Mark sat inside his home office looking over several financial documents.
The sun was shining bright across the backyard patio outside the large glass doors.
His eight-year-old daughter Lily was sitting quietly near the swimming pool deck.
She held a faded brown teddy bear close against her chest.
That toy was the very last gift her late mother gave her.
Mark loved his daughter more than anything else in the entire world.
He worked long hours to make sure she had a safe life.
His new wife Victoria walked out onto the marble patio deck.
Victoria always wore expensive designer clothes and heavy gold jewelry.
She never showed true affection toward young Lily when Mark was away.
Lily pressed her back against the lounge chair and stayed silent.
Victoria looked down at the dirty teddy bear with deep disgust.
Victoria: Why are you dragging that filthy thing around my clean house again?
Lily: It belongs to my mom.
Victoria: Your mother is gone, and that trash belongs in the garbage bin.
Victoria snatched the teddy bear right out of Lily's small hands.
Lily jumped up off the chair with tears welling in her eyes.
Lily: Please give it back to me!
Victoria tossed the stuffed animal straight into the deep end pool water.
The heavy toy hit the blue water with a loud splash.
Lily ran to the edge of the pool and dropped down.
She reached her hands out toward the floating brown toy.
Lily: My teddy bear!
Lily: Please, no!
Victoria stepped right behind the crying child with a cold scowl.
Victoria: Then go get it!
She pushed Lily forward off the edge of the smooth pool deck.
Lily fell into the deep water with a massive splash.
The cold water quickly swirled over the young child's head.
Mark heard the loud splash through the cracked office door.
He jumped out of his leather chair and ran outside.
He saw his young daughter struggling in the deep water.
Lily: Daddy, help me!
Mark leaped straight into the pool without taking off his shoes.
He swam forward and grabbed Lily firmly under her arms.
He pulled her face up above the water so she could breathe.
Father: I've got you!
Father: You're safe!
He carried her up onto the dry marble pool deck gently.
Lily coughed water and hugged her father's neck very tightly.
Mark turned toward Victoria with absolute fury in his eye.
Father: What did you just do to my child?
Victoria: She fell in because she was acting completely clumsy!
Father: I saw you push her with my own two eyes!
Mark stepped forward and confronted Victoria on the sunny patio.
Victoria took a quick step back against the sun lounge chair.
The raw anger in Mark's voice made the entire yard silent.