Before Victoria could raise her free hand to strike the maid, a tall, stern figure stepped into the frame, cutting through the crowd with absolute presence. Dressed in a bespoke charcoal tuxedo, Arthur Vance—the formidable owner of the estate and head of the Vance conglomerate—stood beside them. Release her, Arthur commanded in a deep, gravelly voice that instantly silenced the entire room. The sheer weight of his authority caused Victoria to pause mid-breath. Her sharp intake of air whistled in the quiet room as Arthur calmly stepped between the two women, physically severing Victoria’s reach and placing himself in the center of the dispute.