Their Punching Bag Became The Storm novel Chapter 52

Chapter 52 The Crisis

Chase was the first to rush over. He leaned out over the railing to look down.

Sure enough, he saw Emily’s head bobbing up from the water.

Her face was a mask of terror, and it was impossible to tell if the wetness on her cheeks was seawater or tears. “Chase save me. Please, save me.”

“Emily.” Chase’s eyes widened in shock, and without thinking, he spun around, ready to dive off the boat to save Emily.

But just as he was about to jump, Bella grabbed his arm. “Chase, you can’t jump in. That huge wave is about to hit. It’s way too dangerous.”

Chase froze mid–struggle. He glanced toward the surging waves. His expression grew grim.,

He desperately wanted to save Emily. But as the massive wave bore down on them, his nerve broke, and the impulse to jump in lost some of its edge.

“Chase, calm down,” Bella said quickly, seeing that he’d stopped struggling. “Emily’s a swimming champion. She’s a total pro in the water, and she’s got a life jacket on. She’ll be fine.

“Plus, there are professional lifeguards here. Let them handle it. If you jump in, you’ll only make things harder for them.” Chase was still tense, but he seemed to be convinced, breathing heavily. His devilishly handsome face was filled with

urgency.

On camera, even if Chase felt fear for his own life, he couldn’t let it show.

Meanwhile, in the director’s booth, Whitney watched the scene unfold on the screen, her eyes held a hint of cold sarcasm.

She could easily spot Chase backing down at the critical moment.

Whitney sneered inwardly, ‘That’s how the Andersons are.

‘No matter how much they pamper Emily, no matter how much they act like she is their whole world, the moment their own safety or interests are at stake, all that so–called love gets pushed aside.

‘The Andersons are nothing but hypocrites. They are selfish to the bone.‘

In the water, Emily stared up with desperate hope, willing Chase to reach for her.

She was excellent in the water. Her swimming skills were solid. But she had crashed into the ocean headfirst. The saltwater was bitter and thick, flooding her nose and mouth, forcing its way into her chest.

Waves were rolling in fast, turning the surface rough and treacherous. The terror of drowning, of the endless dark ocean pressing in from every side, drained every ounce of strength from her limbs.

All her training was useless now. She could only float there, kept alive by her life jacket.

The freezing water and the surging swells magnified her fear until it swallowed her whole.

But nothing cut deeper than watching Chase lunge toward the water to save her, only for Bella to grab him and yank him back.

In that instant, helplessness and terror surged to a breaking point.

A tidal wave of hatred crashed through Emily. She hated Bella for interfering. She hated Kayla for sending her into the water. And she hated Chase for not leaping in the second she needed him.

That burning hatred turned her body rigid.

Right at that moment, a broad, steady hand shot out and pulled Emily up from the water.

Two lifeguards had leapt off their jet ski and were swimming straight for Emily. One on each side, they supported Emily, keeping her afloat.

Just then, a massive wave crashed right over them.

Emily let out a terrified scream.

The two lifeguards did everything they could to shield her, keeping her safe between them.

One of the lifeguards yelled instructions at the top of his lungs, trying to get the people on the boat to help out.

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With the waves pounding them relentlessly, it Successfully unlocked! barely managed to haul Emily back onto the

boat.

“Emily.” Chase immediately pulled her into his arms and cupped her wet face.

Chapter 52 The Crisis

Emily coughed up a few mouthfuls of seawater, her face pale as a sheet. She leaned into Chase’s arms and started crying.

Chase held her close, patting her back to comfort her. Then he kissed her forehead and leaned in close, murmuring in her ear to calm her down.

Bella watched from nearby as the scene unfolded. Her expression shifted slightly, and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She thought, ‘Isn’t this a bit too intimate?

“Usually, hugging and stuff could be chalked up to them being close siblings. But now, Chase is actually kissing Emily. Sure, it’s not a kiss on the lips, but do normal siblings really act like this?”

Bella suddenly felt a weird, inexplicable disgust rise inside her.

But before she could dwell on it, Jason gave her a hard nudge. “What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and help pull the lifeguards up.”

The wind and waves were building fast. The little sailboat was taking a beating, rocking wildly.

Without a second thought, Bella immediately joined the other two in pulling the lifeguards aboard.

The next second, a huge wave slammed into them, rocking the boat so hard that everyone was nearly knocked off their feet.

The wave instantly engulfed the lifeguards, dragging them under.

It was the first time any of them had ever faced something like this. They were knocked all over the place, clutching the boat for dear life and screaming.

Kayla and Bella were crying their eyes out.

Once the wave was over, the boat finally stopped rocking. But everyone on board was still totally freaked out, their legs feeling like jelly.

Kayla cried, wanting to go home.

Bella hunched down at the rail, her knuckles white as she clutched the metal bar, frozen in terror.

After a few tense seconds, Chase, hugging Emily close, suddenly jerked his head up. “Lifeguards. Quick. Get them back on board.”

The two lifeguards were still out in the water.

But everyone on the boat was so freaked out that they could barely move. They trembled as they clung to the edge, peering over the side into the water

The lifeguards were nowhere to be seen around the boat.

Everyone’s hearts leapt into their throats. They thought, ‘No way. Did both lifeguards get pulled under by that wave? This is the ocean. The open sea. If they go down out here, they’re as good as dead.”

Everyone was shaking. They were ordinary people suddenly face–to–face with death. And this was a death they had caused. That kind of guilt would eat at them for the rest of their lives.

“Up ahead. Right there. The lifeguards are over there.” Jason suddenly shouted, his voice shaky but full of relief. He pointed out toward the water.

The others immediately followed his gaze.

About sixty yards out, two figures in life jackets floated on the surface, bobbing in the churning water.

The waves were still rolling. The two lifeguards were bobbing up and down in the water.

Chase immediately let go of Emily and moved to steer the boat toward the lifeguards. But the instant he released her, a hand shot out and seized his shirt.

“Emily.” Chase turned back to look at her trembling beside him. “Let me get the lifeguards on board first. I’ll be right back.” “Turn back. We need to turn back.” Emily was shaking uncontrollably, her voice quivering, her wet face filled with terror. ” The waves are building, and the wind’s getting stronger.

“If we don’t head back now, we’ll get swamped too. Chase, I want to go back. Please, let’s go back.”

The lifeguards were downwind of them, straight into the oncoming swells. To reach them, the boat would have to punch through one wave after another.

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