Julian: "Stand up properly, Clara. Stop the performance."
Clara: "Performance?! Look at my face, Julian! Look at what your sister did to me while you were at the firm!"
Julian: "My sister hasn't been in this house for three days."
Clara: "She came through the side entrance! She attacked me near the kitchen because she wants sole custody of Toby!"
Julian: "You think I'm blind? You think I don't know what's going on in my own house?"
Julian reached down, gently taking little Toby out of Clara's trembling arms. The baby let out a soft coo, resting his small head against Julian's green suit jacket. Clara reached out frantically, her fingernails scraping against Julian's sleeve.
Clara: "Give him back! You can't take my baby away from me!"
Julian: "He isn't just your baby, Clara. He is my son. And I won't let you use him as a weapon anymore."
Clara: "A weapon?! I am the victim here! Your family has hated me ever since we signed the prenuptial agreement!"
Julian: "My family offered you everything! My father gave you a seat on the board of Vance Financial!"
Clara: "Your father gave me scraps while leaving ninety percent of the estate trust fund to this child!"
Julian let out a cold, bitter laugh, taking two steps back into the center of the white marble foyer. He looked up at the framed American flag hanging on the pristine wall, his face dark with disappointment.
Julian: "So that's what this is about? The inheritance money?"
Clara: "I sacrificed my career to marry you! I moved into this giant mansion in Dallas, surrounded by your arrogant staff and your nosey sister!"
Julian: "My sister Sarah has done nothing but help you take care of Toby since the day he was born!"
Clara: "Sarah is trying to replace me! She tells the staff that I'm unfit to be a mother!"
Julian: "Sarah told me she saw you screaming at the nanny last week over a dropped bottle!"
Clara: "Sarah is a liar! She wants me out of the picture so she can control Toby's estate trust fund herself!"
Julian reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, sleek black USB drive, holding it up in front of Clara's face. Clara's eyes widened, her chest heaving as she stared at the drive.
Julian: "Do you know what is on this drive, Clara?"
Clara: "I... I don't care about your work files!"
Julian: "These aren't work files. This is the raw security footage from the camera hidden inside the American flag artwork."
Clara's jaw dropped, all the color draining from her face as she backed up against the white column.
Clara: "Camera...? There's no camera in the wall..."
Julian: "My father installed 4K security lenses in every foyer frame three years ago. I watched the live feed on my phone ten minutes ago while driving home from the airport."
Clara: "Julian... listen to me..."
Julian: "I watched you walk up to the mirror in the master bathroom, pick up a heavy brass makeup compact, and strike your own face three times."
Clara gasped loudly, covering her mouth with her hands as tears flooded her eyes once again—this time, tears of pure terror.
Julian: "You bruised your own face just to frame my sister for assault!"