Chapter 7 - The Fall from Grace
Three months passed.
The storm of media attention eventually died down.
But the reality for my former in-laws only grew darker.
Without the Sterling name to protect them, their true colors caught up with them.
Eleanor was forced to sell her sprawling estate.
She moved into a cramped two-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city.
Her country club memberships were revoked.
Her "high society" friends stopped returning her calls.
They didn't want to be associated with the family that tried to frame a pregnant woman.
Chloe's life unraveled even faster.
Without her wealthy husband, she had to find a job.
But a quick Google search of her name brought up the viral video of her theft.
No reputable company would hire her.
She ended up working at a low-end retail store in the local mall.
The irony was almost poetic.
She spent years calling me "cheap trash."
Now she was folding discounted sweaters on minimum wage.
I saw a picture of her online once.
She looked exhausted, her designer clothes replaced by a polyester uniform.
Dominic tried to fight the divorce.
He hired a cheap lawyer to claim a portion of my assets.
My father's legal team crushed him in less than a week.
The prenuptial agreement I had quietly signed years ago—which Dominic never read—was ironclad.
He was left with his modest salary and a mountain of regret.
He lost his job shortly after.
His boss had attended Chloe's wedding and found Dominic's cowardice unforgivable.
While they spiraled into misery, I blossomed.
I stepped into my role as Vice President of Sterling Global.
I attended board meetings, closed deals, and rebuilt my confidence.
I was no longer the quiet, timid girl who took their abuse.
May you like
I was Vivienne Sterling.
And I was untouchable.
