Arthur carried Lily over to the wide velvet sofa near the main living room fireplace.
He sat her down gently and handed her a small glass of water from the side table.
Lily wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand and held her father's fingers.
Arthur kissed her forehead and made sure she was completely unharmed from the quick catch.
He turned around to face Eleanor, who stood near the base of the grand marble staircase.
Arthur: How could she fall like that while you were standing right next to her?
Eleanor: It happened so fast Arthur, she just lunged for her small red toy car.
Arthur: You know the top walkway railings are too low for a child her height!
Eleanor: I tried to reach for her collar, but my hands were full of trust documents.
Arthur narrowed his eyes as he looked at the legal papers lying scattered on the floor.
He stepped closer to the paperwork and noticed the big red stamp across the top page.
It was a proposed amendment to the primary trust fund created by his late mother years ago.
The revision sought to transfer control of the family real estate directly to Eleanor's personal estate.
If Lily were to face a fatal accident, the entire inheritance would shift away from Arthur.
A cold chill ran down Arthur's spine as he connected the pieces of the puzzle together.
Arthur: You were reading these financial papers instead of keeping her away from the edge.
Eleanor: I care about this family's future just as much as you do, Arthur.
Arthur: You care about the money tied to this house and the mortgage control!
Eleanor took a small step back toward the front door as her face turned slightly red.
Eleanor: I brought you into this mansion and maintained this family name for years!
Arthur: You jeopardized my daughter's life for a signature on a trust fund paper!
Lily watched her father speak with a firm, strong voice that filled the high ceilings.
She felt safe now that her father was standing firmly between her and her stepgrandmother.
Arthur reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his private mobile phone without hesitation.
He knew that legal action was the only way to protect his daughter's future safety.