Almost instinctively, Drake grabbed Debra''s arm.


    He was shocked by her actions.


    Debra was already dangling off the edge of the ship, the ocean waves crashing against her ankles. All it would take was for Drake to let go, and she''d plunge straight into the sea. "Mr. Lowe!" Peter was horrified.


    Drake''s voice was filled with fury as he shouted, "What are you waiting for? Get her up."


    "I-I''ll go get someone," Peter stammered.


    "No need." Debra struggled against Drake''s grip.


    But he only tightened his hold. "Are you so eager to die?"


    "My life is my own to decide. Either you give me the respect I deserve, or..." Debra insisted.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Drake gritted his teeth, anger shing across his face. No one had ever dared threaten him like this before.


    "Sir, I''ve got the rope."


    "Pull her up."


    "Yes, sir."


    A rope was lowered down, hanging right beside Debra. But even with it within reach, she made no move to climb up.


    Drake''s jaw clenched, and he sighed, "Fine, you won. Get up now."


    Seeing that her n was working, Debra finally reached for the rope. But it wasn''t enough for her. She grabbed onto it and shed Drake a mocking smile.


    "I don''t like being ordered around. No one can tell me what to do."


    Then, just like that, she let go of the rope and plunged into the sea.


    "Sir, she fell."


    Drake''s hand cracked across Peter''s face in a sharp p. "Stop stating the obvious. Get someone in the water and bring her back."


    "Right away." Peter scrambled to follow orders.


    Debra, though prepared for the plunge, couldn''t stop herself from swallowing à mouthful of seawater. Her chest tightened painfully as the salty liquid burned down her throat. She fought to keep herself from sinking.


    Soon enough, she heard the ssh of others jumping in after her. The correct bet relieved her. Drake wasn''t ready to let her die.


    A few momentster, his men pulled her from the water, and Debra spat out a mouthful of seawater. Though she was drenched and should have looked utterly defeated, there


    kas


    something victorious about the way


    she stood before Drake.


    Drake stared at her, his chest tight with frustration. Where he should have felt the thrill of control, all he felt was the suffocating weight of being yed.


    His voice was dark, simmering with rage. "You don''t care about your life, do you?"


    Debra arched a brow. "Of course, I do. But I care more about respect."


    Not a fool, Drake could see that every move Debra had made was deliberate. She''d thrown herself into the ocean, turned the tables, and led him by the nose. His eyes narrowed as he took a step closer. "You were gambling, weren''t you? On whether I''d kill you or not?"


    "Yes," Debra admitted, showing no signs of fear.


    Drake''s hand shot out and gripped her throat. He croaked, "Then gamble on this: will I kill you right now?"


    Debra gasped for air, his hand squeezing tighter with every second, but she managed to force a smile.


    "It''d be easy for you to kill me. Juan believes I''m already dead, anyway. But I doubt you''re keeping me alive just because you enjoy ying with your prey, right? You need me."