Chapter 17 Zoe turned away . " Hurting yourself won't erase the pain you caused me , " she calmly said . Blood had soaked Elijah thoroughly , staining the floor crimson , but he seemed oblivious as he whispered , " What will it take for you to forgive me ? " She quietly answered , " Elijah , let's part ways peacefully . " From that day on , he carried on as if nothing were amiss . But he doubled down with even more extravagant gestures of devotion . In the past , Zoe had bent herself to fit his world . She pushed herself to learn things she disliked for his sake , but now , the tables had turned . She loved quietness , so Elijah abandoned billion - dollar projects and spent his days sitting by her side , watching the sea silently . She loved tea , so he went into the mountains every morning . He picked the freshest tea leaves and brewed them for her . She loved fish , so he stood under the burning sun for hours , casting his line until he caught one . Watching Elijah now , Zoe felt a bittersweet ache for the person she had been . It was a painful revelation as this was how potable she must have seemed to others . She now saw their dynamic for what it was, flawed at its core . A love that lasts demands mutuality . It required a balance of giving and receiving , not a one - sided arrangement where one gives endlessly and the other only takes . When Elijah's injuries healed , he brought Zoe to the beach and handed her a rope . Looking at her deeply and tenderly , he said , " In the past , I knew you were terrified of heights , yet I still tied you up on the rooftop and tortured you for a day . Now I'm putting my life in yout hands , because it was yours to begin with . " Before she could react , he tied a boulder to himself and jumped into the sea . The weight dragged him down into the dark depths . Over a decade ago , she had once saved him from drowning . Once bitten , twice shy , so she knew how deep his fear of water ran . Throughout their three years of marriage , Zoe had never seen him go near the water's edge . Yet now , Elijah had willingly jumped into the sea . Chapter 17 2/3 The water rippled violently as he struggled beneath the surface . Cold water flooded his lungs and ears , dragging him into childhood nightmares of nearly drowning . He felt a heavy weight on his chest , but all he thought about was that if this could earn her forgiveness , then it was worth it . Expressionless , Zoe yanked on the rope and pulled him up . Elijah burst out of the water , disheveled and coughing violently . After catching his breath for just a moment , he dove back under . When he resurfaced a second time , his vision was beginning to blacken at the edges . Still , he forced himself under once more without a second thought . On the third dive , he tasted blood . A coppery tang of blood from his lungs rose into his throat . Elijah repeated this over and over until sunset . 99 dives later , his face was ghostly pale , while his chest burned as if it would burst at any second . Blood dripped from his lips and stained his white shirt in vivid blossoms of red . It was just like roses blooming against the fabric . Shaking and staggering , he forced himself toward her and said , " You must be tired . Let's go home . I'll cook you some sea bass . " Hearing that , Zoe's hardened smile vanished . The last thing she expected Elijah to ask after nearly drowning was if she was tired . Unable to bear the sight any longer , she let out a bitter laugh and dropped the rope . Then , she turned around and walked away . Behind her , Elijah's hoarse voice rang out . " Ave , did you know ? I secretly hoped , time and again , that you were my savior . But when that hope became a reality , I couldn't bear it . The pain was so excruciating that I felt like carving my heart out . " Tomorrow , I'm going live to set the record straight . I'll put an end to the slander you've faced and tell the truth about the deepfakes . I will restore your reputation . " Zoe's step faltered for a moment , but she kept walking . She knew that no livestream could undo the fact that her nude photos had been downloaded and saved on many a stranger's phone . Just like his abuse , some wounds would never heal . The next day , Elijah's livestream shook the world . Sitting before the camera , he admitted to everything . He confessed to domestic violence , to hurting Zoe , and to listening to his mistress ' lies . Chapter 17 3/3 Then , he made a public apology to Zoe and begged for her forgiveness . He also vowed to love her and her only . Elijah's reputation collapsed overnight . Former admirers in the business world cut all connections with Tarver Group , and its stock price crashed . He had become the number one public enemy . After the livestream ended , he ignored the torrent of insults flooding the internet . Instead , he tied on an apron and carried a tray of freshly cooked dishes to Zoe . " The whole world hates me now , " Elijah softly said . " You're the only one I have left . " Chapter 18 1/3 Chapter 18