Thirty minutes later, Eleanor arrived at the sunlit house with her lawyer.
She walked into the living room holding her chin up high with pride.
Eleanor: This family matter should never be discussed so loudly.
Sarah: Safety in our own home is not a minor family matter.
Sarah pointed to the wobbly cabinet standing near the white wall.
Sarah: Look at this piece and tell me it is worth ten grand.
Eleanor glanced briefly at the wood before averting her eyes away quickly.
Eleanor: Evelyn handled the suppliers because she knows interior design best.
Mark: Where did the trust fund money actually go, Mom?
The family lawyer shifted uncomfortably on his feet near the entrance.
Sarah noticed his sudden movement and stepped closer toward the legal advisor.
Sarah: Is there something else missing from the estate records, sir?
Lawyer: I am bound by client confidentiality regarding the family trust.
Mark: I am a primary beneficiary of that fund, Mr. Vance.
Mark: Show me the full transaction record right now or I call the police.
The threat of legal police action sent a visible shock through Evelyn.
She looked nervously toward Eleanor, whose pale face was tightening up.
The lawyer slowly opened his leather briefcase and pulled out a stack of documents.
Lawyer: There were several large withdrawals made over the past six months.
Sarah: Show us where the bank transfers were sent.
Mark took the official bank ledger from the lawyer's trembling hands.
He scanned down the listed numbers until his eyes stopped completely.
Mark: Over three hundred thousand dollars was moved to Evelyn's personal account.
Evelyn: That was my management fee for overseeing the estate!
Sarah: A three hundred thousand dollar management fee for cheap fake furniture?
The truth was now laid out completely in the bright morning sunlight.