Chapter 2

"What is that supposed to mean?" Edward asked.

"Nothing," I answered calmly. "Anyway, I can't take this job. Find someone else."

"There is no one else," he practically shouted. "I've already done my research. In this entire region, you're the only person who has the equipment and the ability to descend to that depth. If you refuse to go, you owe me a reason."

"Then I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."

He took a deep breath, struggling to keep his temper under control.

"Listen." His voice dropped lower, and every word came through clenched teeth. "I don't care what your reason is or how you feel. I'm giving you two hours to reconsider.

"If your answer is still no after those two hours, you and your entire operation can forget about doing business in this industry."

I closed my eyes and tightened my grip on the phone. "Mr. Grant, you should save those two hours for yourself.

"If you don't start looking for another solution now, forget about bringing your daughter back. You may not be able to recover her body."

"How dare—"

"Good luck."

I hung up.

Jack appeared in the doorway, looking at my face with a worried expression. He hesitated before speaking. "Josie, did Edward threaten you?"

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, bent down, and continued maintaining the equipment. "He can't threaten me."

"But he—" Jack hesitated. "He said he was going to blacklist our operation."

"He can say whatever he wants. I don't owe him anything."

Jack didn't ask anything else, but before he left, I saw the complicated look on his face.

"Josie, what exactly happened between you and him?" he asked.

I tightened the last valve, stood up, and wiped my hands. "He owes me a life."

*****

It was after midnight when Jack pounded on the door of my room. "Josie, bad news."

I sat up in bed and saw that his face had gone pale.

He said, "Th-the company my daughter works for transferred her from the administrative department to the inspection team on an offshore drilling platform."

My heart sank. "When did this happen?"

"Just now. She texted me, saying she suddenly got a notice from HR this afternoon. They told her to take a helicopter to the platform tonight.

"She doesn't know anything about this kind of work. She studied financial management. She doesn't have an offshore work certification."

"Have you tried calling her?"

"I had, but she didn't pick up." Jack's eyes were teary. "Her last message said she'd made it to the platform and told me not to worry. Then I couldn't reach her anymore."

I took his phone and looked at the screen.

The last message had come only half an hour earlier. There was a blurry photo attached, showing a dark gray railing on the deck with nothing but black ocean stretching into the distance.

Her final message read: [Dad, I'm here. The wind is really strong. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night.]

"Josie." Jack suddenly dropped into a crouch and buried his face in his hands. "It must be Edward. He's coming after me."

"Calm down."

"How?" He grabbed at his hair in panic. "Don't you know what it means to work inspections on an offshore drilling platform? When the waves get rough, someone can get swept straight overboard."

"He wouldn't let anything happen to your daughter. He wants you to come begging me for help," I said.

Jack froze. Then, slowly, he collapsed to the ground. "Josie, please."

I said, "Get up."

"Josie, I know you two must have some kind of history. I know I shouldn't be doing this. But my daughter is only twenty-two. She's innocent. She's so timid that she won't touch a crab."

He lowered his head, his body shaking as he sobbed. "Please. We've worked together for seven years. You can yell at me, hit me, or whatever you want. Please save my daughter."

I crouched down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jack, look at me."

He raised his head, his face streaked with tears.

"I promise you, your daughter will be okay."

"Then you—"

"I have other ways to deal with him." I pulled him to his feet. "I'll find a way to keep your daughter safe, but I can't take this job."

Jack froze. He seemed to want to say something, but no words came out.

Suddenly, a deafening roar came from outside. The sound of rotor blades grew louder as they approached, and the entire room began to tremble.

A black helicopter descended onto the landing pad at the base, the silver logo of Oceanis Group gleaming on its side.

The rotors had barely slowed when the cabin door opened. Edward stepped out in a dark coat, followed by two bodyguards in suits.

Then a woman came out, whom I knew all too well.

Ten years had passed, and she looked almost exactly the same. Her makeup was always flawless, her expression always delicate, and Edward was still the one holding her hand and carefully helping her down.

"It's them." I turned to Jack.

Fear and anger flashed across his face as his trembling hands curled into fists. "Josie, they brought bodyguards."

"It doesn't matter." I picked up my coat from beside the bed and slipped it on. "Come on."

Edward stood in the middle of the landing pad, with several people already gathered around him.

His eyes swept across our rundown base, taking in the rusted metal buildings, the dock piled high with equipment, and the ropes stained with oil and grime. The disgust on his face was impossible to miss.

Then he saw me, but his eyes rested on me for less than half a second before moving away.

He didn't recognize me.

It made sense. After all, I was nothing like the wife he had held by the hand and taken everywhere with him ten years ago.

"Who's in charge?" Edward spoke with impatience.

Jack instinctively glanced at me, and I took two steps toward Edward. "I am."

He finally looked me over properly. "You?"

"Yes," I said.

He gave a cold laugh and said something quietly to one of the bodyguards beside him.

Then he turned his attention to Jack. "You're Jack, right? How's your daughter doing on my platform?"