Evelyn: Arthur! How dare you lay a hand on your own mother!
Arthur: Get up off that floor before I drag you out of this hospital myself!
Evelyn: You've lost your mind! I am the matriarch of Vance Holdings! You will respect me!
Arthur: Respect you?! You just admitted that you did this to my wife!
Evelyn: I didn't push her down the stairs myself, Arthur! Don't be absurd!
Arthur: Then what did you mean when you said she had to learn?! Speak, Mother!
Arthur stood over Evelyn as she scrambled to her feet, brushing off her dark velvet blazer with trembling hands. Her regal composure was beginning to crack.
Evelyn: I hired people to ensure she understood the terms of your prenuptial agreement!
Arthur: The prenuptial agreement was signed six months ago! Clara never asked for a dime of your money!
Evelyn: She was influencing you, Arthur! Ever since you married her, you've been questioning my decisions at the company!
Arthur: Because you've been embezzling millions from the family trust fund!
Evelyn: That money belongs to the Vance estate! I spent forty years building our reputation in Dallas!
Clara: *weakly* Arthur... Arthur, is that you?
Arthur turned instantly, rushing back to the side of the hospital bed as Clara slowly blinked her eyes open. Her voice was barely a whisper through her dry lips.
Arthur: I'm here, sweetheart. I'm right here. Don't try to move.
Clara: She... she brought two men into the garden house... Arthur, they trapped me against the stone wall...
Arthur: Shh, baby, save your strength.
Clara: No... you need to know... Your mother stood at the door and watched... She told them to make sure I couldn't walk into the boardroom today...
Arthur felt a cold, sharp rage settle deep in his chest. He turned his head slowly to glare at Evelyn, who was edging toward the private suite door.
Arthur: You broke my wife's legs so she couldn't deliver the audit documents to the board of directors today.
Evelyn: She had no right to look at those accounting books, Arthur! She is an outsider!
Arthur: She is a certified public accountant who discovered that you stole fifty million dollars from my late father's inheritance!
Evelyn: That inheritance is mine to manage!
Arthur: Not anymore, Evelyn. The boardroom meeting starts in thirty minutes.
Evelyn: You don't have the audit files, Arthur! Clara was carrying the hard drive when she fell! It was destroyed!
Arthur: Do you really think my wife is that foolish, Mother?
Arthur pulled a small, silver thumb drive from his jacket pocket and held it up in front of Evelyn's face.
Arthur: Clara backed up every single file to a secure cloud server three days ago. I have the entire record of your crimes right here.
Evelyn: Give that to me! Give it to me right now!
Arthur: Touched a nerve, didn't I? Step away from me, Evelyn, or I will have the hospital security arrest you in this hallway.
Evelyn: You wouldn't dare destroy your own family name over a simple girl from the suburbs!
Arthur: Watch me.