By ten o'clock the following morning, the sun broke through the gray clouds over the city.
Mark dressed in his best dark blue suit and combed his dark hair back neatly for court.
He walked into the downtown county courthouse with Arthur holding a thick leather folder beside him.
Victoria and Richard Vance were already sitting at the defense table with their high-priced attorney.
Victoria wore a dark gray designer suit and looked confident while sipping a bottle of water.
She froze when she saw Mark walk through the double wooden doors into the silent courtroom.
Victoria: What is that common mechanic doing inside this private judicial hearing room today?
The judge entered the room and took his seat behind the elevated wooden bench at the front.
Judge: We are here to finalize the disputed estate assets of the late Edward Miller today.
Arthur stood up immediately and stepped forward toward the center microphone near the judge's bench.
Arthur: Your Honor, we have new evidence showing fraudulent activity by the defense party present today.
Richard leaned over to whisper nervously into his lawyer's ear while shifting in his leather chair.
Arthur produced a thumb drive and presented a set of verified bank transfer documents to the judge.
Arthur: The defendants attempted to transfer two million dollars from the victim's trust fund last week.
Arthur: They used a forged signature while Edward Miller was sick in the local hospital bed.
The judge reviewed the digital files on his screen with a growing look of deep displeasure.
Judge: Mrs. Vance, can you explain why your personal signature appears on these illegal transfer forms?
Victoria turned pale as she looked over at her nervous husband, who refused to meet her eyes.
Victoria: It was a simple business misunderstanding that our accounting team made by mistake!
Judge: A two-million-dollar transfer is not a simple mistake in the eyes of this law court.
Mark walked up to the podium and looked directly into Victoria's wide and frightened eyes.
Mark: You thought you could crush my family because we didn't have your status or money.
Mark: But my father protected his granddaughter long before you ever tried to hurt her feelings.
The judge slammed his heavy wooden gavel down onto the desk with a sharp and ringing sound.
Judge: I am freezing all financial accounts belonging to Richard and Victoria Vance effective immediately today.
Judge: Furthermore, full legal custody of the country club shares goes directly to Lily Miller today.
Victoria sank back into her chair with a sharp breath as her lawyer looked away in defeat.