The entire room dropped into an uncomfortable, suffocating silence. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. The grand hall felt completely frozen as everyone stared down at the diamond bracelet resting peacefully beside Victoria's lipstick.
Leo: Look at that. It was in your bag the whole time.
Hannah: Oh, thank God...
Hannah dropped her head into her hands, fresh tears of pure relief spilling over her fingers. Her knees trembled so hard she had to lean against the wall to keep from falling over.
Richard: Victoria... what is the meaning of this?
Victoria: I... I must have put it in there this morning and completely forgotten!
Richard: Forgotten?
Victoria: Yes! I was in a rush for my appointment! I must have slipped it into the side pocket while grabbing my keys!
Leo: You didn't forget, Mom. You knew it was in there.
Victoria: Leo, shut your mouth! How dare you accuse your own mother of such a thing?
Leo: I heard you on the phone in the kitchen an hour ago!
Richard: What phone call, Leo?
Leo: She was talking to her sister! She said she was going to get rid of Hannah today no matter what it took!
Victoria: That is an absolute lie! Richard, he is making things up!
Leo: She said, 'I'll just claim she stole something expensive, Richard will fire her on the spot, and we can finally get a real housekeeper!' That's what you said, Mom!
Hannah: Why... why would you do that to me? What did I ever do to you?
Victoria: You're incompetent! You left a streak on the dining room table last week! You broke one of my crystal wine glasses last month!
Hannah: I apologized for the glass! I paid for it out of my own paycheck!
Victoria: You don't belong in a house like this! You're low-class, you bring down the look of my estate, and Richard refuses to let me fire you!
Richard: Because she is a dedicated, hard-working woman who supports her sick mother!
Victoria: She's a servant, Richard! Why are you making such a big deal out of a little mistake?
Richard: A little mistake? You slapped an innocent woman across the face in front of our entire staff!
Victoria: I thought she took it!
Richard: No, you didn't! You planted the idea of a theft so you had an excuse to ruin her life!
Victoria: It's my house! I should be allowed to hire and fire whoever I want without asking your permission!
Richard: It is NOT just your house! And you do not get to physically assault people because of your ridiculous snobbery!
Victoria: Don't speak to me like that in front of the servants!
Richard: The staff are human beings, Victoria! Something you seem to have completely forgotten!
Victoria's face turned beet red. She looked around at the crowd of household workers standing near the archway. Every single one of them was looking at her with total disgust. The power she held over them just two minutes ago was completely gone.
Victoria: Fine! So I made a dramatic scene! Big deal! She isn't hurt!
Hannah: You hit me! My face is still bruised!
Victoria: Oh, don't be so dramatic! Here, take a hundred dollars and call it even!
Victoria reached into her coat pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, and threw it at Hannah's feet.
Leo: Pick that up, Mom!
Victoria: Excuse me?
Leo: Pick it up and give it to her properly! And say you're sorry!
Victoria: I am your mother! You will not speak to me with that tone!
Richard: Pick up the money, Victoria.