Before the injured children could speak, Victoria put on a masterclass in deception. She clutched her chest dramatically, taking frantic steps back as if she were the victim of an unprovoked assault. Pointing an accusing finger at the young girl on the floor, Victoria sobbed frantically, telling Marcus that Elena had lost her mind and attempted to harm her own brother. She claimed the broken table and the boy's sudden collapse were the result of Elena's wild, uncontrollable behavior, attempting to manipulate Marcus into banishing his own daughter from the estate forever.
Marcus rushed forward, looking down at Elena, who was bleeding from a deep cut on her forehead and suffering from a dark bruise around her eye. Despite her severe injuries and trembling body, the young girl did not break down or panic. She held her unconscious brother securely against her lap, looking up at her father with a firm, unyielding resolve that instantly made Marcus pause. "He didn't just pass out..." Elena declared, her voice carrying an intense weight that cut straight through Victoria's dramatic weeping.