I never expected to see Caroline Sawyer in the crowd on the day of departure.
When her gaze landed on me, her expression remained frozen. She simply turned her back and walked away.
For several days, we existed in the same space without a single interaction.
That changed one night when a senior in my dorm mentioned how surprised he was by the kindness of the Jiang Group's heiress. Not only was she funding students, but she had also come personally to volunteer.
I froze.
Just as I opened my mouth to ask more, the ground beneath us shuddered violently.
"Flood! The flood is coming!" someone screamed, voice cracking with terror.
Chaos erupted. Students scrambled, shoving past each other, sprinting for their lives. I joined the stampede, legs pumping toward higher ground.
Amidst the roar of water and screaming, one name cut through—
*Caroline Sawyer.*
Instinct whipped my head around.
I saw her shoving a little girl up onto the riverbank. The effort cost her. Her footing slipped, and the surging black water swallowed her whole.
I didn't think.
Gritting my teeth, I turned and dove into the torrent.