Mark sat at his office desk late on a Tuesday afternoon.
The sun was beaming brightly through the large glass windows of his downtown office building.
He was going through stack after stack of financial documents for his growing real estate business.
His phone suddenly rang on the wooden table with a loud vibration.
He picked up the call without looking at the caller ID screen.
A distant voice spoke fast on the other end of the open line.
It was his former housekeeper named Clara from his old family estate.
She sounded completely panicked as she tried to catch her breath.
Clara: Mark, you need to come to the main house immediately.
Mark: What is wrong, Clara?
Clara: Your ex-wife brought a strange woman into the mansion today.
Mark: Is Emiles safe right now?
Clara: She was crying in the hallway just a few minutes ago.
Mark immediately stood up from his leather office chair and grabbed his car keys.
He had fought hard in court for shared custody of his young daughter Emiles.
His former wife had recently demanded full control over their family trust fund and assets.
Mark drove fast across town toward the wealthy neighborhood on the hill.
The white marble pillars of the grand estate came into view behind the tall metal gates.
The gates were wide open, which was completely unusual for that time of day.
He parked his vehicle near the front lawn and rushed up the stone steps.
He pushed open the heavy front doors into the flooded bright daylight of the grand entrance hall.
The wide marble floor stretched across the massive open entryway.
Mark froze near the doorway as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight.
His young daughter Emiles was crawling across the hard floor using her small metal crutches.
She was carrying her baby stepbrother safely on her back while sobbing quietly.
A woman wearing a dark maroon dress stood near the back corner of the grand hallway.
Mark felt a wave of sheer horror hit his chest as he dropped his leather bag.
Mark: Emiles!
The sound of his loud voice echoed loudly off the high plaster ceilings.