Chloe's face twisted into an expression of sheer rage as she stepped forward, her voice rising into a sharp shriek.
Chloe: You can't divorce me! We signed a prenuptial agreement! If you leave me, I get forty percent of your personal assets!
Mark: Read section eight of our prenuptial agreement, Chloe.
Chloe: What section eight?!
Mark: The child protection clause. If either spouse engages in documented cruelty or emotional abuse against a minor child, the prenup is completely void, and you receive zero dollars.
Chloe: Documented?! There is no documentation! It was just my word against hers!
Mark: Do you think I'm stupid, Chloe? Look up at the corner of the hallway archway.
Chloe slowly turned her head, her eyes locking onto a small, sleek black camera dome mounted near the crown molding.
Chloe: That's... that's just a dummy camera for the security system!
Mark: I upgraded the entire mansion security system two weeks ago to a 4K motion-activated cloud server.
Chloe: You... you put cameras near the basement stairs?!
Mark: I put cameras in every hallway, every entrance, and right outside that basement door.
Lily: Daddy, the camera has a little red light that blinks when people walk past.
Mark: That's right, sweetie. The camera saw everything.
Chloe swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry as she turned to her mother in complete panic.
Chloe: Mom... he's bluffing... he has to be bluffing!
Evelyn: Mark, let's talk about this rationally in your private study. We can settle this without attorneys!
Mark: Rationally? You stood in this room five minutes ago and yelled at me for ruining your party while my daughter was sobbing!
Evelyn: I didn't know she was locked in the closet! Chloe told me Lily was just hiding under the bed!
Chloe: Mom! Don't throw me under the bus!
Evelyn: I had no idea you did that, Chloe! You told me it was just a silly hide-and-seek game!
Mark: Look at you two, turning on each other the second the truth comes out.