His arms were outstretched, eyes closed, the water rising just above his chest, gently lapping and swirling around his body. He had an incredible physique, the muscles in his arms taut and powerful. Though the water reached his chest, it was so clear you could see his firm abs at a glance. If you counted carefully, there were quite a few... Ava Sterling suddenly felt like she was dry kindling set ablaze, igniting with a crackling flame. She stared at that perfectly sculpted body, watched the light play over him like a hand caressing his form, her spineless throat swallowing involuntarily. She could say with certainty that anyone standing there, witnessing this scene, would be utterly captivated, unable to help themselves. Truly, she couldn’t be blamed. The surrounding atmosphere quieted, all sound disappeared. Especially at this moment, in this not-so-small space, it was uncannily silent. Yet Ava Sterling felt her heart pounding like thunder, her mind completely frozen. She felt she could hear her own heartbeat, extraordinarily loud, resonating with her swallowing, vibrating her eardrums. She wanted to do something, to say something, but found her mind a muddled mess. She only stared at him, unblinking, unable to move. And at that moment, suddenly, his closed eyes opened. Ava Sterling felt as if she’d been tapped on the shoulder, her soul snapping back to reality. She widened her eyes, seeing those eyes open, and then her heart began to race wildly. He looked at her, his eyes deep and dark, like a terrifying abyss. She stood at the edge, gazing into the abyss, the abyss gazing back. It was unbearable for Ava Sterling, her heart beating so wildly it seemed it would leap out. Fear arose in her heart. Instinctively, she turned her gaze away. Original content can be found at novel(ꜰ)ire.net And in that instant, she remembered why she was there. To reconcile with him! In an instant, Ava Sterling hurried over, not a single stray thought in her mind. "Poe Vaughn, I know you resent me, and you’re dissatisfied with me, but since you’ve chosen me and agreed to cooperate, you must listen to my explanation!" "I really didn’t mean to be late today, nor did I intentionally vomit on you. To put it bluntly, you’re my benefactor. Who would dare offend their own benefactor?" "Even the dumbest person wouldn’t, right?" "You really don’t need to be angry. Since we’re cooperating, let’s cooperate well. Acting on impulse won’t solve anything!" "Rest assured, I won’t repeat this mistake. I can promise you that, otherwise..." As Ava spoke, she hurried towards him, perhaps walking too quickly, speaking too focused, or forgetting she had drunk too much. In any case, before she finished speaking, her foot slipped, and with a splash, she fell into the swimming pool. Poe Vaughn sat there unmoving, just watching as Ava Sterling fell, those deep, terrifying eyes without a ripple of emotion. As if whether Ava was alive or dead at that moment was irrelevant to him. Ava, in that instant of slipping, panicked, falling into the water, where countless waves quickly rushed toward her. She instinctively flailed, grabbing at her surroundings. Within moments, she latched onto something strong and warm. Not caring about anything else, she clung fiercely to it, holding onto him like a koala bear. At that moment, the surroundings fell silent. The water, disturbed by Ava’s frantic movements, gradually settled. Ava held tightly to Poe, eyes closed, body rigid, not daring to move an inch. There was no mistake, she feared water, and couldn’t swim. Poe leaned there, her soft body pressed tightly against his, her warmth clearly felt, intertwining with his own heat, the pool water seeming to warm as well...