Mark Sterling stepped into the mansion wearing a sharp beige business suit.
He was the head of Sterling Enterprises and the father of baby Lily.
He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the scene before him.
His young wife was shouting over the maid who knelt on the floor.
The sound of his daughter crying echoed off the grand entrance walls.
Mark dropped his leather briefcase onto the floor without a second thought.
He rushed across the foyer toward Clara and the crying baby girl.
Mark: I've got you, no one will ever touch you again!
He took baby Lily gently from Clara's trembling hands into his arms.
He held his daughter close to his heart, soothing her with soft words.
Clara stayed on the floor, breathing heavily as her strength returned.
Mark turned toward Victoria, his dark eyes burning with pure, intense anger.
Mark: Get up, listen to me right now!
Victoria stepped back in shock, her face suddenly turning pale as chalk.
She tried to step backward toward the stairs, but her heels caught.
She tripped over her own long dress and collapsed hard on the floor.
The thud of her fall echoed through the vast, quiet entrance hall.
Mark stood tall above her, cradling his daughter securely against his chest.
Mark: You crossed all your limits!
Victoria: Mark, sweetie, you do not understand what just happened!
Victoria scrambled backward on her hands and knees across the cold marble.
Victoria: The maid was clumsy and dropped the baby from the balcony!
Clara: That is a complete lie, Mr. Sterling!
Clara slowly stood up, wiping the wet tears from her pale cheeks.
Clara: I was on the ground floor cleaning the wooden furniture.
Clara: I saw Mrs. Victoria hold her over the edge and release her.
Victoria glared at Clara with pure hatred burning deep in her eyes.
Victoria: Fire this lying maid immediately before she ruins our family!
Mark looked from his trembling wife on the floor to the brave maid.
He knew Clara had loved and protected his child since her birth.
He also knew that Victoria had been acting distant and secretive lately.
Mark: We are going into the office right now to settle this.
He gestured for Clara to follow him down the long, carpeted hallway.
Victoria picked herself up off the floor, smoothing down her orange dress.
Her hands shook violently, but she tried to maintain her regal posture.
They walked into Mark's large home office and closed the double doors.
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Mark placed baby Lily gently into a soft padded playpen in the corner.
He turned back to face the two women with a cold, firm stare.
Mark: Someone is going to tell me the complete truth right now.