It crushed him from the inside out, stealing the strength from his limbs as his knees buckled beneath him. "I left her…" he whispered, the words hollow, broken. "I left her there…"
He collapsed to the ground, his hands digging into his hair as if he could rip the thought out of his mind.
"I was supposed to be with her…" His voice cracked completely now. "I was supposed to protect her… our child…"
Around him, chaos had already begun. Sirens. Shouts. The rescue team surged into action, boats cutting through the water toward the burning remains of the yacht.
Max forced himself up, stumbling forward, his eyes never leaving the wreck.
"You have to hurry," he said, grabbing one of the rescue officers, his grip tight, desperate. "You have to save them. She's strong… she'll be there. She'll be waiting…she won't just leave me. She wouldn't…she can't…"
