The morning light streamed through the towering windows of the grand grand entry hall.
David stood near the marble staircase while checking his schedule for the upcoming afternoon meeting.
His young daughter Lily sat peacefully on the sofa nearby playing with her favorite toy.
Around her neck hung a small golden locket that belonged to her late biological mother.
It was the most precious item the seven child owned in the entire world.
Every single morning Lily would open the small gold clasp to look at the photo inside.
David smiled softly as he watched his young daughter gently trace the golden frame.
Suddenly heavy footsteps echoed down the polished white marble hallway from upstairs.
David looked up to see his new wife Evelyn walking down the stairs slowly.
She was wearing an elegant blue dress that swept across the white floor tiles.
Her face carried a cold look that had become far too common lately.
Evelyn had married David six months ago after a very fast romance in the city.
At first she pretended to care deeply for little Lily during their early dates.
But as soon as the wedding paper was signed her cold attitude appeared completely.
David hoped that time would heal the growing distance between his wife and daughter.
He walked toward the kitchen to grab a glass of cold water before leaving.
The moment David stepped around the corner Evelyn walked straight up to little Lily.
She stood over the young girl with her arms crossed over her chest tightly.
Lily looked up with wide innocent eyes while holding her precious golden locket close.
Evelyn: Why are you always sitting around here doing nothing useful?
Lily: I am just looking at my mom's picture before school starts.
Evelyn: You don't belong in this house and neither does that old piece of trash.
Evelyn suddenly reached down and snatched the delicate golden chain right off Lily's neck.
The fragile gold metal snapped loudly in the quiet living room air immediately.
Lily gasped in deep shock as her eyes instantly filled up with hot tears.
Lily: Please give it back to me! That belongs to my mom!
Evelyn: Your mother is gone and this house belongs to me now!
Evelyn threw the delicate gold locket against the hard marble floor with great force.
The thin gold frame bent out of shape as the tiny photograph popped out.
Lily cried out in deep pain and dropped down onto her knees to gather the pieces.
David heard the sharp commotion from the adjacent kitchen and hurried back out right away.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw his daughter weeping on the floor.
David: What on earth is going on out here right now?
Lily: Daddy, she broke my locket on purpose!
Evelyn: She is lying, David! The clumsy child dropped it all by herself!
David looked down at the ruined locket resting between his daughter's trembling hands.
He felt a deep swell of sadness and rising anger inside his chest immediately.
He knew his daughter loved that locket more than anything else in the world.
He stepped closer to inspect the broken chain resting on the cold marble floor.
The tear in the metal was fresh and showed clear signs of being pulled violently.
David turned his gaze toward Evelyn whose face remained calm and completely cold.
He took a deep breath to steady his voice before speaking to his wife.
David: Lily never misplaces or drops this precious locket ever.
Evelyn: Are you taking the word of a child over your own wife?
David: I am looking at the facts right in front of my eyes.
Evelyn turned around angrily and stormed back up the grand white staircase quickly.
David knelt beside Lily and picked up the small damaged photograph carefully.
He placed it gently into his pocket to fix it later in the afternoon.
He pulled his crying daughter into a warm protective embrace near the front door.
He promised her that things would change very soon inside their quiet home.
Little did he know that Evelyn was already planning her next move upstairs.