Three days later, the bright sunlight warmed the private recovery room at Children's Health Medical Center in Dallas. Lily sat propped up on plush white pillows, drinking a cup of warm apple juice while Emily sat on the edge of the bed, showing her a colorful picture book.
Daniel sat in a armchair beside the bed, holding a folder of legal documents provided by his lead family lawyer, Marcus Vance.
Marcus: "Daniel, the district attorney just finalized the formal indictment against Victoria."
Daniel: "What else did the financial audit find, Marcus?"
Marcus: "It's worse than we thought. Four years ago, Victoria forged your signature on a life insurance policy and a guardianship trust agreement right after your late wife passed away."
Daniel: "She faked the car accident report?"
Marcus: "She paid off a local county coroner to sign a false death certificate for Lily while keeping the poor girl hidden in the estate guest house, and later moved her under the foyer stairs when you started working late hours at the firm."
Lily: "Daddy? Is the bad woman really gone?"
Daniel stood up from his chair, walking over to the hospital bed and wrapping his arms around both of his daughters. He kissed Lily's forehead softly, smelling the clean strawberry shampoo from her shower.
Daniel: "She is gone forever, Lily. She will never, ever set foot in our home again."
Emily: "And I don't have to hide my sandwiches anymore, Daddy?"
Daniel: "No, sweetie. From now on, we eat all our meals together at the big dining table."
Marcus: "The state prosecutor is pushing for life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Given the 4K video evidence and the medical reports, her defense team doesn't have a single leg to stand on."
Daniel: "Good. Make sure she loses every single cent she tried to steal from my daughters' trust funds."