Chapter 1517 A Heart Torn Asunder
Selena sat rigidly on the boat's bench, her nerves frayed and her gaze vacant as she stared into the distance. When Richard boarded, he found her lost in this hollow reverie.
He approached immediately, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "The sea spray is cold, and dawn's breaking. Go change out of those wet clothes."
Just as Selena began to shake her head, the sun crested the horizon, and someone's voice boomed across the water. "Over here!"
She sprang to her feet and hurried toward the commotion. What they'd discovered wasn't so much Raymond as a piece of his clothing, drifting forlornly on the waves.
From her vantage point, she could see smoke still rising lazily from the island's skyline—a grim testament to the previous night's carnage. Selena pulled her gaze away and made to dive into the sea, but Richard caught her arm.
"There are divers down there conducting a thorough search. If Raymond's in the water, they'll find him."
Without argument, Selena took the binoculars and began scanning the ocean's surface methodically. Helicopters circled overhead in a coordinated search pattern—with such extensive coverage, Raymond should have been spotted by now, even if he'd drifted far from shore.
Her brow furrowed as she studied the deep, dark waters. Had he sunk beneath the surface?
She ordered a rescue boat lowered, determined to conduct her own search. Richard couldn't dissuade her, so he spoke into his radio, asking the aerial units to monitor her position.
Rowing steadily while sweeping the horizon with her binoculars, Selena searched for any blind spots the others might have missed. Her attention was drawn to a cluster of trees in the distance, and she headed toward them without hesitation.
When she spotted the figure sprawled among the branches, her heart felt as though it had been torn apart. Raymond lay motionless across the largest tree's trunk—its size creating a blind spot invisible from both air and sea, especially with debris and leaves floating around it. Only by approaching closely could anyone make out his position.
Selena immediately waved to the helicopter overhead, then slipped into the water to reach him. Raymond's arm was snagged on something sharp, blood seeping into the surrounding water while his wounds had turned an alarming white from prolonged submersion.
The sight broke her heart. Steeling herself, she yanked the debris from his arm in one swift motion. Raymond remained unconscious, his body frighteningly cold to the touch.
With tremendous effort, Selena dragged him to the boat and rowed back toward the main vessel. Once aboard, the helicopter landed quickly, and the medical team rushed Raymond to the hospital.
Selena had barely reached the hospital corridor when she collapsed from exhaustion.
She awakened two days later to Richard's voice nearby, speaking to someone else. "So the island's been thoroughly searched?"
"Two days was sufficient. The place is completely destroyed—bombs had been planted throughout, apparently by someone else entirely, designed to eliminate everyone on the island. Fewer than twenty locals survived. We also discovered a self-destruct mechanism in the tunnels that could have turned the entire island to rubble and sent it to the ocean floor without a trace."
Richard raised an eyebrow. If the mastermind wanted the island to remain undiscovered, why not simply activate the self-destruct rather than going through the elaborate bombing scheme?
"Mr. Smith, there's something else. We found an unusual underground chamber with a woman imprisoned inside. Several groups tried to approach her during our search, but we prevented contact. We attempted to extract her, but she can't leave that room. She faces the wall constantly with white bandages over her eyes—appears to be blind. She's likely someone significant."
"Why can't she leave the chamber?"
"Anyone who approaches the door gets electrocuted. We'd need the chamber's blueprints to understand the security system."
Richard was about to respond when he noticed Selena stirring. He dismissed the other man with a wave.
"Selena, you're awake."
"Where's Raymond?"
"Still under observation." He moved closer, exhaustion etched in his features. The past few days had drained everyone, especially after receiving Raymond's emergency signal from the island.
Feeling overwhelmed, he'd immediately recalled Lawrence from his wanderings abroad. Lawrence had promptly contacted Walter Perez—a smuggler operating out of Stellaria who knew the waterways better than anyone. When it came to naval operations, no one matched the Perez family's expertise.
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