Richard: This has to be a mistake. Tap the refresh button!
Margaret: Richard, what is going on with the account? All of our trust fund money is in that central vault!
Richard: I'm pressing it! It keeps showing an error code 403. Access Denied: Assets Frozen by Federal Court Order!
Margaret grabbed Richard's wrist, her face suddenly turning as pale as the marble counter.
Margaret: Federal court order? Why would the government freeze your father's estate accounts?
Richard: I don't know, Mom! I didn't touch the corporate filings this month!
Margaret: Call the bank manager right now! Use his direct line!
Richard quickly dialed the number, putting the smartphone on speaker as he paced across the kitchen floor.
Bank Manager: Mr. Sterling? I was just about to call you.
Richard: Arthur! Why is my corporate app showing that my funds are completely locked?
Bank Manager: Mr. Sterling... your account wasn't frozen by us. It was attached by an emergency court injunction filed two hours ago.
Margaret: Injunction? On whose authority?!
Bank Manager: The court order was filed by the primary trustee and legal owner of the Sterling Global Holding Fund.
Richard: The primary trustee? That's my late father!
Bank Manager: Your father transferred eighty percent of the primary voting stock to his legal daughter-in-law three months before he passed away, Mr. Sterling.
Richard froze near the island, his arm dropping to his side as he stared at the speakerphone.
Richard: What did you just say?
Bank Manager: Clara Sterling is the sole authorized signatory on the main holding accounts. She exercised her legal right to lock all subsidiary lines at eight o'clock this morning.
Margaret: That's impossible! She was just a broke girl from a small town!
Bank Manager: Mrs. Sterling, the property deeds, the house accounts, and your personal credit cards were all tied to that master fund. Every card in your purse has been deactivated.
The call went quiet as Arthur hung up the line, leaving a ringing silence in the large room.
Margaret: She tricked us... that lying little snake tricked us!
Richard: Mom... the house deed is in that master trust. The cars... the credit cards... everything.
Margaret: Go after her! Run down the driveway and bring her back right now!
Richard ran toward the front foyer, throwing open the heavy mahogany doors into the bright morning air.
A black luxury sedan was parked near the end of the long stone driveway, its trunk open as a driver loaded two leather bags inside.
Richard: Clara! Wait! Stop right there!
Clara stood near the rear passenger door, her blue satin dress catching the warm breeze as she looked back at him.
Clara: Did your app update, Richard?
Richard: Clara, what did you do to my accounts?! What did you tell Arthur at the bank?!
Clara: I didn't lie to anyone, Richard. I simply presented your father's final, notarized estate agreement.
Richard: My father would never leave his entire company to you over his own son!
Clara: Your father knew exactly who you were, Richard. He knew you and your mother were spending the family fortune into bankruptcy while abusing everyone around you.
Margaret came marching down the front steps, holding her dress up as she stumbled over the gravel driveway.
Margaret: You stole our money, you thief! I'll call the police on you this instant!
Clara: Go right ahead, Margaret. The police are already on their way here anyway.
Margaret: For what?! We haven't done anything wrong!
Clara: For assault, elder financial abuse, and corporate tax fraud. Your former accountant handed over all your private ledgers to my legal team yesterday afternoon.
Margaret stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth opening and closing as her eyes widened in complete terror.
Richard: Clara, please... we can talk about this inside! We're married!
Clara: Not for long, Richard. My divorce lawyer filed the papers at the county courthouse thirty minutes ago.