David stood frozen as he looked at the two women.
His eyes moved from Maria's face to his stepmother's hands.
Maria held out the wet legal folder with a trembling hand.
Maria: She dropped these from the balcony into the fountain!
Maria: I caught them before they were destroyed forever!
Evelyn: She is lying to you, David! She is trying to steal!
Maria: I have worked for you for ten years, Mr. Vance!
Maria: I would never do anything to harm your sweet daughter!
David walked forward with heavy, slow steps across the room.
He took the legal folder from Maria and inspected the papers.
He recognized his late wife's signature on the legal forms.
David turned his head and glared sharply at his stepmother.
His chest heaved as deep anger grew inside his heart.
David: Is this true, Evelyn? Were you destroying these?
Evelyn: Of course not! I was just filing them away!
David: Filing them by dropping them over the upper railing?
Evelyn: It was an accident! My hand slipped over the edge!
David: Do not lie to me in my own home!
Evelyn backed away toward the bottom stair step with fear.
She had never seen David look so intensely furious before.
David stepped closer until he stood right in front of her.
David: I gave you a luxury home after my father passed.
David: I paid off all your personal credit card debts.
David: And you repay me by targeting my motherless daughter?
Evelyn: David, you are misunderstanding everything I did today!
David: Get out of my sight before I lose control!
Evelyn raised her chin high, trying to look proud again.
Evelyn: You cannot talk to me like that in public!
David: This is my house, and you are no longer welcome!
Evelyn: I have legal rights to stay in this mansion!
David: We will see what the police say about your rights!
David reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his phone.
He quickly dialed three digits that made Evelyn turn pale.