The snow fell softly outside the bright dining room window.
Christmas decorations hung neatly across the wooden walls.
Sarah adjusted the small ribbon in her baby's brown hair.
Her daughter Emma was just ten months old today.
Mark smiled as he set the roasted turkey on the big table.
He was proud of the quiet life they built together.
They worked hard for years to buy this cozy home.
Mark's aunt Clara sat across from the high chair.
Clara wore a bright mustard sweater and looked annoyed.
She never liked how Sarah managed the family business.
Clara felt she deserved a larger share of the inheritance.
She grumbled under her breath about the noise in the room.
Emma made small soft sounds while reaching for a spoon.
Sarah picked up a soft towel to wipe Emma's messy chin.
Sarah: She is just excited about the bright lights, Clara.
Clara: Children should be quiet and motionless at dinner.
Sarah: She is only a baby, so please be patient.
Clara crossed her arms tightly and turned her head away.
Mark walked into the warm kitchen to grab some extra juice.
The atmosphere in the dining room remained cold and sharp.
Sarah felt a strange knot forming deep in her stomach.
She knew Clara came here with a dark hidden goal tonight.
Clara wanted Mark to sign over his legal property rights.
She believed the estate belonged entirely to her side of the family.
Mark had refused her unfair demands earlier that morning.
Clara stared at little Emma with growing bitterness and anger.
Sarah stepped toward the counter to grab a clean baby bottle.
She kept her eyes on her child for every passing second.
Emma reached for a colorful plastic toy on her tray.
The toy slipped and made a sharp sound against the floor.
Clara stood up suddenly with a sharp look in her eyes.
Clara: That noise is completely unbearable for my tired head!
Sarah: I will pick it up right now, Clara!
Clara leaned over the high chair with a harsh movement.
She grabbed the baby's small wrist firmly to stop her motion.
Emma let out a loud burst of scared crying immediately.
Sarah dropped the clean bottle onto the floor in shock.
Her blood ran cold as she ran toward her daughter.