The house was dead silent after the heavy front door finally slammed.
David carried Lily up to her quiet bedroom and tucked her in.
Sarah sat on the edge of the bed stroke her daughter's hair.
David: How long has she been treating you like this, Sarah?
Sarah: Ever since your father passed away last summer in Austin.
Sarah wiped her cheek with a soft paper towel from the counter.
Sarah: She said she controlled the family inheritance and your mortgage.
David rubbed his forehead in absolute disbelief at his mother's cruelty.
His father had been a honorable man who built a vast empire.
Before he died, he promised that David's family would be protected.
David realized that Evelyn must have hidden the true terms of the estate.
He walked straight into his late father's locked study downstairs.
He reached into the top desk drawer for the master safe key.
The heavy iron door of the wall safe clicked open after three turns.
Inside lay stacks of legal documents wrapped in dark blue folders.
David pulled out the official family trust papers stamped by a judge.
He flipped through the crisp pages under the warm desk lamp light.
His eyes caught a specific clause near the bottom of page twelve.
The clause stated clearly that the Dallas estate belonged solely to Lily.
Evelyn was only granted a small monthly allowance from the business fund.
She had lied to everyone to maintain total control over the money.
She had used fear and intimidation to force Sarah into total submission.
David: She has been stealing from my daughter this whole time.
Sarah entered the study quiet as a shadow and stood beside him.
Sarah: What does the legal paperwork say, David?
David: It says my mother has no legal right to this house.
He dialed his top corporate law firm number without waiting any longer.
Lawyer: Good evening, David, how can I help you tonight?
David: I need an emergency audit on my father's estate trust.
The legal battles were about to begin with full force tomorrow morning.