Arnold eyed Dexter’s changing expressions with suspicion. His raised hand not hastily lowered, he spoke loudly. “Did you hear that, Josie? This man before you, he’s not worth bearing children for. I told you long ago that he’s devoid of emotions.”
The spark that had ignited in Josie’s eyes seemed to gradually extinguish after hearing Dexter’s words. She whispered softly, “I knew it all along.”
“Tell me where the money is, and I’ll handle him for you,” Arnold said as he looked at her.
That was a classic case of sowing discord, but Josie was not easily fooled. “We’re all tarred with the same brush. I’d rather you kill me than succumb to your games.”
Both were stubborn individuals. Arnold, gun in hand, aimed at Dexter. “Think about all the hardships you’ve endured. Are you sure you don’t want him dead?”
The cell phone in his pocket vibrated incessantly. He answered it, and Wayne’s voice came through. “Put away your delusions. Dexter can’t die right now.”
Arnold didn’t respond. He simply hung up the phone.
He turned to the unwavering man before him and said, “Think it through. This woman is the mother of your child. If she dies, your child might resent you for the rest of their life. Do you really want her to die?”
The water rippled gently.
Dexter didn’t rush to respond. It seemed he was
contemplating, even at that juncture, still weighing the pros and cons. That was his style. Arnold saw through it all. With a cold, mocking laugh, he made the decision for Dexter.
He pulled the trigger directly, aiming at the switch of the water valve. With a thunderous crash, in an instant, seawater rushed toward Josie, threatening to engulf her.
The sparkle in her eyes still shone brightly, directed toward Dexter as if to tell him, “You’ve made the right decision.”
The reflection of seawater in Dexter’s eyes was a deep azure. He watched as she was slowly submerged, first over her head, then past the chain.
Arnold didn’t look back. “Aren’t you going to save her? She’s locked up, unable to swim her way out.”
The turmoil within the water dungeon gradually subsided into tranquility.
Dexter narrowed his eyes. “I thought you had some feelings for her.”
Arnold blew the smoke off his gun barrel, a cold smirk on his face. “I’m no longer a man tethered by emotions. However, I didn’t expect you to be so decisive. Tell me, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve?”
He moved closer to Dexter. “I forgot to mention something. This gun I took from Josie, it was you who gave it to her, wasn’t it? Now, it’s as if you’ve killed her with your own hands. Are you satisfied?”
Dexter’s eyes welled up with a reddish hue as he clenched the collar of his shirt. “You killed her. Do you really think you can walk away alive?”
“No, but now that you’re here, things might just change.”
When Josephine heard the commotion and rushed over, Arnold had already taken Dexter hostage, slowly moving toward the deck. “There’s one bullet left in this gun, more than enough to kill you. Let’s see if your friends will come to save you.”
Josephine covered her mouth. “You…”
Dexter’s eyes held a slight upward tilt at the corners, a look that conveyed both his disdain for the world and a sense of aloofness, even though he still managed to keep it under control.
Once on deck, Wayne was still standing on the opposite shore.
Arnold spoke to him over the phone. “Mr. Dalton, you have to admit, you really misjudged the situation.”
“Did he volunteer?” Wayne asked.
“Josie had passed away.”
There was a brief silence from Wayne on the other end of the phone, followed by a quickening of his breath. “Who gave you the right to do this, Arnold? Do you really think you’re so capable?”
“I was at my wit’s end, in such a dire situation. Could you possibly think of a better solution? Dexter is right here. Consider it as my final gift to you.”
