Chapter 12 - The Day Victoria Entered the Mansion)
Marcus wanted Richard and Ethan moved to a secure property.
Richard refused at first.
Sarah changed his mind.
"Your pride is not security."
Richard looked at her.
"I know."
"Then act like it."
Ethan was moved to Rebecca's house the following morning.
Sarah went with him.
Richard remained at the mansion with Marcus and investigators.
The date on the photograph arrived.
Nothing happened.
Morning passed.
Noon.
Three o'clock.
By sunset, Marcus began to think the date had been misdirection.
At 8:10 p.m., Richard drove to Rebecca's house.
He stayed overnight.
The next day, they returned to the mansion.
Two quiet days passed.
Then a court ruling changed everything.
Victoria's attorney successfully argued that several items seized from her hotel had been taken under an overly broad warrant.
Some evidence became temporarily unusable.
News outlets reported that the prosecution's case had "suffered a major setback."
Victoria walked out of court smiling.
That evening, Richard received a message through his attorney.
Victoria wanted to negotiate.
Richard refused.
The next morning, a Bennett Development lender threatened to delay a major project because of the scandal.
Board members pressured Richard to resolve the situation privately.
Pay Victoria.
End the public conflict.
Move on.
Richard looked around the boardroom.
"She targeted my son."
No one answered.
One director finally said, "We're thinking about the company."
Richard stood.
"So am I."
He left.
That afternoon, Victoria appeared at the mansion gate.
Security stopped her.
She claimed she had legal authorization to retrieve family jewelry that belonged to her mother.
The documentation appeared valid.
Richard's attorney reviewed it.
The court order allowed a supervised collection of three specific items.
Marcus objected.
The lawyers insisted refusal could be used against Richard.
Richard made the worst decision of the entire case.
He allowed her inside.
Ethan was not supposed to be home.
Sarah was not supposed to be home.
They had planned to spend the afternoon with Rebecca.
But Rebecca's daughter developed a fever, so Sarah returned early with Ethan.
No one told Richard.
Victoria entered the mansion at 2:36 p.m.
Two guards escorted her upstairs.
She collected the jewelry.
At 2:49, a fire alarm activated near the west wing.
One guard went to investigate.
The second received a radio call reporting a vehicle at the rear gate.
The calls were false.
Security later discovered someone had breached the internal radio channel.
Victoria was alone for less than three minutes.
It was enough.
She walked downstairs.
Sarah entered the marble hallway carrying Ethan.
Both women stopped.
Sarah's face changed immediately.
"You're not supposed to be here."
Victoria smiled.
"Neither are you."
Sarah moved backward.
Victoria stepped closer.
"Where's Richard?"
"Working."
"Of course."
Sarah reached for her phone.
Victoria struck it from her hand.
It hit the marble floor and slid beneath the decorative table.
"Don't."
Sarah stared at her.
"Security."
Victoria laughed.
"Busy."
Sarah held Ethan tightly.
"Stay away from us."
Victoria looked at the baby.
Something in her expression frightened Sarah more than rage would have.
Exhaustion.
Hatred.
Humiliation.
A person who had spent months losing control.
"You ruined everything," Victoria whispered.
Sarah shook her head.
"No."
Victoria's eyes remained on Ethan.
"He did."
Sarah stepped sideways.
Victoria blocked her.
"Ethan is a baby."
"He's a trust with blond hair."
Sarah felt sick.
"Listen to yourself."
"I have listened to everyone else for months."
Victoria moved closer.
"Richard. Lawyers. Judges. Adrian crying to prosecutors. That pathetic doctor. You."
Sarah kept moving toward the foyer.
Victoria followed.
"Everyone suddenly has principles because I'm the easiest person to blame."
"You chose this."
"Did I?"
"Yes."
Victoria laughed.
"You really believe that."
Sarah reached the archway.
Victoria grabbed her arm.
Ethan began crying.
Sarah pulled away.
"Let go."
Victoria's face twisted.
"Give him to me."
"No."
"Give him to me."
"No."
Victoria grabbed Ethan.
Sarah twisted away.
For several seconds, both women struggled.
Sarah released one hand to push Victoria back.
Victoria seized Ethan with both arms.
Sarah froze.
"Victoria."
The baby screamed.
"Give him back."
Victoria held Ethan against her chest.
"You want to know what everyone sees when they look at me now?"
Sarah moved carefully.
"Give him to me."
"A monster."
"Victoria."
"Maybe they should see one."
Sarah lunged.
Victoria threw Ethan downward.
The impact struck marble.
Sarah's scream mixed with the baby's.
She dropped instantly.
"Ethan."
Blood appeared near his hairline.
Sarah gathered him.
He screamed.
Good.
Screaming meant breathing.
Sarah knew that.
She clung to the fact.
Victoria stood above them.
For one second, she seemed shocked by what she had done.
Then shame transformed into rage.
Sarah looked up.
"What the hell did you do?"
Victoria's face hardened.
"Cry harder, you useless little mistake."
She pointed toward Ethan.
Sarah shielded him.
Victoria kicked Sarah in the side.
The blow knocked Sarah sideways.
She did not release the baby.
Footsteps thundered from the foyer.
Richard.
He entered the hallway.
Stopped.
Everything inside him changed.
Sarah saw it happen.
Victoria saw it too.
"Richard."
He looked at Ethan.
Then the blood.
Then Sarah on the floor.
Victoria moved toward him.
"She did it."
Sarah stared at her in disbelief.
Victoria pointed.
"She's the lying bitch, not me."
Richard did not ask questions.
He stepped forward.
Slapped Victoria across the face.
"Shut your filthy mouth."
Victoria stumbled.
The hallway became silent except for Ethan's crying.
Richard started toward his son.
Then something caught the light.
The statue.
Its hidden camera.
Richard looked at it.
Victoria followed his gaze.
Her face emptied.
Sarah understood.
The camera.
The old independent system.
Victoria whispered, "No."
Richard raised his phone.
Security guards appeared at the far end of the hallway.
Victoria took one step backward.
Then another.
Richard opened the camera archive.
Marcus's voice came through his phone.
"I have it."
Victoria ran.
Not toward the front door.
Toward the side corridor.
The guards intercepted her.
She screamed.
She fought.
She demanded a lawyer.
Richard heard none of it clearly.
He was kneeling beside Sarah.
"Ethan."
Sarah's hands shook.
"He's breathing."
Richard reached for him.
Ethan cried harder when moved.
"Ambulance is coming," Marcus said.
Richard looked at Sarah.
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine."
She was not.
But she was conscious.
Richard placed one hand behind Ethan's head without touching the wound.
His son opened wet blue eyes.
Richard whispered, "I'm here."
Sirens approached.
Behind him, Victoria was being held near the wall.
She stopped struggling.
Her eyes fixed on the statue.
Not Richard.
Not Ethan.
The statue.
The thing she had failed to control.
Marcus entered the hallway carrying the local recording unit.
"Richard."
Richard looked up.
Marcus held it carefully.
"The camera caught everything."
Victoria closed her eyes.
Then Marcus added something none of them expected.
"And not just today."
He had reviewed the motion archive while security responded.
The system had continued recording during periods they believed the old drive was empty.
Some files had been hidden under corrupted indexes.
Including the seven missing minutes from Ethan's nursery incident months earlier.
Victoria's head snapped toward him.
Richard stood.
"What happened that night?"
May you like
Marcus looked at her.
"Now we're going to find out."
