Victoria raised her chin high in an attempt to look confident and unbothered.
Victoria: She grabbed at the expensive food like she was raised in the streets!
Victoria: I was simply trying to teach her proper manners for an event like this.
Marcus looked down at the dropped purse and the scattered fruit on the floor.
He recognized the harsh truth of what had actually taken place while he was absent.
Marcus: My daughter has better manners than anyone currently standing in this room.
Julian stepped forward from the bar counter with a nervous smile on his face.
Julian: Come on, Marcus, it was just a minor discipline issue between mother and child.
Marcus turned his head slowly to glare directly at Julian.
Marcus: She is not her mother, and she will never hold that title.
Lily buried her small face into her father's neck, still trembling slightly.
Marcus tightened his grip around her to make sure she felt completely safe.
Marcus: I left my daughter under your care for twenty minutes, Victoria.
Marcus: And you used that brief time to publicly humiliate a child in my own home.
Victoria's cheeks flushed red with growing embarrassment as guests began whispering.
She felt the judgment of the entire room shifting heavily against her.
Victoria: I am your wife, Marcus, you cannot speak to me this way in public!
Marcus: My legal obligations to you end the moment you threaten my blood.
Julian let out another nervous laugh to try and lighten the heavy atmosphere.
Julian: Let us not ruin this great gala over a small family misunderstanding.
Marcus gestured with his free hand toward one of his private security guards.
Marcus: Check the security camera feeds above the dessert table immediately.
Victoria's eyes widened in sudden terror as she remembered the overhead cameras.
She knew the video footage would show her pulling the child's arm and snatching the plate.
The entire room waited in breathless silence as the guard checked his mobile device.
The guard looked up seconds later and gave a firm nod to his boss.
Security Guard: Sir, the video confirms the little girl did nothing wrong at all.
Marcus turned his terrifying glare back to Victoria and her brother.
Marcus: Your lies are completely finished in this house.