Jake: Evelyn? My stepmother did this to you?
Megan: She came into our room while you were in Houston on business. She brought two men with her...
Jake: Two men?! Who were they?!
Megan: I don't know! They looked like security guards. She told them to hold my legs down while she forced me to sign documents!
Jake: What kind of documents, Megan?! Speak to me!
Megan: The trust surrender forms... she wanted me to sign away my legal rights to your father's estate trust before the probate hearing next week!
Jake stood up so fast his chair nearly overturned on the hardwood floor.
Jake: She put her hands on you over money?! Over my father's inheritance?!
Megan: She told me if I said a word to you, she would tell the board of directors that I was abusing your father's private medical fund!
Jake: That's absurd! You've spent the last two years taking care of this family!
Megan: She made fake bank statements, Jake! She has copies of my stolen signatures! She said she would ruin me, put me in prison, and make sure I never saw you again!
Jake: Where is she right now, Megan?
Megan: She's downstairs in the formal dining room... she invited her charity committee over for tea.
Jake turned toward the bedroom door, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Megan: Jake, wait! Don't go down there alone! She has lawyers, she has connections!
Jake: She has nothing in this house except what I allow her to have. Stay in bed, Megan. I'm ending this right now.
Jake strode out of the master bedroom, his heavy leather shoes echoing loudly along the white marble corridor.
He reached the top of the grand curved staircase and looked down into the high-key white dining area.
Sitting at the long glass table was Evelyn, dressed in an expensive beige silk suit, sipping tea with three prominent Dallas high-society women.
Evelyn: Oh, the annual gala was simply magnificent! We raised over five hundred thousand dollars for the hospital wing!
Woman 1: You are so dedicated, Evelyn! Your late husband would be so proud of how you manage the Sterling family legacy!
Evelyn: Family is everything to me, my dear. I do whatever it takes to protect our good name.
Jake: You don't know the first thing about family, Evelyn!
The entire dining room went dead silent as Jake marched down the stairs, his eyes burning with lethal intent.
Evelyn set her teacup down on the porcelain saucer with a soft click, her fake smile tightening at the corners.
Evelyn: Jake, darling! I didn't expect you back from Houston until tonight. We're just having a quiet afternoon tea.
Jake: Get your guests out of my house, Evelyn. Right now.
Evelyn: Jake, please! Don't be rude to our esteemed guests!
Jake: I said get out! All of you! Leave before I have security throw you through the front gates!
The three women quickly scrambled out of their chairs, grabbing their designer handbags in total panic.
Woman 2: Evelyn... maybe we should continue this conversation another time.
Evelyn: I am so sorry, ladies. My stepson has been under immense pressure at the firm lately. Please excuse his outburst.
Within seconds, the guests scurried out the front doors, leaving Jake and Evelyn standing face-to-face in the grand foyer.
Evelyn: Have you lost your mind, Jake?! Those women sit on the board of the Sterling Children's Hospital!
Jake: You laid your hands on my wife, Evelyn!
Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly, but her arrogant posture didn't shift an inch.
Evelyn: Oh. So the little charity case finally ran her mouth to you.