The pages inside the folder were stamped with red legal seals.
Victoria stared at the official papers with rising dread in her chest.
Victoria: Those papers cannot change who owns this house, Julian!
Julian: Mother, Aunt Eleanor holds full power over the entire estate.
Eleanor: My late brother left me strict instructions regarding this property.
Victoria: He loved me and gave me this home to live in!
Eleanor: He gave you residence rights conditioned on your respectful behavior.
Julian: Is that true, Aunt Eleanor, about the deed clause?
Eleanor: Page twelve explicitly states that cruel conduct revokes the lease.
Victoria reached out to snatch the papers out of Eleanor's hands.
Julian stepped between them and held his mother's arms back gently.
Julian: Do not touch those documents, Mother, please sit down!
Victoria: You are taking her side over your own birth mother?
Julian: Look at the water on the floor, Mother!
Julian: You splashed cold water on an elderly woman for no reason.
Victoria: She was standing in my way near the main stairs!
Eleanor: I was cleaning the house your son claims to manage.
Eleanor pulled a small pen from her pocket and opened a page.
Eleanor: Effective today, the monthly allowance for this mansion is frozen.
Victoria: You cannot cut off my financial allowance like this!
Eleanor: I am authorized as sole executor to pause all distribution funds.
Julian: Aunt Eleanor, please, let us talk about this in private.
Eleanor: We are talking right here in the hall where it happened.
Clara brought a dry warm towel and draped it over Eleanor's shoulders.
Eleanor thanked Clara with a soft nod of real appreciation.
Eleanor: You have worked hard here for three years, Clara.
Clara: Thank you, Miss Eleanor, I try my best every day.
Eleanor: Starting today, your salary as head manager is doubled.
Victoria: Doubled? You are giving my money to the household staff?
Eleanor: It was never your money to begin with, Victoria.
Victoria sank back against the wall with her face turned pale red.
She looked at her son, but Julian turned his head away in shame.
Julian: I allowed this toxic environment to grow under my roof.
Eleanor: Then you will help clean up the mess you permitted.