Marcus turned his eyes upward toward the top of the marble staircase.
His face darkened with confusion and sudden anger as he processed the claim.
Elena was already hurrying down the stairs with a worried look on her face.
She clutched her gold dress tightly as she made her way down.
Elena: Marcus, darling, that is completely untrue!
Elena: It was a terrible accident, my hands were simply slick!
Marcus set his leather briefcase onto the dark wooden side table.
He walked directly toward the center of the spacious sunlit foyer.
Marcus: Is this true, Elena?
Elena: Of course not, why would I break your family heirloom?
Margarethe: She looked right at me and dropped it deliberate!
Elena stepped onto the main floor and stood directly before her husband.
She tried to reach out and touch his arm gently.
Marcus pulled his arm away before she could make any physical contact.
Marcus: Margarethe has served my family faithfully for over a decade.
Marcus: She has never lied to me about anything in this house.
Elena: So you trust a hired worker over your own wife?
Marcus: I trust honesty, regardless of who it comes from.
Elena backed away slightly as Marcus kept his eyes fixed upon her.
The silence in the grand foyer felt heavier than any loud argument.
Margarethe carefully placed the heavy crystal vase onto a soft padded chair.
She stood up straight and looked directly at the woman in gold.
Margarethe: You wanted it to break so you could blame me.
Elena: Keep your quiet if you want to keep your job!
Marcus: Do not speak to her like that in my presence.
Elena gasped as Marcus stepped between her and the housekeeper.
She realized instantly that her quick story was not convincing him.
Her hand trembled slightly against the fabric of her golden dress.
Marcus: Explain to me why you were touching that vase at all.
Elena: I was just trying to help redecorate the upper floor!
Marcus: You were told specifically never to move my grandmother's belongings.