David looked at his crying daughter wrapped tightly in Maria's protective, trembling arms on the floor.
He dropped his leather briefcase onto the white marble tile without caring where it landed.
His face turned red with immediate shock and anger as he knelt down beside his child.
David: Is she hurt?! Maria, tell me what happened right now!
Lily: Daddy! Daddy!
David: I am here, baby girl, daddy has got you safe now.
Maria: She pushed her down the stairs, Mr. David!
Elena: Don't listen to her! It was an absolute accident!
Maria: I stood right there and saw her hand push the stroller!
David looked up from his daughter, his eyes locking onto Elena with unbelievable disbelief and rage.
Elena stood three steps up on the staircase, clenching her fists tightly at her sides.
She looked down at the maid with venomous eyes before putting on a fake theatrical expression.
Elena: David, this crazy maid is making up insane lies to save herself!
Maria: She left the wooden gate unlatched on purpose while talking to her lawyer!
Elena: I was moving boxes! The girl ran over before I could reach her!
Maria: You watched her slip and did not reach out your hand at all!
David: Is this true, Elena? Did you leave that gate wide open?
Elena: David, you know how much I love this little girl and our life!
Maria: Look at the top floor carpet, sir, her signed legal papers are everywhere!
David stood up to his full height, his crisp charcoal grey suit fitted sharply against his frame.
He took a slow step toward the stairs, his fists clenched as tension filled the air.
The large American flag behind Elena seemed to highlight the serious weight of the moment.
David looked at the open gate above, then down at his daughter's frightened face in Maria's arms.
All the warning signs he had ignored over the past few months suddenly became crystal clear.
Elena's constant questions about the life insurance policies and child trust funds were not innocent.
She had been scheming to gain full financial control of his family estate from the beginning.
Elena: David, please listen to reason before you make a terrible mistake!
David: You put my three-year-old child in direct, life-threatening danger today!
Elena: It was a simple mistake! Anyone could have missed the latch!
David: You do not care about her at all, you only care about money!
Elena: That is not true, I love you and this family!
David raised his arm and pointed his finger directly toward the open double front doors.