The next morning, Lily's father returned home unannounced from his long business trip.
Mr. Sterling walked into the grand foyer carrying his heavy leather traveling bag.
Victoria immediately ran down the stairs with a bright, fake smile on her face.
Victoria: Welcome home, darling, we missed you so much while you were gone!
She leaned in to kiss his cheek, but Lily called out from above.
Lily: Dad! Do not trust a single word that she says to you!
Mr. Sterling looked up in utter surprise as his daughter walked down stairs.
Mr. Sterling: Lily, what is the matter? Why are you speaking like that?
Victoria: Ignore her, dear; she has been acting extremely rebellious lately.
Lily pulled the secret blue folder out from behind her back immediately today.
She handed the legal documents straight into her father's waiting hands below.
Lily: Look at these papers that she hid inside your locked office desk!
Mr. Sterling opened the folder and read through the drafted lawsuit with shock.
His face grew pale as he recognized his own forged signature on lines.
Mr. Sterling: Victoria, what is the meaning of these fake estate papers?
Victoria: That brat stole those private files from my desk; she lied!
Lily: I did not lie, and Martha saw how you treated me yesterday!
Martha stepped forward into the foyer with clear resolve on her soft face.
Martha: It is true, sir; Mrs. Sterling destroyed her late mother's music.
Victoria turned on Martha with a look of pure rage and cruel contempt.
Victoria: You are fired, you useless old woman! Get out of here!
Mr. Sterling: You do not fire anyone in my home, Victoria!
Mr. Sterling looked at the forged papers and then at his daughter's tearful face.
He realized the terrible mistake he had made by trusting Victoria so completely.
The truth was out, and Victoria's carefully crafted deception was finally over.
She stepped back, realizing that her plan had collapsed around her feet.