Victoria: Carter! Please! Think about our wedding! We were supposed to get married in three weeks!
Carter: There is no wedding, Victoria. There never was.
Victoria: You monster! You planned this whole thing!
Carter: You brought this upon yourself the moment you laid your hands on my children.
The officers led Victoria down the long marble hallway toward the grand foyer. High-society house staff and estate security stood along the walls, watching in silence as the former socialite was dragged away in handcuffs.
Her red silk dress dragged across the polished floor, her manicured nails digging into the officer's sleeve as she thrashed against their grip.
Victoria: You'll pay for this, Carter! I'll hire the best defense team in Washington!
Detective Vance: Save your breath for the magistrate judge, Miss Vance. Mind your head.
The heavy glass front doors pushed open, and the cold afternoon air rushed into the foyer. Flashing red and blue lights illuminated the stone pillars outside, where two police cruisers were idling along the curb.
A crowd of local news reporters who had been tipped off by estate staff swarmed the driveway, camera flashes exploding in the dim light.
Reporter A: Miss Vance! Is it true you were arrested for child abuse at the Sterling estate?
Reporter B: What happened to the Sterling Family Trust Fund?
Reporter C: Did you force Captain Sterling's daughters into maid uniforms?
Victoria pulled her handcuffed hands up, trying desperately to cover her face from the flashing lenses, but the photographers captured every second of her ruined, tear-stained face.
Victoria: Get those cameras out of my face! Get them away from me!
Officer Davis pushed her head down, guiding her into the back seat of the lead police cruiser. The heavy metal door slammed shut, cutting off her shrill shouting instantly.
Inside the bright white kitchen, Henderson brought two warm blankets and two glasses of fresh orange juice, setting them on the table for Lily and Mia.
Henderson: Here you go, young ladies. The police officers have cleared the driveway.
Lily: Thank you, Mr. Henderson.
Carter: Henderson, gather every maid uniform in this house and take them out to the fire pit in the back courtyard.
Henderson: Right away, Captain Sterling.
Carter picked up his twin daughters, holding one in each arm as he walked out toward the grand rear terrace overlooking the manicured gardens.
The afternoon sun shone bright and warm over the estate, washing away the dark shadows that had hung over the home for weeks.
Mia: Daddy... are we ever going to see Victoria again?
Carter: No, my sweet girl. She is going away for a very long time.
Lily: And nobody is ever going to make us wear servant clothes again?
Carter: Nobody in this world will ever disrespect you again, Lily. You are Sterling heirs, and this house belongs to you.