The garden fell into a heavy, suffocating silence after the crash.
Guests stood frozen around the ruined buffet table, watching every move.
Eleanor slowly stooped down to pick up the paper folder from the floor.
She opened the document, her eyes scanning the bold black text quickly.
Eleanor: This document cannot possibly be legally binding in this state.
Mark: My mother signed the full estate transfer over to me last month.
Victoria snatched the papers from Eleanor's shaking hands to read them herself.
Victoria: She was not in her right mind when she signed this!
Mark: Her lawyer and three doctors certified her complete mental clarity.
The reality of the situation hit the family members like a cold wave.
This luxury property no longer belonged to Eleanor or her council.
Mark stepped closer to Eleanor, pointing his finger toward the grand mansion doors.
Mark: You have been living off my mother's trust fund for five years.
Eleanor: I raised your mother in this house, Mark Vance!
Mark: And yet you treated her granddaughter like dirt on your shoes today.
Victoria backed away slightly as Mark turned his glare toward her silver gown.
Victoria: I was only following Eleanor's rules for the party setup.
Mark: You laughed while my small child was forced onto her knees.
A few elderly guests in the back began quietly leaving through the side gate.
Nobody wanted to be caught in the middle of a serious legal dispute.
Mark: My security team will remain on these grounds starting today.
Eleanor: You cannot throw your own grandmother out of her home!
Mark: This is not your home anymore, Eleanor.
He gestured toward the main gates at the end of the long driveway.
Mark: You have two hours to pack your clothes and leave this property.
Eleanor lowered her head, the harsh authority completely drained from her posture.
Eleanor: Please, Mark, let us talk about this in private inside.
Mark: You chose to humiliate Lily in public, so we talk in public.