Julian brought Maya into the bright kitchen to check her for any physical injuries.
He poured her a cold glass of orange juice to help settle her nerves.
Maya sat quietly on the tall wooden stool with her small hands resting on the counter.
Julian asked her gently to explain everything that happened right before the fall.
Maya took a tiny sip of juice before looking up into her father's tired eyes.
She explained that Veronica had been talking on her phone in the upper hallway.
Veronica was speaking about the family trust fund and the vast inheritance money.
Maya had overheard her say that the young girl was standing in the way.
Julian felt a knot form tightly in the bottom of his stomach.
He realized that his rapid marriage to Veronica had been a massive mistake.
They had met at a business charity gala only six short months ago.
She seemed kind and loving toward his daughter during their first few dinners together.
Now the horrifying truth was showing itself in the clear light of day.
Julian walked over to his private desk near the large glass patio doors.
He pulled out his phone and dialed his family divorce lawyer immediately.
The attorney answered on the third ring with a calm and professional voice.
Julian explained that an emergency situation had just occurred inside his private home.
He demanded that full legal protection papers be drawn up without any delay.
The lawyer promised to arrive at the mansion within the hour with the documents.
Julian hung up the phone and walked back over to hold his daughter again.
He promised her that he would protect her from any harm for the rest of his life.
Suddenly the heavy front door clicked open and footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Veronica's brother Marcus walked into the room with a firm expression on his face.
He was a tall man wearing a dark gray coat and polished dress shoes.
Marcus stepped into the kitchen and looked straight at Julian with cold eyes.
He demanded to know why his sister was standing out in the driveway crying.
Julian stood up tall and placed himself directly between Marcus and Maya.
He told Marcus that his sister had just put a child in extreme physical danger.
Marcus shook his head and claimed that Veronica would never do such a terrible thing.
He argued that Julian was overreacting to a simple childhood accident.
Julian pulled his phone out again to show Marcus the internal security footage.
The house was equipped with high-definition cameras in every major hallway.
Marcus watched the video feed on the small screen in total silence.
His face lost all its color as he saw the video recording of the balcony scene.
The footage clearly showed Veronica stepping behind the girl and shoving her hard.
Marcus stepped back slowly as the truth finally hit him like a heavy weight.