Elena lifted Leo into her arms and walked past the staring guests without looking back.
She carried him straight into the private guest room and locked the heavy door behind them.
She sat him down on the soft bed and carefully checked his elbows and knees.
Aside from a red mark on his hip, Leo was not severely injured physically.
However, the emotional shock left him clinging tightly to his mother's hand.
Leo: Is Mr. Richard going to throw us out of our house now?
Elena: No, sweetie. Nobody is throwing us anywhere. I promise you.
She wiped the tears from his soft cheeks and gave him a reassuring smile.
She knew that defending Leo was only the first step in a much bigger fight.
Richard had been pushing to take full control of the estate using forged legal documents.
He claimed that Arthur left the entire property to him just weeks before the accident.
Elena knew her late husband would never leave his disabled son without a home.
She waited until Leo fell asleep before slipping out of the bedroom quietly.
She walked down the side hallway toward Arthur's old private office.
The room had been locked since the funeral, but Elena kept the spare key hidden.
She unlocked the heavy oak door and stepped inside the dark room.
The air smelled of old paper and the cedar desk Arthur loved so much.
She went straight to the large wall safe behind the painted landscape portrait.
Arthur had given her the combination years ago in case of an emergency.
Her fingers trembled as she turned the brass dial left and right until it clicked.
Inside the safe lay a thick black folder tied with a simple red ribbon.
She opened the folder under the desk lamp and began reading the pages quickly.
It was Arthur's original last will and testament signed by two official witnesses.
The document clearly stated that the mansion and trust fund belonged entirely to Leo.
Furthermore, it contained a clause that stripped Richard of all business voting power instantly.
Elena held the papers tightly as a cold smile formed on her face.