Chapter 8
Colette was about to speak when the accident occurred.
Two kids on skateboards dashed in the direction of the pool. They noticed the two women too late and failed to slow down, hence crashing into Sophie and pushing her into the pool.
Colette heard a splash, followed by water splashing around. It took her a second before gathering herself. Ignoring the two kids, she prepared to dive into the pool to save Sophie when a figure appeared out of nowhere.
She felt a huge force hitting her. Stumbling backward, she steadied herself and saw James to the rescue. He took off his jacket without hesitation and jumped into the pool to save Sophie.
Once they were back to safety, he frowned at Colette. “What happened?”
Sophie spoke up before Colette had a chance to explain herself. “It’s all my fault for angering Colette. That must be why she pushed me into the pool. I’m fine, though. Please don’t blame it
on her…”
Trembling all over, Sophie put on a soft and pitiful behavior in front of everyone. Her attempt to speak up for me was in fact accusatory. James shot me a reproachful look.
“I did not shove her! I didn’t do it. It was-” Colette shook her head and tried to clear things up. She turned around to look for the two kids who crashed into Sophie, but they were long
gone.
Colette sank into silence, which robbed her of any chance to ever explain herself.
“Who else could it have been? Are you saying I shoved her, or did she fall into the pool herself? Colette Anderson, I thought you were just stubborn, but I can’t believe you’re ill-
mannered too!”
His remarks dropped a bomb. Did he seriously describe her as ill–mannered? He knew that criticism was her sore spot ever since she lost her parents. Her bullies in school always scolded her for being an ill–mannered bastard. He stood up for her back in the day, but now, he weaponized the same criticism against her.
She mumbled, trying to fight for herself, but James had scooped Sophie into his arms and left the pool.
The party ended abruptly in the absence of the two main characters. The crowds dispersed, and Colette retired to her room desolately.
She tossed and turned in bed. She called and texted James to explain herself; but he ignored her the whole night. It wasn’t until dawn the next day that he returned to the villa with Sophie.
“Uncle James, I didn’t push Sophie into the pool. Two kids were fooling around, and they shoved her into the pool!” Colette rushed over to explain herself to James when they came
C
