Mark sat inside his quiet office in downtown Dallas, Texas.
The afternoon sun spilled through the high glass windows of the building.
He looked at the framed photo of his newborn baby boy, Leo.
His phone began to vibrate violently across the dark mahogany desk.
Mark picked up the call on the very first ring.
A strange, nervous voice spoke on the line without saying hello.
It was his family attorney, Richard Vance, calling from his private legal office.
Richard: Mark, you need to get home right now.
Mark: What is going on, Richard?
Richard: Your wife just filed urgent papers regarding the family estate and custody.
Mark felt a cold chill run straight down his spine.
He stood up so fast his leather chair rolled back against the wall.
Mark: Victoria would not do that without talking to me first.
Richard: She is moving fast, Mark.
Richard: She wants full ownership of the house and sole custody of Leo.
Mark grabbed his jacket off the stand with a heavy heart.
He rushed out of the office building into the warm afternoon heat.
His car engine roared to life as he pulled onto the highway.
Traffic in Dallas was heavy, but Mark kept his eyes on the road.
He thought about how distant Victoria had been over the past few weeks.
She had stopped smiling whenever he brought baby Leo into the living room.
She spent long hours on her computer, closing tabs whenever he walked by.
Mark reached his quiet residential neighborhood in record time.
He parked his vehicle on the concrete driveway near the front entrance.
The large suburban mansion stood silent under the bright blue sky.
Mark pushed open the heavy front door and stepped into the foyer.
The house felt strangely empty and completely quiet.
He called out his wife's name into the long hallway.
Mark: Victoria, where are you?
No answer came from the main floor or the kitchen area.
Mark walked toward the main staircase with rapid steps.
He heard faint running water coming from the upstairs master bathroom.
His heart started pounding hard against his ribs.
He climbed the carpeted stairs two at a time.
The bathroom door was cracked open just an inch.
Mark stepped closer and looked through the small gap.
Victoria stood near the marble tub dressed in a bright purple outfit.
She held little Leo over the filled bathtub with a cold look.
Mark felt his breath catch sharply in his throat.
He pushed the bathroom door wide open with a loud thud.