The party in the main garden was now in full swing outside.
Loud laughter and cheerful music echoed through the large open patio doors.
Julian was outside greeting a partner from his firm's main office.
He kept looking back toward the kitchen doors with slight growing concern.
He wanted to make sure Clara felt comfortable around his old friends.
Meanwhile, Evelyn stood near the formal dining table with two old friends.
She leaned in close to whisper nasty rumors about her young daughter in law.
Evelyn: She barely had a cent to her name before she met Julian.
Guest: Is it true her family lost everything in a bad bankruptcy?
Evelyn: Worse than that, she comes from total absolute financial ruin.
Guest: Julian should have married someone from our high social circle.
Evelyn: I am doing everything I can to fix his huge mistake.
She sipped her cool champagne and smiled with cold calculated confidence.
She had brought a legal envelope hidden inside her designer leather purse.
It contained draft documents for a forced postnuptial agreement she wrote.
She planned to make Clara sign away any rights to future money.
She believed Clara would cave under enough heavy pressure and harsh words.
Clara walked back out into the sunlit living room with small Leo.
She noticed several guests whispering and pointing in her direction silently.
Her face burned with deep shame, but she kept her head high.
Julian: There you are, my love, everyone wants to see Leo.
Julian walked up with a bright smile and took his baby boy.
Clara: Your mother is telling terrible rumors to all of the guests.
Julian: Ignore her tonight, Clara, she cannot hurt our happy family.
Clara: She makes me feel like an intruder in my own home.
Julian: I will handle her if she steps out of line again.
Julian squeezed Clara's cold hand gently to reassure her trembling heart.
He knew his mother could be cruel, but this was too much.
He decided he would speak to Evelyn privately before the party ended.
He wanted to set clear firm boundaries for the very last time.
Evelyn watched them from across the crowded room with heavy anger.
She hated seeing her son hold Clara's hand with such devotion.
She felt her control over her son slipping away completely today.
She put down her empty glass and marched toward the back hallway.
She was going to force this sudden confrontation right now in private.
She signaled for Clara to follow her into the bright kitchen area.
Clara took a slow steadying breath and followed her inside quietly.
She was tired of running away from Evelyn's bitter harsh words.
She ready to stand up for her dignity and her marriage.
The heavy kitchen door swung shut behind them with a click.
The loud noise of the garden party faded into quiet background noise.
Evelyn turned around with a fierce scowl painted on her face.