"Sophia," Marcus said, his voice deep, warm, and filled with emotion. "For three years, you've brought peace and purpose into my life. After everything my family went through after my sister's mysterious disappearance, you were the light that brought me back. Will you marry me?"
Sitting nearby on the edge of a sunbed was five-year-old Lily, wearing a pink floral dress with a big bow in her hair. She had been playing quietly with a small plastic doll, but as Marcus spoke, her big brown eyes wandered toward the crystal-clear water of the deep end of the pool.
Before Sophia could answer, Lily suddenly dropped her doll, stood up, and pointed a small, trembling finger straight into the water.
"Daddy!" Lily cried out, her voice high and piercing with terror. "Mommy is under the pool! She's down there! She's alive, I saw her!"
Chapter 2: The Sudden Rupture
The romantic air evaporated instantly.
Marcus froze, the velvet box trembling in his hand. He looked up at Lily, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Lily, sweetie, what are you talking about? Your mother... your mother passed away four years ago."