Evelyn: I did what any lady of the house would do when a servant breaks house rules! She is an employee, nothing more!
Emma: She isn't an employee anymore, Evelyn. And you aren't control of this wedding anymore either.
Evelyn: What did you just say to me?
Emma: Julian, take Maya to the bridal suite right now. Get her out of those wet clothes and give her the silk robe from my vanity.
Chloe: Emma, no... I don't want to cause trouble for your marriage. I can just leave through the back entrance...
Emma: You are not leaving through any back door, Maya. You are walking down the aisle with me as my maid of honor.
Evelyn: Maid of honor?! Over my dead body! The maid of honor is Senator Vance's daughter! We agreed on this three months ago for corporate networking!
Emma: I don't care about Senator Vance or your corporate networking! My real sister is standing right here!
Julian: Come on, Maya. Let's get you warmed up. Follow me into the suite.
Julian gently wrapped his tuxedo jacket around Chloe's shivering shoulders, guiding her past his fuming mother and into the luxurious dressing room.
Evelyn stood in the center of the hall, her chest heaving with rage as she pointed a manicured finger at Emma.
Evelyn: You are ruining the Sterling family reputation! The press is outside! The mayor is sitting in the front row!
Emma: The press is going to love this story, Evelyn. "Billionaire's Mother-in-Law Abuses Bride's Long-Lost Sister Before Ceremony." How does that headline sound for your reputation?
Evelyn: You wouldn't dare leak that to the reporters!
Emma: Try me! Step one inch toward my sister again and I will hand the security footage of you throwing that water directly to every news channel in the city!
Evelyn: The security cameras in this wing are private estate property! You have no legal access to them!
Emma: Julian gave me full administrative access to the security server when we set up the home management app last week. I have the video saved on my phone right now.
Evelyn's face turned beet red, her hands clenching into tight fists inside her lace gloves.
Evelyn: You sneaky little opportunist... I knew from the day Julian brought you home that you were after our family estate!
Emma: I came here for Julian! I didn't care about your mansion, your money, or your fake country club friends! But if you treat my sister like dirt, I will dismantle every single thing you care about!
Evelyn: You think my son will choose a orphan over his own mother?
Emma: He just wrapped his coat around her while you stood there screaming. He already chose, Evelyn.
The heavy doors of the bridal suite opened again. Julian stepped out, holding a glass of warm tea, his face set in a hard, determined glare.
Julian: Mother, you need to go to your room right now.
Evelyn: Julian! You're letting this girl disrespect me in my own hallway?
Julian: You disrespect this family every day with your cruel behavior! Maya is sitting inside drying her hair, and she told me how you've been treating the house staff for the past month!
Evelyn: Staff management is not your concern!
Julian: Stealing wages from temp workers is my concern! Maya said you've been cutting their hourly pay and threatening to report them for theft if they complain!