Chapter 422

Claire had no clue how she made it back to shore. One second she was being dragged down by the crushing weight of the lake, the next she was being tossed upward by the current. There was nothing solid beneath her feet, and with every push and pull of the water, she honestly thought she'd die right there, swallowed up by the freezing depths. The cold water wrapped around her like a sheer, tightening net, squeezing in from all sides, pulling her deeper and deeper into the lake. As if that weren't bad enough, a strong, warm hand clamped onto her ankle, yanking her even further down. Claire's survival instincts kicked in. She thrashed, trying everything to free herself, clawing for the surface. But the more she fought, the tighter that grip became. Just as a wave lifted her closer to air and she felt she might break through, that force below pulled her back under with a cruel strength. So close—she'd almost made it. It was like she reached for a piece of driftwood only to have someone onsh