Seeking Justice for My Daughter

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Outside the window, the typhoon roared like a frenzied beast, intent on tearing the whole world apart.

Clutching Fiona, I huddled on the top floor of the abandoned lighthouse. The wind, wrapped in rain, battered the glass fiercely, producing a sharp clang clangeach strike felt like a blow to my heart.

"Mom, I'm scared." Fiona's voice quivered with tears, her small body still shivering, her tiny hand clutching my shirt hem so tightly her nails dug into the fabric.

I stroked her head and held her closer, freeing a hand to pull out my phone, frantically trying to light up the screen.

The battery showed just 10% remaining, and the signal bars flickered weakly with only a faint single bar, cutting in and out.

"Don't be afraid. Daddy will come to save us." As I comforted Fiona, my fingers trembled searching the contacts for 'Dylan Lewis', my fingertips whitening from the strain as I pressed to call.

He is the rescue team leader, familiar with every corner of this sea area. If he wants to, he can definitely find us.

The moment the call connected, I nearly shouted, "Dylan Lewis! Fiona and I are at the abandoned lighthouse on the east side! Hurry! We're barely holding on here!"

On the other end, there was only the roaring wind and the crashing waves against the rocks. After a long pause, Dylan's voice came throughcold as ice: "Understood. I'm busy with the rescue operation now. I'll get back to you when I'm free."

"Get back to you when you're free?" I couldn't believe my ears, my voice breaking, "Today is our fifth wedding anniversary! Do you remember this signal frequency? It's the emergency signal we agreed on back then! How can you say you'll get back to me when you're free?"

No sooner had the words left my mouth than the call was abruptly cut off, leaving only the relentless busy signal'beep beep'a dull blade cutting into my heart again and again.

Unwilling to give up, I quickly opened W Chat and sent my real-time location, hastily recording Fiona's tearful voice shouting, "Daddy, save me," and sent it all at once.

But the phone screen flickered on and off, never lighting up again with a new message notification.

Fiona's crying grew softer, her small body resting against me as she quietly sobbed.

Time slipped bymaybe ten minutes, maybe half an hourwhen I faintly heard the roar of a motor downstairs.

It's the rescue boat! My eyes suddenly lit up, and I quickly held Fiona tightly, rushing to the window and waving my arms desperately, afraid they wouldn't see us below.

"Dylan Lewis! We're here! At the top floor of the lighthouse!" I shouted loudly, my voice rough from prolonged tension and fear.

But the rescue boat marked "No. 7" didn't stop; instead, it altered its course and sped toward the distant sea.

My heart sank as I hurriedly rummaged through my bag and pulled out the binoculars I had prepared earlier for watching the sea, bringing them up to my eyes.

The person in the driver's seat was Dylan Lewis.

He wore the rescue team's orange uniform, and I knew his profile all too well.

Next to him, in the passenger seat, sat a woman Melody Scott, the painter who had been frequently approaching Dylan recently under the pretense of "seeking rescue knowledge."

The wind carried the voice from the walkie-talkie clearly into my ear: "Boat No. 7, return to base; prioritize Ms. Scott's safety."

It was Dylan's voice, cold and calm without a trace of emotion.

My heart sank instantly, as if plunged into icy waters, and every breath I took was cold.

"Mom, why isn't Dad coming down? Did he not see us?" Fiona tugged at my hand, her little face filled with confusion.

Before I could answer, the lighthouse beneath my feet suddenly began to shake violently.

Chunks of plaster fell with a soft rustling onto the floor, while the steel beams overhead groaned under the strain with a dreadful creak, as if they were about to snap at any moment.

"No!" I clutched Fiona and scrambled to the corner, trying to avoid the falling rubble.

But it was already too latethe entire lighthouse toppled sharply toward the sea like a giant pushing over a tower of blocks.

A sudden sensation of weightlessness hit me. I held Fiona tight, shielding her head in my arms.

"Fiona! Don't be afraid! Mommy's here! Mommy will protect you!" I yelled, tears mingling with the rain as they fell onto Fiona's hair.

The seawater swallowed us instantly, icy and bone-chilling cold flooding through me, darkness closing in completely. I felt Fiona's small hand stir gently once in my embraceand then, nothing.

The blinding white light made me squint; my head was dizzy and heavy, and my entire body ached as if it had fallen apart.

I moved my fingers and felt the soft bedsheet, finally realizing I was lying on a hospital bed.

"Fiona!" I suddenly sat up, ignoring the tearing pain coursing through my body, grabbing the hand of the nurse arranging medical instruments beside me, my nails almost digging into her skin. "Where is my daughter? Where is Fiona? Tell me, quickly!"

The nurse's eyes darted away, unwilling to meet mine. She hesitated and said, "Please don't get upset. The doctor said you just woke up from a coma. Your body is still very weak and needs plenty of rest."

"I won't rest! I want to see my daughter! Bring her to me!" I struggled to get out of bed. The IV line swung wildly as I pulled it, the medicine dripping down the tube.

