Her Story: Rise Of Tiffany
Chapter 559

Before Tiffany could react, she felt a sudden weightlessness. In the next moment, her feet left the ground.

Tiffany looked again. She was rising, moving farther and farther from the island. What had once been at eye level was now far below, the whole scene laid out beneath her feet.

In the distance, dawn’s light painted the horizon. The vast, clear sea shimmered in hues of blue, its surface sparkling Waves lapped against the island below, where lush greenery thrived with vibrant life.

And she was flying.

Tiffany blinked. It wasn’t the first time she’d experienced this, but it still felt fresh and exhilarating.

Richard smirked and teased, “I think you might fall.”

Panicked, Tiffany grabbed onto his waist tightly.

Now they were so close, not even a breath could pass between them, which was why Tiffany immediately noticed a subtle change in Richard’s posture.

Her cheeks turned scarlet in an instant.

The salty sea breeze ruffled her hair, carrying with it an almost stifling warmth.

Tiffany shot Richard a glare, but Richard responded with an innocent expression. “What? Isn’t this the fastest and easiest way to bring you along?”

Tiffany glanced down. From this height, every plant and detail of the terrain was visible. Richard wasn’t wrong. It was efficient.

But it was also shameless.

With a huff, Tiffany tried to focus, ignoring Richard’s deliberate or accidental provocations. She scanned the dense vegetation below.

“No, I don’t see anything here. Let’s check over there,” Tiffany said.

“Alright,” Richard replied, wrapping his arm around her waist and gliding toward the area she pointed to.

After scouring the entire island, however, there was still no trace of the elusive Blood Lotus.

“It’s not here,” Tiffany sighed, frustration sinking in.

Years–old medical texts had declared the herb extinct. Now, even after a thorough search, it seemed the textbooks had been right.

‘Is this entire journey for nothing?‘ Tiffany thought.

Tiffany sat on a rock, deep in thought, when Richard spoke. “I recall hearing that this plant only appears as the tide rises.”

Richard once overheard Sidney mention that during high tide, the Blood Lotus would bloom in a strange, fleeting way, just minutes before the island was submerged. However, the turbulent tides made it impossible for anyone to retrieve it, even if they spotted it.

For years, no one had successfully obtained it, Over time, it became nothing more than a legend, considered an extinct remedy.

Tiffany’s eyes widened. “Really? Then we still have a chance! I’ll gather some alternative herbs just in case. If the Blood Lotus doesn’t appear. Tll have to try substitutes.”

Hope sparked within Tiffany, faint but motivating.

Half an hour later, they had collected everything they needed.

Back on the yacht, they sat in the shade, sharing food as the gentle sea breeze swept over them. The sea was calm.

Richard gave Tiffany a mischievous look. “Why don’t I take this chance to teach you how to swim?”

Tiffany froze. “Here?” She could barely manage in a pool. The open sea felt like a death sentence. “No way!”

Without a word, Richard scooped her up and carried her to the shallows.

“Put me down! I said no!” Tiffany shouted.

“You can’t afford this weakness,” Richard said firmly. “It’s dangerous.”

Realizing he was right, Tiffany sighed and stopped struggling.

The moment her feet touched the cool water, a chill ran through Tiffany. Tentatively, she waded in until the waves reached her neck.

When a sudden wave swept over her, she stumbled and sank.

“Hold your breath,” Richard instructed, pulling her up with strong hands.

She followed his calm voice.

“Move your arms. Kick your legs. Find your balance,” continued Richard.

By the afternoon’s end, Tiffany had transformed. What started as endless sputtering and splashing turned into tentative strokes, then confident swimming.

“You’re a fast learner,” Richard said, his eyes soft with pride.

Tiffany beamed and paddled further on her own.

When she finally emerged from the water, the joy of overcoming her fear lit up her face.

Dusk approached, painting the horizon in warm colors. Richard busied himself in the yacht’s kitchen, selecting ingredients. “Go shower and change,” Richard told Tiffany.

Tiffany nodded and left to take a quick shower. She returned clean, only to find a feast waiting on the table.

“You cooked all this?” Tiffany asked, amazed.

Richard shrugged. “Would you believe me if I said I learned from a recipe?”

“I would,” Tiffany replied earnestly. To her, Richard was exceptional, beyond ordinary measures.

Richard smiled, pleased by her sincerity. “Eat.”

By the time they finished eating, the last rays of sunlight had disappeared, and the fiery clouds on the horizon gave way to the deepening dusk.

Meanwhile, the water around the island began to rise rapidly. Within just an hour, more than half of the island was already submerged by the rising tide!,

Tiffany watched from the yacht, her eyes scanning the water, the island shrinking with every passing moment.

And then, just as the tide was about to engulf it entirely, a brilliant red lotus bloomed, glowing like a flame in the darkness.

“There!” Tiffany shouted, shooting out of her seat.

Richard didn’t hesitate. He swept her into his arms and launched them toward the fleeting flower before the sea could claim it.