Julian rushed across the room, snatching the papers off the marble, crumpling them in his fist.
Julian: This is a coordinated attack. Maya is bitter because my brother died in that car crash and left her without a single penny from the estate.
Maya: Richard didn't die by accident, Julian! He knew what you and your mother were doing with the foundation funds!
Evelyn: How dare you bring Richard into this! Security is on their way, young lady!
Clara: Wait. Richard died three weeks after he found out Maya was pregnant two years ago. And then Maya had a miscarriage in the hospital.
Maya looked directly into my eyes, tears spilling over her bruised cheeks.
Maya: They brought me homemade soup in the recovery ward, Clara. The exact same herb smell was in that broth. I didn't know back then. I thought it was grief. But last night I found the receipts in the old study safe.
Julian: You broke into the study safe?
Maya: Richard gave me the combination before he passed. He told me if anything ever seemed wrong, to open the bottom lockbox.
Evelyn: Give me those keys! Give them to me right now!
Evelyn lunged forward, her sharp nails scratching against Maya's wrist, but I threw my body between them.
Clara: Don't touch her! Don't you dare touch her, Evelyn!
Julian: Clara, stand down! You are embarrassing our family in front of the staff!
Clara: Your family? You gave me a cup of poison ten minutes ago! You stood there smiling while telling me to drink it!
Julian: It was chamomile! It was just chamomile tea!
Clara: Then drink what’s left in the kettle, Julian. Drink the rest of the kettle right now in front of me.
Julian stared at the copper kettle sitting on the stove, his face turning an ash-gray color, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
Julian: I... I don't like chamomile. You know that.
Clara: Drink it, Julian! If there's nothing in it, drink a full cup right now!
Evelyn: Julian, do not demean yourself by playing her childish games.
Maya: He won't drink it, Clara. Because he knows ten drops is enough to cause severe uterine contractions within thirty minutes.