Mark knelt down on the cold floor to hold his shaking daughter tight.
Lily wrapped her small arms around her father's neck and sobbed softly into his shoulder.
Mark: It is okay, sweetie, you are safe now.
Lily: She thought I was sleeping upstairs in my room.
Lily: But I came down to get my drawing book from the shelf.
Lily: I saw her open a little dark bottle near the sink.
Lily: She poured funny green stuff into your glass and stirred it fast.
Mark felt a cold chill run all the way down his curved spine.
He glanced over at Victoria, who was nervously pacing back and forth near the door.
Victoria: This is completely ridiculous!
Victoria: Why would I ever try to harm my own husband?
Mark: Because you asked me about my new life insurance policy yesterday.
Mark: You kept asking if you were the main beneficiary on the legal papers.
Victoria stopped pacing and swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry.
Victoria: I asked because every married couple needs to plan for future emergencies!
Mark: Or because you wanted full control over my entire estate and inheritance.
Victoria: That is an awful accusation to make against your loving wife!
Lily: Daddy, look at her bag on the counter!
Lily pointed her tiny index finger toward Victoria's expensive leather handbag.
The bag was sitting open right next to the silver coffee machine.
A tiny glass vial with a silver cap was sticking out of an inside pocket.
Victoria gasped loudly and made a quick run toward the counter to grab it.
Mark: Stop right where you are!
Mark stood up quickly and blocked her path with his tall frame.
Victoria: Get out of my way, Mark!
Mark: Do not touch that bag.
Victoria: You have no right to search my personal belongings!
Mark: I have every right when my life is in clear danger in my own home.
Mark reached out and picked up the small glass bottle carefully with two fingers.
Inside the bottle was a small amount of bright green powder that matched the spilled juice.
Mark: What is this, Victoria?
Victoria: It is just... it is just my special vitamin supplement!
Mark: Vitamin supplements do not come in unmarked bottles without labels.
Lily: That is the bottle she used, Daddy!
Victoria: Be quiet, you ungrateful little child!
Mark: Do not speak to my daughter like that ever again!