Suddenly a faint shimmer gleamed before her eyes. The light came from the necklace in Stefanie's hand.
No. She couldn't die. Not yet.
She still had to reclaim her mother's ashes and marry Adam.
With the last of her strength, Venice clawed her way to the surface, gasping, dragging herself inch by inch toward the edge of the pool where the necklace glimmered faintly.
She was almost there when a shadow loomed above her.
Kevin stood over her, his face cold, his gaze sharp as a blade dipped in poison.
"Venice, when will you ever learn?" he hissed. "I told you to get along with Stefanie. Why do you insist on disappointing me?"
Venice's eyes were red, her fingers trembling as she signed desperately:
[I didn't!]
[I just wanted the necklace back—it holds my mother's—]
"Enough!" he snapped. "Clearly, the last lesson wasn't harsh enough. You still don't know your place."
He turned, snatched the pendant from Stefanie's limp hand, and flung it into the deepest part of the pool.
"You want it so badly? Go fetch it yourself."
Then he picked Stefanie up in his arms and strode away without another glance.
Venice let out a strangled gasp and dove into the water once more.