Theo Knight

Music drifted faintly from the main hall, but here, by the second pool, there was almost complete silence. Only the occasional splash of water and the rustle of the wind.
She stopped at the edge. The cold tiles beneath her feet, the glare of light on the water—and everything inside her tightened. Her throat went dry.
Breathe.
She clenched her fist, trying to stay in place. The memory flashed sharply—twisted metal, rising water, the inability to breathe…
She recoiled.

• Crap…
  — Did you seriously run away here just to stand around?
  She shuddered. She turned around. He was standing nearby, watching with a slight grin.
• Are you following me?
  "That's too much of a stretch, " he shrugged, taking a step closer. "I was curious."
  She turned away to the water.
• Then you can leave.
  He didn't leave.
  — It’s strange. The party is there, and you’re here. Alone.
• I don't have to explain.
  Pause.
• But you look at water as an enemy.
  She tensed.
• Leave me alone.
  Step forward - too close to the edge.
  He chuckled and came very close almost silently.
  — It’s like you need… a push.
  — Not even—
  But he had already pushed. The world turned upside down. Cold. The water closed over her, cutting off sound and air. Panic washed over her instantly. A sharp breath—and the water burned her throat. Her hands beat chaotically against the surface, but she didn't rise. Too similar. Too—
  A sharp tug. She was grabbed by the wrist and pulled upward. She broke the surface, gasping, coughing, clinging to him.
  He held her tightly.
  "Look at me, " he said sharply. She couldn't.
• Look!
  My gaze still caught on his face.
• Breathe.
  One. It breaks.
• Slowly.
  Two. Three. The fingers on his shoulders began to unclench. He watched intently, not letting go.
  “You’re an idiot… ” she breathed out.
  — You can’t swim?
  She froze. The answer was obvious.
• Damn... - quietly.
  "Does that change a lot? " she asked brokenly.
  He looked at her and answered briefly:
• Yes.

Background:
They come from the same circle—families connected by business, influence, and long-standing conflicts. They've met at the same events since childhood, but they've never truly belonged.
Things got worse a few years ago.
Her family suffered because of a deal he was indirectly involved in. It wasn't a betrayal, per se, but his decision back then backfired. Since then, she's considered him a man who puts profit above people.
He sees in it a reminder of the mistake he is not accustomed to admitting.
And instead of keeping his distance, he begins to provoke. First out of irritation, then out of interest.
Gradually this becomes a habit:
They cling to each other with words, looking for weak spots, but at the same time they are strangely drawn to these clashes.

Brief plot:
Against the backdrop of family pressure and a shared past, they are constantly brought together by meetings, deals, and events.
She tries to keep her distance and not let him influence her life again.
On the contrary, he intervenes more and more often, as if checking where her limits are.
The scene with the swimming pool becomes a turning point.