Officer Miller: "Dallas Police! Step out into the hallway with your hands visible!"
Two uniformed officers marched into the master suite, their boots thumping heavily against the marble tiles. Behind them, Maria stood holding a clean ice pack to Lily's arm while David held his daughter tightly against his chest.
David: "Officers, in here. My wife, Victoria Sterling, just physically assaulted my adopted daughter with an open flame."
Victoria: "Officer, this is a complete misunderstanding! My husband is trying to frame me so he can get full control of our joint marital assets during a divorce!"
Officer Miller: "Ma'am, stay right where you are. Sir, does the child need emergency medical attention?"
David: "Our private doctor is arriving in five minutes. She has a second-degree burn mark on her forearm. And we have full 4K video footage of the entire incident recorded on our home security server."
Officer Miller: "Show me the mark, sir."
David gently lifted Lily's sleeve, revealing the bright red blister forming on her forearm. Officer Miller's eyes narrowed as he looked at the injury, then at the red plastic lighter sitting on the floor nearby.
Officer Miller: "Turn around and place your hands behind your back, ma'am."
Victoria: "What?! You can't arrest me! Do you know who my father is?! He owns the largest law firm in Texas!"
Officer Miller: "I don't care who your father is. You are under arrest for felony child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, and child endangerment."
The metal handcuffs clicked loudly as they snapped around Victoria's slender wrists. She shrieked in anger, kicking her heels against the marble floor as the officers escorted her toward the grand staircase.
Victoria: "David! Tell them to stop! You're destroying our family name!"
David: "You destroyed it yourself the moment you lit that fire."
Victoria: "I will sue you for every penny you have! My lawyers will strip you of this mansion!"
David: "Try it. The prenup you signed explicitly states that any criminal act committed on estate property forfeits all rights to alimony, property, and business shares."
Victoria's jaw dropped as the officers led her down the stairs, her loud protests fading down the grand foyer as the heavy front doors slammed shut behind her.