Victoria's face turned completely white as Richard's furious shout echoed through the hall.
She slowly descended the grand marble stairs, clutching her emerald dress with both hands.
Victoria: Richard, please! You have to listen to me right now!
Richard: Do not take another step toward my child!
Victoria stopped three steps from the bottom floor, her hands visibly shaking.
Victoria: It was a terrible accident, Richard! She was leaning over to look at the chandelier!
Richard: She knows better than to lean over that balcony railing!
Lily: She pushed me, Daddy! She told me to look down and then she pushed my back!
The child's small voice rang clear across the quiet, cold room.
Richard felt his stomach drop as he held his daughter even closer.
Victoria gasped sharply and put her hand over her open mouth.
Victoria: That is a lie! She is just confused because she was so scared!
Richard: My daughter does not lie to me, Victoria!
Victoria: I reached out to grab her yellow dress, but I missed her!
Richard: I looked up the exact second she started falling from that ledge.
Richard: Your hands were still extended out over the wooden top rail.
Richard: You did not scream until after she was already in the air.
Victoria took a quick breath and adjusted the heavy silver watch on her wrist.
Victoria: You are letting your emotions ruin our marriage over an accident!
Richard: Our marriage was built on a complete lie, wasn't it?
Victoria: That is absurd! I have given up everything to manage this home for you!
Richard: You came into this house to get your hands on my estate money!
Victoria stepped off the final marble stair and took a defensive stance.
Victoria: I am your legal wife! You cannot just throw me out on the street!
Richard: Watch me do exactly that before the sun goes down today.
He carried Lily toward his private office near the back hallway.
He placed the girl gently onto the soft leather couch inside the room.
Richard: Stay right here with the lock on the door, sweetheart.
Lily: Please don't leave me alone with her, Daddy.
Richard: Nobody is ever going to hurt you in this house again.
He locked the office door firmly from the outside and kept the key.
He turned back to face Victoria, who was standing near the front entry door.
The softness in Richard's eyes was completely gone, replaced by pure cold steel.