Vanessa remained silent.
Daniel continued.
"Whatever happened between you and Elena, it does not justify leaving her without help."
Vanessa's expression became furious.
"You think you're better than me?"
"No."
"Then stop acting like you are."
Daniel looked at her calmly.
"I don't need to be better than anyone. I only need to do what is right."
Those words seemed to anger Vanessa even more.
She turned away.
But Daniel noticed something.
She was not simply angry.
She was afraid.
The ambulance arrived within minutes.
Two paramedics hurried into the ballroom carrying medical equipment.
They knelt beside Elena and began examining her.
"Everyone, please step back."
Daniel picked Lily up and moved away.
The little girl struggled.
"I want Mommy!"
"They need room to help her."
"But she needs me!"
Daniel looked into her eyes.
"She knows you're here, sweetheart."
One paramedic asked whether Elena had any known medical conditions.
Nobody answered.
"Does anyone know if she has taken medication tonight?"
Again, silence.
Daniel looked around.
"Can someone tell them what happened before she fell?"
A few guests exchanged nervous glances.
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
"She became emotional and lost her balance."
The paramedic looked at her.
"Are you a relative?"
"I'm her host."
"Did you witness the fall?"
Vanessa hesitated.
"I was standing nearby."
The paramedic nodded but did not appear satisfied.
"Please provide your contact information to the hospital staff."
The medical team carefully prepared Elena for transportation.
Lily began crying again when they placed her on the stretcher.
"Mommy!"
Daniel held her gently.
"She's going to the hospital now."
"Can I go?"
"Yes. I'll come with you."
The little girl buried her face against his shoulder.
As the stretcher passed Vanessa, Lily suddenly lifted her head.
She looked directly at the woman in the magenta dress.
Then she said something that made several guests turn around.
"Why were you shouting at my mommy?"
Vanessa froze.
Lily continued.
"Mommy said we should always be kind to people."
Daniel looked at the little girl.
"Sweetheart..."
But Lily was not finished.
"Why were you mean to her?"
Vanessa's lips tightened.
"Children should stay out of adult conversations."
Lily began crying again.
"I'm not trying to talk to you. I just want my mommy."
Nobody moved.
Daniel looked at Vanessa with disappointment.
Then he carried Lily out of the ballroom.
Behind them, the guests continued whispering.
The charity gala had ended.
But the real story was only beginning.
The hospital smelled of disinfectant and cold coffee.
The waiting area was filled with people who had come to receive news about loved ones. Some were reading newspapers. Others were staring at their phones.
Daniel sat beside Lily.
The little girl had stopped crying, but her eyes remained swollen.
She held a small ribbon that had fallen from her mother's hair.
Every few minutes, she looked toward the emergency department doors.
"Uncle Daniel?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"How long does it take for someone to wake up?"
Daniel took a breath.
"It depends on what happened."
"Can Mommy hear me?"
"Sometimes people can hear voices even when they cannot answer."
Lily looked down at the ribbon.
"Then I want to tell her something."
Daniel leaned closer.
"What would you like to tell her?"
"That I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"Because I didn't hold her hand before she fell."
Daniel felt something tighten inside his chest.
"Listen to me, Lily. None of this is your fault."
"But maybe if I was holding her hand, she wouldn't have fallen."
"No, sweetheart."
He gently held her shoulders.
"You are a little girl. You are not responsible for what happened between the adults."
Lily stared at him.
"Then who is responsible?"
Daniel did not answer immediately.
He knew that the truth might be complicated.
He knew that accusations could be dangerous without evidence.
But he also knew that pretending everything was normal would only make the child feel more confused.
"That is something the adults need to find out," he finally said.
Lily nodded.
Then she asked another question.
"Will you stay with me?"
Daniel smiled sadly.
"Yes."
"Even if Mommy takes a long time?"
"Even then."
"Even if I'm scared?"
"Especially then."
Lily moved closer and rested her head against his arm.
Daniel looked at her and remembered the first time he had met Elena.
It had been three years earlier.
At that time, he had been attending a business conference when he noticed a young woman helping an elderly cleaner pick up a box of fallen papers.
Everyone else had walked past.
Elena had stopped.
She had knelt on the floor, gathered every paper, and helped the woman stand.
Daniel remembered asking her why she had spent so much time helping someone she did not know.
Elena had smiled.
"Because she needed help. Isn't that enough?"
That simple answer had stayed with him.
Over the following months, Daniel had come to know Elena.
He discovered that she worked long hours, often skipped meals, and spent almost all her free time caring for Lily.
She did not complain about her difficult circumstances.
She did not ask people for money.
She simply wanted to provide a safe and loving home for her daughter.
Daniel admired her.
He also knew that she had endured a painful relationship with people connected to the Sterling family.
But she had never explained everything.
Whenever he asked, she would say:
"Some stories are difficult to tell when you are still trying to survive them."
Daniel had respected her privacy.
Now he wished he had asked more questions.
Nearly forty minutes passed before a doctor finally appeared.
Daniel stood immediately.
"Doctor, how is Elena?"
The doctor looked at him.
"Are you a family member?"
"I'm a close friend."
The doctor glanced toward Lily.
"Her daughter?"
"Yes."
The doctor spoke gently.
"Your friend is receiving treatment. Her condition requires careful monitoring. We are conducting additional examinations and will know more soon."
Daniel nodded.
"And the child?"
"The child is not injured, correct?"
"She's physically fine, but frightened."
The doctor gave Lily a sympathetic smile.