Three days later, Marcus arrived at the county courthouse downtown with his legal team.
He wore a dark blue suit and held a thick black binder under his left arm.
His divorce lawyer and estate attorney sat beside him at the mahogany table.
Victoria sat across the room with two high-priced defense lawyers in dark suits.
The judge walked into the quiet courtroom and sat down behind the high wooden bench.
Judge: We are here to resolve the estate challenge filed by Victoria Vance.
Attorney: Your Honor, we have fresh evidence showing clear fraud by the petitioner.
Marcus's attorney opened the binder and placed three printed pages before the judge.
Attorney: Victoria attempted to alter the trust fund terms using forged signatures.
Victoria stood up abruptly, pointing her hand across the wooden divider line.
Victoria: That is an absolute lie created by my greedy stepson, Your Honor!
Judge: Order in the court, or I will have you removed immediately, ma'am!
Victoria sat back down, her face bright red with embarrassment and deep shame.
Marcus looked directly at her with a calm and confident expression on his face.
Marcus: The bank records prove that she stole money from my late father.
Attorney: We have bank statements showing over two hundred thousand dollars transferred out.
The judge reviewed the financial papers carefully, lowering his reading glasses slightly.
Judge: These bank records are verified by the official forensic accounting team.
Victoria leaned over to whisper frantically to her chief legal advisor across the desk.
The lawyer shook his head slowly and turned his face away from her sight.
Judge: Mrs. Vance, you have no legal ground to contest this primary will.
Victoria: Please, Your Honor, I devoted twenty years of my life to him!
Judge: That does not give you the right to steal from an infant child.
The judge slammed his heavy wooden gavel down onto the desk block hard.
Judge: I rule fully in favor of Marcus Vance and little Lily Vance today.
Marcus closed his eyes and breathed out a deep sigh of pure relief.
He felt the massive weight lifting off his tired shoulders for the first time.