Eleanor: Oh my sweet Lord! What on earth just happened?!
Julian's mother, Eleanor, stood near the grand archway in her simple mustard top, her hands flying up to cover her wide-open mouth. Her eyes darted from the flat satin fabric to the small plastic belt slipping out from under the robe.
Margarethe: Eleanor, wait! Please let me explain, it isn't what it looks like!
Eleanor: Isn't what it looks like? The child just popped your stomach with a sewing pin!
Leo: I told you, Dad! I heard her talking to her sister in the guest room last night about buying foam padding online!
Julian: Shut your mouth, Margarethe. Don't say another word to my mother.
Julian took three heavy steps forward, his tailored black suit tight against his shoulders as his fists clenched at his sides. His face was dark with pure fury, his jaw locked so hard the muscle trembled under his skin.
Margarethe: Julian, honey, I was going to tell you today! I was just terrified of losing you after the court meeting!
Julian: You! You're a liar!
He reached out and grabbed the lapels of her red satin robe, holding her firmly in place as his dark eyes locked onto hers with absolute rage.
Julian: What have you done?! You faked a pregnancy for six months just to freeze my bank accounts and force a trust fund payout?!
Margarethe: It was the only way to save our family! You were going to leave me with nothing after all the years I gave you!
Julian: You gave me nothing but deceit! You lied about the ultrasound scans, you lied to my lawyers, and you made my mother cry tears of joy over a piece of silicone!
Eleanor: I bought a custom crib for five thousand dollars last week... I hired a private nanny service for the nursery...
Margarethe: Eleanor, please, I care about this family! I just wanted to secure my place in the estate!
Julian: You don't have a place in this estate! You never did!
Julian let go of her robe with enough force to make her stumble backward against the mahogany wall, right beneath the frame of the American flag. He breathed heavily, looking up toward the high decorative ceiling as if searching for sanity in the middle of a nightmare.
Julian: Six months of fake doctor appointments... six months of keeping me out of my own master bedroom... all for a financial scam!
Margarethe: You can't just throw me out! The temporary custody order is already filed with the county court!
Julian: Filed under false pretenses! That is criminal fraud, Margarethe!
Leo: Dad, look up at the corner! She forgot about the new security setup you installed last Tuesday!
High above the grand marble staircase, mounted on the clean white plaster of the ceiling, a small dark dome camera glowed silently. Its small red LED light blinked slowly, recording every single scream, every confession, and every detail of the deflated rubber belly hanging from her waist.
Julian: The camera saw everything. Every single detail is recorded on our secure server right now.