Thirty minutes later, Victoria pulled her sedan into the underground parking garage of the First National Bank in downtown Dallas. Arthur was waiting for her near the glass elevator doors, clutching his briefcase under his arm.
Arthur: Victoria! You sounded breathless on the phone. What did you find in the study?
Victoria: He left a key, Arthur! In his secret desk compartment! Look at this!
She pulled the silver key from her purse and handed it to the veteran attorney. Arthur put on his reading glasses, examining the serial number carefully under the fluorescent garage lights.
Arthur: Safety deposit box 402... This is registered to his personal, non-corporate account. Eleanor's legal team wouldn't have access to this without a specific court order.
Victoria: Can we open it right now?
Arthur: As the designated co-signatory on his primary bank accounts, you have full access rights to his personal vault items. Follow me.
They walked upstairs to the main lobby, escorting themselves down a long, carpeted hallway into the bank's secure vault room. A stern-looking bank manager verified Victoria's driver's license and matched her father's signature on the master signature card.
Bank Manager: Everything checks out, Miss Vance. Box 402 is located right over here in Section B.
The manager inserted her master key into the upper lock, while Victoria inserted the silver key into the lower lock. Together, they turned the mechanisms until a heavy metallic click echoed through the quiet vault. The manager pulled out a long, narrow metal box and placed it on a private viewing table before stepping out of the room.
Victoria: This is it, Arthur. This is what he wanted me to find.
Arthur: Lift the lid, Victoria. Let us see what Richard hid away from Eleanor.
Victoria slowly lifted the hinged metal lid. Inside lay three distinct items: a USB flash drive, a thick blue folder marked Original Prenuptial Agreement - Unaltered, and a certified video recording log from a private detective agency.
Victoria: The prenup! The real, original prenuptial agreement!
Arthur: Hand it to me! Let me inspect the signatures and dates immediately!
Arthur opened the blue folder, his eyes scanning through the legal clauses with trained precision. A slow, triumphant smile spread across his face as he reached page fourteen.
Arthur: My goodness... Look at Section Nine, Victoria!
Victoria: What does Section Nine say?
Arthur: "In the event of marriage dissolution or death, all corporate assets, real estate titles, and primary trust funds of Vance Enterprises shall bypass the spouse completely and transfer 100% to Victoria Vance. Furthermore, any attempt by the spouse to alter this agreement post-execution shall trigger an immediate forfeiture of all spousal spousal support."
Victoria: She tried to revoke this! She showed us a fake amendment today!
Arthur: Exactly! And this original document is stamped by the State Registrar with an unbroken seal. But that's not all... what is on that USB drive?
Victoria: There's a label on it. It says, "Hospital Room Security Recording - October 12th."
Arthur: October 12th... That was two days before Eleanor claims your father signed his new will!
Victoria: We need a laptop right now, Arthur! We need to see what is on this drive!
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