Victoria screamed, lunging forward with her nails aimed straight at Patrick's face, but Patrick grabbed her by the wrist in a firm, unyielding grip.
Victoria: Let go of me! You're assaulting me! I'll sue you for assault!
Patrick: You are trespassing on private property after committing felony child endangerment. I am removing an intruder.
Victoria: Patrick, stop! Someone will see us! The neighbors will see!
With one swift, powerful motion, Patrick dragged Victoria across the slick marble floor toward the open double doors. Her high heels scraped uselessly against the stone as she kicked and flailed.
Victoria: Elena, tell him to stop! You're a woman, help me!
Elena: You tried to kill a child, Victoria. You don't deserve mercy.
Victoria: You filthy little peasant! When I get out of this, I will destroy your life!
Patrick: You won't be destroying anything from a holding cell.
Patrick reached the massive threshold and thrust Victoria out onto the stone porch. She lost her footing completely, stumbling down the three wide limestone steps and crashing onto the gravel driveway.
Victoria: My ankle! You broke my ankle, you maniac!
Patrick stood tall at the top of the steps, looking down at her with pure ice in his eyes.
Patrick: Your ankle is fine. Your pride, however, is finished.
Victoria scrambled on her hands and knees in the dirt, her expensive green pantsuit covered in dust and driveway gravel, her immaculate blond hair completely disheveled.
Victoria: Patrick, please! Let me just get my purse! I don't even have shoes to walk to the gate!
Patrick: Then you better start walking barefoot. It's a two-mile walk to the main road.
Sirens began to wail in the distance, echoing off the iron gates and tall hedges that surrounded the wealthy neighborhood.
Victoria: Is that... are those the police?
Patrick: That would be the state troopers and the child protection detectives. You have about ninety seconds to decide whether you want to wait on the gravel or start running.
Victoria scrambled to her feet, stumbling awkwardly as she realized the true nightmare she had walked into. Tears of humiliation and rage poured down her face as she looked back one last time.
Victoria: I hate you! I hate both of you!
Patrick didn't answer. He simply reached out with both hands, grabbed the brass handles of the heavy ornate wooden doors, and pulled them shut with a massive, resounding SLAM that rattled the glass fixtures.
The heavy iron deadbolt clicked into place with absolute finality.
Inside the grand foyer, the sudden silence was deafening, broken only by the quiet sniffles of little Lily.
Patrick: It's over, Lily. The bad person is gone forever.
Lily: Daddy, my tummy hurts from being scared.
Patrick: I know, sweetheart. But Daddy is here now. And Elena is here too.
Patrick turned slowly toward Elena, his stern face softening completely as he looked at the woman who had put her life on the line for his family.
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