Eleanor: This is outrageous! We will take you to court! We will hire the most expensive litigation firm in New York!
Margaret: With what money, Eleanor? The estate accounts have been frozen since 9:00 AM today.
Victoria: What about my trust allowance? I have payments due tomorrow!
Margaret: Your allowance was funded directly by the surplus profits from Julian’s portfolio. The portfolio that currently has a negative balance of two million dollars.
Victoria: Julian! You promised me my gallery project was secure!
Julian: Shut up, Victoria! Let me think!
Arthur: What have you done, Julian? What have you done to our family name?
Julian: Father, listen to me! She’s still my wife! Under state law, any property acquired during the marriage is shared! We still own half!
Margaret: Apex Heritage acquired the debt three years ago using non-marital inheritance capital, Julian. It is legally isolated from community property.
Julian: You calculated this! From the moment you married me, you planned to take everything!
Margaret: Do you remember our fifth anniversary, Julian?
Julian swallowed hard, unable to meet her gaze.
Margaret: I spent all day preparing dinner. You called from an upscale bar in Manhattan saying you were in an emergency boardroom session.
Julian: That was business!
Margaret: You were with your marketing director, Julian. I saw the receipts on the corporate American Express card. The diamond necklace you bought her cost thirty-five thousand dollars.
Eleanor looked at Julian, shock replacing her arrogant glare.
Eleanor: Julian... is that true?
Julian: It was a client gift, Mother!
Margaret: Clients don't stay in five-star hotel suites with you in the Hamptons. I stayed quiet. I wanted to see how far you would push me before your conscience spoke up.
Arthur: You knew for two years?
Margaret: I knew for two years, Arthur. And every single month, I watched him siphon family funds to keep her happy while telling you that business was slow.
Arthur: Julian, tell me she is lying! Tell me you didn't steal from our family firm!
Julian sank his head into his hands, unable to answer.
Margaret: He didn't just steal from the firm, Arthur. He borrowed against your pension fund to cover his gambling debts on international futures.
Arthur turned pale, his hand clutching his chest as he sank deep into his arm chair.
Eleanor: Arthur! Arthur, breathe!
Arthur: My pension... forty years of labor... gone?
Margaret: Not gone, Arthur. I bought the pension notes yesterday morning from the brokerage firm.
Arthur lifted his head, tears glistening in the corners of his aged eyes.
Arthur: You... you saved my pension?
Margaret: I told you, Arthur. You are the only person in this family who ever treated me like a human being. I don't destroy people who show me kindness.
Julian: Margaret... baby, please. We can talk about this in private. We don't have to air this in front of everyone.
Margaret: Don't call me baby, Julian. Your private conversation ended the moment you handed me that envelope.