Third person's POV
Witnessing the child fall into the sea, Tabitha felt as if all the blood in her body had solidified in an instant, her heart seemingly gripped by an invisible hand.
How could this be?
The little girl had been within reach, about to be saved. Why was fate so cruel as to shatter hope at this critical moment?
The little boy's heart-wrenching cries pierced Tabitha's ears like a sharp sword, "Ayla!"
Tabitha instinctively looked down at the boy.
When she saw his face, which bore a striking resemblance to her own, her inner world was shaken as if by a powerful earthquake. She was experiencing an unprecedented impact.
A bold and irresistible thought flashed through her mind.
She had no time for contemplation or verification.
This thought took root and spread like wild grass, driving her to act irrationally and leap over the railing into the sea without a second thought.
Her thoughts surged back to three years ago when she was pregnant and had an ultrasound.
She had been carrying a pair of adorable twins—
A girl who looked so much like Derek, always lively and smiling; a boy whose features were somewhat similar to hers, with a gentle and docile temperament.
Could these two children before her truly be her long-lost children?
Before Tabitha could savor the joy of reuniting with her loved ones, she was overwhelmed by the sorrow that followed.
Tabitha swam desperately towards the little girl in the sea, her heart crying out, 'My darling, do you know how much I have missed you? You must be safe!'
Two splashes of water amidst the chaos and noise on the ship were as faint as pebbles dropped into a vast lake, hardly noticed by anyone.
Wilmot rushed to Tabitha's room at the first sign of the accident.
The room was in disarray, with wild winds howling, but she was nowhere to be found.
Could something have happened to her?
Wilmot's face turned pale instantly. As he stepped out of the room, he heard the terrified crying of a child from around the corner.
He followed the sound without hesitation and found a little boy sitting on the ground. A bag was hanging around that boy's neck, its contents unknown.
"What happened?" Wilmot asked anxiously.
Helios, with tears streaming down his face, spoke haltingly due to extreme fear, "Ayla! Auntie! Sea!"
Wilmot understood vaguely and pressed on, "Did you see a woman, about this tall, very thin, very pale, and bald?"
The boy nodded vigorously, his finger trembling as he pointed towards the sea. "Fell, fell! My sister fell."
"You mean your sister fell in, and then that auntie jumped in after her?"
"Yes."
Hearing this, Wilmot felt a surge of panic and desperation.
The ship was in chaos. Tabitha, having just started to recover from her chemotherapy, shouldn't have impulsively jumped into the sea.
Yet, without a moment's hesitation, he dove into the water, too.
Tabitha's body, already ravaged by chemotherapy, was as fragile as a delicate porcelain doll.
As soon as she hit the water, the icy cold sea pierced her like countless needles, mercilessly targeting every inch of her skin.
Her body temperature was naturally lower than most people's. Now, under the assault of the seawater, her body trembled as if she might cramp or faint at any moment.
But a steadfast belief sustained her, telling her she could not be afraid.
Her daughter was so young, so helpless—if she gave up now, they would be forever separated.
The treasure she had found through so much hardship, how could she give up so easily?
However, without any illumination, once in the sea, she was surrounded by endless darkness. The little girl had vanished from sight.
Tabitha was frantic, tears welling up in her eyes, wanting to spill over.
Why did fate always play such tricks on her?
She had lost so much in her life. Why must she endure such immense suffering?
She would rather bear all the pain herself than let her young daughter face such danger.
She could almost feel her daughter's fear and helplessness in the dark, cold sea and silently prayed, 'Don't be afraid. I will find you, definitely!'
Perhaps her sincere heart moved the God. For amidst the turbulent waters, Tabitha miraculously grasped the girl's arm.
As she lifted the girl with all her might, tears of joy could no longer be contained, streaming down and blending with the cold seawater.
'Baby, I've finally found you.'