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Eric wore a floral shirt,belly protruding.
The first two days were normal,which was his plan to lure me into letting off my guard.On the third,he showed his fangs.
"Strolling on the beach is boring.Honey,you always wanted to see the ocean floor.I booked a diving trip."
Here it was.I acted uninterested,trying to conceal my nerve.
"Alone's no fun.Come with me."
Eric pointed at his stomach,acting disappointed.
"Look at me now..."
I huffed."Back then,pregnant women worked fields.What's your excuse?"
"Lame.I'm done."
I brushed sand off my back,heading for the hotel.
Eric gritted his teeth,grabbing me.
"Fine,I'll go..."
His"dive instructor"arrived,eyeing me creepily.
He demanded I sign a waiver.
"What?You refuse to be held responsible if anything happens?"
I acted hesitant.The instructor explained,
"Extreme sports require this—skydiving,diving.But we're pros.Accidents are rare."
Eric chimed in,saying it was routine,signing his name first.
"Honey,I'll protect you."
His fake face made me want to throw up.
Geared up,we dove.
The instructor led me deeper,subtly pressing my head,keeping my head under water.
I knew their plan and swam forward desperately.
But Eric caught up.Two men's strength was more than enough pinned me down.
Then,I kicked their stomachs hard,slipping away like a fish.
Knowing Eric's scheme,I hadn't tipped him off.
He thought I'd drown—an"accident."
He didn't know I'd studied abroad in Australia,earning a diving license.
Trying to drown me?Impossible.
Before diving,I'd alerted the police,so all I had to do now was to wait for officers to arrive.
But I underestimated Eric's resolve.Seeing me escape,he lunged forward,grabbing my leg.
No matter how I kicked,he held on.
I aimed for his lower abdomen.He convulsed but grew feral,choking me,dragging me towards a stone on the seabed.
Blood dispersed in the water.I blacked out,hearing the system talking before I lost conscious.
"Spouses share pain.The wife is gravely injured.According to the rules,the husband bears half."
I woke up in a hospital,police and doctors by my bed,grim.
"After your alerted us,we rushed to the scene,but you'd already dove."
"Ms.Taylor,that was reckless!"
I touched my bandaged head,shaken,but the pain was less than expected.
"What about the others?"
"The instructor's part of a local crime ring,staging murders as accidents.Your case gave us evidence.They're done for good."
I nodded,but wanted Eric's fate.
The officer hesitated."Eric's a suspect,but he's in a bad shape."
"How bad?"
"As the instructor confessed,Eric dragged you towards a stone,but then passed out."
"He hit the stone,shattering his spine.During surgery,despite no abdominal wounds,he had massive internal bleeding and nearly died."
Bleeding?Did he"miscarry"?
I feigned concern."Oh...that's so sad,haha!"
The doctor's lip twitched."Ms.Taylor,please laugh quieter.Other patients are here."
