Chapter 4
“My daughter!” Sebastian, Eliana’s father, dressed in a sharp suit, and Lucy, her mother, graceful in a flowing dress, rushed toward her, their faces a mix of joy and disbelief.
The second they saw Eliana seated next to Naomi, they practically Blew over to her, enveloping her in a tight embrace.
Surrounded by the warm, familiar scent of her parents, Eliana glanced up at them. Before she even realized it, her arms were reaching out, pulling them into a bug.
They’d already gotten the DNA test results before heading home. Sebastian, smack in the middle of a critical meeting when the news hit, had dropped everything right then and there.
He didn’t give a damn about the stunned looks on his team’s faces as he bolted out the door–it could all wait.
Lucy, in the middle of a theater rehearsal, had thrown everything aside, running out with no regard for her lines, desperate to meet the daughter she’d longed for.
They’d waited far too long for this moment–eighteen agonizing years of searching, hoping, and wondering if their daughter would ever come back to them.
For Eliana, it was almost too much. After years of enduring the neglect and mistreatment of the Garcia family, this overwhelming warmth and love felt almost foreign
Her chest tightened, and her tears fell freely as a lifetime of bottled–up pain came rushing out, washing over her like a tidal wave. For the first time in so long, she felt truly safe–truly seen.
Sebastian, usually a man of steel, couldn’t hold back the lump in his throat. His voice cracked as he spoke, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Sweetheart I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been through. But you’re home now, Mom and I are here. From this moment forward, you’ll never have to suffer again.”
Lucy, a picture of elegance now undone by her emotions, was sobbing uncontrollably as she clung to Eliana. “Oh, my baby! I’ve dreamed of this moment every single day. You’re finally back… finally homer
“Dad Mom…” Elana’s voice wavered as she looked at them, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
Sebastian’s hair, once a deep brown, was now shot through with streaks of silver. Lucy, still every bit as elegant as she’d always been, carried the faint shadow of weariness on her face quiet testament to the years of relentless searching for their daughter.
Those years had taken their toll, no doubt, but they’d never stopped clinging to hope. Not once.
Lucy reached out, gently cupping Eliana’s face with trembling hands. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she whispered, “Hearing you call me ‘Mom… can finally breathe easy now.”
When Lucy had given birth to Eliana, sise’d already been older, and the delivery had nearly cost her life. She’d always dreamed of a daughter to complete their family, a little sister for their firstborn son.
But fate had played a cruel hand. After all the anticipation, they had been shattered when they discovered their baby girl had been swapped at bimb.
Lucy had even spiraled into postpartum depression, drowning in guilt and despair. If it hadn’t been for the faint, flickering hope of finding hana one day, she might not have made it through those dark days.
As Eliana looked at them now, a profound wanath spread through her chest. How lucky she was to have this moment, to be given a second chance to know them, to love them. She’d missed this in her past life–lost in a web of lies and misplaced priorities. But now, she would hold on with everything she had.
Her thoughts strayed to the eighteen long years they must have waited. Every day, holding on to hope. Every day, aching for their little girl to come home. In her past life, they’d never gotten their wish.
But not this time. Determined to rewrite her fate, Eliana made a silent vow to herself: she wouldn’t let this chance slip away. This time, she’d hold e’d hold onto this family, this love, with everything she had. No more regrets, no more missed chances
As Lucy gently brushed Eliana’s hair aside, a faint but noticeable scar on her forehead caught her eye. Naoni gasped, her voice tight with alarm “Elianal How did you get that scarf Did someone hurt you?”
Sebastian and Lucy leaned in closer, their faces clouded with worry. The genuine concern in their eyes sent a wave of warmth through Eliana. She shook her head quickly, reassuring them. “No, no one hurt me. It’s just from a car accident I had before coming here. Nothing serious, I promise!”
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10.26 PM c d
Chapter 4
“A car accident?” Lucy’s expression turned sharp with maternal concerns. “What happened? Are you sure you’re okay? Tell us everything”
Sebastian didn’t wait for an answer. He turned to a staff member nearby and barked, “Arrange a full medical checkup for Eliana, I want the best doctors–we’re not taking any chances!”
