Chapter 40 Henry Is Here

Rupert's hands were shaking, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "I want to date you!"

In a flash, the arrow zipped through the apple and hit the ground.

Everyone was totally stunned, just staring in disbelief. The only sounds were the waves crashing and fish splashing out of the water.

Rupert suddenly opened his eyes, looked at the apple on the ground, then at Alice. Besides being surprised, he was in awe. He ran towards Alice. "Goddess, that was amazing!"

Alice used her bow to keep Rupert at a distance, then looked at Oliver. "Your turn."

Not wanting to be outdone, Oliver grabbed the bow and arrow. "Clara, hold the apple and stand over there. Don't worry, I can definitely hit it."

Clara's heart was pounding as she looked at the sharp arrow.

She didn't want to risk it, so she shook her head frantically. "No, I'm not playing anymore. I give up."

Oliver frowned. "You don't trust me?"

Clara clung to his arm, crying. "Oliver, let's not do this."

Oliver shook her off. "You're such a buzzkill! Can't handle a little fun?"

Of course, Clara couldn't. If she got hit or her face was ruined, Oliver would definitely dump her.

Worried Alice might play dirty, Clara decided to strike first. "We're sisters, Alice, you wouldn't make things hard for me, right?"

Alice shrugged. "I'm a petty person and I always pay back." She glanced at Clara. "Let's go, a bet's a bet!"

Clara bit her lip in frustration and reluctantly followed Alice out of the cabin.

Damon had recorded Alice's archery scene and posted the video on Facebook with the caption: [Alice was so badass today.]

On a nearby yacht, Henry opened the video and watched Alice's confident face and mischievous smile. She was completely different from the weak persona she showed in front of him. Maybe this was the real her—bright, carefree, and unrestrained.

At that moment, Ethan, who was driving, looked out. "Mr. Howard, Miss Savoy has brought Clara to the top deck."

Henry's brows furrowed as he felt a vague unease. "Move closer."

On the top deck, Alice raised her chin. "As agreed, the winner can make the loser do anything."

Clara glared at her. "I'm not jumping, Alice, don't push it!"

"I just wanted you to do a hot dance for everyone, but since you gave me a better idea, go ahead and jump!"

"Alice, you'll never beat me." A malicious glint flashed in Clara's eyes. As everyone approached, she suddenly grabbed Alice's collar and fell backward.

Just as Alice tried to grab the railing to steady herself, she caught sight of Henry on a nearby yacht.

'Isn't he on a business trip? Why is he here?'

At that moment, all Alice wanted was to figure out if Henry cared for her. She missed the railing and fell straight down with Clara.

The moment she hit the water, her mind cleared.

She must have been hallucinating. Henry was supposed to be on a plane, not here.

Alice swam upward, but Clara grabbed her neck forcefully.

She kicked Clara in the stomach, making her let go in pain. Clara then grabbed the belt of Alice's sheer cover-up and pulled it towards the propeller.

In an instant, Alice's belt got caught in the propeller's blades, and the immense force pulled her towards the rapidly spinning propeller.

Alice clung tightly to the support under the yacht. If she let go, she'd be shredded by the propeller blades.

Clara smiled triumphantly. When she saw Oliver jump in, she swam over and clung to him tightly.

"Where's Alice?" Oliver asked.

Oliver's sudden concern for Alice made Clara panic. "Oliver, I'm so cold and scared. Can you take me up first?"

Meanwhile, Alice couldn't believe her eyes as she saw Rupert and Henry swimming towards her.

Henry, it really was him. She hadn't been hallucinating!

Henry pointed at the propeller, and Rupert nodded and swam up.

Henry swam quickly towards Alice. He used one hand to hold the support, and the other to wrap tightly around Alice's waist.

Alice's nose tingled, and she felt like crying.

In times of danger, he had been there for her time and time again.

Seeing bubbles escape from Alice's lips, Henry knew she was running out of oxygen.

Henry pressed his lips to hers, trying to pass his breath to her.

Alice understood his intention but couldn't be so selfish. She kept her lips tightly shut.

Getting anxious, Henry tightened his grip on her waist a bit. Alice let out a small gasp, and Henry's tongue pried her lips open to pass the air to her.

Alice's heart raced as she stared at Henry.

Henry's gaze was intense, and as if under a spell, he gently sucked on her soft lips.

At this moment, the propeller blades gradually stopped spinning, and the force pulling Alice disappeared.

Henry and Alice separated, and Henry's thumb brushed her lips.

Worried about Alice's lack of oxygen, he tore off her cover-up and then held her waist while swimming upwards.

They surfaced, gasping for air.

Rupert swam over, very concerned. "Alice, are you okay?"

Alice, exhausted from prolonged lack of oxygen, weakly clung to Henry's chest and whispered faintly, "I'm fine."

She looked up at Henry, water dripping down his handsome face. "Thank you, Uncle Henry."

Henry returned to his cold demeanor, as if the kiss in the sea had just been Alice's imagination.

He said indifferently, "That's all right."

Charles lowered the rescue ladder, and soon the three of them were pulled up.

Esme wrapped a blanket around Alice and hugged her. "Are you okay? Why is your neck red?"

Having been in the water for a while, Alice felt cold and she tightened the blanket while nodding slightly. "Don't worry."

Esme glared at Clara. "Alice is a good swimmer. Why was she underwater for so long?"

Clara shook her head, nestled in Oliver's arms. "I don't know. Alice pushed me into the sea. I was so shocked that I just tried to swim up."

"You truly lie without thinking!" Alice lifted her hair to reveal faint finger marks on her neck. "Clara, tell everyone, who did this?"

Everyone's gaze fell on Clara, waiting for her explaination.

A hint of panic flashed in Clara's eyes. She had wanted Alice dead but hadn't expected Alice to kick her so hard in the abdomen. It still hurt like hell.

"People instinctively grab onto something in a panic. When Alice pushed me into the water just now, I panicked and might have grabbed her by accident, but it was a reflex." Clara clung to Oliver. "Oliver, I didn't mean to, but Alice kicked me hard in the stomach."

With that, she lifted her cover-up to reveal a skimpy bikini, showing a large red mark on her abdomen.

Clara was implying that her actions were accidental, while Alice's were intentional.

Alice knew Clara wouldn't admit it and would even turn the tables on her. She sneered, "I'm a good swimmer, but do you know why I took so long to come up?"