Lily was admiring a polished gold medallion sitting inside a glass display case near the framed USA flag painting on the wall. She did not touch the glass, but she stepped close to see the bright shiny surface reflecting the hall lights. Mark turned around with an annoyed expression on his face, his eyes flashing with sudden rage as he saw the child near his family's expensive display.
Mark: Hey! Get away from that right now!
Lily: I didn't touch it, Mr. Mark!
Mark: Out of my way!
Before Sarah could react, Mark lunged forward and forcefully shoved the six-year-old girl with both hands. The impact was so harsh that Lily stumbled backward, hitting the glass display case with full force. A loud, violent crash echoed through the high-ceilinged hallway as the glass cabinet shattered into hundreds of sharp pieces across the hardwood floor.
Lily: Mommy!
Lily fell onto the hard floor right among the sharp glass shards, crying frantically as she clutched her tiny hand. Blood began to seep through the lace of her purple dress where a small piece of glass had scratched her arm. Sarah gasped in horror, her heart stopping for a second as she saw her child lying helpless on the polished floor.
Sarah: Lily! Oh my god, Lily!
Lily: He pushed me, Mommy! It hurts so bad!
Mark: Look at what she did! She just ruined a fifty-thousand-dollar family heirloom with her clumsiness!
Mark stood over the crying girl with a cold, unfeeling stare, not showing a single drop of remorse or concern for the child's injury. Eleanor walked over slowly, crossing her arms over her off-shoulder gown, looking down at the crying little girl with complete disgust.
Eleanor: Stop ruining the party right now, child. You are making a scene in front of our guests.
Sarah: Are you out of your minds? He just shoved a six-year-old girl into solid glass!
Mark: She shouldn't have been standing near my things. Tell her to shut up before someone walks out here.
Sarah: She is bleeding, Mark! You hurt my daughter on purpose!
Eleanor: Do not raise your voice in my house, Sarah. You are a guest here, and you should be grateful we are even offering to bring you into this family.
Sarah stared at Mark and his mother, her initial shock rapidly turning into pure, burning anger. She saw the true nature of the man she had almost married, a cruel coward who cared more about a piece of glass than a child's safety. Lily was sobbing hysterically on the floor, holding her bloody hand while Mark adjusted his grey suit jacket like nothing had happened.
Mark: Clean this mess up right now, Sarah, or I will have security throw you both off the property before the lawyers arrive.
Sarah: Touch my daughter again and see what happens, Mark.
Mark: What did you just say to me?