CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

SAPPHIRE yawned at her seat as she watched the party. It was loud and lively, but she grew bored as it went on. Maybe, it was not her thing. And finally, Sapphire made up her mind when she saw Hapi sauntered towards her cousin Ruby for the dance. She rose from her seat. She could not bear to watch him dancing with other girls.

She headed to the guesthouse. Aside from feeling jealous, there was nothing much to do at the party. Besides, Don Ignacio introduced her to some of his colleagues as his granddaughter, who came back recently from abroad that he missed dearly. It made her feel sour. Why lie about her? Perhaps, he was ashamed of her.

Sapphire entered the lobby and saw Acqua standing in front of the elevator. It seemed that her cousin was waiting for it too. She was having second thoughts if she would go up with her or just take the stairs for the sake of peace. But when she was just about to take a turn to the stairs, Acqua suddenly spoke to her.

“How are you, Sapphire?” Acqua asked without looking at her. “It seems to me that you’re not enjoying the party.”

She could not help but raise a brow. After what happened in the afternoon of that day, her cousin dares to ask how she was. Wow…

“Well, yeah. I’m quite bored.” Sapphire shrugged. “Partying is not my thing.”

“You’re too honest, Sapphire.” Acqua drew her breath. “That is why I don’t like you.”

Sapphire’s forehead creased. What the heck is wrong with Acqua? Why did she think that being honest is…bad? Ah, perhaps everyone in the family was a liar.

“I—”

“You keep acting innocent and pure all the time. Are you enjoying the show?” Her cousin arched a brow.

Sapphire was not slow, but she could not understand what Acqua was talking about.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Acqua. I’m not putting on a show.”

“Ah! Whatever!”

“Are you fighting?” asked Kirei, who arrived at the scene.

“No, we’re just talking.” Acqua turned to her. “Right, Sapphire?”

“H-huh? A-ah, y-yeah…” Sapphire agreed.

The elevator doors opened. Acqua stepped inside, and Kirei followed her. Meanwhile, Sapphire stood still.

“Aren’t you coming with us, Sapphire?” Kirei asked, holding the elevator button so that the doors would not close.

“I-I’ll take the next one,” she said with a faint smile. “I forgot something.”

“Fine.” Acqua pulled Kirei’s hand away from the button.

Soon the doors closed, and the elevator moved up.

Sapphire heaved a sigh and turned in the direction of the stairs. She took the stairs instead of the elevator. And as she took each step, it slowly cleared her mind. She was calm again.

“IT FEELS so refreshing…” She plopped down on the edge of the bed as she dried her face.

Sapphire already changed into her sleep ware and getting ready to sleep when her phone buzzed. She sauntered to the bedside table to get her phone.

She received a message from an unknown number. Usually, Sapphire would not entertain that kind of message, but still, she opened the message when she read Hapi’s name on the preview.

It’s me, Hapi. My phone ran out of battery. Could you please come to the pool area and help me back to our room…? I’m a little drunk. It makes my head spin round…

“So. This is what he meant yesterday when he said that he needs me here?” Sapphire shook her head and sighed. “He is back to being my master again.”

She pulled a cardigan from her bag and donned it before leaving the room.

The pool area was on the opposite side of the event hall where the party was being held. It was dark, and there were no people around. Sapphire wondered how come Hapi was there.

“Hapi, where are you?” she called as she approached the pool area.

Sapphire looked around and tried to peek behind the bushes near the pool, but there was no sign of him.

“Where the hell did that drunkard go?” She inserted her hand into her cardigan’s pocket to fish her phone, but it was not there. “Gah! I even forgot my phone…”

She was about to leave the place when suddenly, a strong force pushed her from behind. Sapphire fell into the pool within seconds.

Fear crept all throughout her system. She could not swim! All she could do was to move her arms and feet. Sapphire tried to get her head out of the water to ask for help, but she just swallowed the water while trying to shout.

Is this the end of me?

Her heart cried as she remembered the last time she saw her mother smiling at her.

Why is life so cruel to me?

Sapphire could only imagine how her mother would cry once she saw her lifeless body inside the coffin.

But during her negative thoughts, she found hope when she caught a glimpse of a figure approaching the pool. She put her hands up, signaling that person to save her.

HAPI did not know why, but his feet seemed to have a life of their own. He just found himself walking towards the pool area. And then, he saw two figures climbing up of the pool. He ran towards them. His eyes widened when he saw Acqua pushing Sapphire up.

“Why are you standing there like an idiot?” Acqua snapped. “Come here and help me!”

“O-oh…” He got Sapphire out of the water and lay her down on the ground. “What happened? Did you two have a fight again?” He looked up at Acqua, who was catching her breath.

“No. Can’t you see that I just saved her?” Acqua kneeled beside her and checked Sapphire’s pulse. “Her pulse is weak. She must have drunk a lot of water.”

“Oh, God…” His tears welled up. If something bad happened with Sapphire, he was to blame because he went to the party because of him.

“You know to perform CPR, right?”

Hapi was a Red Cross volunteer since he was in high school. He was well-trained to do that.

“Then do it! Now!” Acqua snapped again. “I’ll go ask for help.”

“Sapphire, please wake up…” Hapi cried as he pumped her chest.