Lily placed her metal crutch firmly on the second step of the marble staircase.
She moved slowly because the heavy plaster cast made her left leg feel very awkward.
Victoria stepped right up behind the small girl with completely silent, heavy footsteps.
Her green sequin dress sparkled under the large crystal chandelier hanging above them.
She did not reach out to assist the child who was struggling to balance herself.
Instead, she leaned down close to Lily's ear with a dark, bitter expression.
Victoria: Always making everything about you, every single hour of the day.
Lily stopped moving and turned her head with wide, frightened eyes.
Lily: I am just trying to go up to my bedroom to get my reading book.
Victoria: You use that cast to get all of Mark's love, attention, and expensive gifts.
Lily: That is not true, Victoria, I just want my leg to heal quickly.
Victoria: You are a spoiled little brat who ruins every happy moment in this house.
Lily felt cold tears begin to well up in her round, brown eyes.
She gripped her metal crutches tighter because her hands had started to shake uncontrollably.
She tried to take another step upward to get away from her hostile stepmother.
Victoria reached out her hand and grabbed the right crutch with sudden, firm force.
She deliberately pulled the metal support away from the child's fragile balance point.
Lily wobbled dangerously on the edge of the second slick marble stair step.
Lily: No! Help me, Daddy!
Victoria gave a sharp push against the girl's shoulder to force her balance off.
Lily lost her footing completely and slipped backward down the hard marble steps.
Her metal crutches clattered loudly against the stone as she tumbled to the floor.
A loud cry of fear echoed through the massive, high-ceilinged entrance hall.
Lily landed hard on the slick marble floor at the base of the stairs.
Her injured leg twisted beneath her plaster cast, causing a sharp rush of pain.
She curled up into a small ball while crying loudly on the cold ground.
Victoria stood at the top of the short stair flight with a cold smirk.
She smoothed down the front of her expensive green sequin dress without any remorse.
She believed nobody had seen what she had just done near the stair railing.
She assumed Mark was far away inside his closed office down the long hallway.
However, sudden heavy footsteps began pounding down the upper corridor toward the stairs.
The heavy office door had been left slightly open during the entire brief encounter.
Mark had heard his daughter's terrified cry echo through the silent second floor.
He rushed out onto the balcony overview with horror written across his face.
He saw his young daughter crying helplessly on the hard marble floor below.
Mark: Hold on, baby, I'm here!
Mark sprinted down the wide marble staircase four steps at a single bound.
His face was red with sudden panic as he reached the bottom floor.
He dropped his expensive leather briefcase, letting it hit the floor with a thud.
Victoria adjusted her expression quickly, trying to look shocked and deeply concerned.
She began walking down the steps slowly while placing a hand over her mouth.
She had no idea that Mark's new security system was recording everything.