Mark took long, fast steps across the wide marble room toward Victoria.
Victoria gasped in shock and backed away until her heels hit the stairs.
She dropped her glass of dark wine onto the polished floor below.
The thin glass shattered into small pieces as red liquid splashed everywhere.
Victoria: Mark, please calm down! You are scaring me!
Mark: You came into my house and treated her like trash!
Mark: You forced her to scrub floors while I was away fighting for our business!
Victoria: She never told me she was involved with you!
Victoria: She is just a poor girl from a small town!
Mark: She is the legal owner of half this estate!
Mark turned his back on Victoria and knelt down on the hard floor next to Clara.
His stern face softened completely as he reached out his hands to her.
He gently took the wet sponge out of her tired fingers and tossed it away.
Mark: Clara, look at me, my love.
Mark: I am so sorry I was not here to protect you from this monster.
Clara wrapped her arms around his neck and began sobbing softly against his chest.
Clara: I tried to tell her, Mark... but she would not listen to me.
Clara: She took my phone away so I could not call you.
Mark wrapped his arms securely around her waist and lifted her up gently.
He cradled her in his arms as if she were made of delicate glass.
Mark: How dare you lay a hand on my wife and my unborn child!
Victoria's jaw dropped open as her face went completely pale with fear.
Victoria: Unborn child?
Victoria: She is... carrying your heir?
Mark: Yes, and you will answer for every single tear she cried today.