Clara’s hands flew to her mouth as she stared at the screen in utter horror and disbelief.
Clara: He deliberately loosened the banister... He set a trap.
She watched the footage repeat, showing Richard carefully removing the support screws from the wooden railing base, leaving it hanging by a tiny fraction of glue.
Clara: He wanted an accident to happen while I was holding her... He wanted me to drop her!
Tears choked her throat, but fear quickly transformed into icy realization.
Clara: No... he didn't want Maya injured. He knew he was standing right downstairs waiting for his morning coffee!
She quickly plugged a flash drive into the console, transferring the original raw video file along with the timestamp metadata.
Clara: He timed it! He knew I always carried Maya downstairs at precisely eight-fifteen in the morning while he was in the lower hallway!
Downstairs, Richard’s voice boomed up the stairwell, cold and commanding.
Richard: Your ten minutes are up, Clara! Move your feet or I call the sheriff!
Clara: I’m coming down, Richard!
She snatched the USB drive, hid it inside the lining of her handbag, and grabbed her coat.
Clara: You wanted a fight, Richard? You have no idea who you just messed with.
She walked down the stairs slowly, keeping her hand far away from the compromised railing, keeping her eyes fixed on her husband.
Richard: Good. You have your bag. Leave the keys on the entryway table.
Clara: Where is Maya right now?
Richard: She’s in the nursery, safely away from you. My mother is on her way over to take care of her until I hire a full-time nanny.
Clara: You think your mother can replace me? You think you can just rewrite our life like this?
Richard: I don't need to rewrite anything. You proved yourself to be an unfit mother today. I already emailed my divorce lawyer, Arthur Vance.
Clara: Arthur Vance? The premier high-net-worth divorce attorney in the city?
Richard: Exactly. He’s already preparing a petition for emergency sole legal and physical custody, citing gross negligence and domestic endangerment.
Clara: You calculated every single detail of this, didn't you?
Richard: What can I say? When an opportunity presents itself, a good businessman takes full advantage.
Clara: You called it an opportunity? A terrifying fall that could have killed our child?
Richard: But she didn't get hurt, did she? I caught her. I’m the hero here, Clara. And you are the negligent mother who is going to lose everything in court.
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