Mark sat at the head of the long dining table inside his bright modern home.
The afternoon sunlight poured through the large glass windows, illuminating the polished marble floor.
On the main wall of the grand room hung a crisp American flag.
Mark was a successful real estate investor who built his wealth through years of honest hard work.
He lived in this quiet suburban town to give his seven-year-old son, Leo, a safe place to grow up.
Leo was currently sitting at the smaller side table, quietly coloring pictures in a fresh sketchbook.
The house was usually peaceful during these sunny weekend afternoons.
However, Mark’s new wife, Victoria, had been acting nervous and restless all morning long.
They had been married for only six months after meeting at a corporate charity gala downtown.
Victoria always wore expensive white designer dresses and enjoyed the luxury lifestyle that came with Mark’s fortune.
She walked into the dining room carrying a tiny glass vial hidden carefully inside her hand.
She glanced around the bright room to check if anyone was paying close attention to her movements.
Mark was busy looking down at his business tablet while reading a important commercial contract.
He did not notice Victoria stepping softly over to the side sideboard near the windows.
On the sideboard sat a heavy crystal pitcher filled with fresh red cranberry juice.
Victoria quickly uncapped the small vial and poured a clear liquid substance straight into the juice pitcher.
She stirred the liquid gently with a long silver spoon to hide any remaining bubbles.
She believed nobody had seen her calculated action in the quiet room.
However, young Leo had looked up from his coloring book at that exact moment.
Leo saw the clear bottle in his stepmother's hand and recognized the strange look on her face.
He knew instantly that his father was about to poured a fresh glass of that juice.
Leo set his colored pencils down on the white marble table.
His heart beat very fast against his chest as fear washed over his small frame.
He loved his father more than anything else in the entire world.
He knew he had to speak up right now to protect his father from harm.
Leo stood up from his small wooden chair without making a loud sound.
He took a quick deep breath and took two cautious steps forward across the room.
Victoria was just turning around with the glass pitcher in her right hand.
She saw the young boy staring directly at the pitcher with wide and frightened eyes.
Her eyes narrowed with sudden panic as she realized the boy had seen everything.
Mark raised his coffee mug without looking away from his digital tablet screen.
"Victoria, could you pour me a glass of that cold juice please?" Mark asked calmly.
Victoria smiled nervously and took a step toward her husband’s place at the head table.
Leo could not stay silent for another single second.