Mark rushed down the grand staircase into the warm living room area.
Victoria was standing near the digital security panel on the main wall.
Her fingers moved quickly across the glass screen as she pressed buttons.
Mark: Victoria, why was Lily's bedroom door locked from outside?
Victoria turned around quickly with a sharp, startled look in her eyes.
Victoria: I locked it so she would not wander around while sleeping.
Mark: She is not inside her bedroom right now!
Victoria smoothed down the front of her dark blue formal dress.
Victoria: She must be playing in the downstairs playroom with her toys.
Mark: The playroom light is completely dark tonight.
Victoria took a slow step backward toward the heavy hallway doors.
Victoria: You are overreacting to simple house rules, Mark.
Mark looked closely at the digital security panel on the white wall.
The camera feed for the hallway had been turned off manually.
Mark: Why did you turn off the hallway security cameras?
Victoria: The system was glitching, so I reset the main power.
Mark did not believe her explanation for even one single second.
He heard a faint, muffed whimpering sound coming from down the corridor.
The sound came from the storage hallway behind the grand kitchen.
Mark sprinted down the smooth marble floor toward the distant sound.
Victoria: Mark, wait! Do not open that door!
Victoria chased after him, her high heels clicking loudly against the marble.
Mark reached the heavy wooden door at the end of the bright hall.
The door was locked with a heavy iron latch from the outside.
Mark slid the metal latch open with a sharp metallic clink.
He pulled the heavy door open and stared into the small room.
Little Lily was sitting on the cold floor, sobbing silently in fear.
She had been locked inside the small room without any soft light.
Mark: Lily! Oh my goodness, my sweet baby girl!
Mark dropped quickly to his knees on the white marble floor.
He scooped the small girl up into his strong arms immediately.
Mark: I am here now. You are completely safe with me.
Lily wrapped her tiny arms around Mark's neck, crying into his shirt.
Mark turned his head toward Victoria with pure fury in his eyes.