CHAPTER 274: CHAPTER 274 MIRA: SCUBA DIVING

‘Mira.’

‘Damn it,’ I muttered under my breath, then got up to leave.

‘Stay.’ Ashton blocked my way.

I glanced around, searching for an escape route.

The restaurant was one of three on board, and this wasn’t even lunchtime. I thought I’d be safe here. How did he even find me?

‘I’m busy,’ I said.

‘Doing what?’

I nearly said ‘work’, the excuse I’d used for the past two months, then remembered I was on a cruise ship.

A group of guys strolled past, carrying scuba gear.

‘Diving,’ I blurted. ‘I signed up for a class, and I’m running late.’

‘I’ll come with you.’

I let out an exasperated sigh. ‘I don’t want you to come with me. Shouldn’t you be enjoying this perfect afternoon with your new girlfriend?’

I pushed past him without waiting for an answer.

He caught up easily.

I started jogging.

He kept pace.

People turned their heads as we passed, probably thinking we were a pair of lunatics.

I kept running until we reached the spot where the diving coaches were instructing a group of young men.

I rented gear and told the instructor I didn’t need lessons, since I had a diving licence. He checked and nodded.

Through it all, Ashton stayed close. I strapped on my gear, and he did the same.

I almost asked him where he’d got his licence. I never knew he could dive. But I bit my tongue.

Asking meant talking, and right now, that was the last thing I wanted.

I slipped into the water and swam a short distance.

But the day was perfect, the sea warm, which meant the shallower spots were crowded.

I tried to take a few underwater photos, but all I got were heads and flailing arms.

So I swam further out.

Ashton was always in the corner of my vision, never far away.

I ignored him and tried to recall something I’d read about this stretch of sea.

According to the website, the Mediterranean’s greatest hidden treasure was a spot nearby, with crystal-clear waters and rare marine life. Hardly anyone knew about it. But it was risky, since the area was undeveloped.

Back on the ship, I rented a small boat fitted with GPS and keyed in the coordinates.

Ashton boarded despite my cold silence. I tolerated him. It wasn’t as if I could shove him overboard.

Half an hour later, I spotted a tiny islet.

‘Don’t,’ Ashton said as the boat slowed.

‘What?’

‘A place this remote, not even on the maps, could hide unknown dangers.’

‘If you’re scared, stay on the boat,’ I said, daring him.

I ignored his look and checked my gear. Once everything was ready, I slipped into the sea.

Daylight was fading, so I carried a waterproof bag with my phone and a torch.

I swam down slowly, snapping pictures as I went. The deeper I went, the more it felt like stumbling into a hidden world, full of surprises.

I didn’t have much experience, but the beauty of the ocean gripped me, making me pause and linger.

Ashton, though, seemed uninterested. He kept to my side like a bodyguard.

The light dimmed gradually.

Every now and then, our torches swept across the water. Fish darted close, circling curiously before flashing away.

I alternated between photographing the scenery and simply taking in what no camera could capture.

Little by little, the resentment I’d been carrying because of Ashton and his new girlfriend faded. Nature had its way of soothing jagged edges.

Before long, we’d reached a depth where it wasn’t safe to go much further. I stopped, planning to return.

That was when specks of blue-green light began to gather around us. My heart leapt with delight.

I switched off my torch.

Darkness wrapped around us, but the glow only grew brighter, shimmering in waves. Bioluminescent organisms. You only saw them in their full glory in complete darkness.

I kept completely still, letting them come closer and envelope me.

It felt like swimming through a sky of stars.

I glanced at Ashton, hazy in the distance. He looked almost unearthly, like some sea god.

Why was he even here? If he was with Lea, why wasn’t he by her side? Why board the same cruise at all?

If he’d planned this with Yvaine, why bring another woman along? To flaunt it? But that didn’t sound like him.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. Damn it. Why couldn’t I just enjoy this beauty, instead of unravelling every time he appeared?

I swam faster, putting distance between us.

But just as I was about to surface, something stirred the water around me.

I froze. Something felt wrong.

I kept swimming upwards, desperate to get back to the boat.

Suddenly, a strong hand shot out, clamped around my wrist, and yanked me down.