The brown envelope had official legal stamps printed across the top right corner in dark blue ink.
It was sealed tightly with gold wax, but the water had loosened the paper flap slightly.
Victoria noticed Mark staring at the envelope and her face immediately turned pale white.
She lunged forward quickly, trying to grab the document before Mark could touch it.
Victoria: Don't touch that, it is just personal paperwork from my lawyer!
Mark shifted his position on the floor and pulled the envelope out of her reach.
Mark: Why was legal paperwork hidden inside a decorative vase in our front hallway?
Victoria: I was keeping it safe from the housekeepers while we renovated the office!
Mark stood up carefully while holding Lily securely against his left shoulder with one arm.
He broke the gold wax seal on the envelope using his thumb and pulled out the top document.
The letterhead bore the official logo of a prominent local divorce lawyer and trust advisor.
Mark's eyes scanned the first sentence and his breathing caught in his tight chest.
The document was an application to alter the primary beneficiary of Lily's trust fund account.
The trust fund had been established by Mark's late wife to secure Lily's future college tuition.
It held over three million dollars in stocks and commercial real estate titles.
The document listed Victoria as the sole trustee in the event of Mark's sudden passing.
Even worse, a secondary rider attached to the document transferred partial management to a foreign holding firm.
Mark recognized the name of the managing director of that firm instantly from previous business dinners.
It was Julian Vance, Victoria's former business partner and ex-fiancé from three years ago.
Mark: You signed a transfer request for my daughter's trust fund behind my back?
Victoria: Mark, please listen to me before you jump to wild conclusions!
Mark: Why is Julian Vance named as an authorized signatory on my late wife's estate?
Victoria stepped backward toward the front entrance as her hands shook uncontrollably.
Before she could answer, the front door bell rang twice and the lock clicked open automatically.
A tall man in a tailored gray suit stepped directly into the grand marble foyer.
It was Julian Vance himself, holding a leather briefcase and looking startled by the scene.
Julian looked at the smashed vase, the soaking wet paper, and Mark's furious expression.
Julian: Victoria, is everything okay in here?