My Son Suffocated While He Saved Someone Else

As the only expert capable of completing a rescue at a depth of one thousand meters, I received a salvage order worth millions.

Over a decade ago, I had dove into those same waters.

My son Alvarez's research submarine was damaged on the ocean floor. He suffocated to death in the darkness, deprived of oxygen.

I was consumed by grief. It was my husband Thomas who held me through countless nights of despair.

Only later did I learn that he had personally diverted the only rescue vessel capable of reaching that depthall to save his best friend's daughter.

And that girl had merely choked on some water in the shallow end.

From that day on, I divorced my husband and threw myself into deep-sea salvage and rescue work with obsessive intensity.

Until I knew the currents of these waters better than my own home.

I only hoped that one day, my son's tragedy would never happen again.

Today. The same waters. The same hull deformation. Oxygen depleted. Extremely high risk.

But when I saw the client's information, I froze on the spot.

That name, that faceI would never forget them for as long as I lived.

I smiled slightly and pushed the documents back to my partner.

"This time, I can't dive."

"Samuel, have you lost your mind?"

Julian snatched the documents and spread them in front of me again.

"Ten million. Do you know how many risks we'd have to take to earn this kind of money? You say you won't diveyou need to give us a reason."

I put my gloves back on and began my routine inspection of the diving equipment.

"I won't dive because I won't dive."

"Then look at this."

Julian flipped to the back of the folder.

"The hull deformation is severe. There's less than twenty-four hours of oxygen left. There's a living person insidea twenty-three-year-old young woman!"

My fingers stopped on the valve.

Alvarez was also twenty-three the year he died.

"Samuel, in our entire operation, you're the only one who can complete a docking rescue at this depth."

Julian moved closer and lowered his voice.

"If you don't go, she really will die."

I tightened the valve and turned to look at him.

"Julian, you've been with me for seven years. When have I ever refused a job because of something like this?"

He froze.

"Then why..."

I didn't answer.

"Whether I know them or not."

Julian panicked and grabbed my arm.

"They're paying real money..."

"I wouldn't dive for a hundred million."

I pushed his hand away, my voice still calm.

"Don't ask why. In seven years, I can count on one hand the number of jobs I've refused. Just trust me."

Julian's face flushed red, like he was choking on words he couldn't say.

He'd been with me for seven years.

He'd been there since I first got my deep-dive certification and started working out of a rented metal shack.

He'd seen me get three ribs broken in a four-hundred-meter current.

He'd seen me drag a child who had already stopped breathing back to the deck from the ocean floor, then crouch at the stern and dry heave all night.

But he'd never seen me like this.

"Fine."

Julian finally closed the folder and slammed it on the table.

"I trust you."

He walked to the door, then stopped, his voice muffled.

"But that young woman is a living, breathing life... If you change your mind... we'll be ready anytime."

The door closed.

I stood alone in the equipment room, staring at the documents Julian had slammed on the table.

On the cover, Thomas's photo looked older than it had ten years ago, but those eyes hadn't changed.

Alvarez had used up his last breath of oxygen, one gasp at a time, eleven hundred meters beneath the sea.

Thomas had diverted the only vessel that could go down, simply because Phoebe had called him crying, "Thomas, Alice fell in the water."

She'd been in the shallow end. She'd lost her footing getting in and choked on some water.

I closed my eyes and pushed the documents to the corner of the table.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Julian.

[The client called. They want to speak directly with the technical director. Should I put them through?]

I stared at the message for a long time.

I replied, "Put them through."

"Hello, is this the technical director for deep-sea rescue?"

The voice on the other end was steady and arrogant.

Ten years later, I still remembered that voice.

"It's me. Go ahead."

My voice wasn't what it used to be. Ten years of deep-sea operationsthe equipment and environment had caused irreversible damage.

"Good. I'm Thomas from Ocean Corporation. I assume you've reviewed the situation."

He paused.

"Name your price."

"I'm not taking this job."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then he laughed.

"Didn't catch that? I said name your price. Any price."

"I said I'm not taking it."

"Fifty million."

His voice held no hesitation, as if he'd just casually thrown out a number.

"Fifty million in cash. Half when you dive, half when you bring her up. That's a one-of-a-kind offer anywhere in the world."

I didn't respond.

Thinking I was considering it, he continued raising the stakes.

"Stock options work too. Point-five percent of Ocean Corporation. Annual dividends..."

"Mr. Thomas."

I cut him off.

"When I said I'm not taking it, I wasn't negotiating price."

The breathing on the other end grew heavier.

"Then tell me why."

"No particular reason. Refusing is my right."

"Your right?"

