Richard adjusted his reading glasses, taking the folder from Claire's hands while Evelyn hovered over his shoulder, her hands still shaking.
Evelyn: Look at the date! Look at the date, Richard! He was on medication!
Richard: Evelyn, stop talking.
Richard's eyes scanned down the page, his face growing paler with every line he read.
Richard: My God...
Evelyn: What is it? What does it say?!
Richard: David didn't just transfer the house, Evelyn. He revoked your living allowance from the family trust as well.
Evelyn gasped, catching herself on the edge of the hallway table as her jaw dropped in utter shock.
Evelyn: My allowance? The fifty thousand dollars a month?!
Claire: David realized where that money was going, Evelyn. You were gambling it away at the casino in town while he was undergoing treatments.
Evelyn: That's a lie! I was investing!
Claire: Investing in roulette wheels? I have the bank statements right here too, if you'd like Richard to read those out loud.
Richard closed the folder with a soft thud and looked at Evelyn with pity in his eyes.
Richard: Evelyn, there is nothing I can do. The transfer is legally binding, stamped by the state superior court, and fully executed. Claire is the sole owner of the estate, the property, and the family accounts.
Evelyn: You're my lawyer! Fix it!
Richard: I am the family estate lawyer, Evelyn. My duty was to David, and David made his final wishes crystal clear. You have no legal standing here.
Evelyn turned her fierce gaze back to Claire, her cheeks turning bright red with rage and embarrassment.
Evelyn: You parasite! You came into this family with nothing, and now you're taking everything my husband worked for!
Claire: Your husband worked to build a family, Evelyn. You tried to destroy it the moment he died. You treated my son like trash in his own home.
Evelyn: He isn't my grandson!
Claire: Good. Because he doesn't need a grandmother who slaps his mother and starves him over a plate of food.
Claire pointed toward the grandfather clock sitting near the entryway.
Claire: You have one hour and fifteen minutes left. I suggest you start packing your clothes, or you'll be leaving with only the dress on your back.
Evelyn: Richard, call the police! Tell them she's stealing my property!
Richard: Evelyn, if I call the police, they will enforce the trespass order against you. Please, pack your things. I will book you a room at the local hotel for the night.
Evelyn: A hotel?! You expect me to live in a hotel like a commoner?!
Claire: You can live wherever your remaining savings take you. But you won't spend another night under this roof.
Evelyn let out a bitter, strangled cry and turned on her heels, rushing up the stairs to her bedroom as her heavy shoes slammed against the marble steps.