Evelyn froze with her diamond-encrusted phone hovering inches from her face, her eyes widening with genuine fear for the first time.
Evelyn: You wouldn't dare ruin my reputation in Dallas society.
Brandon: Test me, Evelyn. Try me right now and see if I care about your country club friends.
Sarah: Brandon... look at the pantry door. The key is still in her pocket.
Brandon: What key?
Sarah: She locked all my clothes, my phone, and Chloe's formula inside the pantry three days ago... she only opens it when I finish her daily chores list.
Brandon's gaze hardened into pure ice as he turned toward his mother.
Brandon: You locked up my baby's formula?
Evelyn: I was controlling the inventory! She wastes food, Brandon! She buys organic brands that cost double!
Brandon: Hand over the keys, Evelyn.
Evelyn: This is my house! You cannot command me in my own living room!
Brandon stepped forward, his towering figure completely casting a dark shadow over his mother's elaborate dress.
Brandon: Give me the keys right now, or I swear on my daughter's life, I will rip that door off its hinges and file for an immediate emergency eviction order against you today.
Evelyn: Eviction?! You can't evict your mother!
Brandon: I am the sole trustee of the family estate trust, Evelyn! Did you forget I signed the restructuring papers last year?
Evelyn: You told me those were routine tax documents!
Brandon: They were tax documents that transferred operational ownership of this house to my legal control the moment you violated the family trust code of conduct!
Evelyn's breath hitched as her hand trembled near her skirt pocket.
Evelyn: You set a trap for me?
Brandon: No, Dad set the trap twenty years ago because he knew exactly what kind of monster you were when nobody was watching!
Sarah: Brandon, she has my wallet in there too... my ID, my credit cards... I couldn't even leave the house to get help.
Brandon: Hand over the keychain, Evelyn. I won't ask a third time.
With trembling, pale fingers, Evelyn pulled a heavy brass ring from her pocket and dropped it onto the cake-covered floor.
Evelyn: Take it! Take everything and leave me alone!
Brandon: Oh, we are leaving, Evelyn. But you're the one who is going to pay for every single second of this.
Brandon scooped up the keys, walked over to the wooden pantry door, and unlocked it with a heavy click.
Brandon: Sarah, grab your things. We're packing Chloe's bags right now.
Sarah: Where are we going?
Brandon: To the Four Seasons downtown. And tomorrow morning, we are meeting with my litigation partner at eight sharp.