The next morning arrived with heavy grey clouds covering the sky.
Richard sat in his downtown law firm office with his personal attorney.
His lawyer, Marcus, was reviewing a stack of recent legal documents.
Marcus looked up with a very serious expression on his face.
Marcus: Evelyn has already filed an emergency injunction against your estate.
Richard: On what legal grounds could she possibly file that?
Marcus: She claims you breached your prenuptial agreement through emotional neglect.
Marcus: She is demanding fifty percent of your entire fortune immediately.
Richard leaned back in his leather chair and shook his head.
Richard: The prenuptial agreement clearly states she gets nothing upon divorce.
Marcus: Unless she proves that you broke the terms of marriage first.
Richard: She attacked my daughter and tried to break her locket!
Marcus: We need hard proof of her malicious intentions in court.
Richard remembered the security cameras installed throughout the mansion hallway.
He had installed high-definition cameras near the entry and upper landing.
Richard: The hallway camera caught the entire incident on video yesterday.
Marcus: That video recording will completely destroy her bogus claim in court.
Meanwhile, Evelyn was meeting her lawyer at a high-end restaurant downtown.
She felt completely confident that Richard would surrender to avoid public scandal.
Evelyn: Has he responded to our financial demands yet, Arthur?
Lawyer: Not yet, but he will have to respond within twenty-four hours.
Evelyn: Good, because I want this settlement finalized before next week.
A waitress stepped forward to deliver coffee to their corner table.
Evelyn ignored the waitress and continued speaking in a loud tone.
Evelyn: That little girl was a nightmare to deal with anyway.
Evelyn: I am glad I do not have to pretend to care anymore.
The waitress froze briefly before quickly walking back toward the kitchen.
She recognized Evelyn's face from a recent local news social column.
The waitress pulled out her phone and made a quiet phone call.
She happened to be a close friend of Richard's household housekeeper.
Within an hour, word reached Richard about Evelyn's bragging downtown.
Richard was review footage on his laptop computer with Marcus.
The video clearly showed Evelyn grabbing the silver necklace from Lily.
It showed Evelyn pulling the delicate chain until it snapped forcefully.
It also showed Evelyn yelling directly into the young child's face.
Marcus: This video footage is absolute, undeniable proof of cruelty.
Richard: Is there anything else we can find on her past?
Marcus opened a confidential file sent by a private investigator earlier.
Marcus: Evelyn has done this exact same thing to two other men.
Richard: What do you mean she has done this before?
Marcus: She married wealthy widowers and sued them for quick settlements.
Richard felt a cold chill run straight down his entire spine.
Evelyn was a professional scam artist targeting grieving families for money.
Richard: She tried to ruin my daughter's life for financial gain.
Marcus: We are going to make sure she faces full legal justice.
Richard closed the laptop with a calm and decisive look.
He was no longer just angry; he was completely prepared for battle.
He intended to protect his daughter and punish Evelyn completely.