The grandfather clock in the main foyer struck twelve heavy chimes as Richard sat at his study desk, holding a golden fountain pen.
Victoria: Just sign right on the dotted line, darling. Then the estate will be completely safe from Emily's lawsuits.
Richard: It just feels wrong, Victoria. This house belonged to my grandfather.
Victoria: Do you want Emily's debt collectors seizing the furniture next week?
Richard: No... of course not.
Victoria: Then sign the paper. I will handle the rest with the corporate attorneys in the morning.
Richard lowered the pen tip to the white parchment, his hand trembling slightly under the desk lamp.
BANG!
The heavy study doors flew open, crashing against the wooden wall with a deafening thud.
Emily: DON'T SIGN THAT PAPER, DAD!
Richard gasped, dropping his pen onto the blotter as Victoria spun around in absolute fury.
Victoria: How did you get back inside this house?! Security! Someone remove this girl!
Emily: Security isn't coming, Victoria! Mark unlocked the doors for me!
Richard: Emily! I told you to leave this estate!
Emily: Dad, look at this flash drive before you give away everything my mother built!
Victoria: She is lying, Richard! Don't look at anything she hands you! She is trying to manipulate you!
Emily: If I am lying, Victoria, why did the wire transfer originate from your private tablet at three in the morning last Tuesday?
Richard froze, his eyes shifting slowly from his daughter to Victoria's pale face.
Richard: What did you just say, Emily?
Emily: I have the digital server logs stamped by the state cybersecurity bureau right here in my hand.
Victoria: That drive is corrupted! She bought fake server logs from a dark web hacker!
Emily: And what about the motion camera footage showing you slipping into my bedroom to steal my bank fob, Victoria?
Victoria: Richard, don't listen to her! She is insane!
Richard: Plug the drive into the laptop, Emily.
Victoria: No! Richard, stop!
Victoria lunged across the desk to grab the flash drive, but Richard slammed his hand down on her wrist, holding her firmly in place.
Richard: I said... plug it in, Emily.
Emily inserted the drive into the side of the laptop, pressing play on the top video file as the screen lit up the dark study.