Julian: What is the meaning of this? Who hired these men?
Victoria: Security! Get these thugs out of my charity gala right now!
Officer Vance: Nobody move. This entire venue is surrounded by federal agents.
Julian: Federal agents? That is ridiculous! I am the CEO of Vance Capital!
Elena: Not anymore, Julian.
Elena lifted her chin, rubbing the soft red marks on her neck where Julian had squeezed her. She pulled a handkerchief from her purse and wiped a tear from her eye, stepping away from the couple.
Victoria: You quiet little thief! What did you tell them?
Elena: I didn't have to tell them anything, Victoria. You did all the talking yourself on the wiretap.
Julian: Wiretap? What wiretap?
Elena: Do you really think I didn't notice the missing funds from my late mother's trust account last month?
Julian took a step back, his eyes darting toward the open doors where four guards stood with their arms crossed, blocking the exit.
Julian: That money was reinvested into the corporate merger! It was completely legal!
Elena: Reinvested? You transferred eight million dollars into a shell company in the Cayman Islands under your mother's name.
Victoria: She is lying, Officer! My family built this estate with our own hard-earned money!
Officer Vance: Mrs. Vance, we have the bank statements, the offshore transfer logs, and the audio recording from your dressing room ten minutes ago.
The guests around the ballroom began to whisper loudly, holding up their phones to record the argument. Victoria’s silver tiara sat crooked on her head as her composure completely dissolved.
Victoria: Julian, tell them! Tell them she signed the prenuptial agreement surrendering all claims!
Julian: She did! She signed the agreement last night in my office!
Elena: I signed a document, Julian. But it wasn't a prenuptial agreement.
Julian: What are you talking about? I gave you the paper myself!
Elena: You gave me a forged contract. But my family's lawyer swapped the folder on your desk before you signed the transfer deed.
Julian reached into his tuxedo jacket, pulling out a folded piece of paper with trembling hands. He opened it, his eyes scanning the lines as his jaw dropped in shock.
Julian: This... this is a full confession of corporate embezzlement...
Elena: Signed by you, in front of three witnesses and a notary.
Victoria: You treacherous snake! You set my son up!
Elena: Your son set himself up the moment he thought he could lay his hands on me and steal my inheritance.
Officer Vance: Step forward, Mr. Vance. Put your hands behind your back.
Julian: Wait! Let me talk to my lawyer! I have the right to a phone call!
Officer Vance: You can call your lawyer from the federal holding facility downtown.
The lead officer stepped forward, grabbing Julian's arm and snapping heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists. Julian winced as the cold metal clicked tightly against his skin.
Victoria: Unhand my son! Do you know who I am?
Officer Vance: You are Evelyn Vance, and you are also under arrest for grand larceny and wire fraud.
Victoria gasped, taking a step back until her back hit a glass display table. Another guard stepped up behind her, securing her wrists in handcuffs as her silver tiara fell off her head and clattered onto the marble floor.