Richard: "Sarah, are you telling me she pushed my daughter?!"
Sarah: "She lifted her over the railing with both hands, Mr. Vance! I saw it with my own eyes!"[cite: 1]
Victoria: "She is lying, Richard! Why would you believe a housemaid over your own wife?!"
Richard rushed forward across the white marble floor, his polished shoes clicking sharply in the quiet foyer[cite: 1]. He knelt beside Sarah and took his trembling daughter safely into his arms. He held the little girl tight against his chest, shielding her away from Victoria under the shadow of the large American flag hanging above[cite: 1].
Richard: "Shh, sweetie, Daddy's here. You're okay now."
Toddler: "Daddy! Mommy pushed me down!"
Victoria: "She's confused, Richard! She's only three years old, she doesn't know what she's saying!"
Richard: "She knows exactly what happened, Victoria! And so do I!"
Victoria: "You can't take her word for it! She was trying to frame me so she could get a promotion!"
Sarah pulled herself up from the floor, her hands shaking as she wiped away her emotional tears. She stood tall beside Richard, her voice filled with quiet strength.
Sarah: "I don't care about a promotion, Mr. Vance. I care about this baby's life!"
Victoria: "Shut your mouth, Sarah! You are just a servant in this house! Know your place!"
Richard: "Her place is right here protecting my daughter, Victoria! What is wrong with you?!"
Victoria: "I was just trying to teach her a lesson! She was throwing tantrums all morning!"
Richard: "By throwing her off a second-story balcony onto marble stone?!"[cite: 1]
Victoria's eyes darted nervously around the foyer, her yellow silk dress rustling as she backed away toward the grand staircase[cite: 1].
Victoria: "I slipped, Richard! My hands were greasy from lotion! It was an accident!"
Sarah: "She screamed 'Bye-bye little one' right before she let her go! That was no accident!"[cite: 1]
Richard's breath caught in his throat. He turned his gaze toward Victoria, his jaw tightening into a line of absolute fury[cite: 1].
Richard: "You said 'bye-bye'?"[cite: 1]
Victoria: "She's making that up, Richard! Please, you have to trust me!"
Richard: "I trusted you for two years, Victoria. I brought you into my home, I gave you my mother's jewelry, and I gave you access to my family estate."
Victoria: "And I've been a loving mother to your daughter!"
Sarah: "No, she hasn't, sir. Every time you leave for the corporate office, she locks the baby in the nursery."
Richard: "What?!"
Sarah: "She tells her that she isn't her real mother and that she doesn't belong in this mansion."[cite: 1]
Victoria gasped, her face flushing bright red with panic as she glared at the maid.
Victoria: "You traitor! How dare you speak about private family matters?!"
Richard: "It's true, isn't it? That's why my daughter cries every time I leave for work!"
Victoria: "Richard, don't let this maid ruin our marriage over a silly misunderstanding!"
Richard: "This isn't a misunderstanding, Victoria. This is child endangerment!"
Richard stood up tall, handing his daughter gently back into Sarah's waiting arms. The maid held the child close, shielding her eyes as Richard stepped forward toward Victoria. Driven by explosive rage, he confronted his wife right in front of the American flag[cite: 1].
Richard: "How could you do this?!"
Before Victoria could take another step back, Richard raised his open hand and slapped her across the face. The sharp crack of the impact echoed through the vast foyer[cite: 1]. Victoria gasped in shock, but before she could regain her balance, Richard slapped her two more times in rapid succession, the hard strikes knocking her off her feet.
Victoria: "Ah! Stop!"
Victoria crashed down onto the cold marble floor, clutching her bruised, red cheek in total agony and shock[cite: 1].
Victoria: "Please, listen to me!"
Richard: "Get out of my house right now!"
Victoria lay groaning on the floor, looking up at Richard's towering frame as he pointed his finger sternly directly at her face.
Victoria: "Richard, please! If you throw me out, the press will destroy your reputation!"
Richard: "I don't care about the press! You will never touch my daughter again!"
Victoria: "You can't do this to me! I signed a prenuptial agreement that guarantees me ten million dollars!"
Richard: "Read the crime clause in that prenup, Victoria! Attempted murder voids every single cent!"