Julian stared down at the paper as if it were burning his fingertips.
Julian: Mother... tell me this is a joke. Tell me Dad didn't write this.
Victoria: Arthur was losing his mind! He was on heavy pain medication! Any probate judge will throw this garbage out in five minutes!
Elena: The codicil was signed in the presence of two independent neurologists and the presiding Chief Justice of the state appellate court, Victoria. Arthur made certain it was airtight.
Julian: Oh my God... if she doesn't sign the prenup, we lose the wedding. But if she does sign it, we triggered Dad's clause and lose every single dollar!
Victoria: Shut up, Julian! Let me think!
Elena: There’s nothing to think about. Your greed just checkmated your entire dynasty.
Julian suddenly grabbed the thick prenuptial custody waiver off the table and tore the pages straight down the center.
Victoria: Julian! Stop tearing those documents right now!
Julian: Are you out of your mind, Mother? She has us by the throat! I'm not losing thirty million dollars because of your stupid custody games!
The ripped halves of the prenup fluttered to the floor, scattering around Victoria's designer heels.
Julian: Elena, look at me. I ripped it up. It’s gone. It never happened.
Elena: It did happen, Julian. You sat there for twenty minutes and let your mother threaten my unborn baby.
Julian: I was just stressed! I was confused by the legal terms! You know I love you more than anything in this world!
Elena: You don't love me, Julian. You love your comfort, you love your sports cars, and you love your mother's permission.
Elena reached down to her left hand and slowly twisted the massive four-carat diamond engagement ring off her knuckle.
Julian: No, Elena, please don't take off the ring. Put it back on! We have eight hundred guests flying into New York tomorrow!
Elena: Then you better hire a caterer to feed them an apology dinner.
Elena placed the sparkling diamond ring directly in the center of the torn paperwork on the mahogany wood.
Victoria: Julian, let the ungrateful girl walk! She has no right to disrespect this family!
Elena: Disrespect? Victoria, you committed wire fraud to cover your stock market losses. You disrespected your own family decades ago.
Victoria: If you walk out of this room with those audit files, my private security team will seize your bag before you reach the front lobby!
Elena: Try it, Victoria. The local police chief and three federal investigators are sitting in an unmarked sedan right outside your security gate.
Victoria gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes widened in sheer panic.
Victoria: You brought the federal authorities to my club rehearsal dinner?
Elena: Arthur told me never to trust a Sterling without backup.
Julian: Elena, you're ruining everything! What about the baby? What about my son?
Elena: My baby will never grow up thinking a parent's love can be bought with a trust fund settlement.
Elena turned away from the table, her head held high as she walked toward the foyer.
Victoria: You won't make it to Monday morning with your reputation intact! I will ruin you in the press!
Elena: The press already has the press release, Victoria. And unlike yours, mine comes with bank receipts.
Julian stumbled forward, reaching out a trembling arm toward her ivory silk dress.
Julian: Elena, please, don't do this to me! I'll beg if you want me to!
Elena: Keep your dignity, Julian. If you have any left at all.
Julian: What am I supposed to do without the trust fund?
Elena: Try getting an honest job like the rest of the world.