Richard stood frozen near the grand staircase, his gaze shifting from the tear-stained face of the young maid to the trembling toddler wrapped tightly in her arms. The high-key daylight illuminated every terrified flicker in the little girl's eyes.
Richard: Elena, look at me. Did Victoria really touch her?
Elena: I swear on my life, Mr. Vance! I saw her shove her right over the railing!
Victoria: She is lying, Richard! The maid tripped and tried to blame me to save her own job!
Elena: Look at the balcony cameras, sir! The security footage will show everything she did!
Victoria flinched at the mention of the security system, her face turning pale beneath her makeup.
Victoria: We do not need to check any cameras! Fire this incompetent liar right now!
Richard: Be quiet, Victoria. If there is footage, we are going to look at every single second of it.
Victoria: You would trust a servant over your own wife?
Elena: She does not care about this child, Mr. Vance! She wanted her gone!
Richard took a deep breath, his hands trembling with a sudden, suffocating realization about the woman he had married.
Richard: I checked the trust fund documents this morning, Victoria.
Victoria: What does that have to do with anything?
Richard: Everything leaves to our daughter upon my passing, unless an accident occurs first.
Victoria stepped back toward the marble wall, her breathing turning shallow and erratic.
Victoria: You are insane! You are listening to a crazy maid!
Richard: Elena saved her life today, and you are going to answer for what you tried to do.
Elena: Hold her close, sweetheart. You are safe now.
The tension in the grand foyer reached a boiling point as Richard's expression hardened into pure, unforgiving fury.