His voice suddenly turned cold.

"Do you understand the situation down there? Over a thousand meters deep, the hull is already deformed. That's a human life!"

"I know."

"You know? And you're just refusing me outright?"

His speech quickened.

"You're the only person here who can dive to that depth. You won't even consider it... You realize this is the same as letting someone die, right?"

My hand gripped the phone tighter.

"Letting someone die... Mr. Thomas, hearing those words come out of your mouth is quite interesting."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

I replied calmly.

"In any case, I can't take this job. You'll have to find someone else."

"There is no one else!"

He was practically shouting.

"I've already done my research. In these waters, you're the only one with the capability to descend immediately!"

"If you won't do the rescue, you at least owe me a reason!"

"Then there's nothing I can do."

"You..."

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his rage.

"Listen carefully."

His voice was low, each word ground out through clenched teeth.

"I don't care about your reasons or your attitude. I'm giving you two hours to think it over."

"After two hours, if this is still your answer... you and your operation won't be working in this industry anymore."

I closed my eyes and gripped the phone tighter.

"Mr. Thomas, save your time for yourself. If you don't hurry up and consider other methods, forget about recovering your daughteryou might not even be able to recover her body."

"You..."

"Good luck."

I hung up.

Julian poked his head in from the doorway, looking at my expression but hesitating to speak.

"Samuel... that Thomas... did he threaten you?"

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and bent down to continue maintaining the equipment.

"He can't threaten me."

"But he..."

Julian hesitated.

"He said he'd blacklist the operation."

"He can say whatever he wants. I don't owe him anything."

Julian didn't ask again, but I saw the complicated expression on his face as he turned to leave.

"Samuel, what kind of history do you have with that man?"

I tightened the last valve, stood up, and wiped my hands.

"He owes me a life."

In the early morning hours, Julian broke down my dormitory door.

"Samuel, something's happened."

I sat up in bed and saw his face had gone deathly pale.

"My daughter Clark..."

"Clark's company just transferred her from the administrative department to the inspection team on a deep-sea drilling platform..."

My heart sank.

"When did this happen?"

"Just now... She sent me a message saying she suddenly got a notice from HR this afternoon, telling her to take a helicopter to the platform tonight to report."

"She doesn't know anything. She studied financial management. She doesn't even have an offshore operations certificate..."

"Did you call her?"

"I tried. She's not picking up."

Julian's eyes were red.

"Her last message said she arrived at the platform and told me not to worry. Then I couldn't reach her anymore."

I took his phone and looked.

The last message was from half an hour agoa blurry photo of iron-gray deck railings with pitch-black sea in the distance.

Her last message read: [Dad, I'm here. The wind is really strong. Talk tomorrow. Good night.]

"Samuel!"

Julian suddenly crouched down, hands clutching his head.

"I know it was that Thomas who did this. He's coming after me!"

"Don't panic."

"How can I not panic?"

He frantically grabbed at his hair.

"The drilling platform inspection teamyou know what they do, don't you? They walk around on deck, and when the waves are big, people can get swept right off into the sea..."

"He wouldn't dare actually hurt Clark. What he wants is for you to beg me."

Julian froze, then slowly dropped to his knees.

"Samuel..."

"Get up."

"Samuel, I know that man must have wronged you somehow. I shouldn't be kneeling.

But Clark... she's only twenty-two. She doesn't understand anything. She's afraid to even touch a crab..."

His forehead pressed against the cold cement floor, sobbing convulsively.

"I'm begging you. After seven years with you... You can yell at me, hit me, whatever... just please save Clark."

I crouched down and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Julian, look at me."

He raised his head, tears covering his face.

"I promise you, Clark will be fine."

"Then will you..."

"I have other ways to deal with him."

I pulled him up from the floor.

"I'll figure out a way to keep Clark safe. But this jobI can't take it."

Julian froze, wanting to say something but unable to get it out.

Suddenly, a massive roar came from outside. The sound of helicopter blades approached from far away, and the entire room shook.

A black helicopter was landing on the base's helipad, with Ocean Corporation's silver logo on its side.

Before the rotors had fully stopped, the cabin door opened.

Thomas stepped out wearing a dark coat, followed by two bodyguards in suits.

Then came a woman I'd seen before.

Ten years later, she looked the same. Perfect makeup as always, looking pitiful as always, carefully helped down by Thomas holding her hand as always.

"It's them."

I turned to look at Julian.

Fear and fury alternated across Julian's face as his trembling fists clenched.

"Samuel, they brought bodyguards..."

"Doesn't matter."

I grabbed my jacket from the bedside and put it on.

"Let's go."

