The heavy wooden pedestal had a hollow bottom that was now exposed.
David spotted the corner of a thick brown Manila envelope wedged inside.
The seal was intact and had his late father's distinct stamp across the flap.
David reached down into the broken shards to slide the envelope out.
Evelyn's face instantly lost all of its visual color.
Evelyn: Leave that alone, David, it is just trash!
David: Trash does not carry my father's personal wax seal.
Before David could inspect it, a tall man in a grey suit stepped forward.
It was Marcus, Evelyn's private security chief and long-time loyal enforcer.
Marcus grabbed David's arm with a tight grip to stop him from moving.
Marcus: You need to drop that right now, sir.
David did not hesitate to protect his father's final legacy.
He twisted his torso fast and landed a sharp push against Marcus's chest.
Marcus stumbled backward into a glass display case with a loud crash.
The glass shattered completely, sending sharp pieces onto the floor.
Guests screamed in surprise and backed away toward the exit doors.
David pulled the frightened little girl close to his side with his free hand.
He kept the brown envelope firmly gripped in his right hand.
Evelyn rushed toward him, waving her hands wildly in total panic.
Evelyn: You are ruining this foundation's reputation over nothing!
David: If this is nothing, why did you hide it inside a sealed pedestal?
Evelyn: I was only protecting the estate from your wild accusations!
David held up his left hand to stop her frantic approach.
He looked her dead in the eye while the crowd watched every move.