Arthur: It's over, Lily. It's over. I'm right here.
Lily: Dad... I didn't spill it... I swear I didn't touch her glass...
Arthur: I know, sweetheart. Hush now. Don't say another word.
Arthur gently cradled Lily's head against his shoulder, ignoring the red wine that stained his expensive gray suit jacket as he held her close[cite: 1]. Lily buried her face against his chest, her distressed whimpering filling the bright hallway as two years of pent-up fear finally broke[cite: 1]. Across the room, Victoria took a cautious step back, smoothing down the front of her golden sequined dress with trembling hands[cite: 1].
Victoria: Arthur, darling, you know how clumsy she is! She knocked into my hand while I was carrying my glass from the dining room!
Arthur: Shut your mouth, Victoria.
Victoria: Excuse me?! How dare you speak to me like that in front of the help!
Arthur: I said shut your mouth. Look at her. Look at what you did to my daughter in my own house.
Victoria: I didn't do anything! She is lying to you! She has been trying to turn you against me ever since she moved in here!
Arthur slowly stood up from the checkered marble floor, keeping one protective hand on Lily's shoulder as he turned his full glare toward his wife[cite: 1]. The air in the luxury hallway felt heavy, thick with rising tension under the full daylight[cite: 1].
Arthur: Do you really think I'm blind, Victoria? Do you think I haven't noticed the bruises on her arms over the last six months?
Victoria: She falls down! She's clumsy, Arthur! You know she gets that from her mother's side of the family!
Lily: I don't fall down, Dad... she pushes me when you're at the office...
Victoria: You little liar! How dare you make up such disgusting stories after everything I've done for you!
Arthur: Don't you yell at her in my presence! Not ever again!
Victoria gasped, her cheeks turning red with frustration. She crossed her arms, her golden sequins catching the bright sunlight streaming through the foyer windows[cite: 1].
Victoria: Arthur, you are letting your emotions cloud your judgment! I am your wife! I run this estate! I am the one who organizes your charity galas and handles your family reputation!
Arthur: You are a bully who picks on an eighteen-year-old girl because you're terrified she might inherit what belongs to her.
Victoria: She doesn't belong to the Vance bloodline! She's just a girl you had with a small-town schoolteacher before you built your company!
Lily: My mother was a good person! She was ten times the woman you'll ever be!
Victoria: Keep your mouth shut, Lily! You don't speak to me like that!
Arthur stepped directly between Victoria and Lily, his large frame completely blocking Victoria from getting any closer to his daughter[cite: 1]. His hands clenched into tight fists at his sides as he stared down at his wife with cold contempt[cite: 1].
Arthur: She will speak however she wants in this house, Victoria. Because as of today, you no longer have any authority here.
Victoria: What is that supposed to mean?! You can't talk to me like I'm some servant!
Arthur: It means you are going to pack your bags and leave this mansion before I call the police.
Victoria let out a loud, mocking laugh that echoed off the white walls and crystal fixtures of the grand foyer[cite: 1].
Victoria: Call the police?! On what grounds, Arthur?! It's her word against mine! Who do you think the judge will believe? A respected socialite or a quiet girl with a history of emotional problems?
Arthur: It won't be her word against yours, Victoria.
Victoria: Oh really? And what other witness do you have in this empty hallway?!
Arthur pointed a long finger upward toward the top corner of the gold-trimmed white wall behind her[cite: 1]. High above the marble floor, mounted discreetly near the crown molding, a sleek white security camera pointed its lens directly down at the center of the room, its small red light blinking steadily under the high-key lighting[cite: 1].