At that moment, the ward door was pushed open, and Dylan Lewis walked in.

He had changed out of his uniform into casual clothes, and his face looked somewhat weary.

And beside him was Melody Scott.

Melody was wearing a man's jacketby the style, it was the very one Dylan Lewis often wore.

Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed, as if she had been terrified and still hadn't recovered, closely trailing behind Dylan Lewis.

"Where is Fiona?" I stared at Dylan Lewis, my voice trembling, each word squeezed out through clenched teeth.

Dylan Lewis avoided my gaze, staring out the window, his tone icy and utterly devoid of warmth: "How dare you ask? If you hadn't insisted on taking Fiona to that d*mn lighthouse, how could she have gotten hurt?"

"Me?" I couldn't believe my ears, my body trembling with rage. "You ignored my pleas for help! You abandoned usmother and daughter! And you still have the nerve to blame me?"

"Don't be absurd!" Dylan Lewis frowned, turning to glare at me. "The situation was critical. Melody Scott was trapped in the more dangerous reef area, at risk of being swept away by the waves at any moment. I had to prioritize rescuing her!"

"So Fiona's life doesn't matter?" Tears fell uncontrollably, soaking the blanket beneath me in a spreading stain. "She's your daughter! Your very own daughter!"

Melody Scott gently tugged on Dylan Lewis's sleeve, her voice small and trembling with sobs: "Dylan, please don't argue with Mia. She's not in a good state right now; she's deeply hurt. I'm fine, really."

"You're fine?" I looked at Melody, my voice suddenly sharp, "You're wearing his jacket, sitting safely in the critical rescue boat, while my daughter is gone! How can you say you're fine?"

"Mia, how can you say that?" Melody's eyes were even redder, tears streaming down her cheeks, looking utterly aggrieved. "I didn't want this either. I was truly terrifiedthe waves were so enormous, I thought I was going to die."

Dylan was just following protocol; he didn't deliberately choose not to save you.

Dylan stood behind Melody, shielding her like a wall between us, then glared at me fiercely: "Mia Lynn! Don't go too far! Melody is a victim toodon't take all your anger out on her!"

I looked at these two people before meone feigning injury, the other shielding a strangerand my heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife.

So, in his heart, Fiona and I had long since been no match for a stranger he barely knew.

Fiona's funeral was very simple, with only a few people attending, mostly relatives from my side of the family.

On Dylan Lewis' side, there was no one else but his mother.

But many members of the media showed up, cameras raised, surrounding the tombstone, flashes going "click, click, click," blinding me and making my heart even more restless.

"Ms. Lynn, may I ask, regarding your daughter's death, is it true, as rumors say, that Captain Lewis prioritized rescuing Ms. Melody Scott?" A reporter shoved through and pushed the microphone almost to my lips.

"Ms. Lynn, what is your current attitude towards Captain Lewis? Do you still plan to continue your relationship with him?" Another reporter quickly followed up with a question.

"Ms. Lynn, could you describe the exact situation inside the lighthouse at that time? After Captain Lewis received your distress call, did he say when he would come to rescue you?"

One question after another hit me like artillery shells; I couldn't utter a single word, my gaze fixed only on Fiona's photo on the tombstone.

In the photo, Fiona wore a pink dress, smiling so happily, her eyes curved like crescent moonshow could she have turned into a cold, lifeless stone?

"Everyone, move aside! Don't crowd around her!" My mother-in-law shoved the reporters away and stepped in front of me. Her face held no trace of sorrow, only biting cruelty. "If it weren't for you, this jinx, how could my granddaughter be gone? The Lewis Family must be cursed for eight generations to have married a woman like you!"

"Mom, I didn't..." I tried to explain, wanting to tell her it wasn't my idea to take Fiona to the lighthouse. Fiona said she wanted to see the sea during the typhoon, so I took her there.

But my mother-in-law didn't give me a moment to speak; she cut me off harshly: "You didn't? If you had just stayed home and taken care of the child instead of causing trouble all the time, would Fiona have gotten hurt? Dylan Lewis marrying you is the greatest misfortune!"

I bit my lip, swallowing the words that hovered on the edge of my mouth, tears welling up in my eyes, but I forced myself not to let them fall.

Fiona was still looking at me; I couldn't let myself cry in front of her.

At that moment, I saw Dylan Lewis and Melody Scott walking toward us.

Melody held a bouquet of white chrysanthemums, the white wrapping paper fluttering gently in the wind.

She approached the tombstone, bent down to place the flowers, then straightened and quietly spoke to the tombstone, "Fiona, I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner."

It's all my fault. If I hadn't been trapped, Dylan could have come to save you. As she spoke, she leaned against Dylan Lewis's shoulder, her shoulder trembling slightly, filled with guilt.

Dylan didn't push her away; instead, he reached out and gently patted her back, his voice tender enough to drip with warmth: "Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. The situation was just too complicated at the time."

The reporters hurriedly pressed their shutters, their camera clicks growing louder and more relentless.

