Daniel pulled Elena close against his chest as her tears soaked through his white shirt collar.
He felt her body trembling with intense fear, and his heart broke into a thousand small pieces.
Daniel: Shh, I am right here with you, my love, you are completely safe now.
Elena: Daniel... she tried to hurt our baby... she tore up the inheritance papers!
Daniel turned his head slowly to look up at his stepmother standing above them with her head held high.
He buttoned his suit jacket tightly as he stood up to face Valeria eye to eye.
Daniel: Put those scissors down right now! Call 911 immediately and get a doctor here!
Valeria: Do not raise your voice to me in my own mansion, young man.
Daniel: This is not your mansion, Valeria, it belonged to my late father!
The gathered guests whispered nervously among themselves as they watched the intense family battle escalate.
Several prominent business leaders pulled out their smartphones to record the dramatic scene taking place.
Valeria's face turned bright red when she noticed the cameras pointed directly at her face.
Valeria: Tell these people the truth, Daniel! Tell them this low-class woman is lying to everyone!
Daniel: She is not lying about anything, and everyone in this room needs to hear the facts.
Daniel walked over to the floor and picked up the scattered legal sheets Valeria had thrown down.
He held the official documents high in the air for all the party guests and lawyers to see clearly.
Daniel: Elena is my legally wedded wife, and she is carrying the true Vance family heir!
A wave of loud muttering swept through the grand hall as people processed the massive news.
Valeria took a quick step back, her expensive silk dress rustling against the smooth marble tiles.
Valeria: You signed a prenuptial agreement that leaves you with nothing if you marry without approval!
Daniel: That agreement was falsified by you after my father passed away three years ago!
Elena looked up from the floor, wiping away her fresh tears with the back of her hand.
She saw the fear finally appearing in Valeria's cold, calculating eyes for the very first time.
Daniel: My corporate lawyers spent the last month investigating the family trust fund accounts thoroughly.
Daniel: We discovered that you embezzled over five million dollars from my father's estate balance!
Valeria gripped the silver scissors tighter in her hand, her knuckles turning completely white with tension.
Valeria: That is an absolute lie! I preserved this estate while you played games in the city!
Daniel: The forensic audit is finished, Valeria, and the police department already has the complete report.
Two uniformed police officers suddenly walked through the open front doors of the mansion foyer.
The butler pointed his trembling hand toward Valeria as the officers approached the scene with heavy steps.
Valeria dropped the sharp silver scissors onto the floor with a loud metallic clatter that echoed everywhere.
The crowd moved back to give the police space as they walked straight up to the wealthy matriarch.
Officer: Valeria Vance, you are under arrest for grand larceny, document fraud, and physical assault.