The polished hardwood floor rushed up to meet Mara as the violent shove threw her completely off balance.
The pregnant woman crashes onto the hardwood floor among scattered gifts, clutching her stomach in pain.
SFX: Crash, soft whimpering
Mara: (Gasping) Oh, God... my stomach... it hurts so bad...
Ethan: Stop your pathetic acting, Mara. You're just trying to draw sympathy because you lost your grip on my wealth.
Mara: (Weeping) Ethan... please... call an ambulance... something is wrong with the baby...
Ethan: An ambulance? For a fabricated emergency? Get up off that floor right now and stop making a scene.
Ribbons and crushed wrapping paper scattered across the grain of the floorboards as Mara curled inward defensively.
Mara: I'm not acting... the pain is real... please help me...
Ethan: You should have thought about the consequences before you tried to trap me with a false paternity claim.
From the upper landing of the grand staircase, a soft chime rang out as elegant footsteps descended into view.
A fair-skinned blonde American pregnant woman smiles smugly while gently holding her baby bump.
SFX: Soft chime
Chloe: Is everything alright down here, Ethan? The commotion is disturbing my rest.
Ethan: Everything is under control, Chloe. Just taking out the household trash.
Chloe looked down at Mara with cold, calculating eyes, her manicured fingers resting softly on her own designer maternity dress.
Chloe: Oh, poor dear. Gravity can be so unforgiving when you don't belong in high society.
Mara looked up with tears streaming down her face, devastated by the sheer malice radiating from the woman above her.
SFX: Soft crying
Mara: (Choking on tears) You two deserve each other... monsters, both of you...
Ethan: Watch your mouth, Mara. You're in no position to insult anyone in this house.
Can anyone in this household show a shred of human decency, or is Mara completely abandoned to her fate?