The bright morning sun shone brightly through the large white arched windows.
David left early for a major business meeting in the city center.
Lily walked down the grand marble staircase carrying her small blue school bag.
She reached for her neck to touch her mother's gold floral locket.
Her hand touched bare skin and her heart started beating very fast.
The golden locket contained the only photograph of her late biological mother.
Lily ran back up the spiral stairs toward her second floor bedroom.
She searched under her bed and inside all her desk drawers quickly.
The precious gold locket was nowhere to be found in her room.
Tears filled her eyes as she walked toward the long upper hallway.
She saw the door to Victoria's private dressing room standing slightly open.
Lily tiptoed near the door frame and looked inside the quiet room.
She saw Victoria standing near a tall mahogany jewelry display box.
In Victoria's hand was the shiny golden locket on its thin chain.
Lily: That is my mother's necklace you are holding!
Victoria: You should learn to knock before walking into my room.
Lily: Please give it back to me, it is mine!
Victoria: This expensive gold piece belongs to the family estate now.
Lily: My mom gave it to me before she passed away!
Victoria: A child does not need to wear expensive gold heirlooms around.
Lily: I will tell my daddy as soon as he comes home!
Victoria snatched the gold chain tightly and locked it in her desk.
She turned around with a cold, stern look across her face.
Victoria: If you say one word, I will send you away.
Lily: Daddy would never let you send me away from here!
Victoria: Your father listens to whatever I tell him to do.
Lily backed away slowly into the bright second floor marble hallway.
Her small heart was racing as she wiped away her cold tears.
She realized then that Victoria never truly cared about her at all.
Victoria walked out into the hallway, standing tall over the child.
She wanted full control over the wealthy estate and its vast inheritance.
She viewed the young girl as an obstacle to her financial future.
If Lily remained the primary heir, Victoria would get very little money.
Victoria had been secretly consulting a shady lawyer about trust fund laws.
She wanted to convince David to place all assets under her control.
But Lily was starting to speak up and question her harsh rules.
Victoria stepped closer to Lily near the wide decorative balcony railing.
The grand white balcony overlooked the main floor two stories below them.
A massive crystal chandelier hung brightly right in the center space.
Lily felt backed into a corner near the low white stone balustrade.
Lily: Stay away from me, Victoria!
Victoria: You will hand over all your mother's old legal items today.
Lily: No, I am taking them back right now!
Lily reached toward Victoria's hand to grab the desk key back.
Victoria reached out sharply to push the child's hand away roughly.
Lily stumbled backward on the slick marble floor near the high drop.
Her foot slipped off the edge of the second floor balcony edge.