Aurora lay motionless on the hospital bed, the heart monitor beside her beginning to register subtle fluctuations. It was as if she were trapped in a nightmare, and in truth, she was. For the past two weeks, Aurora had been lost in what felt like an endless dream. In a realm no one could see, she was forging her way through thorns and shadows, slowly growing stronger. Bit by bit, the scene drew into the depths of her mind, where she was face-to-face with her younger self. Like a silent observer, Aurora watched her life unfold before her eyes, each moment playing out in sequence. Her memories began to surface. The Walton estate.
Beside the pool, three little girls played along the edge. It had originally just been young Aurora and Megan. Tessa had only joined them later. At first, neither of them realized it. It wasn’t until Tessa stood before them that Aurora and Megan looked up in surprise. Tess had been shy back then. Clutching the hem of her dress, she asked, “Can I play with you?” Aurora and Megan exchanged a glance.
“Of course you can,” Megan answered first. She’d always been open-hearted, and since Tessa had taken the initiative, she didn’t think much of it. But even then, young Aurora felt something was off. Tessa never approached her like this, and with Megan present, it was even less likely. That alone made the little Aurora wary. But the Aurora watching from the sidelines was on the verge of panic. Tessa had been rotten to the core since childhood. She had only asked to join them because she was jealous that Megan had come to play with her. Her real goal had been simple: to push her into the pool. Aurora still remembered how she’d fallen ill for a long time after that incident. It was also the moment Megan began to see Tessa differently, realizing she wasn’t nearly as kind as she pretended to be. But back then, neither of them had any clue, much less any reason to refuse Tessa. Aurora grew more desperate as she watched.
She shouted from the side, “Don’t say yes! She’s trouble! You two just play together and ignore her. She’s only here because she wants something.” Her voice grew hoarse from yelling, but young Megan and young Aurora showed no reaction at all. It was like she was watching a film projected right in front of her. And she, in this moment, was merely an observer—powerless to interfere.
Once Aurora realized that, there was nothing she could do but watch what came next. Sure enough, just as the girls were laughing and playing, Tessa seized her chance. When Aurora wasn’t looking, Tessa shoved her straight into the pool. With a loud splash, Aurora hit the water. She hadn’t known how to swim—just flailed helplessly. The moment was so sudden it stunned little Megan. When she snapped out of it, she saw Tessa standing nearby, wearing a smug little grin. Megan didn’t even have time to question her—her first instinct was to pull Aurora out. But she couldn’t. She wasn’t strong enough. Megan could only watch in horror as Aurora’s struggling began to weaken. Frantic, she shoved Tessa and yelled at her to go get an adult.