The heavy iron gates at the entrance of the estate slammed open with a metallic crash. A sleek black luxury sedan sped up the driveway, stopping sharply near the front fountain.
Eleanor Sterling stepped out of the rear passenger door, her designer dress sharp and immaculate, her face contorted in absolute fury.
Behind her, Chloe stepped out of the front seat, her eyes swollen and red, clutching a silk scarf against her bruised cheek.
Eleanor: MARK! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE THIS INSTANT!
Mark walked slowly out onto the wide stone porch, his hands resting casually inside his suit pockets.
Mark: Keep your voice down, Eleanor. You're disturbing the neighborhood.
Eleanor: Disturbing the neighborhood?! You lay your hands on my daughter on her wedding day and you tell me to keep my voice down?!
Chloe: He hit me, Mother! Look at my face! He struck me right in front of the front desk!
Mark: You physically attacked a grieving woman and destroyed her legal travel documents in my foyer, Chloe.
Eleanor: She is a servant, Mark! A hired hand! She has no rights in this home!
Mark: She has the right to go bury her mother without your spoiled daughter ripping up her passport!
Eleanor: I don't give a damn about her mother! There are two hundred high-society guests currently heading to the country club!
Mark: Tell them to turn their cars around. The wedding is canceled.
Chloe: You can't cancel the wedding! The catering is non-refundable! The flowers cost eighty thousand dollars!
Mark: You should have thought about that before you displayed your disgusting cruelty in my house.
Eleanor marched up the porch steps, her high heels clicking loudly against the stone as she pointed an acrylic nail directly at Mark's chest.
Eleanor: Listen to me, you arrogant military brat. You will put on your tuxedo, you will drive to that country club, and you will marry my daughter today!
Mark: Or what, Eleanor?
Eleanor: Or I will pull every single corporate line of credit your father's firm relies on! I will ruin your family name by sunset!
Mark: You won't pull anything, Eleanor. Because as of twenty minutes ago, your access to my father's firm has been completely revoked.
Eleanor froze, her arm dropping slightly as a flicker of panic crossed her hardened eyes.
Eleanor: Revoked...? What nonsense are you talking about?
Mark: Keycode four-eight-two-nine. Inside the velvet box in Chloe's suite.
Chloe gasped loudly, her hand flying to her mouth as she stumbled back a step on the stone stairs.
Chloe: Mother... he knows...
Eleanor: Shut your mouth, Chloe!
Mark: She doesn't need to shut her mouth, Eleanor. The forensic auditors are already upstairs going through the master files.