Richard Aiken sat in the dim light of his office, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. His gaze was fixed on a small photograph of his little sister, a snapshot frozen in time that captured her infectious smile and boundless spirit. As he stared, a wave of emotion surged through him, and he felt the warm trickle of tears escape his eyes, tracing a path down his cheeks.

"Sometimes I wish it was me and not you," he whispered to the stillness of the room.