Arthur: Victoria, hand over your bag.
Victoria: Absolutely not! This is a thousand-dollar Italian leather clutch! You have no right to search my personal belongings!
Arthur: If you have nothing to hide, opening a bag takes five seconds. Marcus, step forward.
Victoria: Don't you dare touch me, Marcus! I am going to be the mistress of this estate next month!
Arthur: That engagement ring on your finger came from my family trust, Victoria. If you refuse to open that bag, the wedding is off as of this exact second.
Victoria gasped, her hand instinctively flying to her chest. The dinner guests gasped along with her, leaning in closer as the drama unfolded.
Victoria: You would throw away our relationship over a maid's baseless accusation?
Arthur: I am throwing away the risk of a traitor in my home. Open the bag, or hand over the ring.
Victoria’s jaw tightened. Her eyes darted toward the high stained-glass windows, looking for an exit that wasn't there. With trembling, angry fingers, she unzipped her red clutch and dumped the contents onto the white tablecloth.
A compact mirror, lipstick, a set of brass keys, and a sleek black digital recording box tumbled across the linen. The digital box was currently glowing with a steady green signal light.
Arthur: Well, well. Is this part of your makeup kit, Victoria?
Victoria: I... I can explain! It’s not what you think!
Clara: That's the exact same logo as the device under the chair, Mr. Vance. It's the receiver unit.
Arthur: You were recording my private business negotiations? The offshore trust accounts? The merger details?
Victoria: I was protecting my future! You never gave me access to the family accounts! You made me sign that humiliating prenuptial agreement!
Arthur: The prenup was to protect my late wife’s inheritance for my children! You knew that when you agreed to marry me!
Victoria: Your late wife is gone! But I was going to spend my life with you, and you treated me like a glorified guest in your home!
Arthur: So you partnered with my rivals? Who were you feeding this audio to, Victoria?
Victoria: Nobody! I just wanted leverage! I wanted to make sure I wasn't left with nothing if you decided to replace me!
Clara: That's not true, sir. When I was prepping the gallery table earlier, I saw Ms. Victoria talking behind the pillar with Mr. Sterling from Apex Holdings.
Arthur turned his icy gaze toward the far corner of the table, where Richard Sterling, a long-time rival investor, sat quietly holding his wine glass.
Arthur: Richard. Care to explain why my fiancee was meeting you in the dark before dinner?
Richard: She came to me, Arthur. I had nothing to do with planting listening devices in your residence.
Victoria: You liar! You paid for the equipment! You promised me twenty percent of the short-stock profits once Arthur's stock crashed!
Richard: Shut your mouth, Victoria!
Arthur: Marcus, call the Dallas Police Department immediately. We have a full confession of federal wiretapping and corporate conspiracy right here on recording.
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