Chapter 648

The splash from the fish pond sent cold droplets onto my face, snapping me out of my frantic state. It was winter in Joddesdon and Saza, so the water was bound to be icy. Yet Bruce jumped into the pond without hesitation. The pond's water reached Bruce's waist, and the startled fish had darted away. He moved slowly through the greenish water, bending down to search carefully. I watched his blurred reflection on the shimmering surface in a daze. Bruce was looking for the hairpin for me. Just moments ago, he had humiliated me, calling me an easy woman. So why was he jumping into the pond to retrieve my hairpin? Was this his way of making amends? I couldn't sort out my feelings at this moment. I only knew that an invisible, soft hand had soothed the intense pain in my heart. That hand seemed to be stirring my heart, bringing warmth, comfort, and a bit of pain. "Bru—" I wanted to call out to him, to tell him to come out of the water. I wanted to warn him that the water was too cold