Silence settled back over the grand mansion as the sound of police sirens faded down the quiet suburban street.
Daniel walked into his private study, sitting down behind the heavy mahogany desk while Beatrice served him a cup of black tea.
Beatrice: Is Aurora resting peacefully in her room, Mr. Daniel?
Daniel: Yes, Beatrice. She fell asleep right after taking her pain medication.
Beatrice: Poor sweet angel. She didn't deserve a single second of this horror.
Daniel: Neither did you, Beatrice. Thank you for standing up to Vanessa in that bathroom today.
Beatrice: I promised your mother on her deathbed that I would protect this family with my life, Mr. Daniel. I wasn't about to let that greedy woman destroy this home.
Daniel: Speaking of greedy... take a look at what I found in her bedroom nightstand before the police arrived.
Daniel slid a thick manila folder across the mahogany desk toward the old nanny.
Beatrice opened the folder, her eyes scanning through pages of bank statements, forged signatures, and legal contracts.
Beatrice: Merciful heavens... what is all this?
Daniel: Vanessa wasn't just planning to marry me for my trust fund, Beatrice. She was actively stealing from Vance Enterprises.
Beatrice: How could she steal from your firm without you noticing?
Daniel: She worked with her father's accountant to create shell companies in Delaware. Over the last four months, she funneled nearly two million dollars out of our charity foundation accounts.
Beatrice: The charity fund meant for pediatric medical care?!
Daniel: Exactly. She was using the stolen funds to pay off her father's massive gambling debts in Las Vegas.
Beatrice: She is even worse than I thought. She's a thief and a monster.
Daniel: My corporate lawyers are filing federal fraud charges against both her and Harrison Montgomery tomorrow morning.
Beatrice: Will Harrison be going to prison as well?
Daniel: If there is any justice in this country, he will spend the next ten years in a federal penitentiary right alongside his daughter.
The heavy oak door of the study opened softly, and little Aurora stepped inside, rubbing her eyes with her uninjured hand.
Aurora: Daddy? I had a bad dream...
Daniel: Come here, my sweet girl.
Daniel immediately lifted her up into his lap, wrapping his arms around her tightly as she rested her head on his shoulder.
Aurora: Is Miss Vanessa coming back when I wake up tomorrow?
Daniel: No, Aurora. Miss Vanessa is gone forever. She can never hurt you or anyone else in this house again.
Aurora: Promi-se, Daddy?
Daniel: I promise you on my life, baby. From now on, it's just you, me, and Beatrice.
Beatrice: And I'll be baking fresh chocolate chip cookies for breakfast tomorrow morning to make sure of it.
Aurora let out a small, soft laugh, burying her face into her father's suit coat as she drifted back to sleep in the safety of his arms.