10/28/2025
At sea, my brother-in-law pushed me overboard, yelling, “Swim or d.i.e.”
The next morning,He didn’t know I was waiting with the fishermen at the lawyer’s office...
The town of Grayhaven, Maine, was built on salt, sweat, and loyalty — a place where your handshake mattered more than your signature. Laura Bennett, a 38-year-old widow, had spent her life beside the ocean, helping her late husband, Daniel, build Bennett Fisheries from one battered trawler into a thriving fleet.
When Daniel died in a storm six months ago, Laura took over. She was calm, intelligent, and fiercely respected by the workers — except by one man: Adam Bennett, Daniel’s younger brother.
Adam believed the company should have been his. While Laura managed the business with steady hands, Adam spent money recklessly and resented taking orders from a woman. His bitterness grew until it finally broke loose during a company meeting.
“We’re sitting on gold, Laura,” he said, slamming his fist on the table. “Two new deep-sea boats, and we can triple our profits within a year!”
Laura met his glare, unshaken. “Daniel never gambled the company, Adam. We’ll grow when we can afford to, not before.”
Her refusal humiliated him in front of the senior captains. His face twisted with anger. “He left the business to the wrong Bennett,” he spat before storming out.
That night, Laura felt a strange heaviness in her chest — a quiet intuition that something dangerous was coming. She drove to Attorney Ellen Pierce’s office the next morning, carrying a sealed box of documents.
“These are the originals,” Laura said. “Company deeds, partnership contracts, everything Daniel and I built. Keep them safe. If anything happens to me, I want the right people to know who owns what.”
Ellen nodded. “You’re expecting trouble?”
Laura looked out the window toward the harbor, where Adam’s boat sat gleaming in the afternoon light. “Let’s just say I know what greed looks like when it’s cornered.”
Two days later, Adam arrived at her door, smiling too sweetly. “Laura, I was thinking… we never really said goodbye to Dan properly. How about we take the Blue Marlin out tomorrow? Scatter his ashes near Rock Point — his favorite spot.”
Laura’s stomach turned, but her expression stayed calm. “That sounds right,” she said softly.
That night, she made one phone call — to Captain Ray Carter, Daniel’s oldest friend. “Ray,” she said quietly, “Adam and I are taking the boat out tomorrow. He’ll be at the helm. I have a bad feeling.”
Ray’s voice dropped. “You want me nearby?”
“I’d appreciate it.”
The next morning, the sea was steel-gray, the horizon blurred by mist. The Blue Marlin cut through the waves, its twin engines humming. Laura stood at the stern, clutching the small urn. Adam steered silently.
An hour later, he killed the engine. They were miles from shore. The silence was heavy.
He turned, eyes cold and sharp. “You should’ve known your place, Laura. You were never meant to have this company.”
Laura’s heart pounded. “Daniel trusted me because I earned it. You just wanted what he built.”
Adam sneered. “He’s gone now. And so are you.”
Before she could react, he shoved her hard. The world tilted — sky, sea, then freezing water. She surfaced, gasping, her body seared by the Atlantic’s icy grip.
From the deck, Adam shouted, “Swim or di.e, sister-in-law!” Then he gunned the engine, vanishing into the fog...To be continued in C0mments 👇