Patrick handed Lily to Elena, who stood by the grand entrance with quiet dignity, gently rocking the toddler.
Patrick: Hold her for another minute, Elena. I need to handle some business.
Elena: Of course, Mr. Sterling. Always.
Patrick pulled his phone out of his breast pocket, unlocked the screen, and stepped directly into Victoria's personal space.
Victoria: What is that? What are you showing me?
Patrick: Take a good, close look. Recognize the hallway?
Victoria's eyes darted down to the glowing glass screen. A black-and-white high-definition video feed was playing, showing the second-floor landing right outside Lily's playroom.
Victoria: Where... where did you get this footage? There are no cameras up there!
Patrick: I installed cloud-monitored lenses inside the smoke detectors last month after thousands of dollars in jewelry mysteriously went missing from my late wife's dresser.
Victoria's face turned completely white, the vibrant rouge on her cheeks suddenly looking like chalk.
Patrick: Watch what happens at timestamp 3:14 PM. That's ten minutes ago.
On the screen, Victoria was pacing violently, pacing back and forth with a phone pressed against her ear, waving her diamond ring in the air.
Patrick: Let's turn up the volume, shall we? The microphones pick up everything.
The audio played clearly through the mansion's quiet foyer. Victoria's sharp voice echoed off the marble walls.
Audio From Phone: "I don't care about the mortgage interest! Once Patrick marries me, I'll have full control of his daughter's trust fund! That little brat is just an obstacle!"
Victoria: Patrick, wait! That was taken out of context! I was stressed about my brother's business debts!
Patrick: Keep watching. Don't look away from your own masterpiece.
On the screen, Lily toddled out into the hallway, accidentally bumping into Victoria's designer heels. In pure rage, Victoria violently shoved the child back toward the polished banister.
Victoria: No... no, that isn't what happened...
Patrick: The banister gate was unlatched. Lily lost her balance and tipped backward over the twenty-foot drop. And what did you do, Victoria? Did you reach out?
Victoria swallowed hard, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
Patrick: You turned your back and stepped away. You were going to let my daughter plummet twenty feet onto stone floors!
Elena: Oh god... I didn't see that part... I just saw Lily falling...
Patrick: But Elena dove across the floor, bruised her ribs against the iron railing, and caught Lily by her dress just inches from the edge. That's what a protector does.
Victoria backed up a step, her high heels catching awkwardly on the edge of the hallway runner.
Victoria: Patrick, listen to me! I froze! It was an accident! I was going to call 911 right after!
Patrick: You weren't freezing. You were screaming at Elena because she ruined your plan to get rid of my child!
Victoria: That is absurd! I love Lily like she's my own!
Patrick: You love my estate, you love my bank accounts, and you love power. But your game ends right here, right now.
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