“Dr. Lewis, I want these dolphins,” Lydia Graham said with poised confidence, tapping the glass of the observation tank. “Graham Corporation is constructing a marine park, and these dolphins will be our star attractions.” Lydia is the childhood friend of my fiancé, Declan Reed. She had just returned from abroad and was determined to claim the dolphins my grandfather had left me. “Let her have them,” Declan said gently from behind her. His gentle tone was once enough to make me agree to marry him without a second thought, but now it felt like a sharp betrayal. “No way.” As a researcher at the biological institute, I firmly rejected the proposal, though I felt a powerful force behind me. As I fell into the shark tank, I saw Lydia retract the hand that had pushed me. And Declan, who had once promised to protect me forever, stood silently by her side. In the blood-red water, the sharks began to close in on me. Before I lost consciousness, my grandfather’s last words echoed in my mind: “These dolphins are my final gift to you…”
The harsh smell of disinfectant made me frown. When I opened my eyes, the only sound in the room was the steady beeping of the monitor. I touched the bruise on my neck, and the door opened, revealing Declan’s tall figure silhouetted by the light behind him. His face showed no emotion, and his deep-set eyes held a cold detachment. “You’re awake?” He walked steadily to the bed, his voice low. I frowned at him, my throat burning painfully. He helped me sit up. “It’s fortunate the sharks had just been fed and you weren’t injured or bleeding, or the consequences would have been unimaginable.” I took the water he handed me and drained the glass. “Graham Corporation’s marine park is a major project. Why oppose Lydia?” His long fingers tapped the bed rail, each tap echoing like a judgement in my heart. I argued, “Are you here to lecture me? You know the bond I’ve had with the dolphins over the years—they’re my grandfather’s legacy—” “Grandfather has passed away,” he interrupted, shaking his head. “Nora, when will you grow up? Not all persistence is worthwhile.” I looked at the cold man before me, memories of our meeting, romance, and his proposal flashing before my eyes. At our engagement party, my grandfather had clasped his hand, moved, entrusting him to protect me for life. But now it felt like I was meeting him for the first time. “Declan, you’re here,” Lydia entered in high heels, the scent of Chanel quickly filling the room. She linked arms with Declan affectionately, glanced at me, and smiled elegantly. “I was going to bring Dr. Lewis some supplements, but you beat me to it.” I stared at her. “Miss Graham, you probably came to confirm whether the sharks had finished me off, right?” She chuckled lightly, “Dr. Lewis, you’re joking. Yesterday, I think you just accidentally slipped, right? After all… the institute’s surveillance didn’t capture anything.” “Lydia,” Declan called her softly, ostensibly to stop her, but I detected a hint of indulgence in his voice. “Declan, I’m just worried about her.” She playfully swayed his arm, then turned to me. “I’ve already negotiated with the board about the dolphins. You know, my father dotes on me; I get whatever I want.” I clenched the sheet, my knuckles turning white. As Lydia said this, Declan not only failed to stop her but gently tidied her hair that had become tousled from leaning on his arm. I recalled how yesterday afternoon, when I accidentally spilled coffee, he had stepped back with a frown, looking cold and distant. “My father wants to see you; it’s been years since he last did,” Lydia said naturally, as if she were the one engaged to Declan. Before they left, Lydia added, “Dr. Lewis, some things are just not meant for you. Rest well.” She left in high heels, and Declan opened the door for her, his hand naturally protecting her back, afraid she might bump into something. Once, such gestures used to be for me. “Nora,” he glanced back at me, eyes flickering, “stop being so stubborn.” Stubborn? I smiled bitterly. So in his eyes, my guarding of my grandfather’s legacy was mere stubbornness. A year ago, when he proposed, he said he loved my resilience and effort the most. What did that mean now? Why did he change after Lydia returned? After they left, I wiped away my tears and took out a mask and hat from my bag.
