked at him anxiously.

“Colin, Mr. Robinson is usually very serious. I don’t think he’d joke about something like this. Maybe you should go and take a look. If something really has happened to Grace, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Colin placed a piece of chicken on Kimmy’s plate.

“Why should I feel guilty? She made her own choice. She jumped into that pool herself. She’s perfectly able-bodied and a trained lifeguard.

“You honestly think she could drown in the pool where she works? She’s making such a production of this because she knows I’ll give in if I get worried. If I go running to her now, her stunts will only get worse.”

He picked up his spoon and leisurely scooped a spoonful of soup.

“Let’s finish this first. We can stop by the staff cafe later to get you something sweet to take your mind off this.”

My spirit hovered above them.

I watched Colin sitting there. He was so calm and certain of himself.

He was convinced that this was all another ploy to make him come running to me.

Colin was convinced that I could never leave him.

How ridiculous!

After lunch, Colin took Kimmy to the staff cafe.

He pulled my employee rewards card from his pocket and handed it to the woman behind the counter.

“One slice of Black Forest cake and two caramel macchiatos.”

She took the card and swiped it through the reader.

“Colin, Grace has spent over six months saving these points. Just two days ago, she told me she was going to redeem them for a set of diving gear. Are you really going to spend them on dessert?”

Colin did not so much as blink.

“What’s mine is hers, and what’s hers is mine. It’s only diving gear. I’ll buy her a better set later. She can spare a few reward points.”

Standing beside him, Kimmy said softly, “Colin, I don’t think we should use Grace’s points.”

Colin patted her gently on the head.

“Why not? After the way she frightened you today, consider this her apology.”

Kimmy carried her cake to a table and took out her phone to check the staff group chat.

Suddenly, she froze.

“Colin, look at this!”

She held the phone out to him.

One of their coworkers had posted a video in the group chat.

In the video, the deep end had been cordoned off with police tape.

A blue lifeguard uniform floated on the surface.

The caption read, [This is terrifying. It looks like they pulled something out of the wave pool. Even the police are here!]

Colin barely glanced at it before pushing the phone away.

“It’s just a rescue dummy. Grace bought it last month to practice underwater rescues. She’s really gone too far this time.

“She even hired people to pose as police officers. When the real police get involved, she’ll be lucky if she doesn’t go to jail.”

Just then, Colin’s phone rang again.

An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.

He answered the call.

“Hello, is this Colin Mack? This is the South District Police Department. A drowning incident has occurred in the deep end of the water park.

“The victim has been identified as Grace Baker. We need you to come to the scene immediately to identify her.”

I thought he would finally believe it.

Instead, he just snorted.

“If Grace is going to hire someone to put on an act, she could at least find someone convincing.

“Do you really expect me to believe the police would call from this number? Tell her that if she keeps this up, I’ll break up with her.”

He hung up.

Then, he switched off his phone.