Richard Miller had finished his bank meeting earlier than he had originally planned.
He walked into his home carrying his dark leather briefcase in his hand.
The house was unusually quiet, with no housekeepers visible in the lower foyer.
Richard: Lily, where are you, my sweet little girl?
He heard a faint sound of soft weeping coming from the upper floor bedrooms.
His heart immediately skipped a beat as he recognized his daughter's sad voice.
Richard set his leather briefcase down on the floor with a heavy thud.
He ran up the grand marble staircase taking two large steps at a time.
The crying grew louder as he approached the open master guest suite door.
He pushed the heavy double wooden doors wide open with great force.
The scene before his eyes made his breath freeze inside his broad chest.
His sweet daughter Lily was kneeling near the bed, weeping bitter tears quietly.
Her hands were covered in black polish, and her face was badly smeared.
Victoria was standing over her with a proud and arrogant look on her face.
Lily: Daddy!
Richard: What in the world is happening inside this room right now?!
Lily jumped up from the floor and ran straight toward her loving father.
She threw her small arms around his waist and buried her face deep.
Richard instantly wrapped his strong arms around his trembling little daughter tight.
He looked down at her stained hands and the dark smear across her cheek.
Lily: Daddy, she made me scrub her shoes and yelled at me!
Richard: You are safe now, my darling, nobody will ever hurt you.
Richard felt a deep wave of pure anger rise up within his heart.
He lifted Lily gently into his arms and held her very close.
He turned his gaze toward Victoria, who was standing near the window frame.
Victoria did not look sorry or ashamed of what she had just done.
She simply smoothed down her dress and raised her chin up in defiance.