Thomas stood in the middle of the helipad, with people already at his side.

His gaze swept across this shabby facilitythe rust-stained metal shacks, the dock piled with equipment, the cables wrapped in greasehis lips curling with undisguised disgust.

Then he saw me.

His gaze stopped on me for less than half a second before looking away.

He didn't recognize me.

After all, the person I was now bore little resemblance to the wife he used to hold hands with every morning ten years ago.

"Who's in charge?"

Thomas spoke, clearly out of patience.

Julian instinctively glanced at me. I walked two steps toward Thomas.

"Me."

He finally gave me a proper look.

"You?"

"Me."

He laughed coldly and said something to the bodyguard beside him.

Then he looked at Julian behind me.

"You're Julian? How's Clark doing on my platform?"

Julian instantly lost it, but I reached out to stop him.

"Don't move."

Thomas watched Julian being held back by me and laughed even more brazenly.

"I said I'd give you two hours to think it over. You didn't want them, so I had to come in person."

Phoebe walked forward from behind him in high heels, her face full of grievance and sorrow.

"I know you must think we're being unreasonable."

"But that's my daughter. My Alice is only twenty-three, and she's been down there for fourteen hours..."

Her eyes reddened as she turned her head and took Thomas's arm.

Thomas patted her back, then looked at me with cold eyes.

"Fifty million. I'll transfer it immediately. Put on your equipment and go down right now."

"I told you, I can't take this job."

"You're negotiating with me?"

He tilted his head.

"Fine. Name your price. A hundred million? Two hundred million? I've seen plenty of people like you... just price gouging. Fine. I'll pay it."

"It's not about money."

"Then what is it about?"

He stepped forward, bringing an intense sense of oppression.

"You say it's not about money, then what? Do you have some grudge against me? Have I even met you before?"

I looked into his eyesthose eyes that had once looked at me with such affection now held only impatience and indifference.

"Never met."

"Then there's no reason."

He waved his hand, issuing a final ultimatum.

"I don't care who you are or what kind of attitude you have.

Alice is down there waiting to die... and right now you're the only person who can save her. You choose: either take the money and dive now, or..."

He turned to look at Julian.

"She's just an intern without even an offshore operations certificate. If there's an accident, it won't even count as a workplace injury."

Julian's face went white.

"What do you mean?" Julian's voice trembled.

"Nothing much."

Thomas looked at him coolly.

"I just want you to know that people fall off drilling platforms into the sea every year. Especially those... inexperienced newcomers."

"You're... you're threatening me with Clark's life?"

Thomas didn't answer, only looked at me.

"And you allif Clark doesn't survive, then when you work in these waters in the future, you'd better pray nothing happens."

Phoebe stepped forward, her eyes very sincere.

"Samuel, I know this isn't right. But you're also a woman. You should be able to understand a mother's feelings, right?

My Alice is down there... she must be so scared and cold..."

She reached out to take my arm.

I stepped back. "Don't touch me."

Phoebe's hand froze in midair. A flash of annoyance crossed her face, but she quickly adjusted.

"I didn't mean to offend you... I'm just so worried..."

Thomas pulled her back to his side, his gaze sharp as he looked at me.

"Last time. What's your answer?"

"I won't dive."

He laughedthat brazen laugh again.

"Fine."

He pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Hello, the platform... have that new intern work the night shift inspection tonight. Yes, alone. The whole deck perimeter."

Julian couldn't control himself anymore and rushed forward.

"No! You can't!"

A bodyguard shoved him back, and Julian's whole body slammed into a shipping container.

"Samuel!"

Julian crawled up from the ground and knelt before me, face covered in tears.

"Samuel... please..."

Thomas hung up and looked at me.

"You see. This could have been so simple, but you had to make it like this."

I looked at Julian with blood trickling from his temple, kneeling on the ground trembling.

Then I looked at Thomas with that same self-righteous expression.

Ten years ago it was like this. Now it's still like this.

Other people's lives had always been nothing but bargaining chips to him.

"You think I'm afraid of you?"

"Being afraid doesn't matter."

He shrugged.

"If you don't go down, your partner's daughter will become a number in a maritime accident report tomorrow, and before long you all will become an accident too. Do you think it's worth it?"

"For a salvager's pride, sacrificing Clark and your future accidents?"

Phoebe stepped forward again to comfort me. "Samuel, you only need to make one dive and then it's all over.

We'll still pay you, and we can even fund your operation. Clark will be safe and sound. Why not?"

She smiled, her tone unbearably gentle.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I can't save someone who caused Alvarez's death."

"If you insist on making me go, I'll finish her off myself and rest there forever."