"help... somebody helping, Lucia screamed as Elisa was disappearing from the surface of the water.
Lucia's piercing scream echoed through the night, mingling with the splashes and laughter of the evening's gala.
Silvery moonlight danced across the surface of the swimming pool, glinting in the water like tiny stars. But to Lucia, her aim and motives was to teach Elisa, who was disappearing beneath the surface a lesson.
she called out for help, as pretence desperation clawing at her throat.
But in reality, she wanted Elisa to drown .
Across the terrace, Miguel, a sharp observer, turned at the sound of lucia's cry. Time seemed to slow as he processed the urgency in her voice.
Without a moment's hesitation, he sprinted toward the pool, his heart pounding with dread.
As he reached the edge, he focused on the water, where hands thrashed and struggled to break through. He had no time to ask Lucia what was happening, and who was in the waters.
With a deep breath, Miguel dived into the cool water, the world above him fading into a distant roar.
As he submerged, he spotted Elisa's unconscious form, her long golden hair swirling around her like a dark cloud. Gritting his teeth, he swam towards her.
Breaking the surface, he cradled Elisa carefully, feeling the weight of her limp body. He surfaced gasping for air, forcing himself to remain calm.
"Miguel.."
Lucia's cries echoed in his ears, but he pushed her voice aside, Elisa needed him now.
He laid her on the poolside, gently shaking her as he pressed on her chest, hoping to expel the water from her lungs.
"Please wake up Elisa! Don't scare me." He whispered as desperation lunged him.
Seconds stretched endlessly, and panic threatened to rise again. With determination, he leaned down, performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
A moment later, to his immense relief, Elisa coughed, water spraying from her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, confused.
"Miguel?" she murmured, shivering against the cool of the night. She never expected it to be him.
Shivering from coldness, Miguel picked his coat that wasn't wet and cover her as she a waits for another cloth to change into. Elisa always had a spare cloth in her bag for emergency reasons.
Meanwhile, Lucia swirled in a tempest of emotions. Mr Smith appeared with a bag, ready to tend to Elisa's needs, but Lucia saw was her opportunity to create a new sinister scheme against Elisa.
As Miguel helped Elisa sit up, Lucia lunged, grabbing the bag and insisting she helps.
"Sir, let me help her," she forced a smile, her mask slipping just enough for Elisa to catch a glimpse of the malice underneath.
Once inside the small dressing room, Lucia's demeanor shifted entirely. The door closed, sealing them alone.
With a sudden change, Lucia faced Elisa, her voice dripping with a venomous sweetness
"Did you come to the banquet just for him? You think you can still warm your way back into Miguel's heart after everything? Didn't you divorce him? Then, why are you still clinging to him?" she taunted, her eyes flashing with something dark.
Then she warned her. " Dont come looking for trouble, don't say l didn't warn you."
Elisa stood tall, a fierce gaze countering , Lucia twisted taunts as she also mocks her.
"Lucia, ain't you ashamed? The whole world knows you as a mistress in our relationship. And..you also don't seem to have a good time lately."
Although, the viral news had quenched down, but still Lucia was marked as a homewrecker, and still gets scorned some times in public.
Lucia's expression twisted into a sneer.
"Oh, please. You think that title means anything? One day, Miguel and I will be together, and your name will be forgotten."
Her words dripped with envy, a smirk woven into every syllable.
Lucia snorted out of jealous and gave Elisa a once–over.
"The clothes and jewelries your wearing, did you rent them? Oh...l forgot, you sold your blood to me, and l guess you collected enough money to buy an invitation to the banquet. Otherwise, how would you appear in such a place."
Elisa dressed swiftly, Lucia moved closer, her cold smile replaced by ulterior motives.
"Don't blame me for this."
She feigned innocence and struck cruelly, smashing a soap bottle onto her own forehead.
Blood flowed from the wound, and Lucia pretended to fall down. a tragic figure intent on framing Elisa
"Help! Someone!" Lucia screamed, her performance flawless.
The door burst open as people flooded in, drawn by the commotion. Elisa merely watched, a mix of disbelief and resignation washing over her.
Lucia grasped at her own forehead, blood streaming as if written in crimson ink.
"Please Elisa, l don't push you into the water, it wasn't me..."
She cried making it look like Elisa blamed her for pushing her into the water, then hit and pushed her down.
All the guests were looking at Elisa who didn't bother explaining what happened, after all she isn't that lowlife anymore.
One of the men, come forward and helped Lucia from the floor then handed her a piece of cloth to wipe the blood.
Miguel didnt know who to believe, Elisa or Lucia's accusations, but he knew Elisa wouldn't do such a thing.
"Maybe she didn't do it, l know she hasn't forgiven me. But she wouldn't do such or may be it was just a mistake and didn't mean to."
Mr Smith frown when he had what happened, but Elisa stoped him from interfering.
Miguel help Lucia's hand and draged her out of the room as they headed to their car.
Mr Smith also took Elisa out of the hotel, but as they were heading to the entrance, they met Lucia and Miguel.
Lucia saw this as an opportunity to clear her name up, she headed to Elisa and held her her while kneeling down as she cried.
"Elisa! I know you hate me for making you donate blood for me, but each time you donated blood, Miguel used to pay you for it. Then why are you dissatisfied? Why are you still pestering him even after the divorce? And now, you even did everything in your power to come to this party, why don't you let him go?"
This attracted the attention of the congregation as they stood still while glancing what was going on .
Everyone knew about Miguel marital scandal, and because of how powerful the Reynolds and the Smith were, no one dared to engage in the scandal. They just watched the drame quietly.
Still that didn't stop the whispers.
"Judging from her looks, you can't believe that she's guilty." The crowd murmured amongst themselves.