Helena took a slow sip of her wine as she surveyed the grand foyer.
Her face was smooth, cold, and entirely devoid of any warmth or affection.
Helena: You always had a flair for dramatic scenes, Marcus.
Marcus stood up, placing himself firmly between his mother and Sarah.
His jaw clenched tightly as his fist balled up at his side.
Marcus: Helena, was she here all along?!
Helena paused mid-step on the second tier of the grand staircase.
A sudden look of panic crossed her eyes before she quickly masked it.
Helena: Do not speak to your mother in that disrespectful tone.
Marcus: Answer my question right now!
Helena adjusted her velvet cape, raising her chin with complete confidence.
Helena: She is a servant who works for this estate, nothing more.
Marcus: She is my wife!
Helena: A wife who lacked the class required for our family legacy.
Sarah cowered behind Marcus, holding onto the back of his suit jacket.
Clara: She took my documents, Marcus.
Marcus: What documents, Sarah?
Clara: My legal identification, my passport, and my trust fund records.
Helena laughed softly, her glass making a small clinking sound against her ring.
Helena: She brought nothing into this family, and she owns nothing here.
Marcus took a deep breath, trying to regain control over his temper.
He glanced back at the framed American flag hanging on the foyer wall.
His father had served this country with pride and taught him about justice.
Marcus: You lied to the police during the missing person investigation.
Helena: I protected this family from a disastrous fortune hunter.
Marcus: You imprisoned my wife in her own home!
Helena set her crystal wine glass down on the wooden stair railing.
Helena: You were weak, Marcus, blinded by foolish romantic notions.
Marcus: You kept her locked away like an illegal secret for years.
Helena: She agreed to work here to pay off her father's debts.
Clara: That was a complete lie, Marcus!
Sarah stepped out from behind Marcus, her voice growing stronger by the second.
Clara: She forced me to sign papers under false legal threats!
Helena: Quiet, girl!
Marcus turned back toward his mother, his face dark with immense rage.
Marcus: Her name is Sarah Vance, and she is the mistress here.