Chapter 402 Rescue
"Jennifer? What are you doing here?" Stella hadn't kept in touch with her old friends for the past two years, focusing entirely on Charles. Now, Jennifer suddenly appeared in front of her, helping someone else.
Stella frowned deeply.
Jennifer had always been spoiled, so when did she start hanging out with this woman?
"You hit my friend, and you think you're in the right?"
"Friend? You still haven't changed your habit of meddling. Your friend is trying to seduce my fiancé, and you're standing up for her?"
Stella's words were dripping with sarcasm, and Jennifer instantly bristled like an angry cat, her whole body tensing up.
Back when she offered to sponsor Stella's education, she had the same reaction.
Jennifer and Stella were originally classmates, and both their families' businesses were well-established in Evergreen City. However, the White Group had been declining over the years.
Stella had to follow her parents' advice and maintain a good relationship with Jennifer.
Over time, they became friends, but the relationship was always unequal. Stella often had to endure Jennifer's spoiled behavior.
When the White Group finally collapsed, Jennifer felt genuinely sorry for Stella, but the long-standing inequality had twisted Stella's mindset. She didn't want to be under Jennifer's thumb forever, so she decided to cut ties with her.
This deeply hurt Jennifer, turning them from friends into enemies.
"I must have been blind to be friends with you!" Jennifer shouted angrily, lunging at Stella, and the two began to wrestle.
The scene was even more dramatic than the earlier slap.
Diana stood there, momentarily bewildered.
'Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?'
Stella, not to be outdone, grabbed Jennifer's hair, and the two engaged in their first physical fight since their fallout.
"Who needs your charity? I'm done being your sidekick and putting up with your bad temper!"
Stella screamed into Jennifer's ear, causing a painful ringing.
Jennifer grabbed Stella's collar, her words sharp and precise, "I never saw you as my sidekick. If you hate charity so much, why are you accepting a man's charity now?"
Stella, hit where it hurt, covered Jennifer's mouth with her hand, only to get bitten. She retaliated by pinching Jennifer's waist, waiting for her to let go before striking back.
This time, the servants quickly came to help, and Jennifer began to lose ground.
Diana initially thought about sneaking away in the chaos, but remembering how Jennifer had stood up for her, she felt it wouldn't be right to leave.
After a moment's hesitation, she shouted, "Stop watching and help!"
The onlookers, who had been enjoying the show, snapped out of it.
Most of them, however, were of high status and didn't want to get involved in such a public spectacle.
Only a few servants rushed forward.
They were the White family's servants, naturally siding with Stella. Despite their efforts, they couldn't separate the two women.
Soon, Jennifer's bodyguards, summoned by Angie, joined the fray, turning the scene into a chaotic brawl.
Diana frowned, her voice stern, "I asked you to help, not to fight. Stella is a celebrity. Do you think it will be good for her if this gets out?"
Unfortunately, no one listened to her. Diana, squeezed to the edge of the crowd, twisted her ankle several times.
She closed her eyes, deciding to give up on breaking up the fight and tried to squeeze her way out.
Just then, she felt a force at her waist, and she was suddenly thrown off balance.
A splash followed, breaking the calm surface of the water.
The fighting stopped abruptly.
"Someone fell in the water!"
Eugene, who had been watching, widened his eyes in shock. He hadn't expected Diana to fall in.
He quickly took off his jacket and rushed forward to save her.
If something happened to her, Charles would kill him!
But a black figure moved even faster.
Another splash.
Diana, pushed into the water, barely had time to react before swallowing a mouthful of water. She could swim, but as she kicked, a sharp pain shot through her ankle.
With her face submerged, the pain forced her to open one eye. Fighting through the pain, she struggled to the surface, but the pool seemed endless. Her dress became a burden, wrapping around her like seaweed.
Almost there, just a little more!
Suddenly, she saw a blurry figure breaking through the water, swimming towards her.
Diana was momentarily stunned. As the figure got closer, she realized it was Charles.
Charles grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms.
The next second, his face was right in front of hers.
His warm lips moved closer.
Diana snapped back to reality, realizing what he was about to do, and tried to push him away.
Damn it, she could swim and wasn't out of breath! Had he watched too many TV dramas? Why was he trying to kiss her now?
But as she struggled, her ankle throbbed with pain, and she couldn't help but cry out, swallowing more water.
The water, mixed with pain, filled her nose and throat. As she closed her eyes, she felt a wave of despair.
When Charles finally pulled her out, a group of people was already waiting by the pool.
The onlookers, no longer relaxed, were now tense.
Stella and Jennifer, who had been fighting moments ago, stood aside, their hair disheveled, not daring to speak.
Charles, not wasting time blaming them, laid the unconscious Diana flat.
Her face was pale, lips blue, and her breathing barely detectable.
A wave of panic washed over Charles. Even though Diana was the one who had nearly drowned, he felt as if his own throat was being squeezed, making it hard to breathe.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed his emotions aside. Kneeling beside her, he began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Each breath he gave was accompanied by the pounding of his heart.
'Come back to life, you have to come back to life.'
For a moment, he was transported back five years, to when he saw Diana's lifeless body being pulled from the water, feeling utterly helpless for the first time.
But now, the memories overlapped. The body beneath his hands was still warm. There was still time.
He repeated the CPR, and finally, Diana coughed up water, gasping for air.
Seeing her awake, it felt like a weight had been lifted from his heart, the years of darkness suddenly giving way to light.
Charles saw a halo around her, his throat tightening as he began to breathe again.
The delayed fear sapped his strength, making his hands and feet tremble uncontrollably.
Diana, still disoriented from the water, felt pain in her nose and throat, each breath pulling at the soreness.
The next second, she was pulled into a damp embrace.
Both of them were soaked, the cold seeping through their thin clothes, but soon their body heat warmed her.
A low, hoarse voice came from above her head, "Thank God, you're still here."
If you listened closely, you might hear a hint of a sob in that voice.
Diana, held tightly, rested her chin on Charles' shoulder. Her whole body ached, her mind sluggish from the near-drowning, leaving her unable to think. She just stayed there, stunned, in his embrace.
"Charles, are you okay? I'll call a doctor!"
Stella finally approached, her voice trembling, revealing her guilt.
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