As night deepened, I avoided the watchful eyes of his assistant at the hospital, dragging my still-recovering body to the research institute. I used my ID badge to open the door. Moonlight spilled through the glass dome of the observation pool, the water shimmering with a gentle glow. I sat by the pool, lightly tapping the surface. A mother and calf dolphin emerged from the water, their familiar chirping sounds echoing under the moonlight. I softly called, “Luna, Cosmo.” These were the names my grandfather gave them—Luna, elegant and gentle as the moon, Cosmo, lively and bright like the stars. Hearing my call, Luna gently nudged my hand with her snout, while little Cosmo playfully surfaced, flicking water with his tail, splashing me. “Mischievous,” I laughed softly, wiping away the droplets. Six years ago, when I first arrived at the institute, my grandfather had just rescued this dolphin pair. At that time, the mother dolphin was barely alive, and the calf, just born, was so weak it nearly didn’t survive. Grandfather and I took turns caring for them day and night, checking their condition every two hours. During those days, I often fell asleep by the observation pool. Every time, Luna would swim over, gently waking me with her sounds, as if reminding me to rest. Slowly, Cosmo grew up, clinging to me like a child. Every time I visited, he would show off a new trick. Flipping, blowing bubbles, swimming with me on his back—whatever I taught, he learned. Grandfather always said he and I were kindred spirits. On his deathbed, he made me promise to protect them. “You guys…” I caressed the smooth dorsal fin of the calf dolphin, choking up. Sensing my sorrow, the little one rested his head in my palm, emitting a low chirp. The mother dolphin swam closer, her dark eyes gleaming with intelligence in the moonlight. I remembered my grandfather saying dolphins were the most empathetic creatures in the world, capable of sensing human emotions and choosing trustworthy people. “But now…” My tears fell into the water, creating ripples. “How can I protect you?” Luna suddenly made a series of clear sounds, diving underwater. When she surfaced, she held something in her mouth. It was a small pearl, glowing softly under the moonlight. I was stunned. In six years, I had never seen this pearl. At that moment, my grandfather’s dying words echoed again. With trembling hands, I took the pearl, my heart racing. Just as I was about to examine it closely, a blinding flashlight beam hit me from behind.
“Nora Lewis! You’ve been suspended, and you still trespass into the institute. Are you trying to steal something?” A guard’s voice behind me was jarringly loud. I was momentarily stunned, the pearl slipping from my fingers, caught deftly by Luna, who quickly submerged. “What? Suspended?” “Playing innocent? The foundation issued a suspension notice this afternoon!” I was dragged out by two guards, looking back to see Cosmo leaping anxiously from the water, chirping frantically. Luna floated silently, tears seemingly glistening in her obsidian eyes. “I never received any suspension notice!” I struggled to stay. No one responded as I was forcibly pushed out of the institute’s door, the cold wind biting through my thin lab coat, still clutching my work ID. This badge, which had accompanied me for six years, now felt like the most ironic thing. The next morning, I went straight to the Graham Foundation. Opening the office door, I was hit by the scent of perfume. Lydia Graham was elegantly stirring her coffee, with Declan sitting beside her, naturally affectionate. “Dr. Lewis, you found out so quickly?” Lydia chuckled, “I was going to let you rest a bit before telling you.” “Why?” I glared at her, “There’s never been a problem with my research work!” “Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow, “Unfortunately, the foundation’s expert group doesn’t think so. They say your dolphin behavior research report has serious falsification issues.” “That’s impossible!” “Declan,” Lydia leaned playfully toward him, “tell us, how flawed is Dr. Lewis’s report?” Declan spoke in a businesslike tone, “According to the expert group’s opinion, the recent report you submitted, regarding the emotional interaction between the dolphin mother and calf, clearly violates scientific principles. As the project leader, I agreed with the expert group’s suspension suggestion.” I stared at him in disbelief, “Declan Reed, you know those data are real! You’ve seen Luna and Cosmo…” “Enough!” He suddenly raised his voice, “Please address me as Mr. Reed in a professional setting. And stop using such emotionally charged names for the test subjects. It’s unprofessional.” Lydia covered her mouth, giggling, “Dr. Lewis, do you think you’re part of that dolphin family? How…ridiculous.” I looked at him in disbelief. “Declan Reed, you know the data is real! You’ve seen Luna and Cosmo…” “Enough!” he suddenly raised his voice. “Please call me Mr. Reed at work. Also, stop using those sentimental names for the research subjects. It’s unprofessional.” Lydia Graham chuckled, covering her mouth. “Miss Lewis, do you really consider those dolphins your family? That’s… just absurd.” “They are my family,” I said, my eyes welling up with emotion. “At least they won’t betray me.” “See, that’s your problem,” she said, shaking her head. “Researchers can’t be objective if they’re so emotionally involved. Declan’s right, it’s unprofessional.” Declan stood up and adjusted his suit. “Nora, I hope you can stay rational. There’s still a chance for you to return.” “You can’t do this!” I tried to keep my voice steady, fighting back tears. Lydia elegantly placed her coffee cup on the table. “Why not? My dad is the foundation’s chairman.” Just as I was about to respond, my phone buzzed. It was a colleague from the dolphin research team. “Nora! Where are you?” Her voice was frantic. “The dolphins are missing this morning, and no one informed us…” My hand shook violently, and I nearly dropped the phone. I could still hear Cosmo’s cheerful chirps from last night and remember Luna’s gentle gaze. “This is retaliation…” I looked up to see a glint of satisfaction in Lydia’s eyes. A thought struck me. I immediately reached into my bag for a fruit knife. Pressing the cold blade against my neck, a bead of blood surfaced. “Take me to them.”
