Julian stumbled forward on trembling legs, reaching out his hands in absolute desperation toward the powerful CEO before him.
Julian: Mr. Sterling, please! You can't take away my family's estate! I have mortgage payments and debts everywhere!
Marcus: You should have thought about your debts before you humiliated the future head of the Sterling foundation.
Marcus snapped his fingers, and his two massive security guards immediately stepped between Julian and the couple.
The main lawyer for the Sterling enterprise stepped out from the crowd, holding a smooth leather briefcase in his hands.
Lawyer: As of this exact moment, Julian, all your credit cards, vehicles, and luxury accounts have been frozen completely.
Chloe gasped in sheer terror, quickly backing away from Julian as if his very presence was now contagious to her.
Chloe: Julian, tell me this is a joke! You said you owned half of your father's business empire!
Julian: Chloe, please! You have to help me talk to him!
Chloe: Get away from me! You dragged me into this mess!
Ava watched the entire scene unfold, holding Marcus's warm suit jacket tightly around her cold, shivering dress.
She felt no joy in seeing Julian ruin himself, but she finally felt safe standing beside the man who loved her.
Marcus turned to the ballroom manager, who was standing frozen in fear nearby with a serving tray in hand.
Marcus: Call the police right now and have these two escorted off my property for physical assault and harassment.
Ballroom Manager: Right away, Mr. Sterling! Right away sir!
Chloe began to cry loud, ugly tears as two female security officers escorted her firmly toward the side doors.
Chloe: You can't do this to me! My father is a major investor in this hotel chain!
Lawyer: Your father sold his shares to Mr. Sterling two hours ago, ma'am. You have zero authority here.
The guests watching the dramatic downfall broke out into quiet whispers, completely turning their backs on the disgraced pair.
Julian fell back onto his knees, the exact same spot where Ava had been forced to weep moments earlier.
He looked up at Ava with desperate tears streaming down his face, begging for a single crumb of mercy.
Julian: Ava, please tell him to stop! We were together! You loved me!
Ava: You never loved me, Julian. You only loved making innocent people feel small.