Chapter 6 - Unveiling the Empire
The next morning, my face was on the cover of every financial and society blog.
Not as a disgraced thief.
But as Vivienne Sterling, the hidden heir to the Sterling empire.
Someone at the wedding had recorded the entire incident on their phone.
The video went viral within hours.
#SterlingHeiress and #RunawayBride were trending everywhere.
I sat in the penthouse of my father's corporate tower, drinking herbal tea.
The view of the city skyline was breathtaking.
I was finally home.
I was wearing a silk robe, my baby bump resting comfortably.
My father walked into the private dining room holding a stack of folders.
"How are you feeling this morning, my dear?" he asked.
"Relieved," I admitted.
"Like a massive weight has been lifted."
He smiled and set the folders down.
"Good. Because the trash is taking itself out."
He opened the first folder.
"Chloe's husband officially filed for annulment this morning."
"He cited 'fraud' and 'severe character defects'."
"Her reputation in this city is utterly destroyed."
I sipped my tea. "And Eleanor?"
My father's smile widened into a shark-like grin.
"Ah. Eleanor."
"It turns out Eleanor's late husband's business was heavily funded by a private equity firm."
"A firm that Sterling Global Holdings just acquired."
"They've been defaulting on loans for months."
"We called in their debts at 8:00 AM today."
"Eleanor is currently liquidating her assets to avoid federal bankruptcy charges."
I didn't feel pity.
I didn't feel joy, either.
I just felt closure.
For three years, they made me feel like I was completely worthless.
They made me believe I was lucky to even be in their presence.
In reality, they were playing checkers while my family owned the board.
"What about Dominic?" I asked quietly.
My father's face hardened.
"He showed up at the lobby downstairs an hour ago."
"Begging to see you."
"He brought roses."
I rolled my eyes. "Roses?"
"Security escorted him off the premises," my father assured me.
"Your divorce papers have been served."
"I also ensured he gets zero access to the Sterling trust."
May you like
"He'll get exactly what he came into the marriage with."
"Nothing."
