Arthur: Make way, please! Step aside, everyone!
The heavy double doors of the ballroom burst open, and Arthur Pendelton marched into the room holding a thick leather briefcase.
Ethan: Thank you for coming so fast, Arthur.
Arthur: I drove straight from my office. Let me see the locket immediately.
Lily held out the silver coin in her palm. Arthur pulled a magnifying glass from his pocket and examined the intricate edges under the chandelier light.
Arthur: The engraving mark is genuine. 'C.V. - May 14th'. This is the exact piece master jewelers created for Edward Vance's daughter.
Victoria: Arthur, you are making a grave legal mistake! Anyone could have replicated that coin!
Arthur: Replicated? Victoria, this coin contains a micro-serial number registered with the state treasury vault in Austin. I have the matching certificate right here in my hand.
Ethan: Read the certificate, Arthur. Read it out loud for the guests to hear.
Arthur: 'In the event of Chloe Vance's survival, all assets held under the secondary trust shall immediately freeze and transfer to her sole custody upon verification.'
Victoria: I am filing an injunction tomorrow morning! This girl is not verified!
Arthur: Actually, Victoria, three years ago you quietly signed a document removing Chloe's name from the official missing persons registry, claiming she was legally deceased.
Ethan: You did what?! You declared my sister dead without telling me?!
Arthur: She did it through a private lawyer in Houston. That allowed her to withdraw twelve million dollars from the cash reserves last year.
Lily: Twelve million dollars? I was living on six dollars an hour in a tiny basement room...
Ethan: You made my sister sleep on a cot while you withdrew millions in her name?!
Victoria: I earned every penny of that money by managing this household and preserving your father's business empire!
Ethan: You didn't manage anything! You spent it on designer clothes, luxury cars, and trips to Paris while abusing workers!
Lily: She made me clean the floors with a toothbrush when I made the smallest mistake...
Arthur: That constitutes human trafficking and severe labor exploitation, Victoria. The police are already on their way here.
Victoria: You called the police to my house during my charity gala?! How dare you humiliation me!
Ethan: You humiliated yourself the moment you raised that belt against an innocent girl in front of a hundred witnesses!
Victoria: I am going to my bedroom! I don't have to listen to this slander in my own home!
Ethan: Stand down, Victoria. You aren't going anywhere near those stairs.
Victoria: Get out of my way, Ethan! I am calling my personal security team!
Ethan: Your security team works for Vance Enterprises, and I am the Chief Executive Officer. Guards, lock the exits!
Lily: Ethan... is she going to hurt us again?
Ethan: Never again, Chloe. I promise you, no one in this house will ever hurt you again.
Victoria backed up against the marble pillar, her face pale as guests pulled out their cell phones to record every second of her downfall.
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