The chemical smell in the room grew stronger every minute.
David kept his young daughter hidden safely behind his back.
He looked at the bottle standing quietly on the table.
David: Where did you buy that specific bottle of wine?
Victoria crossed her arms tightly across her dark dress.
Victoria: I bought it at the luxury store downtown yesterday.
Lily pulled on her father's white shirt with small fingers.
Lily: She brought it from her big black purse, Daddy.
David looked at Victoria's designer purse on the couch.
David: Stay right where you are and do not move.
He walked slowly across the room toward the leather sofa.
Victoria moved quickly to try and block his physical path.
Victoria: You have no right to look through my belongings!
David shoved past her firm shoulder without stopping at all.
He grabbed the black leather purse and opened it up.
Inside, he found a small glass vial with no label.
A few drops of clear liquid remained inside the bottle.
David: What is inside this glass vial, Victoria?
Victoria stayed silent as her jaw clenched together tightly.
David pulled out his mobile phone from his front pocket.
David: I am calling emergency services and the police now.
Victoria's eyes filled with sudden panic and dark desperation.
Victoria: Put that phone away right now, David!
She lunged forward to grab the phone from his hands.
David stepped back quickly and slammed his hand on the table.
The loud slam echoed through the massive dining hall space.
David: Do not touch me ever again in your life!
Victoria backed away, clutching her chest in fake shock.
Victoria: You are ruining everything we built together!
David: We built nothing except a massive house of lies!
Lily watched from the doorway with big tearful eyes.
Lily: Daddy, I was so scared she would hurt you.
David turned his head to give his daughter a gentle look.
David: You were very brave tonight, my clever girl.
Victoria realized her control over the situation was totally gone.
The masked monster inside her finally came into full light.
Victoria: You foolish man, you had so much wealth.
David stared at her as her tone shifted to cold ice.
David: This was all about my money and estate.
Victoria let out a bitter laugh that chilled the air.
Victoria: You never would have given me what I deserved.