The ship remained eerily silent despite the chaos that had unraveled just hours ago. The night air carried a heaviness, as though the weight of April’s absence clung to every guest, to every whisper and every gasp of disbelief.

On the deck, Ophelia sobbed hysterically, her frail body shaking violently in Sen’s arms.

“It’s my fault,” she gasped, her cries tearing through the air. “It’s all my fault that April is gone!”

“Shhh,” Sen murmured, holding her tightly, rocking her back and forth as though cradling something fragile. His hand rubbed soothing circles on her back, his own voice trembling slightly. “It was an accident, Ophelia. I know you didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Ophelia only sobbed harder, her hands clutching onto Sen’s shirt like a lifeline. But in between the cries, in between the wails of despair, was a secret—a hidden smirk buried in the folds of her trembling lips.

Deep inside, she thanked God.

Thank you… for taking April away.

She had never felt such relief before. The weight that had been suffocating her was gone. The competition was gone.

April was no longer standing in her way.

No longer there to steal their parents' attention.

No longer there to make Sen hesitate, to make him second-guess his decision to be with her.

She buried her face deeper into Sen’s chest, inhaling his warmth, relishing in his comfort. He was hers now—only hers.

And April?

April was at the bottom of the ocean, where she belonged.

The Master Bedroom—The Winter Residence

Sobs filled the dimly lit room as Kelly clutched onto Alex’s arm, her body wracked with grief.

"Alex," she pleaded, her fingers gripping him tightly. "Tell me… tell me you’ll bring April back home."

Her voice was desperate, raw with anguish.

Alex stood rigid, his fists clenched at his sides. His eyes, filled with unspoken regret, stared blankly ahead as he fought back his own tears.

"Kelly, the police… they haven’t found a body yet," he said, voice hoarse.

Kelly let out a small gasp, searching his face for any trace of hope. "That means she could still be alive, right?"

But Alex turned his head away.

His silence was deafening.

A knock at the door startled them both. Alex opened it to find Sen standing there, his face clouded with worry.

"Sorry for disturbing you," Sen said, his voice low. "I… I wanted to inform you about Ophelia. She had a panic attack earlier. She’s feeling overwhelmed with guilt."

Alex’s eyes widened. "Is she okay?"

"She finally fell asleep, but she keeps whimpering and mumbling April’s name."

At that, Kelly broke down again. She clutched at her chest, her body curling inward as fresh sobs escaped her lips. "My family…" she whispered brokenly. "My family is falling apart."

Sen lowered his gaze, unable to offer any words of comfort.

Alex exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Kelly, you need to get a hold of yourself. We need to be strong for Ophelia."

Kelly wiped at her face with shaking hands but said nothing.

She didn’t know how to fix this.

She didn’t know if this could be fixed.

The Hallway

Unbeknownst to them, Ophelia stood just outside the door, her sobs long gone, her breathing even.

Her fingers curled into fists as she listened.

Even after April was gone, her parents still fussed over her.

Still worried about her.

Ophelia’s heart twisted with anger.

Why?

Why was April always the center of attention?

Even dead, she refused to fade away.

Ophelia’s nails dug into her palm.

No.

She wouldn’t let this happen.

She wouldn’t allow her parents to dwell on April any longer.

She wouldn’t let Sen’s mind linger on her.

She would be their only focus.

Their only daughter.

Their only love.

She turned away from the door, heading back to her room with a slow, deliberate pace.

A plan was already forming in her mind.

By the time she was done, April would be nothing more than a distant, painful memory.

And Ophelia?

She would be the perfect daughter.

The perfect fiancée.

The perfect everything.

A slow, satisfied smile curved her lips.

The four of us will be a happy family.

Whether they liked it or not.