Victoria: "Staircase camera...? There is no camera on the stairs!"
Richard: "My late wife installed 4K lenses in the molding near the American flag three years ago."
Hannah: "Mr. Vance, I can verify the footage immediately. The app feed connects directly to my phone as well."
Victoria: "Hannah! You sneaky, disgusting snake!"
Richard: "Quiet, Victoria! Hannah, pull up the recording right now."
Hannah reached into her blue apron pocket, pulling out a small tablet device. Her fingers tapped the screen quickly as the electronic chime signaled the footage loading. She handed the device straight to Richard.
Hannah: "Timestamp twelve fifteen PM, sir. Just three minutes ago."
Richard stared down at the screen, his jaw clenching so tight the muscles in his face quivered. On the crisp, clear video, Victoria could be seen grabbing young Toby by his collar, dragging him toward the top landing, and deliberately shoving him down the steep marble steps.
Richard: "You monstrous piece of trash..."
Victoria: "Richard... please! It looks worse than it was! I just lost my temper!"
Richard: "You shoved a seven-year-old child down twenty marble steps because you wanted him out of the picture!"
Victoria: "I did it for us! He stands between you and the full inheritance of the Vance estate trust!"
Richard: "The estate trust belongs to Toby! I am merely the trustee until he turns twenty-one!"
Victoria: "And if he isn't here, the trustee becomes the sole beneficiary! You told me that yourself last month!"
Richard looked at her with pure disgust. The realization hit him that he had brought a dangerous predator into his home under the guise of love.
Richard: "You married me just to get your hands on my dead wife's family fortune."
Victoria: "I loved you, Richard! But we deserve that money! We deserve to live like royalty without a brat constantly reminding you of your ex-wife!"
Hannah: "She also stole the legal documents from your private safe this morning, Mr. Vance."
Richard turned his head sharply toward Hannah, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Richard: "What documents?"
Hannah: "The adoption papers and the original trust fund deed. She put them in her designer handbag before coming out onto the stairs."
Richard gestured to the two security officers standing at the base of the staircase.
Richard: "Search her bag immediately."
Victoria: "Don't you dare touch my purse! That is private property!"
The guard moved up the stairs swiftly, snatching the green leather handbag from Victoria's arm despite her screaming and kicking. He unzipped the main compartment, pulling out a thick manila folder filled with stamped legal documents.
Security Officer: "Here they are, Mr. Vance. The original deed and adoption certificates."
Richard: "You were planning to destroy the original adoption records so Toby wouldn't have a legal claim to the estate."
Victoria collapsed onto the stair runner, her green sequin dress bunched around her knees as she wept tears of defeat and rage. Her grand plan to steal millions had completely disintegrated in less than ten minutes.