Victoria backed away slowly toward the center of the vast sunlit hallway.
Her face lost all its color as her husband stared at her with deep fury.
Victoria: She is lying, Marcus!
Victoria: It is just a stray animal that crawled into the air system!
Marcus ignored his wife's frantic words and leaned his head down right next to the metal grate.
Marcus: Can you hear me inside there?
A weak cracked voice whispered softly from the dark interior of the wall structure.
Voice: Daddy... it is cold in here...
Marcus froze in absolute disbelief as he recognized the faint voice coming from the vent.
It was the child he believed had passed away at birth two long years ago in the hospital.
Tears welled up instantly in the wealthy businessman's wide eyes as anger surged through him.
He stood up sharply from the floor and towered over his pale stepmother wife.
Marcus: You told me our second daughter died in the nursery ward!
Victoria: You don't understand the financial stress we were under back then!
Marcus: You kept my child hidden in a wall cavity like an secret trash item?!
Victoria stepped back against the decorative wall trim with panic in her shaking hands.
Victoria: I was trying to save our estate inheritance from your greedy ex-family!
Victoria: If they knew you had another heir, the legal trust fund would be locked forever!
Marcus took a strong step forward as his jaw clenched tightly with righteous fury.
Marcus: You traded my child's life for a legal inheritance payout?!
Lily: Daddy, help her open it!
Marcus reached down toward the wall ventilation frame and pulled at the sturdy metal screws with his fingers.
The heavy frame was screwed tightly into the solid wooden framework of the hallway wall.
He looked around the hallway wildly for something heavy to break the lock system.
Victoria grabbed his arm firmly in a last desperate attempt to stop him from opening the space.
Victoria: If you pull her out, the police will destroy our family name!
Victoria: Think about your business empire and your company stock values!
Marcus shoved her hand away with total disgust in his fierce eyes.
Marcus: You are a monster, Victoria!
He grabbed a heavy bronze statue sitting on the nearby hallway side table.
Marcus raised the heavy bronze statue high above his shoulder with all his strength.
He slammed the metal object straight into the heavy locks of the iron wall vent.
The loud impact of metal on metal echoed down the silent halls of the massive mansion.
Victoria screamed out in panic as the front frame began to bend open.