Anyone with a shred of a heart would have helped me, seeing the state I was in.
My broken limbs spasmed with pain, tears mixing with sand on my face. A sharp cramp tore through my abdomen, and the seawater beneath me turned a deep crimson.
My child.
I'm so sorry.
It was my own foolish obsession, wasn't it? Insisting on loving a man who would never be mine.
Now, you won't even have the chance to open your eyes and see this world.
The moment Freya opened her eyes, she called out for Gideon in a panic. She wouldn't let any nurse near her, just clung tightly to Gideon's sleeve, crying ceaselessly.
Gideon held her gently, like a man who had just recovered a long-lost treasure. His hands trembled slightly as he stroked her back again and again.
"'You have no idea how worried I was,' he murmured. 'I was so afraid... terrified of losing you again.'"
Freya's face was pale, her eyes filled with fear. She clutched his shirt and said in a trembling voice, "Gideon, I thought I was going to die, that I'd never see you again. If it wasn't for you..."
She looked up, her tear-filled eyes gazing at him.
"Gideon, I was always afraid my existence would cause trouble between you and Elodie, so I kept pushing you away. But after all this... I'm never pushing you away again."
Sobbing, Freya buried her head in his chest and continued, "I don't blame Elodie at all. If she hadn't invited me to the Hamptons that day, I wouldn't have been kidnapped, and I wouldn't have found the courage... to face my feelings for you."
Gideon's expression darkened, but he suppressed his rage. "Freya, don't say that name again. I promise, I will get justice for you. This time, no one can keep us apart."
I floated there, a bitter smile touching my lips.
The real reason Gideon and Freya could never be together wasn't me. It was Freya.
They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts who should have been a perfect match.
It wasn't until I was sixteen that I learned I was the true daughter of the Carrington family, New York real estate tycoons.
The family's housekeeper, who was Freya's mother, had switched us at birth.
When I finally returned to the Carrington home, Mom and Dad couldn't bear to send Freya away; they'd raised her for sixteen years.
So, I became the Carrington family heiress, and Freya became the adopted daughter.
At my first birthday party after returning home, Mom and Dad invited Gideon and his prominent Caldwell family.
Gideon's mother, Denise Caldwell, showered me with praise. She complimented my elegance and beauty, clasping my hand warmly as we chatted.
I never expected this to provoke Freya's hostility.
While the adults were in the living room, Freya approached me with a pot of freshly brewed, scalding coffee.
She stared at me, a sly smile playing on her lips. "If I get burned by this coffee because of you, do you think anyone will be in the mood to celebrate your birthday?"
Before I could react, Freya tilted her wrist, about to pour the coffee onto her own hand.
My mind went blank, and my body instinctively lunged forward to stop her.
As a result, the entire pot of boiling water cascaded down my arm.
A searing pain spread instantly, and I couldn't help but scream. My skin blistered and turned red, the burn both ugly and agonizing.
Denise was the first to rush in, yanking me toward the sink and thrusting my arm under cold water.
Mom and Dad demanded to know what happened.
Freya lowered her head and whimpered, "I was just trying to pour coffee for everyone, but Elodie..."
Before she could finish her vague explanation, Mom and Dad were already looking at me with disappointment.
Ever since I had come home, Freya had repeatedly framed me. And every time, they believed her lies.
It was my first birthday back home, and I didn't want to ruin it.
Despite the burning pain in my arm, I held back my tears and apologized. "I'm so sorry," I choked out. "It was an accident."
Denise shot a quick glance at Freya, then her gaze lingered on me thoughtfully. "Elodie," she said finally, "you're a good girl."
