Richard stood up slowly while holding Maya firmly against his chest with both of his arms.
He stared at Evelyn as she approached the bottom step, her eyes filled with fake tears.
He noticed that her hands were completely dry and her clothing was completely neat and tidy.
There was no sign of panic or frantic effort on her face until he had caught Maya.
Richard remembered clearly how the safety gate had been resting completely unlatched before the fall occurred.
That specific gate had a double-locking mechanism that could never open on its own without help.
Richard: You did this on purpose!
Evelyn: How can you say that? I love this child like my own daughter!
Richard: The lock on that gate does not just slip open by itself, Evelyn!
Evelyn: It must have been faulty, Richard, please calm down and listen to me!
Richard set Maya down gently behind his legs and pulled his smartphone from his inner pocket.
The mansion was equipped with a state-of-the-art security system that recorded high-definition video continuously.
He tapped the screen quickly to open the live playback app for the second-floor balcony camera.
Evelyn's face turned completely pale as she realized the security camera was pointed right there.
The footage clearly showed Evelyn walking up to the gate five minutes earlier and unlatching it.
It showed her calling Maya toward the dangerous edge while deliberately stepping back into the shadows.
The proof was unmistakable, displaying her calculated actions in clear, unyielding detail on the screen.
Richard felt a wave of intense anger and profound disgust crash over his entire body at once.
He pointed a stern finger directly at Evelyn's face, his voice trembling with deep rage.
Richard: Never touch my daughter again, and get out of my sight right now!