Chapter 2

"You caused Halle's death! You murderer!" Beatrice yelled.

'Is she out of her mind?' I thought, glancing at my phone before snapping back.

I said, "Halle was swept out by the waves. I can't even swim—how was I supposed to save her? And when it happened, I didn't even see anything. You're actually blaming me for this?"

My words only made her angrier. She jumped up from the sand, jabbing a finger at my face.

She said, "You're her mother. You should've been watching her every second. So what if you can't swim?

"You just stood there, did nothing, totally unfazed, while your child was in danger. Any real mom would rather die with her kid than let this happen.

"Bailey, no matter what you say, this is all your fault. You killed her!"

I wasn't about to waste my breath arguing with her. She was just a secretary. I would not let get stick her nose into my family's business.

I turned to Atwater and said, "This isn't on me. I was just snapping a few pictures. Who could've guessed she'd get swept away in a matter of minutes?"

"Tell your secretary to back off. Seriously, who does she think she is, coming at me like this?"

Beatrice went wild, shoving me toward the water like a rabid animal.

Sje saod. "You're still making excuses? Bailey, you killed Halle. You deserve to die.

"Go join Halle right now!"

'Enough's enough,' I thought.

I raised my hand and slapped her, hard, right across the face.

I said, "Beatrice, my daughter who was swept out to sea, so why are you acting like you're the one in mourning?"

"I..." Beatrice opened her mouth, but couldn't get a word out.

She turned to grab Atwater. "Atwater, please, you have to do something. Get someone out there to search the ocean right now.

"There's still a chance. We can still bring her back."

Atwater was frantically making calls, while the crowd around us started chiming in.

A person said, "Get the lifeguards out there now. Maybe there's still a chance to save her!"

Another person said, "Every year the ocean claims lives. Parents like you just don't pay enough attention.

"How can you get distracted at the beach? You have to watch your kid every second."

Someone else said, "Look at her, just busy taking selfies and messing with her phone. She didn't care about her kid at all.

"If I were your kid, I'd haunt you just to make your life hell."

Beatrice was practically losing it, shouting like a maniac.

She said, "You heard them, didn't you, Bailey? You heard what everyone's saying, right?

"You're not even fit to be a mother. Someone like you doesn't deserve to have kids."

I slapped her again, this time with my other hand.

I said, "Mind your own business, Beatrice."

After I slapped her twice in a row, Beatrice just couldn't take it anymore.

She clung to Atwater's arm, desperate for backup.

She said, "Atwater, you have to stand up for me.

"Bailey didn't watch Halle. It's all her fault. Don't let her get away with this. She needs to pay!"

Atwater's fists were clenched so hard the veins were bulging, his face twisted with rage.

His eyes were practically bulging out, glaring at me with a wild intensity.

He asked, "Bailey, aren't you going to explain yourself? You always treasured Halle like she was part of you. How could you be so reckless today?

"Halle is your daughter. Why don't I see even the slightest bit of grief from you?"

I absently swept the wind-tossed hair from my face, barely bothered by the chaos around me.

I said, "Seriously, what good is it to be sad? Like you said, the sea's merciless. It's been ages since she went under. There's zero chance she'll make it back.

"Atwater, let's just go home. Worst case, we'll give her a big funeral and send her off properly."

Atwater took two shaky steps back, looking at me like he couldn't even recognize me.

He asked, "Bailey, is that really you? Are you really the woman I married?

"How can you say something so cruel? She's your daughter—the girl you carried for nine months and brought into this world.

"You nursed her through sleepless nights, and watched her grow every step of the way. She was always top of her class.

"How can you be this cold?"