Victoria struggled against the officers as they led her toward the front entrance of the mansion, her green satin dress dragging across the floor.
Victoria: Let go of me! This is a misunderstanding! Call my attorney right now!
Mr. Vance: Your primary attorney withdrew from your representation twenty minutes ago, Miss Sterling. He advised you to take a plea bargain.
Victoria: Traitor! You're all traitors!
Guest 1: How embarrassing... stealing from her own deceased nephew's child.
Guest 2: I always knew there was something crooked about her real estate deals.
Guest 3: To call a little girl street trash when she was the one stealing millions... despicable.
Victoria turned her head, glaring at the crowd of people who had been praising her only an hour earlier.
Victoria: None of you are better than me! You all took my money! You drank my champagne!
Arthur: It wasn't your money, Victoria. It was David's. It was Lily's.
Victoria: Arthur, please... don't let them take me to jail! Think of our family name!
Arthur: You ruined our family name the day you betrayed my son's memory.
The officers pushed Victoria through the front doors, where several news vans had already pulled up near the fountain. Cameras flashed through the glass windows as she was loaded into the back of a police cruiser.
Inside the hall, Arthur sat down heavily on a velvet armchair, resting his head in his hands.
Arthur: I was so blind, Sarah. I thought she was just grieving David in her own way.
Sarah: She used your grief to manipulate you, Arthur. She knew you were too heartbroken to check the financial statements after the funeral.
Arthur: How did you find out about the offshore accounts?
Sarah: David left a backup flash drive in his office safe before he died. He knew his sister was tampering with company funds, but he didn't want to break your heart until he had solid proof.
Arthur: My boy... he was trying to protect me even then.
Sarah: He was trying to protect all of us. But when Victoria tried to kick Lily and me out of the estate last month, I knew I had to finish what David started.
Lily: Grandpa, why are you sad?
Arthur looked up, tears forming in his eyes as he held out his hands to his granddaughter.
Arthur: Come here, sweet child. Grandpa isn't sad... Grandpa is just sorry. I am so sorry I let anyone speak to you like that in my house.
Lily walked over and wrapped her small arms around Arthur's neck.
Lily: It's okay, Grandpa. Mommy slapped her real hard!
Arthur let out a soft laugh, wiping his tears away as he hugged Lily tightly.
Arthur: Yes, she certainly did. Your mommy is a very brave woman.
Sarah: Nobody attacks my child, Arthur. Not even a Sterling.
Arthur: You are a Sterling, Sarah. You're more of a Sterling than Victoria ever was. And this house is yours for as long as you want to live here.
Mr. Vance: Mr. Sterling, we still need to sign the paperwork restoring full ownership of the family trust to Sarah and Lily.
Arthur: Bring the papers over right now, Vance. I will sign every single line myself.
Sarah: Thank you, Arthur. But we aren't just restoring the trust. We are changing how the family foundation operates.
Arthur: What do you mean?
Sarah: Victoria took millions meant for charity and locked it away in personal accounts. Tomorrow, Lily and I are donating ten percent of the recovered trust to local children's shelters in the city.
Arthur: David would be so proud of you, Sarah.
Sarah: David taught me that wealth means nothing if you don't use it to protect the people you love.