Inside the grand mansion foyer, Victoria was standing on the second story balcony holding a legal file folder.
She looked down at little Lily who was playing quietly with a small plastic doll on the floor.
Mary was wiping down the polished glass coffee table near the grand marble staircase when she noticed Victoria.
Victoria sneered coldly as she flipped through the pages of the secret legal inheritance document in her hands.
She had been trying to convince Richard to transfer Lily's trust fund completely into her personal bank account.
The trust fund contained millions of dollars set aside by Lily's late biological mother for her future college education.
Victoria wanted full control of the vast fortune before Richard could discover her mounting personal gambling debts.
She looked around the vast empty foyer to make sure no other staff members were currently watching her.
Victoria: You silly little girl, you stand between me and everything I truly deserve in this life.
Lily looked up toward the second story balcony with wide curious eyes as she held her favorite toy doll.
Lily: Stepmom Victoria, why are you shouting at me from up there right now?
Victoria: Keep quiet and stop looking at me with those pathetic eyes of yours right this instant!
Mary immediately froze in place when she heard the harsh aggressive tone in Victoria's sharp voice.
She dropped her yellow cleaning cloth onto the polished marble floor and stepped toward the grand staircase slowly.
Mary: Mrs. Vance, please speak kindly to little Lily because she has done nothing wrong to you today.
Victoria: Mind your own business, Mary, or I will fire you before the sun goes down tonight!
Victoria began walking down the marble stairs briskly while pointing her finger angrily down at the small child.
Lily shrank back in terror against the wooden banister as Victoria approached her with an enraged expression.
Mary knew she could not stand by and watch this innocent little child get emotionally hurt or threatened.
She rushed forward across the white marble floor to place herself directly between Victoria and young Lily.
Victoria reached out and grabbed Lily's upper arm roughly to drag her toward the dark side library room.
Mary: Please, stop right now!