Mira had been by his side every step of the way, attending physical therapy sessions with him, even reminding him to wear his knee pads on rainy days. She had always been terrified that his old injuries might resurface during a mission. Many nights, she woke up in tears after dreaming of him dying in one of those rescues.
Elias had always promised her he would take care of himself, that they would grow old together. But now, it seemed as though those promises no longer mattered. His old injury was forgotten, overshadowed by his obsession with winning Vera's affection and giving her the perfect wedding.
Mira, watching as her husband fought for another woman, felt a painful numbness settle in her chest. The sadness that should have gripped her never quite came.
The crowd around her grew larger, their murmurs intensifying. In the dark water below, Elias and the other young man were slowing down. Elias had been leading by three or four meters, but now, the young man was gaining ground.
As the distance between them closed, the young man powered ahead, his strokes growing more frantic, splashing water in every direction. The gap shrank with every second.