Thursday morning arrived with cold rain pouring heavily against the high mansion windows. Arthur Vance sat in the back of his luxury town car, heading back from the airport earlier than anyone expected. His New York business partner had signed the corporate deal quickly, allowing Arthur to catch an early morning flight back home to Chicago. He was eager to surprise his beautiful wife and sweet daughter with expensive gifts he had bought at the airport store.
Meanwhile, inside the sunlit hallway of the mansion, pure chaos erupted. Victoria had discovered that Lily was missing from her bedroom and had tracked the child down to the servant quarters. She confronted Sarah near the main staircase, her face twisted with boiling anger as she saw Sarah holding the bruised child in her arms.
Victoria: How dare you hide that child in your room! Give her back to me right now!
Sarah: I will never let you lay another hand on this child again, Victoria!
Victoria: You are just a filthy maid! You have no right to talk to me like that!
Victoria stepped forward rapidly and grabbed Lily's small arm, trying to tear the child away from Sarah's grip. Lily screamed in pain as Victoria's sharp nails dug into her soft skin. Sarah pushed Victoria back to protect the young girl, causing the stepmother to lose her balance for a brief second on the slick floor.
Enraged by the resistance, Victoria lunged forward with full force. She raised her palm and slammed a brutal slap directly across Sarah's face with a loud sharp sound that echoed off the white marble walls. The force of the impact sent Sarah crashing down onto the hard floor, her lip cracking open as fresh blood dripped down her chin. Despite the extreme pain, Sarah wrapped her arms tightly around Lily, protecting the crying child with her own bruised body.
Victoria: You will rot in prison for putting your hands on me!
Sarah: Look at what you are doing! You are insane!
Suddenly, the massive grand wooden double doors at the main entrance slammed open with a heavy thud. Arthur Vance stepped into the brightly lit foyer, flanked by two personal security guards who followed close behind him. He dropped his leather briefcase onto the floor as his eyes adjusted to the shocking scene unfolding in front of him.
Arthur rushed across the marble hallway, his fast footsteps echoing loudly off the high ceilings. He dropped quickly to his knees next to Sarah and his crying daughter, his face turning pale with absolute horror. He saw the dark purple bruises covering Lily's arms and face, and the blood dripping down the maid's lip.
Arthur: Lily! Oh God, what happened to your face?!
Sarah: Mr. Vance! Thank God you are home! She hurts the child every time you leave!
Arthur: What did you just say to me, Sarah?!
Sarah: Look at your daughter's body! Victoria hits her every single time you fly out of town!
Arthur turned his head sharply toward his wife, his hands clenching into tight, trembling fists. His gold luxury watch gleamed under the bright daylight chandeliers as his breath hitched in his throat. Tears of shock filled his eyes before his expression hardened into explosive, pure rage.
Arthur: WHAT DID YOU DO?!