Marcus: You paid her off? Or did you threaten her?
Victoria: It doesn't matter what happened three years ago! What matters is this wedding! We have five hundred guests waiting at the reception hall!
Lily: Daddy, the doctor came to our room last night... he said Mommy was gone. She wrote a note on a paper bag and told me to hide it in my dress.
The nine-year-old girl reached into the pocket of her dusty blue dress with trembling, dirty fingers. She pulled out a crumpled piece of brown paper bag and handed it up to Marcus.
Marcus: What is this, Lily?
Lily: Mommy said if anything happened to her, I had to give this to you. She said the rich lady threatened to throw us on the street if Mommy ever spoke to you again.
Marcus unfolded the paper carefully, his fingers shaking so violently he could barely read the handwriting. The handwritten ink was smudged with dried tears.
Marcus: 'Marcus... Victoria Sterling forged my signature on a custody waiver. She paid my landlord to lock us out and told me if I ever contacted you, she would use her family's lawyers to take Lily away and put her in foster care...'
Marcus stopped reading, his voice choking off as he looked at the baby in Lily's arms. The infant stared back at him with bright blue eyes—the exact same color as his own mother's eyes.
Marcus: Emma... she's my daughter too?
Lily: She was born seven months ago, Daddy. Mommy named her after your grandmother.
Victoria: Stop reading that garbage! It's all lies written by a desperate woman who wanted your trust fund!
Marcus: Clara never asked for a single dollar from me! Not once!
Marcus stood up slowly, lifting baby Emma into his arms while holding Lily's hand tightly in his left fist. He turned around to face Victoria's father, Mr. Sterling, who was sitting motionless in the front row.
Marcus: Mr. Sterling, did you know about this? Did you use your legal team to terrorize the mother of my children?
Mr. Sterling: Marcus, let's discuss this in the private holding room. There is no need to air private business matters in front of the press.
Marcus: Answer me! Did you cover this up?!
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