Chapter 57
"She looks very pale. Does she need to go to the hospital?" The diving instructor, who had been ignored until now, suddenly spoke.
Sophia Sullivan finally noticed the crowd gathered around her.
Everyone wore expressions of immense relief.
Olivia Lopez snapped back to attention. "I've already called for an ambulance. Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"I think my hand is injured." Sophia tried to move it.
It had worked underwater.
Now it was completely immobile.
"What happened? Why did you suddenly sink?"
Sophia was silent for a moment. "I think there was a problem with my oxygen tank."
Olivia immediately picked up the discarded tank.
The exterior looked fine.
The bottom…
There was a tiny hole!
It was only the size of a pinprick.
But it was definitely there!
Olivia's sharp gaze turned to the diving instructor.
"That's impossible! Our equipment is replaced annually and rigorously checked before every use. We've never had an issue!"
The instructor looked serious, quickly defending himself.
"Even if there was danger, the safety zone allows for rapid rescue. Drowning should never occur here."
Olivia grew angrier.
"Are you calling my friend a liar? If I hadn't rushed over on the yacht, do you know what could have happened?"
Sophia glanced at the instructor.
His nervousness and anxiety seemed genuine.
He appeared just as confused.
Amid the arguing, Sophia spoke quietly. "I encountered a shark."
Olivia was stunned.
The instructor was incredulous. "That's impossible!"
"Blacktip Reef Sharks exist outside the safety zone, but they typically stay in deep waters over two hundred meters down. They're timid, avoid humans, and rarely initiate attacks."
Sophia said softly, "The camera on my diving suit should have recorded everything. You can check the storage card if you don't believe me."
The instructor was momentarily speechless.
"My God, what happened?"
The lifeguard arrived late.
He looked shocked, seemingly completely unaware.
The instructor scowled. "Kim, where were you? Why wasn't there an immediate rescue?"
The lifeguard raised his hands, smiling awkwardly as he stepped back. "Hey man, I went to the restroom. What's going on? Why does everyone look so serious?"
Olivia was furious. "Aren't you the lifeguard? My friend had an accident and was desperately calling for help. You weren't even here. I suspect you deliberately delayed."
In deep diving areas, the lifeguard is crucial.
His absence, had Olivia not noticed in time, could have cost Sophia her life!
The lifeguard, not wanting to take blame, shrugged it off shamelessly. "I just had a bad stomach. Nobody says you can't use the restroom during work. Accidents happen at sea. Your friend is fine, isn't she?"
He shrugged, his tone dismissive, infuriating to witness.
A chill ran through Sophia.
A sea breeze blew, making her shiver. "Achoo—"
Olivia saw they were just making excuses.
She wanted to pursue the matter, but hearing Sophia sneeze and cough, she couldn't bother anymore. She prioritized getting her onto the air ambulance.
At the hospital, a nurse, seeing she was soaked, brought dry clothes for her to change into.
Olivia, worried about her hand, specifically asked the doctor for a thorough examination.
Fortunately, the results showed no major issues. No bones were broken, just a sprain. A couple days of rest would suffice.
After getting some bruise-reducing ointment, the two took a seaplane back to the resort.
Olivia, still fuming, found the hotel manager.
The manager's attitude was acceptable, but his words constantly deflected, refusing to admit any fault on the hotel's part.
During the argument, Ethan Roscente returned from his outing.
Hearing them mention Sophia's name.
He learned what happened, that Sophia had encountered trouble while diving.
Though not present, he could piece together the harrowing sequence of events. A sense of fear for her washed over him.
He thought of how timid Sophia was, how she used to call him when home alone, needing to hear his voice to fall asleep.
Having just escaped death, she must be terrified.
He wanted to offer some comfort, but then noticed Sebastian Evans had arrived at some point.
He was now hovering around Sophia, being overly attentive.
Ethan fumed for two seconds, adjusted his expression, and walked over.
"Mimi, I just heard what happened. The ocean is dangerous. What if there's an unnoticed injury? The Roscente family has invested in a private hospital in Malé. Let me take you for a full check-up?"
Sebastian's eyes lifted slightly, his tone cool. "The hospital's report is on the table. Didn't you see it, Ethan? The downtown hospital is quite good. No need to waste time on another exam. Mimi just had a scare. What she needs now is rest. Understand?"
"It seems, Ethan, you're still not attentive enough." He paused, implying something. "You never really know what a woman needs most."
Ethan glanced at the report and sneered. "It's just a small clinic. How can you be sure the results are accurate? The Roscente体检中心 has top-notch equipment. The exam won't take half an hour. Seeing the results with your own eyes is most reassuring!"
Sebastian said, "I don't want to argue with you. If you truly care about her, let her rest now."
"Don't I want what's best for her? It's you, with your self-righteous tone. Sophia isn't your employee. She doesn't need to prioritize your demands."
Sophia watched the two men go back and forth.
From barely civil to sparks flying.
She just had a headache.
Too tired to watch them argue, Sophia returned to her room first.
...
In the darkness, Sophia looked around blankly.
A deep,幽 light enveloped her.
Her body swayed gently with the light.
She felt unwell, tried to raise her hand, but found her limbs heavy.
As if weighted down by stones, completely out of her control.
The terror of being dragged down, on the verge of plunging into the abyss, jolted her upright in bed.