# Chapter 11: The Water's Edge — A Trap Repeated
The air around the pool courtyard grew thick with tension as Wendy Quade approached Nicole, her once-soft features now twisted into something cold and predatory. Every step she took seemed calculated, measured, like a predator circling wounded prey.
“Nicole…” Wendy’s voice dripped with false sweetness, but her eyes betrayed the venom beneath.
Nicole didn’t flinch. She had known Wendy would come. At gatherings like these, the woman who had shattered her marriage always found her way to Nicole’s side, cloaked in innocence but armed with daggers.
Wendy dropped all pretense the moment she was close enough. Her gentle facade crumbled into a smirk of pure malice. “Did you come to the banquet on purpose? You wanted to get close to Eric, didn’t you? You’re already divorced, so why are you still clinging to him? If I were you, I’d hide far away. Don’t come looking for trouble.”
Nicole’s eyes swept over Wendy with a gaze so sharp it could cut glass. The moonlight caught the scorn in her expression as she replied, her voice steady and cutting, “Wendy Quade, the whole world knows you’re the mistress in our relationship. Tell me… have you been sleeping well lately?”
The words landed like a slap. Everyone knew about the scandal. Though Eric had tried to scrub the internet clean of the posts, the damage was done. Wendy had been branded “the homewrecker,” and the shame had robbed her of peaceful nights for weeks.
Wendy’s composure cracked, jealousy flashing in her eyes. “Nicole, a title isn’t as important as our feelings for each other. Eric and I will be together one day, unlike you.” She looked Nicole up and down, her lips curling into a sneer. “Did you take the money from selling your blood to get this banquet invitation? How else could you afford to be here? Those clothes and jewelry… rented, I presume?”
Nicole remained silent, her stillness unnerving.
Wendy stepped closer to the edge of the pool, her gaze flickering with cruel intention. “Nicole, you’re just asking for it…”
And then it happened. In one fluid, theatrical motion, Wendy leaned backward and plunged into the pool.
The splash shattered the evening’s elegance. Cries of alarm erupted from the crowd. Guests rushed to the edge, their eyes widening as Wendy thrashed in the water, her arms flailing dramatically.
Nicole watched, her expression dark and unreadable. A ghost of a memory surfaced—three years ago, at her wedding banquet. Wendy had done the exact same thing. She had jumped into a pool back then too, and Eric had leaped in after her without a second thought. Wendy had wanted to prove that even on Nicole’s wedding day, Eric’s heart belonged to another woman.
*“Nicole, I won’t congratulate you on your marriage. After all, Eric isn’t in love with you. If it weren’t for the fact that you can donate blood to me at any time, Eric wouldn’t have agreed to marry you. You will never be happy together…”*
Those words had haunted Nicole for three miserable years. But not anymore.
Now, history was repeating itself. Wendy struggled in the water, her performance flawless.
A man rushed past Nicole—Eric, of course. He dove in without hesitation, pulling the shivering Wendy into his arms. Water clung to his suit as he carried her out, his face a mask of concern.
“Eric, don’t blame Nicole,” Wendy whimpered, shrinking into his embrace like a wounded bird. “I came to apologize, but she didn’t forgive me. She must still hate me. But I’m sure she didn’t mean to push me…”
The crowd murmured, their pity landing squarely on Wendy. Accusatory glances turned toward Nicole.
Grant Stanton heard the commotion and stepped forward, his brow furrowed. But Nicole stopped him with a light touch on his arm. She whispered something into his ear, and after a moment, Grant nodded and slipped away.
Eric’s dark eyes locked onto Nicole, cold and unforgiving. He draped his jacket over Wendy’s trembling shoulders.
Nicole met his gaze without flinching. A mocking smile curved her lips.
“She used this trick a long time ago,” Nicole said, her voice carrying just enough for those nearby to hear. “Did you fall for it again?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with deliberate calmness. “It doesn’t matter. Her acting skills are so subpar—no improvement after all these years. I’ll cooperate and ignore it.” She tilted her head, her smirk sharpening. “Why would I bother playing along? It’ll just lower my IQ.”
She turned to leave, dismissing the entire scene.
But Wendy wasn’t finished. She scrambled out of Eric’s arms and grabbed Nicole’s sleeve, refusing to let her escape. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed loudly for the crowd.
“Nicole, I know you don’t like me! But every time you donated blood, Eric paid you for it. What else are you dissatisfied with? Why are you still pestering Eric after the divorce? Why do you slander us? You did everything possible to come to this party because you refuse to let him go, don’t you?”
The words hung in the air like a poison cloud.
Nicole stopped. Slowly, she turned her head to look at Wendy. Her eyes held no anger, no hurt—only a chilling, profound indifference.
The night wind rustled the hem of her gown as she stood there, a queen among vultures.
And for the first time, it seemed that the woman who had cried for three years over a man who never loved her… had finally stopped crying altogether.
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter was a masterclass in emotional payoff. Watching Nicole stand her ground with such icy composure while Wendy reenacted her tired old script was deeply satisfying. The callback to the wedding banquet three years ago was brilliant—it reminded us just how far Nicole has come. She’s no longer the desperate bride begging for love. She’s now a woman who sees through every manipulation and refuses to play the victim.
The contrast between Wendy’s theatrical drowning and Nicole’s stone-cold silence was powerful. Wendy is exhausting in her predictability, but Nicole’s growth is inspiring. Her whispered instructions to Grant also set up an intriguing subplot—what is she planning?
One small critique: some readers may feel the scene dragged slightly longer than needed to prove Wendy’s repetitive tactics. Still, the emotional resonance and Nicole’s transformation make this a very strong chapter.
**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating: 4.7 / 5 Stars**
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## Next Chapter Prediction
Grant Stanton left at Nicole’s whispered request—and we can bet he’s gone to retrieve something that will turn the tables. The public humiliation Wendy tried to orchestrate is about to backfire spectacularly. My prediction: Grant returns with video evidence or witnesses who saw Wendy jump of her own accord. Eric’s misplaced sympathy is about to shatter when he realizes he’s been played for a fool… again. But the bigger question remains: will this finally open Eric’s eyes to Nicole’s worth, or has she already moved far beyond caring?