Catherine stared at Pearl in confusion, "Did Sean ever promise you this?"

"It was understood between us," Pearl said. "At least until you came along."

​​

"Pearl I—" Catherine began.

"Shut up," Pearl said, her eyes flashing. "Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sean announced he was getting married. I was curious about the bride—I thought she'd have to be impressive to make him change his mind. I imagined she was a princess, maybe or the heir to a massive fortune. Or at the very least, I thought she must be a great beauty.

"So imagine my surprise when I saw you for the first time," Pearl spat. "You're a child from a broken family. You have neither brains nor talent nor any real beauty. The only thing you have in your youth."

"You're mad, Pearl," Catherine said. "Why don't you just choose another man?"

"I'm not mad," Pearl shrieked. "I'm in love. Sean was made for me, and I want him."

"If he was made for you, why did he choose me?" she asked.

"That's what I'm trying to find out," Pearl said. "Did you blackmail him somehow? Did you trick him? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," Catherine said. "He just chose me, okay?"

"I don't believe you," Pearl said. "You must have done something."

"I didn't even know the man," Catherine snapped. "He was practically a stranger to me on our wedding day."

"Then why did he choose you?" Pearl asked.

"I don't know," Catherine said with a shrug. "Love at first sight, I guess."

Pearl's face darkened, "Take that back. He doesn't love you."

Catherine stared outside at the small pond and at the people on the other side. She chewed her lip for a moment.

"How about we prove this," she said. "Once and for all?"

"What do you mean?" Pearl asked.

"Let's give him another chance to choose," she said.

"What are you talking about?" Pearl asked.

Catherine took a deep breath and jumped off the end of the dock. She landed with a huge splash. The pond water was slimy and cold, and her breath caught in her lungs. Quickly she began treading water, but the skirt of her dress tangled around her legs, making it difficult to move them. For a moment, she regretted ruining the beautiful dress.

"What are you doing?" Pearl asked. "Are you mad?"

"Jump in Pearl," she said. "Let's see which one of us Sean saves first."

"You're mad," Pearl said.

"Are you scared he won't choose you?" Catherine asked. "You think at the moment of crisis he'll choose me again?"

Pearl's eyes flashed, "Of course he'll choose me."

"Then prove it," Catherine said. "Jump!"

"Fine," Pearl said.

She backed up on the dock and began to run, holding her long skirt up to her knees. Launching herself off the edge of the dock, she flew through the air and landed in the murky water with a loud splash.

"Help," Catherine screamed. "I fell in."

"Help," Pearl shouted. "I can't swim! Help!"

Worried, Catherine glanced over at Pearl, but the other woman was treading water easily. Together the two of them screamed at the top of their lungs, hoping the sound would carry across the pond.

Several figures at the other end seemed to hear them. There were screams and then a few loud splashes. Catherine squinted across the water, but it was impossible to tell who was swimming toward them.

She trod water, panting for breath. The cold water sapped her strength, and the light dress seemed to drag her down. She looked behind her for a ladder leading up to the dock. For a moment, she thought about swimming toward it.

"Coward," Pearl hissed. "Can't stand to learn the truth?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Catherine snapped.

The swimmers came closer, and Catherine thought she could recognize Sean in the lead. She angled her head back up at the sky and took a deep breath of air, and the splashing sounds got louder.

Suddenly powerful hands grabbed her and pulled her through the water. Within minutes, she'd been pulled from the water and laid out on the wooden dock. She blinked her eyes, and Sean's face came into focus just above hers. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were wild with worry.

"You're breathing," he said.

"I am," she whispered. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Wait, is Pearl okay?" she asked.

"Pearl?" Sean asked.

"She fell in, too," Catherine replied.

Sean's brow wrinkled, "Did she? I didn't see her?"

Panicked, Catherine sat up and looked out at the pond. Leydon was hauling Pearl up the ladder, though Pearl looked anything but grateful for the help.

"Please, lay down," Sean said.

"I'm fine," she replied.

He grabbed her face with both hands and pressed his forehead to hers. She tried to pull away, but he only held her closer. Slowly, he tilted his head and pressed a warm kiss to her lips. She heard people shouting around them, but she didn't dare to pull away.

"Is everyone okay?" Clara shouted. "Do we need any ambulances?"

"Catherine's fine," Sean replied.

"And Pearl?" Iris shrieked.

"She's fine too," Leydon said.

Voices shouted all around them as bystanders ran over from the other side of the pond. A few cameras even flashed, and Catherine raised a hand to block her eyes from the bright light.

"Clara, I need a guest room," Sean said.

"Of course, follow me," she said.

Catherine felt Sean's arms wrap around her, and then she was lifted off the ground. He held her close to his chest as he carried her through the woods, jogging slightly to keep up with Clara.

Catherine watched Clara run ahead of them, marveling at how fast the model could run in a dress and heels. She didn't seem tired at all.

"Why are you running?" she asked Sean. "I'm fine, I swear."

"Pearl, are you okay?"

Pearl was lost, and his eyes glazed over as if she was under enormous pressure.

Iris bit her lips and said, "I had told my brother to save you first, but…"

But the truth was that Iris believed that Sean would only save Catherine, so she told him that Catherine was Pearl.

Moreover, Sean didn't like Pearl, and on that day, Catherine and Pearl all wore a white dress, so Iris thought that Sean recognized who Pearl was.

"Did brother know I lie to him?" Iris thought to herself.

"I don't know why Sean walked toward there. I told him you are Catherine."

"Anyway, my brother saved Pearl. It is good," Iris thought to herself.