The heavy mahogany doors opened wider, and two uniformed police officers stepped into the sunroom, their eyes sweeping over the smashed birthday cake and the ruined table setup.
Officer Vance: Marcus Sterling? We received your emergency notification.
Marcus: Thank you for being prompt, Officer. This is Evelyn Vance. She has attempted grand larceny against my daughter's estate trust fund, along with physical child abuse.
Evelyn: Physical abuse?! Are you insane?! I put a piece of cake on her head!
Officer Vance: Ma'am, keep your voice down and step away from the gentlemen.
Evelyn: I am a guest of honor in this mansion! My father is on the board of trustees at Dallas General Hospital! You cannot touch me!
Julian: Officer Vance, here are the bank records and the cloud security footage from the sunroom ceiling camera showing the assault on my niece.
Julian handed a tablet and the black leather folder to the lead officer. Officer Vance glanced down at the video playing on the screen, his expression instantly darkening as he saw Evelyn forcing Lily's head down toward the table.
Officer Vance: That's more than enough evidence. Officer Miller, arrest her.
Evelyn: Get your filthy hands off me!
Officer Miller grabbed Evelyn's wrists, pulling them firmly behind her back. A sharp, metallic click echoed through the sunroom as steel handcuffs snapped tight around her wrists, right over her white silk sleeves.
Evelyn: AHH! Marcus! Tell him to take these off! You're ruining my reputation!
Marcus: You ruined your own reputation the moment you decided to hurt a child for money.
Evelyn: I will sue you for this, Marcus! I will take every single dime you have! My lawyers will have me out of holding before nightfall!
Julian: Not for wire fraud and felony child endangerment, Evelyn. The district attorney already signed the warrant twenty minutes ago.
Evelyn: You bastards! You set a trap for me!
Marcus: You walked into it yourself because your greed blinded you to basic human decency.
The officers turned Evelyn around, escorting her forcefully toward the exit as she kicked her heels against the floor, screaming curses at every guest standing in the hallway.
Evelyn: You'll regret this day, Marcus! You'll never find anyone else to help you keep control of Sterling Enterprises!
Marcus: I'd rather lose the entire company than let a monster like you near my daughter.
The heavy double doors closed behind Evelyn, her hysterical screaming fading down the long hallway until the mansion fell completely silent.
Marcus let out a long, exhausted breath, wiping a smear of pink frosting off his thumb with a fresh linen handkerchief. Julian walked over, placing a supportive hand on his brother's shoulder.
Julian: Are you okay, Marcus?
Marcus: I'm fine, Julian. But I need to go upstairs and check on Lily.
Julian: Go ahead. I'll handle the guests and have the staff clean up this disaster.
Marcus: Thanks, brother. I owe you one.
Marcus turned and walked swiftly toward the grand staircase, stepping over the torn pieces of the prenuptial agreement that still lay scattered across the marble floor.