The sound of shouting bounced off the marble walls of the west wing as Richard and Lily neared the storage room. Victoria was dragging Sarah down the hallway by her arm, while Sarah struggled weakly against her grip.
Victoria: Move your feet, Sarah! The driver is waiting, and I don't have time for your pathetic drama!
Sarah: Release me, Victoria! Richard will destroy you for this!
Victoria: Richard doesn't care about you! He married you out of pity after his first wife passed away, and he'll be glad to have you out of his life!
Richard: Is that what you think, Victoria?
Victoria froze mid-stride, her body locking up as Richard walked around the corner. Sarah collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air as Richard rushed past Victoria, dropping to his knees beside his wife.
Richard: Sarah! Oh my God, Sarah, look at me!
Sarah: Richard... you came home... you're really here...
Richard: I'm here, honey. I'm right here. I'm so sorry, I came as fast as I could when my pilot told me the flight cancellation was fake.
Victoria swallowed hard, stepping back toward the wall as she tried to pull her dress straight, her mind racing to find an excuse.
Victoria: Richard, darling! Thank goodness you're back! Sarah has had a complete mental breakdown while you were gone!
Richard: Don't call me darling, Victoria.
Victoria: I'm telling you the truth! She locked herself in that dusty room and started screaming that people were trying to poison her! I was just trying to get her to a private clinic for her own safety!
Lily: That's a lie! Victoria put the padlock on the door! I saw her key on the kitchen table!
Richard: Lily found her with a heavy lock on the door, Victoria. How do you explain a padlock on the outside of a storage room if she locked herself inside?
Victoria opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her cheeks turned bright red as she backed up another step.
Victoria: She... she must have tricked the staff! You know how manipulative she is, Richard! She's jealous because your father left me a share of the family trust fund!
Richard: My father left you a small maintenance stipend, Victoria. A stipend you exceeded by four hundred thousand dollars last month.
Victoria: What?
Richard: My financial forensic team finished reviewing the offshore accounts two hours ago while I was on my jet. You didn't just lock my wife away—you've been stealing from my daughter's educational fund for over a year.
Victoria: That money was used for estate renovations! You authorized those transfers yourself!
Richard: I never signed those documents. You forged my signature on six separate corporate wire transfers.
Victoria looked around the hallway, realizing that all three estate maids and two maintenance workers had gathered at the end of the hall, watching her entire downfall unfold in real time.