Arthur: Stay down there with Lily, Clara! Don't let her near you!
Clara: I won't, Mr. Miller! I have her tight!
Arthur didn't take the steps one by one; he leaped up the grand staircase three at a time, his polished shoes pounding heavily against the marble steps. His heart was hammering against his ribs, not from physical exertion, but from the horrifying realization that the woman he married had tried to murder his daughter.
Up on the balcony landing, Evelyn was backing away slowly, her face drained of all color. She stammered, looking around frantically for an excuse or a way to escape.
Evelyn: Arthur... wait! It’s not what it looks like! You have to listen to me!
Arthur: Shut your mouth! Shut your lying mouth right now!
Arthur reached the top landing, his lungs burning and his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He marched down the long hallway directly toward her, his gaze locked onto her panicked eyes.
Evelyn: She tripped! The maid slipped and dropped her! I was trying to reach for her, Arthur, I swear!
Arthur: Do you think I'm blind?! I saw you standing right over the railing when I walked through those doors!
Evelyn: No! You're letting the help poison your mind against your own wife! She's lying to you because she wants more money!
Arthur didn't say another word. He closed the distance between them in two fast strides, reached out, and delivered a sharp, ringing slap across Evelyn's face. The loud impact echoed through the high ceilings of the mansion, sending Evelyn stumbling backward against the wall.
Evelyn: AHH! You hit me?! How dare you lay a hand on me!
Arthur: GET OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW! CALL 911!
Evelyn: You can't throw me out! I am your legal wife! Half of this estate belongs to me!
Arthur: You are a murderer! You just tried to end my baby girl's life!
Evelyn: She is not my child! She was never supposed to be here! She took everything away from me, Arthur! Your time, your money, your attention!
Arthur: She is a baby! An innocent one-year-old child!
Evelyn: She ruined my life! Ever since your ex-wife died and left her here, you haven't looked at me the same way!
Arthur looked at her with pure disgust, his breathing heavy as he pointed toward the grand staircase leading to the exit.
Arthur: Walk down those stairs right now, or I swear to God I will drag you down them myself before the police arrive.
Evelyn: You're making a mistake, Arthur. A massive mistake. My lawyer will tear your estate to pieces for this!
Arthur: Try it. See what a judge says when Clara and I testify against you for attempted murder.
Evelyn held her red, swelling cheek, her eyes burning with pure venom as she pushed past him toward the stairs. Down below, Clara held Lily tight against her chest, rocking the quieted baby gently while keeping her eyes fixed on the balcony above.
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