Chapter 60

Everyone froze in shock. Their gazes instinctively turned toward the door. There, leaning weakly against the doorframe, stood a woman—soaked to the bone, her face deathly pale, with scratches and bruises marring her forehead and cheeks. Despite her disheveled state, her beauty was still undeniable. It was Vespera. The realization spread like wildfire through the room. Gasps filled the air as everyone recognized her—the very woman whose grace had captivated them all from the moment she arrived. Dominic jumped to his feet, crossing the room in a flash. He reached out to steady her, his eyes lighting up with a mix of relief and astonishment. "Vespera… you're alive." A wave of joy surged through him, urging him to pull her into his arms. Vespera managed a faint, wry smile. "I got lucky. Death wasn't ready to take me yet." She had grown up by the sea, living with her grandmother before starting elementary school. As an accomplished swimmer, she knew how to read the currents and handl