The sound of heavy running shoes echoed thunderously across the marble floor of the bright mansion foyer below. Julian rushed through the heavy front doors just as a terrifying scream echoed through the high ceilings. He looked up instantly and saw his pregnant wife tumbling backward through the air from the high balcony level.
Time seemed to stop completely as papers floated around Clara's falling body in slow motion. Panic surged through Julian's veins like pure electricity as he sprinted across the dark polished floor. He knew if she hit the hard marble floor from that height, she and their unborn baby would not survive.
Julian: Clara! No!
Julian leaped forward across the floor, extending his arms out with every ounce of strength in his body. He did not care about his own safety as he launched himself into the path of her falling body. His black suit stretched tight as he reached up into the open air right beneath her.
With a dramatic physical impact, Julian caught Clara in mid-air just inches before she slammed into the floor. The heavy force of her weight knocked the wind straight out of his lungs as they crashed together. He rolled smoothly onto one knee, wrapping his arms securely around her body to absorb the terrible shock.
Clara: Ahhh! Oh my god! Julian!
Julian: I've got you! I've got you, honey! You're safe!
Clara: The baby... Julian, is the baby okay?
Julian: Stay still! Breathe, Clara, just breathe!
They rested on the polished dark floor while papers settled all around them like dead leaves in autumn. Clara was hyperventilating, her hands shaking violently as she gripped the fabric of Julian's suit jacket. She looked up at his face in sheer shock and breathless relief, unable to believe she was still alive.
Julian's heart hammered wildly against his ribs as he held his crying wife close to his chest. He checked her head, her arms, and her belly with trembling hands to check for any visible injuries. She was pale and gasping for air, but her body was intact because of his miraculous catch.
Clara: She pushed me... Julian, she shoved me over the rail!
Julian: What? What did you just say?
Clara: Evelyn... she tried to kill me to get the papers!
Julian's eyes widened in disbelief as the reality of his wife's words sank into his mind. He slowly lifted his head and looked up toward the upper balcony railing high above them. Evelyn was standing there, looking down at them with a completely cold and emotionless face.
She did not run down the stairs to help or ask if Clara was alright. She simply leaned against the wooden rail in her dark suit, staring down like a judge watching a trial. Her cold grey eyes showed no remorse, no fear, and no concern for the woman she had just shoved.
Julian: You monster! How could you do this?
Evelyn: Don't be dramatic, Julian. She tripped on her own dress heels.
Julian: I saw you standing right over her! She was falling because of you!
Evelyn: Accusations won't stand up in court without proof, my dear boy.
A deep rage surged through Julian's entire body as he pulled Clara tighter against his chest. His face contorted in extreme anger, his jaw clenching so hard that his teeth ground together. He looked directly up at the stern older woman who had tormented his family for far too long.
Julian: Call the police! Right now, call the police!
Evelyn: Nobody is calling anyone. You will leave my house immediately!
Julian: You are going to prison for this, Evelyn! I promise you!