Arthur: What did you just say?! Julian gave you that poison?!
Veronica: Yes! Your precious thirty-two-year-old son, the vice president of Vance Enterprises!
Maria: Mr. Vance, Mr. Julian was standing in the hallway right outside the pantry when she walked out!
Arthur: Julian! Get in here right now!
The heavy double doors of the grand dining room swung open, and Julian Vance stepped through the threshold wearing a sharp black tuxedo. He looked completely calm, holding a glass of iced water in his hand as he looked around the chaotic room with a cold, amused expression.
Julian: Why are you shouting my name, Father? You're scaring our corporate guests.
Arthur: Veronica says you gave her poison to put in my champagne decanter! Is this true?!
Julian: Father, please. Look at her. She's a desperate woman whose scam just got exposed by a house maid. She's throwing my name into the dirt to save her own skin.
Veronica: You liar! You told me if I put the odorless digitalis compound in his glass, we would split the forty-million-dollar estate inheritance fifty-fifty!
Julian: I have a net worth of fifteen million dollars on my own, Veronica. Why would I need to murder my own father for a trust fund I already manage?
Maria: Because you don't manage it anymore, Mr. Julian!
Julian's calm smile vanished instantly. His dark eyes snapped toward Maria, his jaw tightening as he took a step toward the maid.
Julian: Watch your tongue, servant. You don't know anything about my family's financial accounts.
Maria: I cleaned your private office yesterday morning, Mr. Julian! I saw the formal notice from the probate court on your desk!
Arthur: What probate court notice, Maria? Tell me!
Maria: The court order revoking his power of attorney over the Vance estate trust fund due to illegal offshore gambling debts!
The dining room fell into an absolute, suffocating silence. Arthur stared at his son, his mouth open in utter disbelief as Julian's knuckles turned white around his water glass.
Arthur: Julian... you lied to me when you said you paid off those casino debts in Macau three months ago?!
Julian: Father... don't listen to a housemaid who snoops through private paperwork!
Arthur: Answer my question! Did you owe money to those offshore bookmakers again?!
Veronica: He owes them twelve million dollars, Arthur! They gave him a deadline until midnight tonight, or they said they were going to expose his wire fraud to the federal authorities!