Mark stood up slowly, holding both children firmly in his strong arms. His jaw was locked tight, his knuckles white where he held Lily's small frame. He moved toward the entrance couch and carefully set both children down on the soft cushions. He pulled a clean silk handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the tears and dirt from Lily's face. He checked her leg cast, noticing new cracks near the heel where she had dragged it across the floor. The anger inside Mark was no longer just sadness or confusion; it was a powerful, protective fury that filled every inch of his body.
Mark: Look at her knees, Victoria! Look at what you made her do!
Victoria: She was being dramatic, just like her father. A little crawling won't kill her.
Mark: She was trying to carry her baby brother to get help!
Victoria: Don't look at me like that, Mark. They were being noisy.
Victoria stepped off the bottom stair and stood near the large American flag, crossing her arms over her green gown. She didn't offer to hold the baby, nor did she check if Lily was in pain. Instead, she adjusted her gold bracelet and looked at her husband with an annoyed pout, as if he were the one causing an unnecessary inconvenience. Mark walked toward her, his heavy steps shaking the small glass decorative tables nearby. The silence in the hallway felt heavy and dangerous, like the moments right before a violent storm breaks.
Mark: You left a crippled six-year-old and an infant alone on the floor without food or care for hours?
Victoria: I was busy with my own schedule! I have a life too, Mark! You can't expect me to spend every minute playing mother to children that aren't even mine biological responsibility!
Mark: I pay for everything you wear, everything you drive, and every breath of luxury you take in this house!
Victoria: You can't talk to me like that in my own house!
The words left Victoria's mouth with incredible arrogance, showing complete disregard for the pain she had inflicted on the young family. Mark stopped two feet away from her. He looked into her eyes and realized that the woman he married was a complete stranger—a selfish person who saw his children as nothing more than annoying obstacles to her easy life. All the warmth and respect he had ever felt for her evaporated in an instant, replaced by a deep desire to protect his blood at any cost.