Chapter 7 - The Master of the House
Victoria blinked through her panic. "What do you mean, terms of occupancy?"
"Under the Chancery decree," Marcus Alden stated, pulling out an invoice schedule, "Allison is granting a temporary four-hour commercial license for the lawn and pavilion. The fee for this license is two hundred and forty thousand dollars—the exact sum you fraudulently siphoned from Claire Vance's trust accounts over the past decade."
Victoria gasped, clutching the marble banister to keep from collapsing. "Two hundred and forty thousand dollars? I don't have that kind of liquid cash! Every penny of my savings went into the deposit for the caterers and the symphony orchestra!"
"Then you had better call your bank for an emergency second mortgage on your suburban home, Victoria," I said evenly. "Because if the wire confirmation isn't received by Marcus's escrow account by 2:00 PM, Deputy Miller will close the main security gates and turn away every single town car and limousine at the entrance."
"You're a monster!" Victoria wept, her aristocratic vanity completely destroyed. "You're holding my daughter's wedding hostage!"
"You held my mother's memory hostage for twelve years, Victoria," I whispered, stepping into her personal space until she could see the cold determination in my eyes. "You spent my entire twenties making me feel like a poor, pathetic dependent who had to beg for scraps at your holiday table, while you used my mother's estate as your personal social playground."
Madison was sobbing hysterically on the bottom step of the staircase, her mascara running down her cheeks, ruining her silk robe.
"Mom, pay it!" Madison shrieked, kicking her slippers against the marble. "Call Dad's trust! Call anyone! If Tyler's family finds out we got locked out of the venue, the wedding is off!"
Victoria pulled out her gold smartphone with shaking, sweating fingers, stumbling into the parlor to make the most humiliating financial calls of her life.
Two hours later, Marcus’s phone chimed with the official wire notification: Escrow Funded in Full.
"The funds are secured, Allison," Marcus smiled, pocketing his device.
I looked at the grandfather clock in the foyer: 2:30 PM.
"Good," I said, smoothing down my tailored pantsuit. "Now, let's prepare the grand entrance for the true master of this house."
I walked out onto the veranda, breathing in the sweet salt air of the ocean.
A black town car pulled into the crushed-shell driveway, stopping at the foot of the sweeping marble steps.
The chauffeur opened the rear door, and my father stepped out onto the gravel.
He was wearing an immaculate charcoal tuxedo Daniel had purchased for him yesterday, his silver hair neatly combed, his head held high for the very first time in twelve long years.
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As he looked up at the towering white columns of his dead wife's beloved home, a quiet, healing peace settled over his weathered face.
"Welcome home, Dad," I whispered, walking down the steps to take his arm.
