Victoria: What are you looking at, Maria? Keep your mouth shut if you want to keep your job!
Maria: Mrs. Sterling, please! She's just a child! You're going to burn her!
Victoria: Mind your own business! She's hiding something that belongs to my family!
The double white doors of the master bathroom swung open with a resounding crash, slamming against the marble walls[cite: 4]. Brandon Sterling, dressed in a sharp black suit and crisp white shirt, rushed into the room[cite: 4]. His eyes scanned the scene in a split second—the red lighter in Victoria's hand, Maria pale with fright, and his daughter sobbing hysterically against the wall[cite: 1, 4, 5].
Victoria: She was trying to hurt herself!
Brandon: Get away from her!
Victoria gasped, dropping the red lighter in panic[cite: 3, 5]. The plastic casing bounced off the polished white marble floor with a sharp clatter, rolling near the baseboard[cite: 3]. Brandon didn't even look at his wife. He sprinted straight past her, dropping to his knees beside Lily and wrapping his strong arms around her trembling shoulders.
Brandon: It's alright, sweetheart, look at me.
Lily: Daddy! Daddy, it hurts so bad!
Brandon: Shh, I've got you. You're safe now. Show Daddy where it hurts.
Lily: My arm... she put the fire on my arm!
Brandon gently lifted Lily's right arm, his fingers supporting her small wrist. Right on her fair skin, a angry red burn mark was already blistering. His breath caught in his throat as he stared closely at the injury. The realization hit him like a physical blow—Victoria hadn't just threatened the girl; she had deliberately burned his daughter[cite: 1]. A dark, terrifying wave of rage washed over Brandon's face. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth ground together, and his dark eyes narrowed as he turned his head slowly to glare up at Victoria.
Brandon: You burned my child.
Victoria: Brandon, darling, listen to me! It was an accident! She grabbed my hand while I was lighting a scented candle!
Brandon: There are no candles in this room, Victoria. The lighter is lying on the floor right behind you.
Victoria: She was playing with it! I was only trying to take it away from her before she hurt herself!
Brandon: Maria, tell me the truth right now. What happened in this room?
Maria: Mr. Sterling... Mrs. Sterling was holding the lighter to her arm... she was demanding keys from the little girl!
Victoria: Shut up, Maria! You're fired! Get out of my house!
Brandon: Nobody is leaving except you, Victoria.