Evelyn moved with sudden, alarming speed down the carpeted steps.
She reached out frantically toward the baby's path to block Clara from stepping closer.
Her foot caught the edge of the stair runner as she shouted wildly.
The sudden commotion sent a wave of shock through the bright foyer.
Clara reacted instantly, moving faster than she ever had in her life.
She dropped her leather bag and sprinted across the polished marble floor.
Clara: No!
Clara slid across the slick marble and caught little Henry tightly into her arms.
She pulled her son close to her chest, trembling from head to toe.
The baby gasped and began to cry, frightened by the sudden movement and shouts.
Clara held him securely, kissing his forehead while kneeling on the hard floor.
She looked up at Evelyn with fierce protective anger in her eyes.
Evelyn stumbled back against the stairs, breathing heavily in her maroon dress.
Her face was pale, but her expression remained cold and unrepentant.
Clara: You have gone entirely too far this time!
Evelyn: You are destroying my family's legacy with your presence!
Clara hugged the crying child closer, shielding him with her entire body.
She checked his arms and legs quickly to ensure he was completely unharmed.
Her hands shook, but her resolve turned into absolute iron.
She knew she could never allow this toxic behavior to continue near her child.
The sound of heavy front doors swinging open echoed sharply through the room.
Footsteps rushed furiously across the threshold into the sunlit foyer.
Mark Reinner stood at the entrance, breathless in his dark business suit.
He looked at his wife on the floor and his mother on the stairs in total shock.