Declan Reed rose sharply, his voice wavering for the first time, “Nora, are you out of your mind? Put the knife down!” Lydia’s smile faltered. “Whether I’m crazy or not doesn’t matter,” I said with a bitter smile, applying slight pressure with the knife, a red line appearing on my neck. “What matters is, I want to see them now.” “You…” Lydia stood, ready to call security. I interrupted her, “I wonder if Miss Graham’s father would enjoy seeing his precious daughter in the headlines, forcing a young researcher to the brink of death?” Declan’s gaze darkened as he looked at the blood on my neck. “Nora, stop. I’ll take you.” “Declan!” Lydia looked at him in disbelief. Lydia wanted to say more, but a stern look from him silenced her. We got into his car. I sat in the backseat, never lowering the knife. In the rearview mirror, I saw Declan’s tense jawline. Once, I had secretly admired his profile countless times. But now, those tender memories felt like a dream, crushed under Lydia’s high heels. The car drove towards a private villa in the suburbs, with Declan at the wheel. My hand grew colder as my heart pounded wildly. Grandpa once said these dolphins were his last gift to me. Whether for the bond over the years or for Grandpa, I had to do this. The Graham’s private aquarium was in the villa’s basement. As the elevator descended, I clenched my hands, trying to muster more courage. When the doors opened, a pungent medicinal smell hit me. It was overpowering, far beyond normal disinfection needs. My heart sank. The dimly lit observation pool cast an eerie atmosphere over the space. At a glance, I saw Luna floating on the water. Her once graceful body was rigidly bent, her dorsal fin and tail had large abrasions, as if she’d been violently dragged. She was dead. Tortured to death, even. Little Cosmo weakly clung to his mother, emitting intermittent chirps filled with fear and sorrow. My blood boiled, and I nearly broke into tears. “Sorry, there was a bit of an accident during the transfer,” Lydia said dismissively. “This big dolphin was too uncooperative, kept struggling.”
“What have you done to them?!” I shouted at her. “Nothing much,” she said, adjusting her hair indifferently. “Just injected some sedatives. Who knew it was so fragile…” “Sedatives?” I rushed to the poolside, noticing several needle marks on Luna. “How much did you use?!” “Does it matter?” Lydia said impatiently. “They’re just two…” I turned abruptly, “They are living beings! This is murder!” I wanted to grab Lydia for questioning, but Declan stepped in front of her first. “Nora,” Declan’s voice was chillingly calm, “you’re too emotional. Lydia meant well; she hired the most professional team to handle it. No one wanted this accident.” Looking at him in his suit made me feel sick. “Meant well? By overdosing Luna with sedatives? Declan Reed, for the first time, I see you have no humanity.” Before I could finish, I saw Cosmo suddenly thrashing violently. It desperately rammed into the pool wall, its eyes filled with pain, as if trying to tell me something. “What’s wrong with it?” Lydia frowned, “Is it going to die too?” I trembled, rushing forward to hold it. In that instant, I saw it had a pearl in its mouth. Forcing myself to remain calm, I said, “I’m taking it with me.” “No way!” Lydia shrieked. I pulled the fruit knife from my pocket, pressing it to my heart. “Are you sure you want to stop me?” Declan’s face changed, “You’re insane!” “Yeah, I’m insane.” I took off the diamond ring on my ring finger and threw it forcefully to the ground, looking Declan in the eye, “From today, you and I have nothing to do with each other!”
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