Lily: Daddy, I saw the shiny red key inside the glass box... I just wanted to ask why it had my mommy's name on it.
Ethan: My sweet girl... you found the master security token.
Victoria: I hate both of you! You and your dead wife's legacy!
Ethan: Do not speak her name again, Victoria!
Victoria: I spent two years pretending to care about this family while you spent every weekend at work!
Ethan: I worked to provide a future for my daughter! While you sat here plotting how to strip her of her inheritance!
Victoria: You think you're so noble, Ethan? Your father is a senile old man who set a trap for me!
Clara: Mr. Charles Vance is far from senile, Victoria. He is currently waiting in the building lobby with the police.
Victoria's breath caught in her throat as she stared at Clara in sheer panic.
Victoria: The... the police are downstairs?!
Clara: I pressed the silent emergency transmitter in my apron pocket the moment you grabbed Lily.
Victoria: You miserable, scheming maid!
Victoria lunged forward toward Clara, her fingernails aimed straight at Clara's face.
Ethan stepped in front of Clara instantly, grabbing Victoria's wrists mid-air and twisting her arms behind her back.
Ethan: Don't you touch her again!
Victoria: Let go of me, Ethan! You're hurting my arms!
Ethan: You threw my daughter across a room! You're lucky I'm holding myself back from doing worse!
The heavy double doors of the penthouse foyer clicked open, and two uniformed police officers stepped into the room, followed by an elderly gentleman with a gold-headed cane.
Charles: Ethan! Are you and Lily alright?
Ethan: Father! Lily is safe, thanks to Clara.
Charles: Thank God... thank God for Clara's quick courage.
The elderly man walked over to Lily, kneeling down despite his stiff joints to wrap his arms around his granddaughter.
Lily: Grandpa! Clara saved me! She slid on the floor and caught me!
Charles: I know, my sweet girl. Clara is a hero today.
Officer Davis: Mr. Vance, we received the dispatch regarding child abuse, assault, and grand larceny embezzlement.
Ethan: Officer, this woman threw my seven-year-old daughter across the room, assaulted my staff, and embezzled six hundred thousand dollars from a minor's trust fund.
Victoria: Officer, don't listen to them! My husband hit me! Look at my cheek!
Officer Davis: Ma'am, we have the live 4K security feed from the penthouse ceiling cameras recorded directly on the precinct server.
Victoria froze, her face turning completely white as she looked up at the tiny black dome mounted near the chandelier.