Security Guard: Mr. Sterling, your stepmother brought her personal security team today. She brought the estate trust documents for you to sign over control of the family foundation.
Julian: Good. Let her think everything is going according to her plan.
Julian walked into the private elevator, holding Toby’s hand tightly while his daughter Chloe held the other side. The glass doors slid shut, and the high-speed lift shot toward the top floor of the skyscraper.
Toby: Is this building yours, Dad?
Julian: My father built it, Toby. But ten years ago, when he passed away, my stepmother Eleanor took control of the family estate trust while I was away at business school.
Toby: Is Eleanor the lady who sent those lawyers to our apartment?
Julian: Yes. She made your mother believe that if she ever tried to contact me, I would be disinherited and left with nothing.
Chloe: Is he my brother, Daddy?
Julian: Yes, Chloe. Toby is your big brother.
Chloe smiled brightly and reached out to give Toby a small plush bear she was carrying in her backpack.
Chloe: You can hold Mr. Fluffles if you're scared. He makes the bad people go away.
Toby: Thanks... I haven't had a toy in a really long time.
The elevator chimed softy as it reached the 50th floor. The doors opened to reveal a massive mahogany boardroom featuring floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the city skyline. At the head of a long marble conference table sat Eleanor Sterling, wearing an expensive grey tweed suit and gold diamond jewelry.
Eleanor: Julian! You're ten minutes late for the trust transfer! What took you so long down in the—
Eleanor stopped mid-sentence as her sharp gaze landed on Toby standing right next to Julian. The color drained completely from her face, her gold pen slipping from her fingers and clattering against the glass table.
Eleanor: What is that filthy child doing in my boardroom?! Who allowed a homeless street kid up here?!
Julian: Calm down, Eleanor. He isn't a street kid. He's my son.
Eleanor: What nonsense are you talking about?! You only have one child, Chloe! Have you lost your mind?!
Julian: Take a good look at his face, Eleanor. Does he look familiar to you? Maybe he reminds you of Margaret Miller?
Eleanor: Margaret...? That lying gold-digger took millions of dollars from your father's estate and vanished! I told you that ten years ago!
Toby: My mom wasn't a lie! You forced her to sign fake papers! She died last month in a hospital because she couldn't afford her medicine!
Eleanor: Shut your mouth, you little brat! You have no right to speak to me!
Julian: Do not shout at my son in my presence, Eleanor!
Julian slammed his hand onto the mahogany table, making the glass water cups rattle. He stepped closer to the head of the table, pulling the silver rose pendant out of his pocket and tossing it down right on top of the legal papers.
Julian: He brought this to me in the lobby ten minutes ago. The custom pendant I gave Margaret before you banished her from this city!
Eleanor: A silver trinket proves nothing! Anyone could have stolen that from a pawnshop!
Julian: It has my father's private security crest stamped inside the clasp, Eleanor! The exact crest used on your personal payouts ten years ago!
Eleanor’s lips trembled as she leaned back in her high leather chair, clutching her pearl necklace tightly against her neck.
Eleanor: Julian, you are being manipulated! That girl was a nobody! She would have ruined your corporate reputation before you even became CEO!
Julian: So you admit it... You forced her away!