The heavy double doors at the top of the stairs burst open wide.
Julian Sterling ran down the steps wearing his dark burgundy suit.
His face was red with pure shock and rising anger.
Julian: What on earth is going on down here right now?!
Victoria instantly changed her facial expression from anger to fake panic.
She took two steps back and began sniffling like a victim.
Victoria: Oh Julian! Thank heaven you are finally awake!
Julian: Why is my son crying so loudly, Victoria?
Victoria: This maid tried to take your son out of the house!
Elena looked up at Julian with honest, tearful eyes.
Elena: That is completely untrue, Mr. Sterling!
Victoria: She grabbed him from his crib and threatened me!
Victoria pointed an accusing finger directly at the quiet maid.
Victoria: She was trying to kidnap him for ransom money!
Julian reached the bottom step and walked toward both women.
His tall frame cast a long shadow over the white floor.
Julian: Elena, is this true? Speak to me right now.
Elena: No, sir! I was protecting Leo from her demands!
Victoria: Do not listen to her lies, my darling fiancé!
Elena: She explicitly mentioned the thirty million dollar inheritance fund!
Julian stopped in his tracks and narrowed his brown eyes sharply.
The mention of that exact legal number changed his entire look.
Only three people in the state knew about that private trust fund.
Julian: How do you know about that figure, Elena?
Elena: She screamed it directly into my face moments ago!
Victoria: She is making up stories to save her own job!
Victoria reached out to grab Julian's arm with fake affection.
Victoria: Fire her immediately and call our family lawyer, please!
Elena: Please believe me, Mr. Sterling! Check the security cameras!
Julian looked down at his crying son in Elena's safe arms.
He could see that Elena was trembling from emotional fear.
Yet she had wrapped her body completely around the baby boy.
That was not the action of someone trying to hurt a child.
Julian: Nobody is leaving this foyer until I check the truth.