Evelyn: Of course it's a business transaction! Do you think a man like Julian marries a woman without a trust fund just for love? He needed a presentable stepmother for Lily to secure his custody agreement with his ex-wife!
Clara: What did you just say?
Julian: Mom, shut up! Keep your mouth shut right now!
Clara: No, Julian. Let her finish. What custody agreement?
Evelyn: The family court judge in Massachusetts explicitly stated that Julian needed a stable, full-time female partner in a settled domestic environment to get full legal guardianship and access to Lily's mother's inheritance fund!
Clara: Inheritance fund?
Clara: Julian... is that why you pushed so hard for us to get married before the end of this month?
Julian's face went completely pale. He reached out to grab his mother's arm, shaking his head furiously, but the secret was already out in the open air of the room.
Julian: Clara, don't listen to her. She's just stressed out and saying stupid things.
Clara: Answer me, Julian! Did you propose to me six months ago because you loved me, or because your custody hearing was scheduled for October?!
Julian: I love you! I do love you! But yes, the court required a stable household environment for me to manage the three-million-dollar trust left by Lily's late mother!
Clara: Three million dollars... You used me.
Julian: I didn't use you! We were going to build a life together! You get the house in the Hamptons, you get the cars, you get everything!
Clara: I was primary school teacher making forty thousand dollars a year, and I thought I found a honest man who wanted a family with me!
Evelyn: Oh, please! Stop acting like a martyr! You were getting a mansion and a luxury lifestyle out of this deal!
Clara: I didn't care about your mansion! I quit my teaching job because you begged me to stay home and raise Lily!
Julian: And you did a great job! Lily loves you!
Clara: Lily loves me? Then why did you just let your daughter lie to your face about the clippers? Why did you instantly take her side and treat me like an abusive stranger?!
Lily: Daddy told me last night that if I don't like you, we can get another nanny after the wedding...
The room dropped into absolute, chilling silence. Even the buzzing air conditioner seemed to freeze in place.
Clara: What did you say, sweetie?
Lily: Daddy said you were just helping us for a little while until the court judge gives us the big money house, and then we can hire a real nanny who lets me eat candy.
Clara felt as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of her lungs. She looked at Julian, whose eyes were wide with sheer panic, refusing to meet her gaze.
Clara: You told your seven-year-old daughter that I was disposable?
Julian: Clara, she's seven, she misunderstood a private adult conversation!
Clara: Kids don't fabricate specific sentences like that out of nowhere, Julian! You taught her that I was temporary! That's why she didn't care about ruining her hair or lying to get me in trouble!
Evelyn: Enough of this emotional garbage! The guests are waiting! Put on your veil, grab your bouquet, and get down those stairs right now!
Clara: Touch me again, Evelyn, and I swear to God I will walk down those stairs in this ruined dress and tell every single one of your rich board members exactly what you two did.
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