By dinner time, the pain in Lily's lower abdomen had grown significantly worse, making it hard for her to stand.
She pushed her plate away, resting her sweaty forehead against the cool wooden surface of the dining room table.
Sarah: Lily, you have barely touched your fresh chicken.
Lily: I cannot eat, Mom. It hurts too much.
Sarah: Are you trying to skip eating your green vegetables again?
Lily: No! My stomach hurts so badly, please help!
A sudden, harsh beep echoed through the dining room as Lily's smartwatch screen flashed a bright, angry red glow.
Sarah slammed her fork down onto her plate, her face turning red with sudden frustration and disappointment at her daughter.
Sarah: The red light is flashing! Stop lying right now!
Lily: I am not lying! It really hurts bad!
Sarah: The watch does not lie, Lily! Explain that!
Mia: Mom, she looks really pale and sick right now.
Sarah: Quiet, Mia! She is manipulating us to skip dinner.
Lily burst into heavy tears, clutching her right side tightly as cold sweat poured down her pale, soft cheeks.
She tried to stand up from her wooden chair, but a sudden sharp pain shot through her whole lower body.
She gasped loudly, losing her balance and falling heavily onto the hardwood floor with a dull, terrifying impact sound.
Mia: Lily! Mom, she just fell down hard!
Sarah: Get up, sweetie. The watch shows you are exaggerating.
Lily: Mom... please... I cannot move my legs easily...
Sarah: Stop this ridiculous dramatic acting performance this instant!
Sarah stood over her daughter with crossed arms, completely convinced that the device was accurate in its digital assessment.
She believed Lily was throwing an elaborate temper tantrum simply to avoid finishing her evening chores and healthy dinner.
The bright red light on the wristband continued to flash rhythmically, pulsing like a warning signal in the room.
Mia: Her hands are really cold, Mom! Look at her!
Sarah: She is just holding her breath on purpose.
Mia: No, she is crying for real! Look at her eyes!
Sarah: Go to your room, Mia. Let her stop acting.
Mia backed away slowly, her small hands trembling as she looked at her twin sister lying helpless on the floor.
Lily's breathing became shallow and fast, her eyes rolling backward slightly as pain overwhelmed her young, fragile body.
Yet, the persistent red flashing light on her wrist continued to validate Sarah's blind faith in the high-tech device.
Sarah: You will stay right there until you apologize, Lily.
Lily: Mom... I love you... it really hurts...
Sarah: Save your fake words for when you tell truth.
Sarah turned her back, walking toward the kitchen sink to wash the dirty dinner plates, ignoring the quiet sobbing behind her.
She convinced herself that firm discipline was necessary to prevent her children from growing into habitual, sneaky liars.
Minutes passed in agonizing silence, broken only by the rhythmic beep of the electronic band on the floorboards behind her.
When Sarah finally turned around to check on her daughter, Lily was lying completely still on the oak floorboards.
Her eyes were closed tight, her face ghost white, and her small chest barely moving up and down with air.
Mia: Mom! She stopped talking! She will not answer me!
Sarah: Lily? Stop playing around this minute, get up!
Sarah rushed over, kneeling beside her daughter and shaking her small shoulder with increasing force and rising panic now.
Lily did not respond, her body limp and cold under her mother's desperate, trembling touch in the quiet room.
The red light on the smartwatch continued to flash stubbornly, shining bright red against the dark oak floorboards below.
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