The bright yellow taxi pulled into the long gravel driveway of the Sterling estate at two o'clock.
Mark paid the driver and grabbed his leather luggage, feeling happy to be home early.
He wanted to surprise his baby daughter and give his hardworking sister a proper thank you gift.
As he walked up the wide stone steps toward the front doors, he heard strange noises inside.
He unlocked the heavy black double doors with his bronze key and stepped into the foyer.
The moment he stepped inside, the faint sound of a baby crying reached his ears.
He dropped his leather luggage onto the marble floor, his brow furrowing with deep concern.
He hurried down the grand hallway toward the back storage wing where the noise was coming from.
As he turned the corner, he saw a scene that made his blood run completely cold.
Victoria was standing near the locked storage door, holding a ring of heavy brass keys.
Clara was on her knees in front of her, crying desperately with tears streaming down her face.
Clara: Please unlock the door, Miss Sterling, she is just a baby!
Victoria: Keep your voice down, Clara, or I will make sure you never work again!
Mark stood frozen for a single second, unable to believe his own eyes and ears.
Then a wave of absolute rage washed over him like a sudden tidal wave in court.
He sprinted down the hallway, his heavy leather dress shoes clicking loudly against the marble tile.
Mark: What in the world is happening here right now?!
Victoria spun around, her face turning pale white as she saw her brother standing there.
Victoria: Mark! You... you were not supposed to be back home until tomorrow night!
Mark: Why is my daughter crying behind a locked storage room door, Victoria?!
Clara scrambled to her feet and pointed an angry, trembling finger straight at Victoria.
Clara: She locked baby Lily in the cold storage room because she would not stop crying!
Victoria: She is lying, Mark! I was just cleaning the room and the door fell shut!
Clara: She has been mistreating your daughter every time you leave town for work!
Clara: Look at my arm, she shoved me when I tried to get the baby out!
Mark looked down at Clara's bruised arm, then snatched the brass keys straight from Victoria's hand.
He unlocked the heavy wooden door and pulled the small crying baby into his strong arms.
He held little Lily close against his chest, kissing her forehead and rocking her softly.
Mark: Shh, you are safe now, my sweet girl, daddy is right here with you.
The baby held onto her father's crisp suit jacket, her small shoulders shaking with soft sobs.
Mark turned his eyes toward his sister, his expression filled with pure disgust and extreme anger.
Mark: How could you do this to my innocent child after everything I gave you?!