Watching their intimate gestures, I was overwhelmed by a wave of nausea, my stomach churning violently.

This is my daughter's funeral, yet they still shamelessly flaunt their love as if no one else is here!

"Dylan Lewis," I stepped up to him, my voice as cold as ice, "This is Fiona's funeral. Can you show her even the slightest respect?"

Dylan furrowed his brows, his tone impatient: "How am I disrespecting her? Melody Scott only wanted to come see Fiona with good intentions. Don't always assume the worst of people."

"Good intentions?" I laughed, tears streaming down my face, cold drops tracing my cheeks, "At my daughter's funeral, hugging her father, pretending to be pitiful in front of her tombstonethis is what you call good intentions?"

Melody tugged on Dylan Lewis's hand, her voice still weak: "Dylan, let's go. Don't make Mia even more heartbroken. Watching this pains me too."

Dylan nodded, not glancing back at me or at Fiona's tombstone, and followed Melody as she turned and walked away.

Their backs gradually disappeared, the sunlight stretching their shadows long and sharp, like a thorn piercing my heart.

I stood frozen, watching their figures disappear around the corner, despair swelling in my chest like a tide, nearly drowning me.

I returned to the house where I once lived with Dylan Lewis and Fiona for five years.

As I pushed open the door, a strange perfume hit mea sickly-sweet scent that made me frown.

It wasn't my scent; it was the perfume Melody Scott always wore.

A cold shiver ran through me with a bad premonition.

I approached the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar, and heard voices from inside.

"Dylan, this pillow is so softmuch more comfortable than the one at my place, and it even smells nice." It was Melody Scott's voice, tinged with a subtle coquettish tone.

"I'm glad you like it. From now on, this is your home. You can live here however you wish." Dylan Lewis's voice came through, carrying a smile I had never heard beforeso gentle, it felt foreign to me.

I could no longer contain myself and abruptly pushed the door open.

The sight before me sent a chill through my entire bodyMelody Scott was sitting on my bed, clutching my throw pillow, a satisfied smile on her face.

And she wore the silk nightgown Dylan Lewis had given me for my birthdaya pale purple design I had always been reluctant to wear.

"What are you doing?" My voice trembled as my fingers gripped the doorframe tightly, knuckles turning white.

Melody Scott saw me and was startled, quickly rising from the bed, the throw pillow in her hands dropping to the floor, her face instantly pale. "Mia, why are you back? Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

"This is my home; why can't I come back?" I stared at her, my eyes blazing. "Take my clothes off. Get off my bed! Pick up my throw pillow!"

At that moment, Dylan Lewis emerged from the bathroom; seeing me, the smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a flicker of panicthough he soon regained his composure.

He stepped forward, standing in front of Melody Scott, just like at the hospital before, shielding her behind him.

"Mia Lynn, don't be so harsh! Melody Scott is homeless now. Her apartment was flooded by the typhoon. What's wrong with her staying here? Can't you show a little compassion?"

"Homeless?" I laughed, tears nearly spilling, "I just called her best friend yesterday. Her home is perfectly fine, only a window was slightly broken. How can she be homeless?"

"But memy daughter is gone, my home has been taken by someone elseI am the one who is truly homeless!"

"Don't be unreasonable!" Dylan Lewis frowned, his tone full of impatience. "Fiona's death has already upset me enough. Can't you stop making a fuss? Just leave me in peace for a few days."

"Making a fuss?" I stared at him, unable to believe my own ears. "My daughter is dead, and you not only feel no guilt, but you bring another woman home, take over my room, wear my clothes, use my thingsand you actually say I'm making a fuss?"

"Melody Scott and I are innocent!" Dylan Lewis shouted, his voice loud enough to hurt my ears. "We're just friends. Stop being so suspicious all the time, seeing everyone as you do!"

"Innocent?" I took out my phone, opened the photo album, and found the picture taken at the funeral in the photo, Melody rested against Dylan Lewis's shoulder, and Dylan reached out protectively; the two were intimately close.

I held out the phone before him. "At Fiona's funeral, you were clinging to each other like that, and you call that innocent? When Fiona and I were trapped in the lighthouse, facing death at any moment, you chose to save her first, abandoning us and you call that innocent?"

Dylan's expression changed; from anger, to panic, then finally settled into silence but he no longer spoke, his gaze evasive, refusing to meet my eyes.

Melody Scott tugged his sleeve softly and whispered, "Dylan, maybe I should leave. I'll stay at the hotel. Don't let you two argue; it pains me too."

"No need to leave!" Dylan held her back, then lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "Mia Lynn, let's get a divorce."

I froze for a moment, as if I hadn't heard him clearly. After a few seconds, I reacted, then laugheda bitter, hollow laugh: "Divorce? Fine. But remember, I won't let you off easily! You will pay for Fiona's death!"

I turned away and walked out of the bedroom, out of this home that was once filled with laughter and joy, but now was tainted with betrayal and filth.

There was only one thought in my mind: I will avenge Fiona; Dylan Lewis and Melody Scott must pay their blood debts in full!