Arthur stood between the two women, his mind racing as he looked from one to the other.
He held baby Lucas tightly against his chest, feeling the small child's chest rise and fall.
His eyes shifted from his frantic, shouting wife to the humble maid kneeling on the cold floor.
Elena looked directly into Arthur's eyes, her gaze clear, steady, and filled with complete honesty.
Elena: Mr. Vance, I swear on my life, I caught the stroller after she pushed it from above.
Victoria: She is a careless thief trying to save her job after almost hurting our precious boy!
Victoria reached out to grab Arthur's arm, her face twisted in a fake show of tearful panic.
Victoria: Fire her right now, Arthur! Fire her and call the police before she lies further!
Arthur stepped back from his wife's reach, his eyes narrowing as he observed her dramatic body language.
He had known Elena for two full years, and she had never once been dishonest or careless.
She treated his family with deep respect and cared for the home as if it were her own.
On the other hand, Arthur had noticed Victoria's growing impatience and strange behavior over recent weeks.
He remembered her complaining bitterly about the demands of raising a young child in the house.
He remembered her asking detailed questions about his life insurance policy and total estate distribution.
A dark, uncomfortable thought began to form in the deep corners of Arthur's analytical mind.
Arthur: Silence, both of you right now!
Arthur spoke with absolute authority, his powerful voice ringing out through the vast open space.
The baby stopped crying, lulled by the steady tone of his father's deep, commanding voice.
Victoria snapped her mouth shut, her lower lip trembling as she tried to maintain her innocent act.
Elena remained quiet on her knees, waiting patiently for the truth to find its proper way out.
Arthur looked up at the high balcony ceiling where the modern security cameras were subtly installed.
Four small dome cameras monitored every main hallway, including the second-floor balcony and grand staircase.
Victoria's eyes darted upward toward the ceiling, and a flash of pure terror crossed her face.
She had forgotten about the upgraded high-definition security system Arthur had installed last month.
Her face lost all its color, turning as white as the polished marble walls surrounding them.
Arthur: We do not need to argue about who is telling the truth here today.
Arthur kept his voice steady, but a deep anger bubbled beneath his calm, cold surface.
Arthur: The security cameras record every single corner of this house around the clock.
He pulled his sleek smartphone from his inner coat pocket and unlocked the encrypted home security app.
Victoria reached out frantically, trying to swipe the phone right out of her husband's hands.
Victoria: Arthur, no! You don't need to check those stupid feeds right now!
Arthur easily dodged her grabbing hand, turning his shoulder to protect the clear screen display.
Arthur: Stand back, Victoria!
He tapped the screen three times, pulling up the crystal-clear video recording from two minutes ago.
The high-angle video clip showed the second-floor hallway in absolute, sharp, color detail.