Elana squeezed both their hands, pulling them gently toward the sofa as she tried to calm them down. “Really. I’m fine. The accident was actually what led me here. During treatment, the doctors noticed my blood type didn’t match my adoptive parents. That’s how I ended up finding out about you.”
Lucy’s worried frown softened, though her hand lingered protectively on Eliana’s arm. “I see… And your adoptive parents–where are they from? They raised you all these years. We should send them a proper gift to thank them.”
“They’re the Garcia family from Avragow,” Eliana said evenly, Her voice didn’t waver, but the history behind her words was heavy.
Things had been messy with the Garcias even before her time travel, but like it or not, she couldn’t deny they were the ones who’d raised her
Despite the pain and misunderstandings, she had stayed with them out of gratitude.
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “The Garcia family in Avragow?”
Lucy glanced at him. “Do you know them, Honey?”
“Garcia.. the name does sound familiar Sebastian furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment. “Ah, right. We’re planning a new project in Avragow, and Garcia Group was one of the companies we initially ruled out. But since they raised you, how about this: I’ll make sure they’re included in the bid. Consider it a small gesture of thanks.”
Avragow and Dratora City were leagues apart. Dratora City was the capital, a sprawling metropolis that pulsed with power and influence, while Avragow was, at best, a second–tier city.
The Davis family was a financial juggernaut in Dratora City, their name synonymous with wealth and prestige. The Garcia family, on the other hand was just a moderately wealthy household in Avragow
Calling them “prestigious” was a stretch; compared to the Davises, they were barely a blip on the radar–a family with a decent bank account but no real clour
Eliana managed a faint smile. “Thanks, Dad. But… actually… never mind.”
Lucy’s eyes sharpened as she caught the hesitation in Eliana’s voice. “Sweetheart, did something happen with them! Did they treat you poorly? Were you hur!?”
Eliana shook her head quickly. “No, it’s nothing like that.”
The truth was, before Willow came back into the picture, Eliana’s adoptive parents had been decent to her. Not perfect, but good enough. Then Willow returned, and everything flipped.
Her adoptive parents started pulling away–at first subtly, then more obviously–until they were practically giving her the cold shoulder. In time. they sided completely with Willow, leaving Eliana out in the cold.
In her past life, she’d bent over backward trying to win their love, swallowing her pride again and again. But it was never enough.
Her worst memory of them was etched into her soul. On the day she was fighting for her life, battered and barely holding on, they didn’t even bother to show up. That betrayal was a scar that cut too deep to heal.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to downplay it. “Mom, Dad, the Garcias were okay to me. But now that their real daughter’s back, it’s better if we don’t interfere in their lives. Maybe just send them a thank–you gift? i think that’s enough”
Lucy took her hand, her touch warm and reassuring “Of course, streetheart. If that’s what you want, we’ll respect it. Sebastian, let’s arrange for a small gift to be sent over–go strings attached”
But Lucy’s sharp intuition told her there was more to the story. She could sense Eliana was holding something back, probably memories too painful to share
While she didn’t press for details, her opanon of the Garcia family had already hit rock bottom.
Just then, the sound of a car p
a car pulling up outside bruke the moment. Lucy’s face lit up. “Eliana, your brother’s home!”
Right on cue, the front door swung open, and Owen strode in
Towering and self–assured, he carried himself with an easy confidence. His features were a perfect blend of Sebastian’s sharp angles and Lucy’s graceful beauty. Though pushing thirty, he had the youthful energy and charm of someone still in their prime
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10:26 PM c.
Chapter 4
“Owen!” Lucy called out, her voice brimming with excitement.
“Mom, Dad,” he greeted with a warm nod before his sharp, discerning gaze landed on the petite girl on the couch. His expression softened instantly. a trace of curiosity and tenderness in his eyes. “So… this is my sister?”
Lucy’s smile widened, practically bursting with pride. “Yes, this is Eliana! Go on, give your sister a hug!”
Owen grinned, a playful warmth in his expression as he stepped forward, opening his arms wide. “Eliana!”
Eliana stood and walked into his embrace, her voice catching as she said softly, “Owen.”
