Six months later, Mark sat inside a quiet, air-conditioned courtroom in downtown city hall.
He wore a clean grey suit, holding Lily's hand gently as they waited for the trial.
Sarah sat across the room at the defense table, wearing a orange jail jumpsuit without makeup.
Her lawyer whispered constantly into her ear, but Sarah just stared coldly at the wooden floor.
The judge cleared his throat loudly, calling the court to order as everyone took their seats.
The prosecutor stood up to present the chemical evidence gathered from the dining room floor.
Prosecutor: The substance found in the defendant's bottle matched the exact residue on the marble.
He placed large color photos of the melted floor onto the display board for the jury.
The jurors gasped quietly when they saw the deep burn marks left on the stone surface.
Prosecutor: This was a calculated, cold attempt to end a man's life for pure financial gain.
Sarah's lawyer stood up quickly, trying to argue that the child's testimony was unreliable and confused.
Defense Lawyer: An eight-year-old child cannot accurately identify chemical substances or dangerous motives, Your Honor.
Mark felt his blood boil with anger, but he stayed completely silent in his hard seat.
The prosecutor then called Mark to the witness stand to tell his side of the story.
Mark walked up slowly, placing his right hand on the Bible and swearing to tell the truth.
Prosecutor: Mr. Vance, tell the court what happened when your daughter entered the dining room.
Mark: Lily ran in shouting for me to stop, her voice shaking with absolute horror.
He pointed his finger directly at Sarah, who refused to make eye contact with him now.
Mark: My wife tried to force me to drink that cup, lying to my face about everything.
Prosecutor: And what happened when the cup finally hit the polished stone floor, sir?
Mark: It melted the stone in seconds, releasing green smoke that burned my throat instantly.
The jury listened intently, taking fast notes as Mark recalled every detail of that morning.