Tempted By My Ex's Brother-in-Law (Aria and Grayson) novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Aria’s Perspective

I opened my mouth to scream, but instead, a rush of icy water flooded in, stealing my breath away. Panic seized me as I thrashed wildly, but the frigid lake sapped the strength from my limbs. My body was rapidly losing warmth, numbness creeping through every muscle.

Lake… Drowning…

Those two words dragged up some deeply disturbing memories, haunting and raw.

Last time, Grayson had been there to save me. But now, he was nowhere in sight. This time, I was utterly alone—only myself to rely on.

A fierce, burning will to survive surged through me, snapping me back to focus. I clenched my mouth shut, held my breath as tightly as I could, and kicked frantically toward the faint glow above the water’s surface.

The light grew steadily brighter, and with it, a fragile spark of hope ignited within my chest.

But then, suddenly, my head collided sharply with something hard and unyielding—solid ice.

I must have drifted beneath the frozen surface, away from the hole I’d fallen through. Now, a thick, unbroken sheet of ice blocked my desperate path upward.

A cold dread, separate from the freezing water, shivered through me.

I pounded my fists against the ice, but it refused to crack. Frantically, I groped around beneath the ice, searching desperately for any opening, any crack—but found nothing.

No… NO!

My mouth opened involuntarily, releasing a stream of bubbles into the dark water. My lungs screamed, burning with pain. Strength was slipping away. Blackness crept in at the edges of my vision.

Biting my lip hard, I forced myself back to awareness, summoning every ounce of energy for one last attempt.

Then—BANG!

A sharp, cracking sound shattered the ice above me.

Suddenly, a figure plunged into the water, arms hooking beneath my shoulders, hauling me upward with powerful strokes.

I collapsed onto the bank, coughing violently as my body trembled uncontrollably from the cold. My rescuer slumped beside me, soaked through, letting out a long, steadying breath.

I looked up and saw Rhys pushing his wet hair back from his forehead. Water dripped down his striking face and over his bare, sculpted chest.

A sudden rush of alarm stirred within me. “W-Why are you naked?” I demanded, my voice sharp with confusion.

He gave me a look that said I was being ridiculous, then reached for his dry clothes and began dressing. Meanwhile, I was soaked to the bone, chilled by a biting wind that made me shiver violently.

Realizing I’d jumped to conclusions, I stammered, “S-Sorry… I didn’t mean to be rude… it’s just… your brother…”

“No need to apologize. I know what he did to you,” he said flatly. It was the first time I’d heard his voice, and it was deep, smooth, and unexpectedly captivating.

“You know? He told you?” I asked, stunned. Had Orion really spread the story everywhere?

“He doesn’t have to. My brother would sleep with a troll if he had the chance. Let alone a pretty girl like you,” Rhys replied with a hint of disdain.

A small smile tugged at my lips. Right then, I realized Rhys was different from the rest of his family.

“Thank you. For saving me,” I said quietly. “But why were you here in the first place?”

“This is where I train alone,” he explained. “I saw you practicing earlier. Your skills were… pathetic.”

His bluntness made my cheeks flush, but strangely, I found it refreshing.

“I don’t have a tutor. No one to teach me how to use a knife,” I admitted honestly.

He scrutinized me for a moment. “Stand up. Let me see your form.”

I rose immediately, gripping my knife and moving through the motions. He watched intently, then said, “You’re using the wrong stance and movement. Let me show you.”

He stepped closer, took the knife from my hand, and demonstrated. Before, I’d been completely clueless, but after his explanation, everything suddenly clicked.

“Wow,” I breathed, impressed. “You really know how to handle a weapon. Have you joined the army? You must be an incredible fighter.”

A wry smile curved his lips. “No. Frostpine Pack’s army is controlled by Aunt Tamsin. She won’t accept me.”

Of course. I knew Morrigan and Tamsin despised each other, refusing to let their people intermingle. But was that really good for the pack?

“Will you help me train? Please. I need to get stronger,” I pleaded, quickly adding as he regarded me silently, “I—I’ll find a way to repay you.”

“There’s nothing I want from you,” he said coldly, turning away. “Next time, stay away from frozen lakes. They can kill you.”

With that, he disappeared swiftly into the forest, swallowed by the morning mist.

I sighed deeply.

Rhys would make a great mentor, but sadly, his mother was my enemy too. We couldn’t afford to get close. He must know that as well.

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