David dried Lily off with a soft towel and carried her inside.
He tucked her into bed with her favorite stuffed bear.
He placed the clean silver locket back around her neck safely.
Then he walked back down to the spacious living room downstairs.
Evelyn was sitting on the leather sofa, sipping an iced tea.
David: How could you treat my daughter like that?
Evelyn: She is spoiled, David. She worships a ghost every single day.
David: Sarah was her mother, and that locket was a gift.
Evelyn: Sarah is gone, and I am your wife now.
David: Being my wife does not give you the right to be cruel.
Evelyn stood up and adjusted her navy blue dress with a smirk.
Evelyn: We need to move forward as a normal family.
Evelyn: That means setting new rules for this entire house.
David: The only rule here is that my daughter comes first.
David walked over to his grand oak desk in the corner office.
He pulled out a thick envelope that had arrived that morning.
It was from Sarah's former estate administrator and trust fund supervisor.
David: I received an update from the bank about Sarah's trust fund.
Evelyn's eyes suddenly lit up with sharp curiosity and interest.
Evelyn: What did the letter say about the money?
David: Why do you care so much about Sarah's inheritance?
Evelyn: Well, we have a heavy mortgage on this Dallas estate.
Evelyn: Using that money could help clear our debts easily.
David: That money belongs exclusively to Lily when she turns eighteen.
Evelyn: She is seven years old, David! We should manage it now.
David: It is locked tight in a legal trust fund.
Evelyn walked up close to David and crossed her arms tightly.
Evelyn: I saw a letter on your computer last night, David.
Evelyn: You applied for a secondary guardian access form.
David: I did that to ensure Lily's school tuition was covered.
Evelyn: If you add my name, I can handle the paperwork for you.
David looked at her face and saw a cold, calculating stranger.
He remembered how she had treated Lily out by the pool minutes ago.
A sudden wave of deep suspicion hit his mind.
David: You have been prying into my private legal documents.
Evelyn: We are married, David! What is yours is mine!
David: Sarah's trust fund will never be yours, Evelyn.
Evelyn: We will see about that very soon, my dear husband.