Sarah sat at her kitchen table looking at the glowing screen of her personal cell phone.
She had dialed Mark's household phone number four times without receiving a single answer back.
This was the third night in a row that her regular call had gone directly to voicemail.
A strong sense of worry began to build deep inside her heart as she grabbed her coat.
She decided to drive straight to Mark's home to make sure her little girl was safe.
Meanwhile, Mark was sitting in his office downtown finishing up some urgent late afternoon legal documents.
His phone buzzed on the wooden desk, displaying a text message from a local private investigator.
The message contained several photos showing Evelyn meeting secretly with a high-profile real estate attorney.
Mark stared at the photos in complete shock as he realized his new wife had hidden motives.
Evelyn was quietly planning to file for a lucrative separation to gain control of his trust fund.
She viewed Lily as an obstacle that might complicate her financial claims during future court proceedings.
Mark grabbed his car keys off the desk and rushed toward the private office parking garage.
He suddenly realized that Sarah's repeated warnings about Evelyn's behavior were probably completely true.
As he drove quickly through the city streets, his heart pounded wildly against his ribs.
He remembered how Lily had seemed unusually quiet and frightened during their recent family dinners.
At the house, Evelyn walked slowly into Lily's upstairs bedroom with a harsh look on her face.
She saw the child's bright drawing lying open on the bedside table next to the lamp.
Evelyn snatched the paper angrily and crumpled it up into a small tight ball.
Stepmother: You are never going to see your biological mother again, do you understand me?
Lily began to cry softly as she pulled her small knees tightly against her chest.