Carter: I asked a question! Why is my son crying on the floor[cite: 1]?
Victoria: Carter, darling! Thank goodness you came home early from the downtown office[cite: 1]!
Carter: Step away from that maid right now, Victoria[cite: 1].
Victoria: This insubordinate maid just attacked me, Carter! She grabbed Toby while I was escorting him to his private study room[cite: 1]!
Clara: That is a complete lie, Mr. Sterling! She was dragging him down the hall by his wrist like an animal[cite: 1]!
Toby: Daddy! She dragged me! She told me I was going to be locked in the dark cellar[cite: 1]!
Carter's face went completely pale, his eyes narrowing into cold, lethal slits as he stopped right in front of Victoria[cite: 1].
Victoria: The boy is lying, Carter! He was throwing a temper tantrum because I wouldn't give him chocolate before dinner[cite: 1]!
Carter: Toby doesn't lie to me, Victoria[cite: 1].
Victoria: You are going to take the word of a seven-year-old child and a housemaid over your lawful fiancee[cite: 1]?
Carter: You dragged my flesh and blood across hardwood floors[cite: 1]?
Victoria: I was disciplining him! Someone in this mansion has to teach him proper manners before the gala[cite: 1]!
Carter didn't hesitate for another second. His right hand whipped through the air with devastating speed and force[cite: 1].
The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the vaulted hallway like a gunshot[cite: 1].
The violent impact knocked Victoria sideways, sending her crashing onto the polished wooden floor in a heap of green silk[cite: 1].
Victoria: Ah! You struck me[cite: 1]!
Victoria clutched her burning red cheek in utter disbelief, her manicured fingers trembling as she looked up from the floor[cite: 1].
Carter: Touch my son again and you'll regret it[cite: 1]!
Victoria: Have you completely lost your mind?! A billionaire CEO laying hands on a Vance heiress[cite: 1]?!
Carter: I don't care if you are the queen of England. You will never lay a finger on my child again[cite: 1].
Carter turned away from her, dropping to both knees on the floor beside Clara and pulling Toby tightly against his chest[cite: 1].
Carter: Toby... Daddy is right here. Daddy has you, buddy[cite: 1].
Toby: Daddy, she pulled my arm so hard... My wrist feels hot[cite: 1].
Carter gently pushed back the sleeve of Toby's navy suit, revealing four distinct dark red finger marks bruised into the child's skin[cite: 1].
Carter: Thank you for saving my son, Clara[cite: 1].
Clara: You're safe now, Toby[cite: 1]. Nana Clara is right here, sweet boy[cite: 1].
Victoria: You will pay for this, Carter! My father holds thirty percent of the voting shares in Sterling Logistics[cite: 1]!
Carter: Your father doesn't hold a single share in my company anymore, Victoria[cite: 1].
Victoria pushed herself up to her elbows, her green gown rumpled and covered in dust from the floorboards[cite: 1].
Victoria: What are you talking about? The shareholder agreements were signed two months ago[cite: 1]!
Carter: Those agreements were contingent on full financial transparency from Vance Holdings, Victoria[cite: 1].
Victoria: My family's firm is the most respected shipping consultancy on the entire East Coast[cite: 1]!
Carter: Your family's firm is currently being raided by federal marshals in downtown Boston[cite: 1].
Victoria froze on the floor, the color draining from her face until she looked as pale as chalk[cite: 1].
Victoria: Federal marshals...? That is impossible! My father is having lunch at the Union Club right now[cite: 1]!
Carter: Your father was arrested fifteen minutes ago as he stepped out of his limousine, Victoria[cite: 1].