And still—no sign of Elissa.

The implications were chilling, and all too clear.

“Mr. Flynn…” Quentin murmured beside him, his voice careful and subdued. “We’ve deployed more men. The perimeter’s been widened…”

Ernest’s eyes flew open. Without hesitation, he yanked off his suit jacket and hurled it aside—then he plunged headlong into the sea.

“Mr. Flynn!” Quentin gasped, his hand shooting out instinctively—but Ernest was already gone.

Ernest had vanished beneath the waves.

“Mr. Flynn!” Phillips shouted after him, alarm rising in his voice.

“Ernest!” Eric’s voice cracked as he arrived just in time to see Ernest disappear.

Wasting no time, he tore off his jacket and dived in after him.

“Mr. Scott!” Phillips, stunned, stepped forward to follow.

But Quentin grabbed his arm tightly. “I’ll go! You stay topside—if something happens, we need someone in command!”

“Alright,” Phillips nodded grimly.

With no time to spare, Quentin leaped into the churning sea.

Beneath the surface, the waves raged far more fiercely than they had from afar. The autumn sea stabbed at their skin like icy needles, making each stroke a battle.

“Ernest!” Eric called hoarsely, coughing up seawater as the wind and waves battered him mercilessly while he swam toward Ernest.

“Elissa!” Ernest didn’t even glance back. Gasping for breath, he called out again, his voice ragged and desperate. “Elissa! Please—can you hear me? Answer me!”

But something deep within him already knew—Elissa would probably never answer again.

He raised his trembling arm and smashed it into the water, rage and grief erupting in a storm of salt and spray.

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In that instant, the crushing truth settled in—Elissa was likely gone for good.

“Elissa! Please!” Ernest cried again, dripping and broken, the seawater masking the tears streaming down his face.

His eyes, rimmed red and wild, stared into the void. “If you don’t answer me,” he shouted, voice shattering, “I swear—you’re not getting custody of Locke! You hear me? Say something!”

Though his words were sharp, each syllable trembled with raw, unbearable pain.

“Ernest!” Eric swam closer, grabbing Ernest’s shoulders and noticing the man’s face had gone ghostly white. “Let’s go back! The rescue team’s doing all they can. We’ve got the manpower—we’ll find her!”

Ernest wasn’t trained for this. If the experts couldn’t reach her, what hope did he have? Staying in the water would only tear him apart further.

“Come on, Ernest!” Eric pleaded, tugging his arm.

“Let go of me!” Ernest wrenched free, fury and anguish blazing. He could never leave Elissa here.

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