The foyer was dead silent except for the faint hum of air conditioning.
Mark tried to adjust his jacket, attempting to regain his calm demeanor.
Mark: Richard, this is a private family matter between my wife and me.
Richard: You lost the right to call her your wife tonight.
Sarah: Dad... how did you get here so fast?
Richard walked past Mark without even looking at him for a second.
He wrapped his arm gently around Sarah's trembling cream-clad shoulders.
Richard: Lily called me, sweetheart. Are you hurt anywhere?
Sarah: I am fine, Dad, just really shaken up right now.
Richard: Where is Lily right now, Sarah?
Sarah: She is up in her room, locked inside like you said.
Richard signaled to one of his trusted security team members with a nod.
Richard: Thomas, go upstairs and bring my granddaughter down safely.
Thomas: Right away, Mr. Whitworth.
Mark stepped forward, his voice rising in panic and sudden annoyance.
Mark: You cannot just barge into my house with security guards!
Mark: I own this property and I want you to leave right now!
Richard slowly turned around, his sharp grey eyes locking onto Mark's face.
Richard: You don't own a single brick of this house, Mark.
Mark: My name is on the mortgage title papers, Richard!
Richard: The mortgage was paid using funds stolen from my daughter's trust.
Mark froze in place, his hands stopping mid-air as he tried to speak.
Mark: I don't know what kind of crazy lies you are talking about.
Richard: My financial investigators spent the last forty-eight hours digging deep.
Richard: They traced every single dollar you moved to the Caribbean accounts.
Sarah looked at Mark, her eyes widening in complete shock and disbelief.
Sarah: Mark... did you steal money from my trust fund?
Mark: Sarah, listen to me, he is trying to manipulate you!
Sarah: Answer me! Is that why you kept hiding the statements?
Mark swallowed hard, looking quickly around the room for an easy escape route.
The two security guards blocked the front entrance with firm, still postures.
Richard: You thought my daughter was weak and had nobody behind her.
Richard: You thought you could intimidate her and take everything she owned.
Mark: Richard, we can sit down in the office and discuss business.
Richard: There is nothing left to discuss between us, Mark.
Lily came walking down the staircase, holding the security guard's hand tightly.
She saw her grandfather and immediately broke into a run toward him.
Lily: Grandpa!
Richard knelt down on the marble floor and caught the little girl.
Richard: I am right here, my sweet girl. Nobody will ever hurt you.