Julian ran around the large stone pillar that blocked his full view of the swimming pool.
He saw his elderly mother struggling in the deep end of the clear blue water.
Eleanor was gasping for air, her arms flailing wildly as she tried to stay afloat.
Victoria stood on the marble edge, dressed in a bright green designer dress.
She was holding a long wooden pool pole just inches away from Eleanor's reaching hands.
Instead of pulling the elderly woman to safety, Victoria was holding the pole still.
She leaned down toward the water with a cruel and emotionless smile on her face.
Julian heard Victoria whisper horrible words that chilled him to the very bone.
Victoria told Eleanor that everyone would think this terrible event was just a sad accident.
Julian felt a surge of explosive anger rush through his entire body in an instant.
He dropped his phone onto the stone ground and sprinted toward the water at full speed.
His expensive suit shoes made loud cracking sounds against the hard white patio floor.
Julian: Get away from her!
Victoria spun around in sudden terror, her face turning pale as a sheet of paper.
She dropped the wooden pole onto the wet ground near her designer high heels.
Julian reached the edge of the pool and grabbed his mother's frail wrist firmly.
He used all his strength to pull Eleanor up onto the safe marble ground.
Eleanor coughed heavily, clinging to her son's suit jacket with shaking hands.
Julian wrapped his arms around his mother, glaring up at Victoria with fury.
Victoria: Julian, you completely misunderstood what you just saw!
Julian: I heard every single word that came out of your lying mouth!
Victoria: She slipped and I was using the pole to save her life!
Julian: You were holding it away from her on purpose and you know it!
Eleanor pointed a trembling finger at the woman in the green dress.
Eleanor: She pushed the chair... she wanted me in the deep water!
Julian stood up slowly, stepping between Victoria and his shivering elderly mother.