Arthur Hudson rushed through the front entrance holding a black leather briefcase.
He stopped dead in his tracks as the sound of sobbing filled the foyer.
He looked up toward the balcony where Elena was cradling his terrified daughter.
Arthur: What on earth is happening up there right now?
Victoria immediately distorted her face into an expression of sheer dramatic horror.
She rushed down the carpeted stairs with fast and unsteady footsteps.
Victoria: Arthur, thank heaven you arrived at this exact moment!
Arthur: Victoria, why is Lily screaming like that?
Victoria: The maid tried to push our child over the edge!
Elena gasped in total disbelief as she carried the weeping child downstairs.
She held Lily pressed firmly against her chest while tears streamed down her cheeks.
Elena: That is an awful lie, Mr. Hudson, I saved her life!
Victoria: She was careless, Arthur, she nearly let her fall!
Arthur ran across the marble floor with a look of extreme emotional panic.
He pulled little Lily into his strong arms and kissed her forehead repeatedly.
The small girl buried her face into her father's crisp dark necktie.
Arthur: Talk to me clearly, Victoria, what did you see?
Victoria: I saw Elena grab her arm roughly near the top railing!
Elena: I would never harm your daughter, sir, you know my heart!
Victoria: She is trying to cover up her total negligence, Arthur!
Arthur glared at Elena with a mixture of anger and deep confusion.
He had trusted Elena with his daughter's care for several peaceful years.
Yet his new wife stood before him making a terrible and formal charge.
Arthur: Elena, your hands are trembling violently right now.
Elena: They are shaking because I am terrified for this child's safety!
Victoria: Fire her immediately and call the local police department, Arthur!
The massive American flag behind them hung still in the warm summer air.
Elena fell to her knees on the polished floor while holding her hands together.
Elena: Please listen to me, sir, Mrs. Hudson pulled her toward the edge!
Victoria: How dare you accuse me in my own home, you ungrateful girl!
Victoria raised her hand dramatically while stepping closer to the kneeling maid.
Arthur held his daughter tightly with one arm while raising his hand up.
Arthur: Stop shouting, both of you, right now!
Victoria: Are you going to believe a low-paid worker over your wife?
Arthur: I am going to find out the absolute truth before anyone leaves.
Elena: Look at the security camera mounted near the central chandelier, sir!
Victoria's sharp face turned pale for a brief and hidden second.
She quickly tried to change the subject while reaching for Arthur's arm.
Victoria: The cameras are unnecessary when you have my direct testimony, Arthur.
Arthur: The cameras cover every single square inch of this open foyer.