Erica sat frozen on the cold floor, her breath hitching as sobs wracked her body. The news of her mother's tragic death crashed over her like a tidal wave, suffocating her in a storm of grief and disbelief.
"Mom…" she whimpered. Tears streamed down her cheeks, unrelenting. Her fingers clenched into tight fists before she slammed one against the ground.
"Why? Why did you leave me? You promised to always be by my side. How could you just die?" Her sorrow spilled out in a broken cry.
A man with a jagged scar on his forehead crouched beside her, his expression grim but steady. Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around her trembling shoulders. "Don't cry. We can't change what has already happened. No amount of tears will bring her back."
Erica's fingers dug into the fabric of her dress as she squeezed her eyes shut.