The bright afternoon sun poured through the massive bay windows of the luxury mansion in downtown Chicago.
Sarah adjusted her white silk dress as she sat near the head of the polished marble dining table.
Across from her sat Eleanor, her wealthy mother-in-law, who stared at her with cold contempt.
Eleanor: You have never belonged in this family, Sarah.
Sarah took a deep breath and kept her posture upright and calm.
Sarah: I married Mark because I love him, Eleanor.
Eleanor: You married him for our family trust fund and our estate.
Mark walked into the bright dining room holding a stack of legal papers.
He sat down next to his mother without looking his wife in the eye.
Mark: Mom is just looking out for our family legacy, Sarah.
Sarah: I have worked hard for every single dollar I own.
Eleanor sneered and picked up her heavy ceramic bowl of hot soup.
Eleanor: You are nothing but a gold digger from a small town.
Without another word, Eleanor stood up and intentionally dumped the hot liquid across Sarah's dress.
The heavy bowl crashed onto the marble floor and shattered into dozens of sharp pieces.
Sarah gasped as the hot soup stained her clean white dress and scalded her skin.
Sarah: What is wrong with you!
Eleanor stepped back and wiped her hands on a linen napkin with a cruel smile.
Eleanor: Oh dear, my hands slipped because I am getting older.
Sarah turned to her husband with shock and disbelief covering her face.
Sarah: Mark, did you just see what your mother did to me?
Mark stood up slowly and looked at the mess on the marble floor.
Mark: It was clearly just an unfortunate accident, Sarah.
Sarah: She threw it at me on purpose!
Mark: Do not raise your voice at my mother in her house.
Sarah felt a wave of anger wash over her as she realized Mark would never defend her.
Sarah: She assaulted me right in front of your eyes.
Mark: You need to calm down before you make things worse.
Eleanor: Tell her to clean up this mess right now, Mark.
Mark: You heard my mother, Sarah.
Mark: You apologize to my mother right now for causing this scene.
Sarah stood rooted to the spot as her husband demanded her total submission.
Sarah: I will never apologize for being attacked in broad daylight.
Mark: Then you are disobeying me in my own family home.
Sarah: You think this mansion belongs only to your mother, don't you?
Eleanor: Of course it belongs to us, you ungrateful girl.
Sarah pulled her smartphone out of her leather purse with firm, steady hands.
Mark: What do you think you are doing with that phone?
Sarah unlocked the screen and dialed three familiar numbers without hesitating.