Chapter 8 - Whispers in the Boardroom
Three days later, the official DNA results arrived.
It was a 99.9% match.
Emily was undeniably Richard Sterling’s biological daughter.
The news was a devastating blow to Victoria and her allies on the board.
But they were not going to give up easily.
A meeting of the board of directors was called at the Sterling Tower.
The atmosphere in the high-rise conference room was thick with tension.
Richard sat at the head of the long mahogany table.
He looked tired, but his eyes were sharper than ever.
Victoria sat directly opposite him, flanked by her lawyers.
"The DNA results are indisputable," Richard announced, tossing the medical documents onto the table. "Emily is my legal daughter and sole heir. I am updating my will accordingly."
Murmurs broke out among the board members.
"Richard, be reasonable," one of the older directors, a longtime ally of his late father, pleaded. "The girl has no education. She has no pedigree. The market is already volatile. If the public thinks you are handing the keys to the empire to an eight-year-old child raised in the slums, stock prices will plummet."
"My daughter is not a PR liability," Richard growled. "She is my blood. She will receive the best education money can buy. And in time, she will choose her own path."
Victoria leaned forward, a cruel smile playing on her lips.
"And what of her mother's family, Richard? Do you really think they will stay quiet? Sarah’s father is still alive. He is a bitter, broken man who hates the Sterling name. What if he decides to sue you for custody? What if he tells the media how you abandoned his daughter?"
Richard froze.
Sarah’s father.
He hadn't thought about him.
Old Thomas.
He had been a proud, hard-working man.
Did Thomas believe Richard had abandoned Sarah?
Did he hate him?
"I will handle Thomas," Richard said quietly.
"You had better," Victoria warned. "Because if a custody battle leaks to the press, the board will have no choice but to vote for your removal as CEO. For the safety of the company."
Richard stood up, leaning over the table.
"Try it, Victoria. And I will ruin you."
He turned and walked out of the boardroom, his heart heavy with a new worry.
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He had to find Thomas.
He had to explain the truth before Victoria could get to him first.
