Mark sat inside his spacious home office looking over the monthly balance sheets for his construction firm.
The sun shone brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the grand hill estate.
Everything in the mansion felt polished, quiet, and completely controlled by his wife Victoria.
Victoria loved luxury and spent most of her days hosting charity events for local high society.
She had entered Mark's life two years after his first wife passed away from illness.
At the time, Mark was struggling to raise his baby daughter Lily all by himself.
Victoria appeared like an angel who promised to care for Lily like her own child.
Mark was a hardworking CEO who trusted people easily when it came to family matters.
He gave Victoria full access to the family estate and signed joint accounts for convenience.
Yet deep down, something always felt slightly distant between Victoria and little Lily.
Lily was now three years old, full of energy, and constantly exploring the large mansion.
On this bright Tuesday afternoon, Lily was playing near the marble pedestal in the main hallway.
On top of the marble pedestal sat a heavy ceramic flower vase worth thousands of dollars.
Victoria walked down the curved staircase wearing an elegant red designer dress for an afternoon meeting.
Her high heels clicked loudly against the polished white marble floor with every step she took.
Lily giggled and spun around near the pedestal, her small shoe catching the corner of the stand.
The tall ceramic vase wobbled dangerously for a second before tipping completely over the side edge.
It smashed onto the marble floor with a loud crash that echoed across the entire house.
Water and purple orchids scattered across the clean tiles along with a thick brown paper envelope.
The heavy paper envelope had been hidden secretly inside the bottom chamber of the ceramic vase.
Lily froze in place and her small lower lip began to tremble as water soaked her shoes.
Victoria gasped sharply and stepped over the broken ceramic pieces with anger on her face.
Victoria: Look at what you just did, you careless little child!
Victoria raised her voice loudly and pointed a stern finger straight at the crying toddler.
Victoria: You broke an expensive piece of art that belongs in this house!
Lily burst into tears and hid her face behind her tiny hands as Victoria yelled.
Mark heard the terrible crash from his study and immediately threw his office door wide open.
He rushed down the hallway toward the marble hall where his daughter was weeping loudly.
Mark: What is going on out here, Victoria?
Victoria: She destroyed my imported antique vase because you never discipline her!
Mark ignored the broken vase and knelt right down beside his shaking daughter on the tile.
Mark: It is okay, sweetie, daddy is right here with you.
He pulled Lily gently into his arms and wiped the wet tears from her cheeks.
That was when Mark noticed the brown paper envelope resting in the puddle of water.