Richard: Tell the security team to lock down the penthouse suite on the top floor.
Richard stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows of the luxury hotel, sipping scotch from a glass.
Assistant: Sir, Mr. Vance's attorney just filed an emergency motion with the probate court.
Richard: Let them file whatever garbage papers they want. I own fifty-one percent of the voting shares.
Assistant: But sir, they cited Nurse Sarah as a primary material witness.
Richard froze, setting his glass down hard on the polished wooden bar.
Richard: Sarah? That low-level night nurse from the ICU unit?
Assistant: Yes, sir. She gave a sworn affidavit to the district attorney an hour ago.
Richard: Get Dr. Sterling on the phone right now! Tell him to revoke her medical license!
Assistant: It's too late for that, sir. The district attorney already issued a subpoena for the hospital records.
Richard turned around, his face dark with growing panic and fury.
Richard: Where is Clara staying tonight?
Assistant: She was seen entering the Plaza Hotel with Mark Vance thirty minutes ago.
Richard: Get the car ready. I'm going to deal with my dear step-sister personally.
Fifteen minutes later, the elevator doors opened on the twelfth floor of the Plaza Hotel.
Richard marched down the carpeted hallway, stopping outside room 1204.
He pounded his fist heavily against the wooden door panel.
Richard: Open this door, Clara! I know you're in there!
The door unlocked slowly, and Clara stepped out into the hallway wearing a coat over her red dress.
Clara: You just can't stay away from me, can you, Richard?
Richard: You think you're clever, bringing a cheap nurse into my family business?
Clara: It isn't your family business, Richard. It was my father's business.
Richard: Your father left me in charge because he knew you were too weak to run a real empire!
Clara: He didn't leave you anything. You took his thumbprint while he was lying in a coma!
Richard stepped closer, crowding her against the wooden door frame.
Richard: Listen to me, you ungrateful little brat. You drop this lawsuit by eight tomorrow morning, or I'll make sure you never work in this town again.
Clara: You already kicked me out of my own home, Richard. What else can you possibly take from me?
Richard: I can take your reputation! I can freeze every bank account attached to your father's name!
Clara: Try it. The judge signed an emergency injunction two hours ago.
Richard's mouth dropped open in shock as he stared at her.
Richard: What injunction?
Clara: An injunction freezing all assets under Vance Enterprises, including your personal credit lines.
Richard: You lying bitch!
Richard raised his hand to strike her again, but Mark Vance stepped out from the adjacent hotel room.
Mark: Lay one hand on her, Richard, and the two private security officers behind me will put you on the floor.
Richard looked over Mark's shoulder, seeing two burly men in suits watching him closely.
Richard: You think this changes anything, Vance? I have five corporate attorneys on retainer!
Mark: They won't be on retainer for long once the bank revokes your corporate credit cards at midnight.
Richard: This isn't over, Clara! You hear me?! This isn't over!
Clara: You're right, Richard. It's not over until you're sitting in a state prison cell.
Richard turned on his heel, striding furiously back toward the elevators as Clara let out a long breath.
Mark: Are you okay, Clara?
Clara: I'm fine, Mark. For the first time in three weeks, I'm completely fine.