Mark dropped to his knees and wrapped both arms around his kids.
Mark: I am so sorry, my babies! Daddy is here now.
He lifted Tommy up and pulled Lily close to his heart.
Tommy: She locked us in the dark room, Daddy, we were scared!
Lily: And she hid your locket to blame us for stealing!
Mark stood up and turned to face Victoria with cold disgust.
Mark: Is this how you treat my children while I am away?
Victoria: Mark, they are lying to you! They stole the locket!
Mark pulled out his smartphone and displayed the live camera feed video.
Mark: I saw every single thing on the security camera footage, Victoria.
Victoria's face turned completely white and her knees began to shake.
Victoria: Mark, please, I was just trying to discipline them!
Mark: You threatened my children and tried to ruin their lives for money.
He reached into Victoria's designer purse on the table beside her.
He pulled out the missing golden locket from the hidden pocket inside.
Mark: You hid it in your own purse to frame my innocent kids.
Victoria: Mark, don't do this! We can talk about this privately!
Mark: There is nothing left to talk about between us, Victoria.
He tapped a button on his phone and put it on speaker mode.
Police Officer: Officer Davis here, Mr. Sterling. We are outside your gate.
Mark: Come inside, officer. The suspect is in the living room.
Victoria tried to run toward the back exit in a panic.
Two police officers stepped into the room and blocked her path immediately.
Officer Davis: Victoria Sterling, you are under arrest for child endangerment and fraud.
They placed metal handcuffs around Victoria's wrists behind her back.
Victoria: You can't do this to me! I am your wife, Mark!
Mark: My divorce lawyer will hand you the papers in jail today.
The officers led the crying Victoria out through the grand entrance doors.
The living room became peaceful and quiet once again under the sun.
Mark walked over and picked up his late wife's wooden chest carefully.
He placed it back on the main table and kissed his children's heads.
Mark: Nobody will ever hurt you or threaten your home again.
Lily: Thank you for believing in us, Daddy.
Tommy: Can we keep Mom's photograph in our room now?
Mark: Yes, we will put it right next to your beds forever.
Mark hugged his son and daughter tightly as the morning light glowed.
Justice had finally prevailed, and their family was safe at last.