Victoria: You're going to put me in jail over this?!
Eleanor: The law applies to you just like anyone else, Victoria.
Victoria: I have connections! My brother is the district attorney!
Julian: Your brother was voted out of office three months ago, Victoria. You have no protection here.
The two security officers stepped in, grabbing Victoria by her elbows and forcing her hands behind her black lace dress.
Victoria: Get your hands off me! Do you know how much this lace costs?!
Security Officer: Move your feet, ma'am. Don't make this harder on yourself.
Victoria struggled against their grip, her expensive heels squeaking loudly on the marble floor as she was dragged toward the exit.
Victoria: Eleanor! I'll sue you for everything you have! I'll take your estate to court!
Eleanor: I look forward to reading your filing from a holding cell, Victoria.
The ballroom doors swung open, revealing two uniformed city police officers waiting in the sunlit foyer.
Officer Miller: Victoria Sterling?
Victoria: Yes! Officer, thank goodness! These security guards are assaulting me!
Officer Miller: We received multiple video feeds of an incident involving a minor inside the ballroom, ma'am. You're under arrest for attempted misdemeanor battery and child endangerment.
Victoria: Video feeds?! Who sent you video feeds?!
Julian: Half the guests in this room posted the footage to social media five minutes ago, Victoria. It's already trending nationwide.
Victoria's eyes darted around the room, seeing dozens of phones pointing straight at her red, sweaty face.
Victoria: No... no, turn those off! Delete those videos right now!
Officer Miller: Turn around and place your hands behind your back, ma'am.
The metallic click of handcuffs echoed through the high-ceilinged foyer, loud and clear in the sudden silence of the crowd.
Victoria: Daniel! Someone call my son Daniel! He needs to fix this!
Eleanor: Daniel is already aware, Victoria. In fact, he was the one who authorized the security footage release from the building servers.
Victoria froze, her head snapping back toward Eleanor in absolute shock.
Victoria: My own son gave you the footage?!
Eleanor: Daniel is the head of security for this facility. He watched what you did to Lily on the monitor system.
Victoria: That ungrateful little traitor! I raised him!
Eleanor: And he finally saw what kind of woman you truly are.
The officers turned Victoria around and marched her down the front steps toward the waiting police cruiser in full daylight.
The crowd inside the ballroom broke into quiet applause as the doors closed behind her.