The force of the blow knocked Evelyn backward, sending her stumbling against the glass side table.
A lamp wobbled and crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces as Evelyn collapsed onto the polished wood, clutching her red, burning cheek in total humiliation.
Evelyn: You... you hit your own mother?
David: You screamed at my seven-year-old child and called her a liar to cover up your own theft!
David immediately turned his back on the fallen woman, dropping down to one knee in front of Lily.
He pulled his crying daughter into a warm, protective embrace, resting his chin on her small shoulder.
David: I'VE GOT YOU, SWEETHEART. YOU'RE SAFE NOW.
Lily: Daddy... I was so scared she was going to lock me in the closet again!
David pulled back slightly, his eyes wide with horror as he looked into his daughter's tear-filled eyes.
David: What did you just say, Lily? What closet?
Sarah: Lily, sweetie, what do you mean lock you in the closet?
Lily: Last month when you guys went to the grocery store, Grandma locked me in the hallway closet because I wouldn't give her the key to Mommy's jewelry chest.
Sarah: My jewelry chest? David, my diamond earrings went missing three weeks ago!
David: Evelyn... get off my floor and look at me right now.
Evelyn remained on the ground, holding her face while tears smeared her foundation.
Evelyn: She's lying again! She's making up stories because she hates me!
Sarah: She's seven years old, Evelyn! She doesn't even know how to make up a story like that!
David: Sarah, go check the master bedroom safe. Check if the estate documents are still there.
Evelyn: Don't you dare touch those papers!
David: Why shouldn't she touch them, Ma? What else have you taken from this house?
Evelyn tried to push herself up using the arm of the sofa, but her hands were shaking too badly.
Evelyn: I helped you buy this house! I put down twenty thousand dollars for your down payment five years ago!
David: And I paid you back every single cent with ten percent interest! You don't own this home, and you don't own my family!
Sarah hurried back into the living room, her face pale as she held an empty manila folder.
Sarah: David... the deed to the property is gone. The secondary car titles are missing too.
David: Look in her bag, Sarah. Search every single pocket.
Evelyn: Get your hands off my purse! That is illegal search!
Sarah: Call the police, David. Call them right now.
Sarah dumped the contents of Evelyn's beige purse onto the coffee table.
Along with the velvet box containing the heirloom ring, three folded legal documents rolled out onto the wood, bearing the state notary stamp.
David: You forged my signature on a property transfer deed?
Evelyn: It was for your own good! You were going to leave everything to Sarah in your will anyway!
David: Sarah is my wife! She is the mother of my child!
Evelyn: She is an outsider! The Sterling family fortune belongs to the original bloodline!
David: You stole from your own son, framed my daughter, and abused her in her own house.
David stood up, his tall frame looming over Evelyn as she sat huddled on the floor in shame.
David: You are dead to me, Evelyn. Get out of my sight before the police arrive to drag you out in handcuffs.