The world around them blurred into chaos. Gasps filled the air, the sounds of rushing feet, and the distant murmur of the ocean waves beneath the ship. But for April, everything slowed down the moment Ophelia lost her footing and began to fall over the railing.

Instinct took over. Without thinking, April lunged forward, her fingers gripping onto Ophelia’s wrist just in time.

"Hold on!" April gasped, using all her strength to pull her back up.

Ophelia’s nails dug into April’s skin as she struggled, her breathing frantic. Their eyes met, and for a moment, April saw something she didn’t expect—fear, yes, but also something much more sinister lurking behind it.

Then, just as Ophelia was safe, that fear twisted into something else entirely.

A smile.

A slow, secretive, malicious smile.

April’s heart stopped in her chest.

Before she could react, Ophelia shoved her. Hard.

April’s body lurched backward, her fingers slipping off the railing as she tumbled over the edge.

Time seemed to stop.

The shocked gasps of the crowd.

The look of horror plastered on Sen’s face.

Her mother’s scream.

The rush of cold wind as gravity took her.

And then—nothing but icy darkness.

"APRIL!"

Kelly’s scream cut through the night as she rushed to the railing, her hands gripping the metal so tightly her knuckles turned white. She frantically scanned the inky black waters below, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Sen stood frozen, his heart pounding against his ribcage. His hands clenched into fists before he whirled around.

"Divers! Are there divers on board?!" he barked at Alex, his voice shaking with panic.

Alex, momentarily dazed by the sudden turn of events, snapped out of his shock. "There are," he confirmed, his voice tight. "I'll get them in the water now!" He motioned for his men to act fast.

Ophelia collapsed to the deck, her sobs loud and desperate. "It’s my fault," she cried, shaking her head. "It’s all my fault!"

Alex quickly wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair in comfort. "No, sweetheart," he murmured, holding her close. "It was an accident. You couldn’t have done anything."

Ophelia let out another wretched sob, but hidden between her cries was a barely-there smirk. She nodded against Alex’s chest. "An accident," she whispered.

Devin, standing off to the side, smirked to himself as he watched Ophelia work the scene like a seasoned actress. He caught her gaze for just a second and tilted his head with a knowing look.

Ophelia’s eyes glimmered, and as she wiped at her tears, she smiled back.

Meanwhile, Sen remained at the railing, his eyes scanning the waves desperately. He didn’t care about anything else—he just needed to find April.

He had to.

"Faster! The longer we take, the worse shape she’ll be in!" Sen roared at the crew. His stomach twisted violently at the thought of April alone in the freezing ocean, sinking deeper into the abyss.

April, where are you?

Beneath the Surface...

Even in unconsciousness, April's mind refused to rest.

Memories flickered like an old film reel, pulling her into the past, making her relive the moments that led her here.

The disgust on her family's faces as they stared at her before she fell.

The malicious glint in Ophelia’s eyes.

The betrayal.

The cold, suffocating water pulled her deeper as her past unraveled before her.

A loud horn sounded. A car pulled into the driveway. The excitement in the air was palpable as a young April ran down the stairs, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her father stepping out of the vehicle.

"Daddy’s home!" she squealed in delight, her small legs carrying her as fast as they could toward him.

But then she stopped short.

A small girl clung to Alex’s leg, her big doe eyes darting around nervously.

April’s little brow furrowed as she stared at the stranger.

Alex chuckled, patting the girl’s head. "April, come here," he called gently.

April hesitated before stepping closer, her gaze flickering between her father and the girl.

"This is Ophelia," Alex introduced. "She’s going to be living with us from now on."

Kelly appeared beside Alex, her face lit with excitement. "Oh, darling, isn’t she adorable?" she cooed, bending down to offer Ophelia a warm smile. "Come here, sweetheart."

Ophelia hesitated before slowly placing her tiny hand in Kelly’s.

April’s hands clenched at her sides.

Who is she?

Why is she here?

Her mother turned toward her and picked her up, balancing her on her hip. "April, you have a new sister now. She’ll be part of our family from now on because her parents aren’t in this world anymore," Kelly explained in a gentle tone.

April’s gaze snapped back to Ophelia.

Ophelia clung tighter to Alex, her grip possessive.

Alex patted her head affectionately. "Don’t worry, Ophelia. We’ll be your family from now on," he reassured her.

Ophelia beamed up at him, her small face glowing with happiness.

April felt a pang of something foreign in her chest.

Still, she took a step forward and declared, "If anyone bullies you, I’ll protect you! I’ll chop them up into tiny pieces!"

April giggled at her own words.

But Ophelia’s reaction was unexpected.

Her eyes widened in fear, and she ducked behind Alex’s leg as if April were a monster.

"April!" Alex scolded, frowning at his daughter. "Don’t scare her like that."

April blinked, confused.

"I—I didn’t mean—"

"Apologize to your sister," Alex ordered.

April quickly nodded. "I’m sorry."

But as she stood there, watching Alex comfort the trembling Ophelia, something deep inside her stirred.

And for the first time, a part of her knew—

Everything had changed.

April’s body drifted deeper into the abyss, her limbs floating weightlessly.

Her heart ached as the memory settled in.

That had been the moment it all started.

The moment her nightmare began.

A moment that led to this—Ophelia standing above her, smiling, before pushing her into the dark.