Mark: Primary creditor? What kind of joke is this?
Emily: It's no joke, Mark. Read the third line on the screen.
Mark turned his head slowly toward the wall, his brown eyes widening as he read the legal document displayed in huge black letters. His breath hitched in his throat.
Mark: The patent... you transferred the software patent to your own name?
Emily: I didn't transfer it. The patent was registered under my maiden name ten years ago. You just forgot because you were too busy buying diamond necklaces for your assistants.
Chloe: Mark! Tell me she's lying! My dad needs that software for his logistics company!
Mark: Emily, you can't do this! The entire company value is tied to that single patent!
Emily: Then I guess your company value just dropped to zero.
A loud murmur washed over the room as three high-profile investors from the front table immediately stood up, buttoning their jackets and looking at Mark with pure disgust.
Investor 1: Mark, our deal is off. Our legal team will be calling your office at eight in the morning.
Mark: Mr. Davis, wait! Please! It's just a marital dispute! We can resolve this!
Investor 1: Marital dispute? You lied about the company ownership! You brought us here to invest in stolen property!
Chloe: It wasn't Mark's fault! It was hers! She tricked him!
Emily: Nobody tricked him, Chloe. He was just arrogant enough to think a woman who loves him would never check the bank books.
Mark lunged up the stage stairs, completely ignoring the security guards who were now trying to step between us. His face was pale, his eyes wide with frantic desperation.
Mark: Emily, I'll break up with Chloe tonight! I'll send her away! We can start over!
Chloe: Mark! What did you just say to me?!
Chloe's Father: You coward!
A tall man in a navy suit pushed his way through the crowded aisle, his face bright red with anger as he marched straight toward Mark. It was Chloe's father, the main financier for Mark's upcoming expansion project.
Chloe's Father: You promised my daughter a home and a wedding! You used my family's money to pay off your personal gambling debts!
Mark: Mr. Vance, I can explain! Your daughter knew about the investments!
Chloe: I didn't know about any gambling debts! You told me you were buying a boat!
Chloe's Father: Get your things, Chloe. We are leaving right now.
Chloe: Dad, no! He's the father of my baby!
Chloe's Father: That baby will never see a single dime of my fortune if you stay with this fraud!
Chloe began to cry loudly, her mascara running down her cheeks as her father grabbed her elbow and forcibly pulled her toward the coatroom. The crowd of wealthy guests parted like the Red Sea, pointing their phones at her tear-stained face.
Mark: Mr. Vance! Don't pull out of the loan! The bank will foreclose on the corporate building!
Emily: They won't need to foreclose, Mark. I bought the mortgage from the bank three days ago.
Mark slowly turned back around to face me, his arms dropping to his sides like heavy weights. The noise of the gala seemed to fade into a silent ring as he stared up at me on the stage.
Mark: You... you bought the mortgage?
Emily: Every single dollar of it. And your first payment is officially three hours overdue.