---- Chapter 7 Gabriel' s POV: | left Aria' s hospital room as soon as her sedative kicked in, a gnawing unease chewing at my gut. "| have to go," I'd told her, gently pulling my hand away. Her eyes, heavy-lidded, had filled with tears. "Don't leave me, Gabe. | need you." "| promised Claire |' d watch the sunrise with her. It' s her birthday." The words tasted like ash in my mouth. A promise | was already hours late to keep. Aria' s grip on my hand tightened. "But | need you more." | shook my head, a sense of urgency | couldn' t explain propelling me toward the door. "I' Il be back. | promise." Just as | reached the hallway, my assistant, Mark, came running toward me, his face pale and slick with sweat. "Mr. Holmes," he panted, struggling to catch his breath. "It 's..it's Mrs. Holmes." My blood ran cold. "What about her? Is she okay?" Mark shook his head, his eyes wide with horror. "Sir... the ---- yacht crew... they said she jumped. They' re saying she jumped into the ocean." The world tilted on its axis. "No," | whispered, the sound raw and broken. "That's impossible. We were going to watch the sunrise. For her birthday." "She went out alone, sir," Mark said, his voice barely audible. "The captain said she seemed... very down. He said they tried to call you, but..." "But what?" | snapped, my voice cracking. "Why didn' t they call me?" Mark flinched. "Your phone, sir. It' s been off all night." My gaze dropped to the phone in my hand. The screen was black. Dead. | fumbled to turn it on, my fingers trembling so badly | could barely press the button. My eyes shot to Aria' s room, a sudden, sick suspicion curdling in my stomach. | stormed back inside, my voice a low, dangerous growl. "Did you turn off my phone, Aria?" She shrank back against the pillows, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "No! Of course not. It must have died. Or maybe it was an accident." | didn' t hear the rest of her excuses. | was already gone, sprinting through the hospital corridors, shoving past nurses and doctors. | ran out into the pre-dawn chill, my lungs burning, my mind screaming Claire' s name. ---- By the time | reached the marina, the sky was a bruised purple. The yacht was back at the dock, crawling with police officers. Agrim-faced detective met me at the gangplank. "Mr. Holmes? I' m Detective Miller. ' m afraid your wife is not on board. Based on the evidence and the crew' s testimony, we have to assume she went overboard." He gestured to the dark, choppy water. "The currents here are treacherous. A search is underway, but frankly, the chances are not good." "No," | choked out, my voice trembling, my eyes scanning the empty deck as if | could will her to appear. "She wouldn' t. Claire wouldn't do that." "Was she experiencing any emotional distress recently, sir?" the detective asked, his tone professional but devoid of sympathy. | shook my head numbly. "No. She was fine. We were happy." The lie felt like poison on my tongue. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!