Julian: "What is happening here?"
Victoria: "Julian... darling... you're home early."
Julian: "What did you do to my wife?!"
Julian dropped his briefcase onto the floor with a loud thud and rushed across the hallway, dropping to his knees beside Clara.
Julian: "Clara! Sweetheart, look at me! Can you hear me?"
Clara: "Julian... it hurts... my stomach..."
Julian: "Hold on, baby. I've got you. I'm right here."
Victoria: "Julian, listen to me before you jump to conclusions! It was an accident! She fell!"
Maria: "It was not an accident, Mr. Julian! She forced her! She was pouring juice down her throat!"
Victoria: "Silence, Maria! You are fired! Get your things and get out of my house!"
Julian: "She isn't going anywhere, Mother! You stay right where you are, Maria!"
Julian wrapped his arms around Clara, carefully lifting her head from the cold marble floor.
Julian: "Why is there juice everywhere? Why are these papers scattered?"
Victoria: "She was being uncooperative! I was trying to give her vitamin C for the baby, and she threw a fit!"
Clara: "She... she tried to make me sign... she poured liquid down my throat so I couldn't speak..."
Julian: "Sign what? What papers are these?"
Julian picked up one of the white sheets scattered across the floor. His eyes scanned the header text in disbelief.
Julian: "A voluntary surrender of parental rights? And a postnuptial agreement waiving all rights to the family estate?"
Victoria: "It is for your own protection, Julian! She is a nobody from nowhere! She trapped you with this pregnancy!"
Julian: "She is my wife! And this is my child!"
Victoria: "She doesn't belong in this family! Look at her! She came from poverty, and now she wants to bleed our family trust dry!"
Julian: "I chose her, Mother! I chose to marry her! Not your legal contracts, not your trust funds!"
Maria: "Mr. Julian, she was shaking her by the shoulders before you came in. Mrs. Clara has been crying all morning."
Victoria: "You ungrateful maid! I pay your salary!"
Julian: "Not anymore, Mother. You don't pay anyone in this house anymore!"
Clara: "Julian... please... call an ambulance... I feel so weak..."
Julian: "I'm calling 911 right now. Maria, get some warm towels! Fast!"
Maria: "Yes, sir! Right away!"
Victoria: "Julian, don't call the police! Think about the reputation of the Vance family! Think about the news headlines!"
Julian: "I don't give a damn about the news! I care about my wife!"
Julian pulled out his cell phone, dialing emergency services with shaking fingers.
Julian: "Yes, I need an ambulance at 4400 Royal Lane immediately! My pregnant wife has been assaulted!"
Victoria: "Assaulted?! How dare you use that word against your own mother!"
Julian: "You put your hands on her! Look at her chin! Look at the bruises on her arm!"
Victoria: "She resisted me! I was trying to save our legacy!"
Julian: "Your legacy is rotten, Mother. And it ends today."
Clara reached out, her fingers trembling as she grabbed Julian's jacket sleeve.
Clara: "The baby... is the baby going to be okay?"
Julian: "Shh, stay calm. Help is coming. Just breathe for me, Clara. Just breathe."
Victoria backed away slightly, her eyes darting toward the papers still lying on the ground.
Victoria: "You are making a huge mistake, Julian. If she doesn't sign those document pages, you lose your inheritance from your grandfather's will!"
Julian: "What are you talking about?"
Victoria: "Read paragraph four, my dear son. Read what happens if you stay married to her."
Julian stared at his mother, his heart pounding in his chest as the truth began to unravel.