They told me that the waves had been too strong that day, making the rescue nearly impossible. They had managed to pull me out in time, but Cecilia had been swept away before they could reach her.
I collapsed, crying until I lost consciousness multiple times.
Now, as I revisited this place, memories of my daughter flooded my mind. Tears streamed down my face, unstoppable, until the yacht finally docked at the island's pier.
Holding the suitcase filled with my daughter’s belongings, I murmured sorrowfully, "Cecilia, this island was meant to be your birthday gift from Mom."
"From now on, this will be your home. Mom and Dad will visit you often. You must..."
Before I could finish, my words caught in my throat.
A deafening roar came from the center of the island.
Through the rising dust and smoke, I could vaguely make out the massive Capybara statue that I had commissioned specifically for Cecilia crumbled to the ground.
Heart pounding, I rushed over, only to find a group of workers demolishing the Capybara amusement park I had built just for her.
Fury surged through me as I shouted, "Stop!"
"Who gave you permission to do this? Where is your supervisor? Get them here. Now!"
The workers recognized me instantly. Panic flickered across their faces. They hesitated, tools falling silent, clearly too afraid to continue the destruction.
The person in charge of the amusement park rushed over, his voice cautious. "Mrs. Garland, it was Ms. Sophia Keaton who ordered this."
"She said her son didn’t like the Capybara amusement park and wanted it transformed into an Ultraman-themed park."
Sophia Keaton?
Simon’s first love?
What right did she have to make decisions about this place? Did she think this island belonged to her?
Rage surged within me.
It was not just about the time and effort I had poured into this island, but it was about what it meant. This was my precious daughter's birthday gift, the place I had chosen to build her final resting place.
And now, they were tearing it apart.
Fury laced my voice. "Why does she get to decide anything here? Do you even know who owns this island?"
"Restore everything immediately! Do you hear me?"
The amusement park manager hesitated, looking conflicted. Then, in a low voice, he muttered, "Mr. Garland approved the renovations."
I was stunned before I finally asked, "What? I didn't hear you. Say that again!"
He quickly repeated himself, "Mrs. Garland, right now, Mr. Garland is at the seaside villa on the island. If you have any concerns, you should speak to him directly. Please, don’t make things difficult for us. We’re just following orders."
I sucked in a sharp breath, fury igniting in my chest. Without another word, I turned and strode toward the seaside villa.
As I made my way to the seaside villa, I saw people capturing the capybaras that had been raised on the island.
I overheard someone say that my husband had ordered the removal of all small animals from the island.
Apparently, it was because Sophia’s son did not like them.
Suppressing my anger, I arrived at Aurora Haven Villa, only to witness a little boy gleefully beating a capybara with a stick. The more the poor creature cried out in pain, the more excited he became.
I strode forward, grabbed the stick from his hand, and threw it aside.
Before I could say anything, the little boy glared at me viciously and shouted, "Bitch, get out of here!"
Without thinking, I slapped him.
The little boy froze for a moment, then clutched his face and ran toward the villa, crying.
As he ran, he screamed, "Mom! Dad! Someone hit me!"
I had already guessed that this boy was Sophia’s son, but the moment he called out "Dad," a shiver ran through my heart.
