Outside the estate, rain poured heavily against the tall arched windows of the library on the second floor.
Victoria stepped quietly through the double doors, slipping off her high heels so her footsteps made no sound on the hardwood floor.
Victoria: Where did the old man keep the master keycard?
She moved swiftly toward the heavy oak desk near the fireplace, pulling open the brass-handled drawers one by one.
Victoria: It has to be in here... he wouldn't leave it in the main safe.
Her fingers flipped through stacks of legal folders, tax filings, and corporate bond certificates.
Suddenly, the brass door handle behind her clicked softly.
Eleanor: Looking for something, Victoria?
Victoria gasped, spinning around as she clutched a leather-bound folder to her chest.
Victoria: Eleanor! You scared me! I was just... looking for Richard's heart medication.
Eleanor: His medicine is kept in the master bathroom downstairs, as you well know.
Victoria: I thought he left a spare bottle up here.
Eleanor: Put those files back on the desk.
Victoria: This is private family business, Eleanor. You should be in bed.
Eleanor: This is my late husband's house. Everything in this room belongs to my family line, not yours.
Victoria took a slow step forward, her red dress rustling in the dim light of the library lamp.
Victoria: Your family line is broke, Eleanor. Richard's company owes twelve million dollars to offshore lenders.
Eleanor: That is a lie! Richard's firm is completely solvent!
Victoria: It was solvent until I started managing his private portfolios six months ago.
Eleanor's hand flew to her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.
Eleanor: You... you drained his corporate accounts?
Victoria: I redirected them to a trust fund under my daughter's name in Zurich.
Eleanor: And you framed Emily for it!
Victoria: Emily was easy. She left her password written on a sticky note inside her nightstand drawer.
Eleanor: You monster! I am telling Richard right now!
Eleanor turned toward the open hallway, but Victoria darted forward with surprising speed, grabbing the older woman's arm hard.
Victoria: You aren't telling anyone anything, old woman.
Eleanor: Let go of me! Richard! Richard, help!
Victoria: Scream all you want. The walls in this wing are soundproofed.
Eleanor: My son will destroy you when he finds out the truth!
Victoria: He won't find out anything. By tomorrow morning, he will sign the deed over to me, and you will be in a nursing home in Florida.
Victoria shoved Eleanor backward into a velvet armchair, locking the library doors from the inside with a heavy brass key.
She turned back to the desk with a cruel smile, unaware that a hidden recorder on the bookshelf had just caught every single word.