Victoria: Proof? What proof could a maid possibly have against one of the most respected families in the state?
Elena: The kind of proof that your mother’s lawyer thought he destroyed six years ago.
Elena pulled a folded, yellowed piece of paper from inside her inner jacket pocket. She didn't hand it to Victoria; she stepped past her and handed it directly to Marcus.
Elena: Look at the date on that medical release form, Marcus. Look at where I was on the day those adoption surrender papers were allegedly signed in downtown Manhattan.
Marcus opened the paper with trembling fingers. His eyes scanned the official letterhead of St. Jude Memorial Hospital.
Marcus: You were in the intensive care unit in upstate New York on October 14th... the exact date of the custody agreement.
Elena: I was unconscious, hooked up to monitors after a severe infection. I was two hundred miles away from the law firm. I could not have signed those documents in front of a notary public in Manhattan.
Marcus: The notary seal on the custody form... it was notarized by my mother’s personal executive assistant, Arthur Pendelton.
Elena: Exactly. Arthur notarized a fake signature. Your mother used her influence, her money, and her corrupt estate attorney to steal my son from my arms while I was fighting for my life.
Victoria: Marcus, don't listen to her! This document could easily be a fake! Anyone can print a fake hospital record!
Marcus: Victoria, this is an official certified hospital record with a judge's subpoena stamp on the bottom. Why does this have a court stamp, Elena?
Elena: Because two weeks ago, a pro-bono legal aid lawyer took my case. We filed a petition to reopen the custody settlement and audit the Vance family trust fund.
The crowd began to whisper even louder. Several high-profile corporate lawyers in attendance shifted uncomfortably, recognizing the severe legal ramifications of what was being said.
Guest 1: Forgery and child abduction? If this gets out to the press, the Vance stock will plunge tomorrow morning!
Guest 2: Not to mention criminal charges against the estate trustees... which means Marcus and his sister!
Victoria: Marcus, control yourself! We are hours away from announcing our marriage merger! If this scandal breaks now, my father will pull all financing from your downtown real estate project!
Marcus: Is that all you care about, Victoria? The financing for a building project?
Victoria: It's fifty million dollars, Marcus! We are talking about our future, our reputation, our status! You cannot let a dishwasher ruin our life work over an orphan boy!
Marcus: He isn't an orphan boy, Victoria! He is my brother’s son! He is my blood!
Elena: I didn't come here to ruin your party, Marcus. I came here because I found out you were transferring Leo’s trust fund into a joint account with Victoria's family firm today.
Marcus froze, looking at Victoria with sudden suspicion.
Marcus: Victoria... you asked me to sign those trust transfer papers this morning. You said it was just standard financial management for our upcoming wedding.
Victoria: It IS standard! A child shouldn't have control over millions of dollars in shares! My father’s asset management firm was just going to oversee the funds until Leo turned twenty-five!
Elena: Overseas management, Marcus. Check section four of the agreement she gave you. It transfers the voting rights of Richard’s estate to Harrington Enterprises permanently.
Marcus quickly pulled out his phone, opening his secure document portal where the draft agreement was saved. His face turned pale as he scrolled down to the legal fine print.
Marcus: My God... Elena is right. Victoria, you tried to strip my nephew of his entire inheritance!
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