Mark extended his strong arm far down into the dark opening.
"Sarah, take my hand! Reach up right now!" Mark shouted urgently.
Sarah used the stone wall for balance and stood up on her shaky feet.
She reached up high, her fingers clutching Mark's hand tightly.
Mark pulled with all his strength, lifting her out of the deep cellar.
Sarah scrambled onto the polished marble floor, breathing heavily in relief.
Mark wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against his chest.
Lily ran over and buried her face in her mother's pink sweater.
"Are you hurt? Did they touch you?" Mark asked, checking her face.
"I'm okay, Mark. Arthur brought those men here an hour ago," Sarah sobbed.
"He forced me down there so I couldn't call our divorce lawyer or police."
"He said you were signing away the entire company inheritance today."
Mark looked at the legal folder Arthur had dropped near the stairs.
He realized Arthur was trying to steal millions from their shared business fund.
Arthur thought Mark would be stranded out of town while the papers processed.
The guards were regaining their footing near the front entrance.
They realized that simple intimidation was no longer going to work.
Mark picked up his cell phone from his suit jacket pocket quickly.
He dialed the direct emergency line for the local Dallas police department.
"I have an active home invasion and corporate fraud in progress," Mark stated clearly.
He read out his address in a calm, precise, and steady voice.
Arthur ran back out onto the balcony, looking desperate and frantic.
"Mark, listen to me! We can settle this without the law!" Arthur shouted down.
"You tried to lock my wife away in the dark!" Mark shouted back.
"There is no settlement for what you did today, Arthur."
The guards looked at each other, realizing the police were on their way.
They decided to abandon Arthur and rushed out the front door.