The party moved toward the central staircase as music played softly.
Victoria called down to the catering staff from the top landing.
Lily wanted to show her father a colorful drawing she just finished.
She slowly used her small crutches to climb up the first few steps.
Mark was talking near the front door with their family lawyer, David.
David: We should finalize the family trust document later this week.
Mark: I want to make sure Lily's trust fund is completely secure.
David: That is a very wise choice for her future protection.
Up on the landing, Victoria watched Lily climb the steps very slowly.
Her green dress brushed against the white wooden railing as she moved.
Lily stopped near the top step to catch her balance safely.
Lily: Stepmom, can you help me reach daddy at the bottom?
Victoria: You should not be wandering around these stairs during dinner.
Lily: I just wanted to show him my picture of our house.
Victoria looked around quickly to see if anyone was paying close attention.
The guests below were talking loudly near the catering food tables.
Victoria stepped right behind the young girl with a dark expression.
She lifted her designer shoe and purposefully nudged Lily's heavy cast.
The sudden shove threw the little girl completely off her fragile balance.
Lily gasped loudly as her crutches slipped from her small fingers.
She tumbled down the hard marble steps with a terrifying thud.
Her loud cry of terror echoed through the high ceiling foyer.
Lily: Daddy, help me please!
The sound of the falling child stopped every conversation in the room.
Mark turned instantly and felt his whole world stop turning around.
He saw his small daughter rolling helpless down the hard white marble.
Plaster and crutches crashed against the floor with a loud noise.
Mark sprinted across the shiny marble floor with extreme terror.
He slid onto his knees right at the bottom of the staircase.
He wrapped his arms around Lily as she sobbed in pain.
Mark: Sweetheart, open your eyes and look at me right now!
Lily: My leg hurts so much, daddy!
Mark checked her broken leg with trembling hands and cold breath.
The little girl was shaking violently against his dark wool suit.
Guests gasped in deep shock as women covered their wide mouths.
Clara rushed forward with a clean glass of cold water.
Clara: Somebody call an ambulance right now!
Mark lifted his tearful eyes slowly up toward the high balcony landing.
Victoria stood at the top looking down with a cruel posture.
She did not look worried or scared for the small girl.
A cold smile rested on her painted face for one second.
Mark felt a fierce wave of pure anger fill his pounding chest.