Evelyn: You are all insane! This girl is trying to extort us for money!
Maya: I don't want your money! I want the police to take you away!
Julian: Maya, give me your phone for a second. Let me look at the timestamp on that video file.
Maya handed her phone to Julian, her hands still shaking from the pain in her arm.
Julian: The video was recorded at 8:14 PM. That was three minutes before Evelyn handed me the martini.
Evelyn: Video files can be edited, Julian! You know how easy it is to alter phone media!
Julian: A live video recorded in high resolution with local background audio isn't edited in three minutes, Evelyn.
Maya: Listen to the audio on the clip, sir. Turn the volume up!
Julian tapped the screen, turning the speaker volume all the way to maximum.
Recorded Voice: This will make it look like a sudden heart attack... no one will ever suspect the olive.
The entire ballroom went completely silent as Evelyn's voice echoed clearly from the smartphone speaker.
Julian: That is your voice, Evelyn. Clear as day.
Evelyn: That... that isn't me! Someone synthesized my voice with artificial intelligence!
Julian: In the middle of a noisy hotel kitchen? Stop lying to yourself!
Maya: She also has the empty foil packet in her leather folder! I saw her slide it into the inside pocket!
Julian: Hand over the folder, Evelyn.
Evelyn: No! This contains proprietary company documents!
Julian: Hand it over right now, or I will have security hold you down until the officers arrive!
Evelyn hugged the folder tighter, backing away toward the velvet curtains near the balcony doors.
Security Officer: Ma'am, please step away from the windows and hand over the property.
Evelyn: Stay away from me! I have rights!
Julian stepped forward, grabbing the edge of the folder and pulling it out of her grip with a sharp jerk.
A small silver foil packet dropped from the inner compartment, landing right beside the broken glass on the floor.
Julian: What is this, Evelyn?
Maya: That's the packet! That's the exact one she used!
Julian: It's a prescription cardiac paralytic... the same medication my late uncle was prescribed before his sudden passing last year.
Evelyn: Julian... please... listen to me...
Julian: You killed my uncle, didn't you? You poisoned him too so you could take his shares in the firm!
Evelyn: He was going to sell the company to an overseas conglomerate! He was going to ruin us!
Julian: He was my family! You murdered him for money!
Evelyn's face turned completely pale, her composure crumbling as tears ruined her heavy eye makeup.
Evelyn: I did it for the business! I did everything for the company!
Julian: You did it for greed and pure evil.
A paramedic team rushed into the room carrying a medical kit and a burn treatment pack.
Paramedic: Who is the injured party here?
Julian: Over here! This young woman has severe burns on her arm, and I took two sips of a poisoned drink!
Paramedic: Sir, sit down immediately! We need to check your heart rate and pulse right now!
Maya: Please check him first! He drank the liquid!
Julian: No, Maya, let them look at your arm first. You saved my life tonight.
Maya sat down on a velvet chair as the paramedic wrapped a cool medical bandage around her red skin.
Maya: It hurts so bad... but I'm just glad you didn't finish the glass.
Julian: If you hadn't knocked that tray over, I would be dead on this floor right now.
Loud police sirens began to echo from the street outside, getting louder as patrol cars pulled up to the main hotel entrance.