The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 67

**TITLE: Dreams Rise Again by Braxton**

**Chapter 67**

Evan launched himself into the pool with a forceful dive, his body slicing through the water like a well-honed blade. His arms churned with a speed that seemed almost otherworldly, propelling him forward in a desperate bid for safety.

As he soared into the cool depths, a primal instinct took hold of him, a visceral awareness of the looming danger. He could feel the vibrations of the Saltwater Croc, ominously crawling just behind him along the pool deck. Its elongated snout was already inching dangerously close to the edge of the water, a harbinger of the chaos that was about to unfold.

Once submerged, Evan surged ahead, his movements driven by an urgency that left no room for rational thought. All that occupied his mind was a singular, raw desire—to escape, to flee. The water churned around him, and he propelled himself forward as if his very life depended on it, a fire igniting within him that pushed him to go faster.

Suddenly, he felt the chilling brush of the crocodile’s jaws graze against him, a sensation that sent a cascade of ice-cold shivers racing up his spine. The bumpy, armored texture of the beast’s skin was a stark reminder of the danger lurking just behind him.

Evan swam with reckless abandon, abandoning all sense of composure. His blood raced, his muscles screamed, and every nerve in his body echoed the same urgent command: “Swim faster.” The Saltwater Croc was a behemoth, the largest living reptile on Earth, with males reaching lengths of twenty-one feet. Just its presence alone, lying there with its jaws wide open, radiated an aura of sheer intimidation.

Its long, powerful tail lashed out like a steel cable, crashing into the pool and sending waves of water splashing over the stunned spectators. Gasps of shock filled the air as the onlookers froze, their faces drained of color. This was not just any creature; this was a true man-eater, a terrifying giant that commanded respect and fear.

The standard pools used for the World Aquatics Championships and the Olympics measure an impressive 164 feet in length. Competitors were required to swim the full distance and return. Yet, the massive Saltwater Croc was too formidable to be contained in the water or to offer any kind of measured guidance.

On land, it was a creature of explosive speed, capable of covering 164 feet in a mere fifteen seconds—faster than Evan could ever swim. As he paddled frantically toward the far end of the pool, he could see Nina guiding Big Chomp, the crocodile, to crawl along the pool deck from one end to the other.

Finally, when Evan reached the far side, convinced he had escaped the jaws of doom, he looked up only to find Nina standing there, a sly smile playing on her lips as she awaited him with Big Chomp at the opposite end of the pool.

With a snap of her fingers, she teased, “Looks like you’ve lost to the crocodile coach.”

Big Chomp obediently opened its massive, blood-red jaws, its teeth shimmering in the sunlight like polished steel, as if to declare, “I won. Praise me, or I might just eat you.”

Evan’s heart dropped, his face losing all color. As soon as his hands met the wall, he flipped and kicked off, launching himself back into the water with a sense of urgency that bordered on panic.

There was no room for relaxation; the adrenaline that had begun to fade surged back with a vengeance. His heart raced, pounding against his ribcage, reaching a staggering 180 beats per minute. In that instant, he was no longer swimming; he was engaged in a desperate fight for survival.

He swam with a speed that seemed almost superhuman.

At last, Evan reached the finish line, utterly exhausted, collapsing at the edge of the pool, his face contorted in despair. He felt as if he were on the brink of death, yet not a single teammate came to his aid.

Instead, everyone remained frozen, wide-eyed and entranced by the coach’s stopwatch, as if time itself had come to a standstill.

Nina, feeling a pang of empathy, reached out toward him.

Evan recoiled, instinctively backing away in the water. “Don’t come near me!” he shouted, his voice tinged with fear.

Nina awkwardly withdrew her hand, her mind racing with thoughts. ‘Am I really that terrifying?’

“Don’t worry,” she reassured him, her voice gentle. “I’ve taken Big Chomp back.”

Evan glanced around, a wave of relief washing over him when he realized the crocodile was gone. Only then did he muster the strength to climb out of the pool.

As he emerged, he noticed the coach and his teammates staring at him, still wide-eyed and visibly shaken.

Feeling self-conscious, he asked, “What’s wrong? Did I swim too slowly? Not fast enough?”

It wasn’t a matter of bravado; that under-a-minute swim had felt like an eternity. Time had crawled, especially in those harrowing moments when Big Chomp had nearly grazed him.

Nina crossed her arms, a playful glint in her eyes. “Once you win your award, you’d better treat Big Chomp to a feast of fish and meat.”

Evan nodded eagerly, a grin breaking across his face. “Absolutely.”

Tony shook his head in exasperation. “Too bad. Only records broken in official, public competitions can be recognized by FINA as new world records.”

But Evan’s gaze was fierce, a confident smile tugging at his lips. “But at least now, I know where my limits are.”

He clenched his fists, water cascading down the contours of his muscles. “This feeling fills me with confidence.”

This was the essence of competitive sports. Athletes must always believe in their potential.

Meanwhile, the keepers who had accompanied Nina were hauling two large buckets of fish toward the locker room.

An idea sparked in Nina’s mind. She called the swimmers over to meet the head coach of the animal swimming team. The swimmers hesitated, but Tony and Eddie gently ushered them forward. Reluctantly, they trudged over to witness Big Chomp feast.

“Everyone, meet the Forest Isle Zoo crocodile,” Nina announced, gesturing toward the glass. “Its name is Big Chomp. It gets hungry very quickly and always likes to chew on something.”

The swimmers swallowed hard, their imaginations conjuring up images of their tall, muscular bodies reduced to mere snacks in the jaws of the beast.

The keepers wielded iron tongs to lift a nearly 4.5-foot-long sea bass. The fish’s head alone was several feet wide—impressive in its own right—but in the presence of the twelve-foot-long Saltwater Croc, it looked like nothing more than a mere appetizer.

With astounding strength, the keeper tossed the sea bass into the tank where Big Chomp eagerly awaited, its eyes glinting with anticipation.