Evelyn stood in the center of the bright foyer with her arms crossed tightly.
She refused to look Richard directly in his eyes as she tried to think quickly.
"I was only trying to quiet her down because she was crying!" Evelyn snapped defensively.
"Sarah was nowhere to be found, so I picked up the child myself!"
Sarah shook her head quickly as she stepped forward to clear her own name.
"That is not true at all, sir!" Sarah said, turning her attention to Richard.
"I was in the nursery preparing her bottle when Miss Evelyn took her away."
"I came out into the hallway and saw her standing right by the ledge."
"She was holding the baby over the wooden banister in a dangerous manner!"
Richard's jaw clenched tightly as he absorbed every single word the nanny said.
The mansion's second floor balcony had a drop of over twenty feet down.
A fall from that high up on the marble floor would be absolutely fatal.
"Is there something you are not telling me, Evelyn?" Richard asked, stepping closer.
Evelyn scoffed loudly and pulled her designer purse tightly over her thin shoulder.
"You are taking the word of a hired maid over your sister!" Evelyn yelled.
"I am family, Richard! I am the one who belongs in this home!"
"You have always treated me like an outsider ever since father passed away!"
Richard remembered the bitter disputes over their father's massive estate two years ago.
Evelyn had wasted her entire share of the inheritance on foolish investments and parties.
She had come back to him begging for help and a free place to live.
He had welcomed her into his personal residence despite his wife's reasonable concerns.
Now he realized what a huge mistake he had made by trusting her motives.
"This has nothing to do with father's money," Richard said in a harsh tone.
"This has everything to do with the safety of my defenseless little child."
Evelyn's face twisted into an ugly sneer as she abandoned her innocent act.
"You think you have everything figured out with your perfect little family!" she sneered.
"You sit in your big mansion while I am left with almost nothing!"
"It isn't fair that you got the house, the business, and all the money!"
Sarah took a step back, shocked by the sudden outburst of bitter rage.
Richard felt a cold chill run down his spine as he realized the truth.
Evelyn's hatred and jealousy had consumed her so much that she acted recklessly.
"You were willing to hurt a baby just to get back at me?" Richard asked.
"I didn't hurt anyone!" Evelyn yelled back, her voice ringing across the hallway.
"Nothing happened to your precious little girl, so stop acting so dramatic!"
Richard looked at his daughter, who had finally fallen fast asleep in his arms.
He knew he could not allow this dangerous woman to stay under his roof.
"I want you out of this house right now," Richard said, pointing to the door.
"You have five minutes to gather your things and get out of here."
Evelyn laughed hysterically as if she thought he was making a silly joke.
"You can't kick me out! I have nowhere else to go!" she shouted fiercely.
"Watch me," Richard replied coldly, refusing to back down from his firm decision.