By late afternoon, news of the public fallout inside the estate had spread through the town.
Arthur moved Lily to a quiet study room upstairs to keep her safe from the rising chaos.
He sat near the large oak desk, holding a warm bottle of milk for his small daughter.
The soft ticking of the old mantle clock was the only sound breaking the heavy silence.
Suddenly, the heavy double doors swept open, and Victoria marched into the private study.
She had taken off her designer jacket, though she still wore her bright yellow silk dress.
Her eyes were red with anger, and her hands trembled as she clutched a legal document.
She slammed the papers onto the wooden desk right in front of Arthur's calm face.
Victoria: Sign these separation papers now, or I will ruin your family name forever.
Arthur: You have already damaged our family name with your endless greed and deceit.
Victoria: I demand half of the corporate shares and the penthouse apartment in the city!
Arthur: You will receive only what the court decides after reviewing your behavior today.
Victoria reached down and grabbed the edge of the wooden desk, leaning in extremely close.
She pointed a finger toward the sleeping infant resting inside the small padded crib nearby.
She threatened to file false reports with child protective services to drag the fight out for years.
Arthur stood up slowly from his leather chair, his tall frame towering over his bitter wife.
He felt no fear left inside his heart, only a deep determination to protect his daughter.
Arthur: If you try to drag Lily into your games, I will bring every witness downstairs.
Victoria: Nobody in that room will side with a broke husband over me!
Arthur: They saw how you treated our child today, and the security cameras recorded everything.
Victoria froze when she heard Arthur mention the high-definition security cameras in the hall.
She had forgotten that every corner of the grand mansion was monitored around the clock.
The video footage would prove to any judge that she had abandoned her baby during the event.
Her legal threats lost all their power in an instant, leaving her helpless and desperate.
She took a shaky step back, her expensive leather shoes slipping slightly on the rug.
Victoria: You prepared all of this behind my back, didn't you?
Arthur: I only sought to shield my daughter from a life of neglect and cold cruelty.
Victoria: You will regret turning against me, Arthur, I swear it!
Arthur watched her storm out of the study, the heavy wooden doors slamming shut behind her.