Clara sat nervously on the soft velvet sofa inside the room.
Evelyn poured hot tea into fine china cups for them both.
Ethan stood near the large bay window, watching Clara very closely.
Ethan: Why did you never tell us who you were, Clara?
Clara: I did not even know who owned this huge estate.
Clara: I applied through an agency when I lost my home.
Evelyn set her tea cup down with a light ceramic clink.
Evelyn: Your courage saved our entire family seven years ago, Clara.
Evelyn: Lucia's life insurance fund was created after that awful night.
Evelyn: We set aside money for the person who saved her.
Clara looked up in surprise, her eyes wide with wonder.
Clara: A trust fund? I had no idea about any money.
Ethan walked away from the window and sat across from her.
Ethan: Two hundred thousand dollars has been waiting for you, Clara.
Ethan: Victoria knew about that reward fund all along, unfortunately.
Clara gasped softly and pressed her back into the sofa.
Clara: Why would Miss Victoria care about my reward money?
Ethan: Because she was trying to claim that money for herself.
Evelyn nodded slowly with a sad, heavy sigh coming out.
Evelyn: Victoria claimed she hired a private detective to find you.
Evelyn: She wanted us to transfer those funds directly to her account.
Evelyn: She lied to her own family out of pure greed.
Clara remembered how Victoria had treated her since day one here.
Victoria had constantly threatened to fire her for tiny mistakes daily.
She was trying to drive Clara away before anyone noticed her scar.
Clara: She recognized my scar three days ago in the pantry.
Clara: She told me to keep my shirt buttoned high always.
Ethan clenched his fists tightly until his white knuckles showed through.
Ethan: She knew who you were and still treated you badly!
Ethan: She tried to hide you from my grandmother and me!
The heavy oak doors of the room opened up with a thump.
Victoria walked in holding a stack of legal papers tightly.
Her face was pale, but her eyes were cold and sharp.
Victoria: Ethan, you cannot just give our family money away like this!
Victoria: She was just a worker doing a job back then!
Ethan: Shut your mouth, Victoria! You have gone way too far!
Victoria: I am a Vance! This estate belongs to us, not her!
Evelyn stood up straight with amazing power in her aged posture.
Evelyn: This house belongs to me, Victoria! Not to you!
Evelyn: And I will decide who stays in this house today!
Victoria stepped back slightly, her confidence starting to crack wide open.
Victoria: Grandmother, please listen to reason for just one second!
Evelyn: I have listened to your selfish lies for far too long!