Max eventually appeared at the door, accompanied by another man who didn't quite fit the noble surroundings of the von Trapp household. Johann opened the door, his expression full of questions. Hede and Hedwig quickly returned to the foyer, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Max, did you find Georg? And who is this man?" Johann demanded, his tone sharp and unrelenting.
The stranger cleared his throat, clearly nervous under the intense scrutiny. Max spoke before him. "He's the one who drove the cab Georg took," he began cautiously, his voice steady but carrying the weight of what he had to reveal. "He dropped him off in Stuwerviertel."
"Stuwerviertel?" Hedwig echoed weakly, her face turning pale. "That's... that's the red-light district."
Hedwig swayed, clutching Hede for support, her shock palpable. Hede, astonished by the revelation, tightened her grip on her mother, her eyes darting between the taxi driver and her father.
Johann's face turned an alarming shade of red. He took a menacing step toward the man. "You're lying," Johann barked. "My son would never disgrace us like that! Much as he's disappointed me, I refuse to believe he would stoop so low."
Max, calm in the face of the rising tension, gestured to the man. "Show him the proof," he said quietly.
The driver nodded, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out an object that glittered faintly in the dim foyer light. Johann's eyes narrowed as he examined the signet ring the man held out—the von Trapp family's symbol. Georg's ring. He had given it to the driver as payment.
Hedwig gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she stared at the unmistakable proof. Johann stood frozen, the weight of what he had just witnessed crashing down around him.
Johann took the ring harshly, his hands trembling slightly as he stared at the symbol of his family's pride, now tainted by his son's actions. "Leave," Johann said curtly to the cab driver, his voice flat and cold, his shock evident in the tightness of his posture. The man wasted no time, nodding briefly to Max before slipping out of the house, eager to escape Johann's wrath.
Max remained calm, though concern lined his face. "I'll talk to Georg," he offered, "I'll try to convince him to come back and sort this out."
Johann, still reeling from the humiliation, shook his head. "It's too late," he said bitterly. "The damage is done. If word gets out about this... our family could be ruined. Everything I've worked for—everything our name stands for—will be dragged through the mud because of him."
He turned to his wife and daughter, his expression a mix of anger and despair. "Pack your bags. We're leaving for Salzburg tonight. We can't afford to stay in Vienna another day. The longer we're here, the more likely it is that someone will find out."
Hedwig, her face still pale with shock, glanced at Hede. They both knew that arguing with Johann now would be futile. The disgrace Georg's actions could bring to the family was not something Johann could bear. And though it pained them to think of leaving Georg behind, they understood the gravity of the situation. Johann's declaration—From now on, I have no son—hung heavy in the air.
Without a word, Hedwig and Hede turned to go upstairs, hearts heavy with sorrow and resignation. There was no choice but to follow Johann's orders, knowing that the family's future was now shrouded in uncertainty. Max stood in the foyer, watching the family retreat, knowing there was little he could do but hope to talk to Georg before it was too late.