Twenty minutes later, a sleek black limousine pulled up to the front entrance of the estate.
The rear door opened, and Arthur stepped out onto the driveway, holding little Leo by the hand, with Elena following right behind him.
Arthur: Marin? Is it... is it really safe to come back?
Marin: It's completely safe, Dad. The locks are being re-keyed right now, and Russell is in a police holding cell downtown.
Elena wiped a tear from her cheek, looking up at the high front archway of the mansion she had lived in for thirty years.
Elena: I thought we lost everything, Marin. When he showed us those papers, I thought we were going to end up in a homeless shelter.
Marin: Nobody is ever taking this home from you, Mom. Not as long as I'm breathing.
Marin stepped forward and handed her father the vintage gold watch, placing it gently into his weathered palm.
Arthur: My father's watch... you got it back from him?
Marin: I got everything back, Dad. And he'll never step foot within five miles of this property again.
Leo ran up to Marin, wrapping his arms around her waist with a tight hug.
Leo: Auntie Marin, are we going to sleep in our real beds tonight?
Marin: Yes, sweetie. Your bed is waiting for you upstairs, and I bought your favorite ice cream for dessert.
Leo: Yay! No more sitting on the hot sidewalk!
Arthur placed the watch back onto his wrist, his hands shaking slightly as he buckled the leather strap.
Arthur: I was so worried about you, Marin. When you married that man, I had a bad feeling in my gut, but I kept quiet because I wanted you to be happy.
Marin: I know, Dad. I was blind to who he really was. I thought he cared about me, but all he saw was a ticket to wealth.
Elena: You don't have to apologize, sweetheart. You saved us today.
Marin: Let me show you inside. The catering team is setting up dinner in the dining room.
They walked up the porch steps together, passing the shattered scotch glass on the driveway.
Inside, the kitchen was filled with the warm scent of roasted chicken and fresh bread.
Arthur: It feels like a bad dream has finally ended, Marin.
Marin: It has, Dad. Tomorrow morning, my lawyers are transferring the full deed of this property into a permanent family trust that nobody can touch.
Elena: What will happen to Russell's trial?
Marin: My legal team is handling everything. He's facing ten to fifteen years in state prison for forgery and financial fraud.
Arthur: He brought this on himself. Greed always catches up with people like him.
Marin: Let's sit down and eat dinner together as a family. We have a lot to celebrate tonight.