That's not what you think! Samantha shrieked frantically, her voice trembling as she backed away from her advancing brother. She pushed her damp hair behind her ears, taking quick, ragged breaths as she tried to formulate a lie on the spot. Marcus, she tripped! The wheelchair slipped on the floor! I was trying to save her! Samantha pleaded, her hands shaking violently in front of her black dress. But Marcus wasn't listening to her lies. His eyes were fixed on Elena, who was crying on the wet floor, clutching her belly in utter distress. The air in the hallway grew suffocatingly tense, heavy with the scent of sea salt, wet marble, and broken trust as Marcus stepped past the floating debris, his heart pounding with righteous indignation.