Brenda: You were always a mistake!
With a hard, violent push, Brenda slammed her hands into Lily's back, shoving the small, defenseless child straight off the edge into the deep end of the swimming pool. The sudden force knocked the wind out of the little girl, sending her body flying through the warm afternoon air before hitting the water with a loud, heavy splash. Lily did not even have time to take a full breath before the cool blue water swallowed her whole, plunging her several feet below the surface. Brenda stood at the edge of the pool deck, watching coolly with her arms crossed, not making a single move to help the struggling child as bubbles escaped the girl's mouth.
Underwater, the young girl panicked completely, her small arms flailing helplessly as she sank deeper toward the bottom of the swimming pool. Her eyes were wide open underwater, stinging from the chlorine as she looked up toward the bright, distortion-filled sky above her head. She opened her mouth to scream for her father, but only water rushed into her throat, causing her to cough and lose the remaining air in her lungs. She could see the faint silhouette of Brenda standing high above on the edge, doing absolutely nothing to save her. Terror filled the child's chest as her lungs burned for oxygen, her small feet kicking wildly against the heavy weight of the water.
Inside the home office, David heard the sharp, unnatural splash coming from the balcony, followed by the faint sound of panicked splashing that did not sound like normal play. His instincts instantly went on high alert, a cold wave of dread washing over his chest as he dropped his gold fountain pen onto the desk. He rushed out of the office, his expensive leather dress shoes sliding slightly on the slick hardwood floor as he rounded the corner into the living room. Through the huge glass doors, he saw Brenda standing completely still, her silver dress catching the light as she casually stared down into the middle of the pool.
David threw open the sliding glass patio door with massive force, the sudden bang ringing across the high-altitude Dallas balcony. He saw the violent ripples disturbing the clear blue water and caught sight of his daughter's tiny hands sinking beneath the surface. His mind went blank with sudden, blinding panic, instantly recognizing that his precious child was in mortal danger. Without wasting a single fraction of a second to remove his grey business suit or heavy leather shoes, David sprinted across the smooth concrete patio at full speed, driven entirely by raw fatherly love and fierce adrenaline. He pushed past the frozen atmosphere of the patio like a man possessed.
David: Lily! Hold on!
David leaped into the air, launching his body off the concrete edge and diving headfirst into the deep end of the swimming pool under the blazing midday sun. He hit the water with a massive splash, sending a huge wave over the concrete deck that soaked the hem of Brenda's silver gown. Underwater, David opened his eyes despite the burn, his powerful arms slicing through the blue liquid as he swam directly toward the sinking form of his young daughter. He reached out with both hands, grabbing her small waist firmly, pulling her fragile body tight against his chest before kicking off the smooth tile floor with all his strength.