While My Husband Cheated I Married His Powerful Brother novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Chapter 39 A Bet Against Time

The water lapped softly against her chin.

Veyra’s arms were burning. The cold had seeped into her muscles, turning them heavy and slow. But she kept treading, kept her head just above the surface, kept her eyes locked on the scene unfolding on the shore.

The kidnapper was still screaming. Still waving the knife. Still clutching Lily to his chest like a shield.

And Dorian was still crouched behind the fallen log, his rifle aimed, his gray eyes scanning.

Then his gaze shifted.

He was looking at her.

Veyra’s heart lurched. For a terrible moment, she thought the kidnapper had seen her. But no. The kidnapper was facing the other way, his back to the lake, his attention fixed on Dorian and the bodyguards.

Only Dorian could see her.

His eyes were wide. Astonished. His jaw was tight. He looked furious and terrified all at once.

Relief flooded through Veyra. He knew she was here. He would not shoot her by accident.

She raised her free hand. Just a little. Just enough for him to see. She pointed at the kidnapper. Then she pointed at herself. Then she made a circling motion with her finger.

I’m going around. Distract him. Give me cover.

She did not know if he would understand. She did not know if he would agree.

But she had to try.

Dorian’s eyes followed her hand. His expression flickered. Confusion. Understanding. Then something harder. Something that looked like refusal.

He shook his head once. Sharp. Decisive.

He wanted her to pull back.

She shook her head back at him.

He shook his again. More emphatically this time. His lips moved. She could not hear the words, but she could read them.

Get back. Now.

She ignored him.

Dorian’s jaw tightened. His eyes blazed.

He understood what she was trying to do. She could see it in his face. She wanted to get close. Close enough to take a shot. To end this.

But he was afraid. Afraid for her. Afraid for Lily. Afraid that if she failed, if she made a sound, if the kidnapper saw her—

It would be over.

He raised his hand. Palm flat. Fingers spread. The universal signal for stop. Then he pointed at the shore behind her. Go back.

Veyra stared at him.

She knew what he was thinking. He had a plan. A sniper rifle. A clear line of sight. He could take the shot from where he was. He did not need her.

But she had seen the way the kidnapper was holding Lily. The way the knife was pressed against her throat. The way the child’s body was positioned directly in front of his chest.

If Dorian took the shot and missed—even by a centimeter—the bullet would hit Lily.

She could not let that happen.

She shook her head again. She pointed at the kidnapper. Then she pointed at herself. Then she made a gun with her fingers and pressed it to her own temple.

I can do this.

Dorian’s face went pale.

She did not wait for his response. She took a breath and ducked beneath the surface.

The water closed over her head. The world went silent. Muffled. Dark.

She swam.

Above the water, Dorian watched her go.

His hands were shaking. He could not make them stop. He pressed them against the stock of the rifle and forced himself to breathe.

She was going to get herself killed.

She was going to get Lily killed.

She was going to ruin everything.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to stand up and shout at her to stop. He wanted to send Li Wei diving into the lake to drag her back to shore.

But he could not do any of those things. Because the kidnapper was still there. Still watching and still waiting.

If Dorian drew attention to the lake, the kidnapper would look. If the kidnapper looked, he would see Veyra. If he saw Veyra, he would panic.

And if he panicked, Lily would die.

Dorian had no choice.

He had to adapt.

He forced his face into a mask of calm. He lowered the rifle slightly. He stood up. Just a little. Just enough to draw the kidnapper’s attention.

"Ten million is a lot of money," Dorian said. His voice was steady and so measured. "I need time to get that much cash."

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