CH 31

To make matters worse, when it started raining, it became dark.

What if Olivia doesn’t send her servant?

Callie should never have sent the two of them. She should have boarded that ship together, even if it was reckless. No, if she had done that, the boat would have sunk, and all three of them would have fallen into the water on the spot. Then, Callie would have lost her life because she couldn’t swim.

The boat will come. The look on Olivia’s face when she promised to send her servant immediately seemed genuinely concerned about me.

Yes, no matter how much she likes Brandon and how jealous she is and hates me, she won’t let me die like this.

Then Olivia, who told me to get on the boat, would be guilty of the crime.

Oh, please, someone, please come quickly before the rain gets stronger.

Callie stared impatiently at the place where the boat carrying Olivia had disappeared.

Come on, let’s think.

Even if I can’t swim, I can float as long as I’m not afraid. 

What should I do when I fall into the water?

Callie calmed down her fearful emotions, revisiting something she had read in a book one day. 

“Relax your body, stretch your arms and legs, and lie down. If you struggle not to fall, you might fall even more. So don’t be afraid. Stay still, and don’t be afraid of the water.”

Meanwhile, the raindrops were getting thicker and thicker.

Thick raindrops fell on the boat, quickly filling it with water. When the water filled the bottom of the boat, it sank in a matter of seconds.

Her fear of dying overtook everything else. She couldn’t even remember the method she had been reciting a while ago. Instinctively, she struggled with her limbs to rise above the water.

But the more she struggled to rise to the surface, the faster she sank.

Haa, is this how I die this time?

She couldn’t hold her breath for a long time, and when she breathed in, water engulfed her body. Finally, her struggles slowed down, and her body sank deeper and deeper into the water.

When she couldn’t hold on any longer and started losing consciousness, someone jumped into the water with a splash. Then, the person hugged her neck tightly from behind.

The body sinking into the water was pulled up to the surface by the solid force. Callie, who had lost consciousness, was put on the boat first, and Brandon got on board soon after.

Lying on her stomach, Callie was limp and unconscious. 

“Callie, wake up. Callie!” Brandon shouted urgently, but Callie didn’t open her eyes. He shook her body and slapped her, but she didn’t come to her senses quickly.

He pressed on her chest to resuscitate her, plugged her nose with his fingers, and lowered his lips to hers when Callie opened her eyes. 

As she coughed up the water she had swallowed, Callie’s eyes widened when she saw Brandon before her.

Am I dead?

“Brandon…”

Only then did Brandon relax, feeling relieved.

“You’re alive.” Brandon grabbed Callie, who was lying down, and helped her sit.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Before anything, shouldn’t you thank me first for saving your life twice?”

“Thank you. I really thought I was going to die this time.”

“If you’re so grateful, let me sleep with you.” Brandon winked mischievously as he joked.

Usually, she would have rolled her eyes when he joked like this, but after almost having died a moment ago, Callie was glad to hear Brandon’s joke. 

“Of course, you’d joke at a time like this. It sounds like you.”

“What do you mean joke? I’m serious.”

“You saved me twice.”

Callie could be certain today that Brandon didn’t kill her in her past life. If he had done it, he wouldn’t risk his life twice to save her. 

“That’s right, my wife.”

“When I asked earlier if you were going to watch the rowing competition, you said you weren’t interested. How did you really know about this place?”

“I was bored.”

“You were bored?” 

Nod.

He didn’t want to say he was there to interrupt her watching the match because he was worried Callie would fall in love while watching the other guys play. 

“Yes, I came out because I was bored, but I heard about this from Olivia, who was just coming in by boat.”

“Olivia told you.”

Olivia didn’t mean to kill me, did she?

As Callie ruminated on Olivia’s intentions, Brandon placed the jacket he had taken off before jumping into the water over her shoulders.

In the meantime, the rain stopped, just like the weather in Vihiru.

“Tell me if it’s cold like last time in the woods.”

Tell him?

Callie smiled and looked up at Brandon, who was looking down at him.

“…I’ll hug you the way I did that time.” Brandon opened his arms for Callie, half-jokingly, half-seriously. 

I wouldn’t have refused to hug you if you didn’t say this playfully and hugged me quietly.

However, despite being a married couple, Callie, who wasn’t yet accustomed to this kind of skinship, was not willing to hug him.

I wish I could just give you a big hug.

“I can still hold on. If it’s cold, I’ll tell you then.”

When Callie still pretended to be strong after almost drowning, Brandon smiled and withdrew his open arms. 

“Alright. However, if it takes too long, you may not be able to keep me from holding you in my arms forever, so remember that. I don’t know if you know it, but I’m not a very patient guy.” 

After saying that, Brandon took his seat and took up the oars.

“Let’s go back now.”

As Brandon began rowing slowly, Callie sat across from him and stared at him. The sun shone beautifully over his head, where the clouds had disappeared.

With the usual smile on his face, Brandon teased, “You said you wanted to do it, so you ended up on a boat. Although you almost died.”

“Then, when I asked if you could help me ride a boat, why didn’t you help me?” 

“Oh, so it’s my fault you got on a sinking boat?”

“Of course not. I am very grateful.”

“You don’t seem to be with your expression or actions.”

“Thank you, really.” It was embarrassing to say it, but Callie told the truth about how she felt a moment ago. “You won’t believe it, but when I fell into the water earlier, the first face I thought of was you. You didn’t even know I’m here… Still, I hoped you would rescue me. But you really came to rescue me.”

At her words, Brandon lifted the corners of her mouth happily. “I was the first thing that came to your mind when you thought you would die? Wow, does that mean you really like me? No, since when did you like me so much? Tell me. When did you start liking me?”

“Don’t tease me, Brandon.” Callie pouted, looking away. 

Seeing Callie back safely with Brandon, Olivia spat out her consolation with a worried face.

“Callie, I’m so relieved. You don’t know how worried I was because it suddenly rained.”

Because of Brandon’s appearance, it’s unclear whether Olivia intended to send the servant back or let her drown. However, when Callie saw how worried she looked, she didn’t feel like Olivia’s words were false.

Did Olivia really not know there was a problem with the boat? Only Olivia will know the truth. 

“I guess I wasn’t destined to die yet,” Callie replied with a shrug.

Unlike when he was dealing with Callie, Brandon looked coldly at Olivia, obviously thinking she was suspicious, and asked, “But why did you get on that boat?”

“Callie wanted to ride it so much. She asked to board a boat owned by our family.”

“On a boat with problems?”

“I didn’t know there was a problem with the boat, Brandon. If I had known, would I have been on it, too?”

“You might have thought that the servant would follow you, so even if the boat were in trouble, they would save you.”

At Brandon’s words, Olivia’s eyes widened and looked hurt. “My goodness. Are you doubting me now? It’s ridiculous. Why would I do that?”

You have to have whatever you want because you have a temper. What you want right now is probably me.

Brandon’s blue eyes stared at Olivia as if they were trying to dig deep. It was sharp enough to make one wonder if even a person who had done nothing wrong would bow their head if he stared at them with those eyes.

Olivia sulked at Brandon’s suspicions, insisting repeatedly that she hadn’t meant it. “It’s true, Brandon. I swear I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Apparently deciding to believe Olivia’s appeal, Brandon withdrew his frosty gaze and said, “Right, you couldn’t have done that. You know very well what I’d do to those who carelessly touch my people. Since you’re an old friend.”

Seeing his expression, Olivia stood frozen stiff as if she had seen a ghost.