Marcus: Well, looks like the truth finally caught up with our dear golden boy.
Julian: Shut your mouth, Marcus! You knew about this all along, didn't you?
Marcus: Everyone knew except you, Julian. Eleanor kept you around as a convenient prop for the shareholders.
Julian climbed slowly to his feet, his limbs feeling heavy and uncoordinated as a wave of intense nausea washed over him. The dark navy suit that symbolised his former status now felt like a cheap costume worn in a play where everyone else knew the script except the lead actor. He looked down at his empty hands, remembering the warmth of his newborn baby just minutes before, and realized the cruel irony of his entire upbringing. He had fought tooth and nail to protect a family name that legally and biologically didn't even belong to him. Victoria stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, her voice softening from its previous hostility into a genuine plea for reason.
Victoria: You have to fight her now, Julian. Not for the trust fund, but for that innocent child upstairs.
Julian: She won't give him up voluntarily. You know how ruthless she gets when cornered.
Victoria: Then we take her to court. We use every single law firm and divorce lawyer in the city to dismantle her empire.
Marcus laughed bitterly from the foot of the stairs, shaking his head at their sudden burst of misplaced optimism. He adjusted his cuffs with slow, deliberate movements, enjoying every second of their collective humiliation.
Marcus: Good luck with that. Eleanor owns half the judges in this state and every vital record office within a hundred miles.
Julian: She doesn't own the truth, Marcus. And she certainly doesn't own my son.
Marcus: Keep telling yourself that while you're packing your bags out the back door.
Julian ignored him completely, turning his full attention back toward the upper-floor balcony where Eleanor had disappeared with the baby. The emotional shock of the DNA revelation gave way to a cold, sharp clarity that focused every ounce of his energy into a single purpose. He handed the document folder back to Victoria with a firm, steady nod, his fear completely replaced by an unyielding desire for justice. The game was no longer about preserving a wealthy inheritance or maintaining polite family appearances; it was an all-out war for survival and truth.