Julian held Lily securely in his left arm while pulling his smartphone out of his suit pocket with his right hand.
Julian: "Look at this screen, Victoria. Look at what my security camera captured two minutes ago."
Victoria: "Julian, please... put the phone away. Let's talk about this in private."
Julian: "Talk?! The audio picked up every single word you said to my three-year-old daughter!"
Julian pressed play on his phone, and the distinct sound of Victoria's voice echoed through the high foyer: "You don't belong in this family, Lily!" followed immediately by Lily's terrifying scream.
Victoria: "Turn it off! Delete it right now!"
Julian: "I'm sending this recording directly to my lawyer and the district attorney."
Victoria: "If you do that, you will ruin our family name! The press will go wild!"
Julian: "I don't care about the press! I care about keeping my daughter safe from a murderous sociopath!"
Sarah, the family's senior maid wearing her traditional grey uniform, rushed into the foyer from the kitchen hallway, her hands trembling.
Sarah: "Mr. Vance! Is Lily okay?! I heard screaming!"
Julian: "Lily is fine, Sarah. I caught her when this woman threw her off the balcony."
Sarah: "Oh my God... Mr. Vance, two days ago I saw her reading legal papers in your study!"
Julian turned his sharp gaze toward Victoria, his jaw clenching tight.
Julian: "What legal papers, Sarah?"
Sarah: "She was looking over the family trust fund documents. I heard her on the phone asking someone if the pre-nuptial agreement would be voided if the primary heir passed away."
Julian let out a cold, bitter laugh, shaking his head in absolute disgust.
Julian: "So that was your plan... You wanted to eliminate Lily so you could inherit my entire estate!"
Victoria: "Your pre-nuptial agreement gave me almost nothing if we divorced! Three hundred thousand dollars! That's pocket change for a billionaire!"
Julian: "Three hundred thousand dollars was more than generous for two years of marriage!"
Victoria: "I deserved a share of this mansion! I deserved a share of your company! Why should a toddler inherit millions while I live on crumbs?!"
Julian: "Because she is my biological daughter! And you are a greedy, evil criminal!"
Victoria: "I played the sweet stepmother for two years! I catered to your every need while you spent all your time in corporate boardrooms!"
Julian: "You played a role to get your hands on my trust fund!"
Victoria stood up, her emerald green gown rustling as she took a step toward the heavy wooden front doors.
Victoria: "Give me two million dollars! Wire two million dollars to my account right now, and I will sign a non-disclosure agreement and leave the country!"
Julian: "I won't give you a single dollar. You are going to prison."
Victoria: "You wouldn't dare put me in prison! My father is a high-ranking corporate attorney! He will tie you up in litigation for ten years!"
Julian: "Let him try. No lawyer in the world can defend video footage of a woman throwing a baby off a balcony."
Outside the mansion, the loud wail of police sirens began echoing down the long private driveway, drawing closer to the front gates.
Victoria: "No... no! You didn't call them already?!"
Julian: "I pressed the silent alarm on my smartwatch the second I caught Lily. The police are here."