Chapter 543

Chapter 543:

So, I swam farther 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 p>

“A place this remote, not even on the maps, could hide unknown dangers p>

“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.

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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 envelop 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 unraveling 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.