CHAPTER 397: CHAPTER 397: SHIPWRECK INCIDENT

When Shane was leaving, he said he’d be back in two or three days, but he was gone for an entire week before Audrey received his message saying: I’m coming tomorrow, is there anything you need me to bring over?

Audrey looked at the message, smiled, and thought to herself that this man was quite cunning.

Previously, when he texted her, they were all statements, not requiring her to respond to anything.

Now he’s switched to questions, deliberately trying to get her to reply.

Audrey actually wanted to bring the easel from home, so she could sit by the window and paint the scenery when bored, but she put down her phone without giving Shane any reply.

Just like when she used to reach out to him countless times without getting any response.

But hearing that he’d come tomorrow, Audrey felt a sense of anticipation in her heart; she even trimmed her bangs with small scissors while bathing at night.

Every night at ten o’clock, he’d send a message punctually, telling her to go to sleep.

Although Audrey never replied to his messages, the phone’s notification sound when his message arrived was like an alarm clock for her. When she saw his message, she’d obediently close her laptop playing anime, tidy up, and lie down to sleep.

Thinking that when she opened her eyes tomorrow, he might be there, her dreams were sweet.

...

The next day, Audrey woke up at around seven.

Lately, going to bed early and getting up early has made her routine more regular.

After waking up, she didn’t get out of bed immediately, but lay there staring blankly outside.

It wasn’t until eight when Hazel brought breakfast that she finally got up to wash up.

"I heard Shane is coming today," Hazel said, standing by the bathroom door, watching Audrey brushing her teeth at the sink, and asked with a deep smile.

Audrey took a sip of water from the cup, rinsed her mouth, and said, "Mom, you know and still ask me."

Hazel laughed and said, "Seems like you two are still in contact privately."

Audrey mumbled, "He told me himself, I didn’t ask him."

"Ding-dong—" The phone beside the pillow on the bed rang, Audrey glanced toward the phone, then at Hazel, pretending not to be curious about who sent the message, she continued washing her face slowly.

Hazel watched her and said with a smile, "Shane has sent you a message."

Audrey denied, "It’s not him."

Hazel: "How do you know it’s not him without looking?"

Audrey: "...I know without looking."

Hazel smiled and didn’t reveal anything but reminded Audrey, "Hurry up and finish washing, eat breakfast quickly, otherwise the porridge will get cold."

Watching Hazel turn and walk away, hearing the door close, Audrey hung the towel on the rack, and quickly ran to the bed to check the phone.

It turned out it really wasn’t Shane who sent the message.

It was Laura Yates, expressing concern for her health and asking about her manuscript.

Upon discovering the message wasn’t from Shane, she felt quite disappointed at that moment.

He only said he was coming today but didn’t mention what time, whether in the morning or afternoon.

These past few days, she felt she had almost recovered, but her mom insisted she stay in quarantine for one full month, not even a day less.

Just now, Laura sent a message again, gently urging her about the manuscript, so after breakfast, Audrey officially devoted herself to work.

The comic she was working on was, in fact, adapted from her and Shane’s story, with many scenes from their real-life experiences.

She was drawing the scene where Shane was teaching her to swim; thinking about those days, she felt genuinely happy, overcoming years of inner shadows, never dreaming she’d learn to swim one day.

She felt that the person teaching her had to be Shane; with anyone else, she likely wouldn’t have had the security to attempt something she feared so intensely, not even with a professional swimming coach.

When he held her hand, patiently and steadily encouraged her, continuously telling her "he’s here," she felt nothing was frightening, a voice within assured her: he wouldn’t let anything happen to her, he would protect her.

"Thud, thud, thud—" She heard hurried footsteps running upstairs.

The next second, her door was opened abruptly, Norman stood at the door, somewhat anxiously asking her: "When did your husband leave? What ship is he on?"

Audrey frowned, originally upset that Norman came in without knocking, but hearing what he said, she was stunned, put down her drawing pen and asked him: "What’s wrong?"

"Watch the news, it just reported, a cruise heading to Driftwood Isle had an accident, emergency rescue is underway, casualties are unclear yet, don’t know if your husband is on that ship."

As Audrey heard, she immediately stood up from the stool; Hazel just followed upstairs and stood by the door asking Audrey, "Audrey, Shane’s phone isn’t reachable, did he mention when he’s coming? Hope he’s not on that ship."

Audrey frowned, picked up the phone, re-read the message Shane sent yesterday, her voice shaky with worry and fear: "...He didn’t say, just mentioned coming today."

Hazel looked worried too: "I’ve called twice but couldn’t get through."

Samuel came upstairs saying: "Don’t worry too much, the news says the accident was discovered timely, most people were wearing life jackets, the ship hasn’t completely sunk, with prompt rescue, it shouldn’t be a problem."

Audrey frowned, trying to comfort herself inwardly, thinking Shane was fit and could swim; even if he were on that ship, surely he’d be okay.

After her parents went downstairs, Audrey searched the news online, seeing rescue operations for the sunken ship on X’s live stream.

It said two fatalities had already been confirmed.

This death toll was relatively low for a shipwreck, but Audrey feared this small mortality rate might fall upon Shane.

She also messaged Faye Xavier, thinking Faye might know Shane’s specific itinerary, but Faye hadn’t replied, possibly in a meeting.

Half an hour later, the death toll had risen to nameless.

Audrey couldn’t help dialing Shane’s number, experiencing the same as Hazel—unable to connect, hearing only a cold automated female voice saying the number was powered off.

She switched among several live news streams, seeing none of the rescued were him, while the death toll kept rising, leaving Audrey increasingly restless, without his news, each minute felt excruciating...