Mark held out the coat to Vanessa with a firm, unyielding expression on his face.
Mark: Pack your personal belongings right now. You are leaving today.
Vanessa stared at him in complete disbelief, her mouth slightly open.
Vanessa: You can't kick me out! We are legally married!
Mark: My family lawyer will contact your legal representative before the morning.
Vanessa: You are throwing away our entire future over a broken vase?
Mark: I am ending this relationship to shield my daughter from toxic behavior.
Vanessa grabbed her coat from his hand, her eyes flashing with pure bitter resentment.
Vanessa: You will regret this, Mark! You'll be lonely forever!
Mark: I would rather be alone forever than let my child live in fear.
Vanessa stomped up the stairs to gather her personal items from the master suite.
Mark stood at the bottom of the staircase, watching her every movement carefully.
Within twenty minutes, Vanessa carried two heavy suitcases back down to the foyer.
She didn't say another word as she pulled open the front door with force.
She walked out into the afternoon sunlight and slammed the heavy door shut behind her.
The loud click of the lock echoed softly through the warm, quiet house.
Mark took a deep breath, feeling a massive weight lift off his shoulders immediately.
He knew that difficult legal steps lay ahead regarding their sudden divorce proceedings.
However, the safety and emotional wellbeing of his daughter was entirely secured now.
He turned around and headed back up the stairs toward Lily's bedroom with peace.