An hour later, the black luxury SUV pulled up to the front gates of the Vance estate in northern Dallas.
The iron gates swung open automatically, revealing a long brick driveway lined with tall oak trees and soft garden lights.
Tyler helped his mother step out of the vehicle, guiding her gently into the warm, spacious living room where a wood fire burned softly in the hearth.
Clara: Oh, it feels so good to be home in my own house.
Tyler: Sit down right here, Mom. I'm going to make you some warm tea with honey.
Clara: Thank you, Tyler. You've been such a dutiful son today.
Tyler: I only did what any real man would do, Mom. I should have protected you sooner.
Tyler walked into the kitchen, boiling fresh water while his personal attorney, Arthur Harrison, stepped into the room carrying a leather folder.
Arthur: Good evening, Tyler. I received your urgent call while I was on my way to the reception venue.
Tyler: Thanks for coming over so quickly, Arthur. Did you hear what happened at the hall?
Arthur: Marcus sent me the security footage five minutes ago. You made the absolute right call ending that marriage.
Tyler: What is the status of our joint venture contracts with Richard Sterling's company?
Arthur: Because the marriage was never legally recorded at the county office, Section 12 of your investment contract allows for an immediate, unilateral withdrawal of funds.
Tyler: Issue the withdrawal notice to their bank tonight.
Arthur: I already sent the electronic wire cancellation thirty minutes ago. The four million dollars is already back in your primary corporate account.
Tyler: Good. What about the Sterling family trust?
Arthur: That's actually the main reason I drove over tonight, Tyler. There is something about Richard Sterling's company you need to see.
Arthur opened his leather folder and laid three pages of financial audit records onto the kitchen counter.
Tyler: What are these documents, Arthur?
Arthur: Richard Sterling didn't just want a business merger, Tyler. He was bankrupt. His firm owes over ten million dollars to private lenders in Chicago.
Tyler: Bankrupt?! But they live in a twelve-bedroom mansion in University Park!
Arthur: That mansion has two foreclosure notices pending against it right now. They were using your wedding to cover up their financial collapse.
Tyler: So Jessica's father was pushing for this marriage just to get his hands on my father's inheritance?
Arthur: Exactly. Jessica was instructed by her mother to secure the marriage license before any financial audit of their family assets took place next month.
Tyler closed his eyes, taking a deep, heavy breath as he realized how close he had come to total financial disaster.
Tyler: They planned the whole thing from the start...
Arthur: Yes. But their plan relied entirely on you keeping quiet about how they treated your mother.
Tyler: They thought because my mother comes from a humble background, we would just accept their arrogance to fit into their social circle.
Arthur: They severely underestimated your loyalty to your mother, Tyler.
Clara: Tyler, dear? Who is that in the kitchen with you?
Tyler picked up the warm teacup and walked back into the living room, followed closely by Arthur.
Tyler: It's Arthur, Mom. He brought us some legal updates regarding the Sterlings.
Clara: Hello, Arthur. I hope my son isn't causing you too much work on a Saturday evening.
Arthur: Not at all, Mrs. Vance. Helping protect this family is always my highest priority.