"Your mom's gone, Eliza. Her body's been in the pond for days, and it's... not good. Listen to me..." Aaron gripped her shoulders firmly. "You don't want to see her like this."
"Aaron, I need to see her. No matter what she looks like, she's still my mom."
Eliza's voice broke as tears streamed down her face, her body trembling.
Aaron's heart ached, but he held on. "I get it, Eliza. I really do. But trust me, it's better if you don't."
Just then, Casper walked in, having just received the grim news. Rose's organs had been harvested—liver, kidneys, lungs, heart—all gone—a brutal act, surely the work of a black market ring.
"I'll check it out," Casper said, approaching the gurney and lifting the white sheet with a heavy heart. The sight was beyond horrific.
Eliza broke free from Aaron and dashed over. Casper quickly covered the body and pulled her into his arms. "Don't look, Eliza. Please."
"Let me go, Casper! You're the murderer! Stop pretending to care!" Eliza's fury peaked as she bit down on his arm, drawing blood that stained his white shirt.
"Eliza, calm down!" Casper barked, signaling to the attendant to take Rose's body away.
Eliza felt drained from her outburst and tears. She tried to stop them but collapsed, devoid of strength, like a broken doll. She pushed Casper away and staggered towards the door, every step heavy with sorrow. Her mom was gone, and she hadn't even seen her one last time. That’s a wound that would never heal.
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