Chapter 5: The Woman Behind The Sterling Bloodline
The woman stepped out of the elevator like she owned the entire building.
Not like Richard.
Richard walked with arrogance.
With the confidence of a man who believed money could erase consequences.
This woman was different.
She didn't need to prove anything.
Her presence alone changed the atmosphere.
She wore a dark emerald dress, perfectly tailored, with silver hair pulled back neatly. She looked to be in her late fifties, but her posture was stronger than people half her age.
Her eyes were the first thing I noticed.
Cold.
Sharp.
Calculating.
The same eyes Julian had when he was hiding something.
"Mother..."
Julian said again.
But this time, there was something else in his voice.
Fear.
The woman looked at him.
"You failed."
Two words.
No anger.
No shouting.
Just disappointment.
And somehow, that was worse.
Julian lowered his head.
"I was trying to fix it."
"You were trying to protect your feelings."
Her eyes moved toward me.
"And you allowed your weakness to put the heir at risk."
My entire body tensed.
The word she used.
Heir.
Not baby.
Not child.
Heir.
Like my son was an asset.
A possession.
Something that belonged to the Sterling empire.
I stepped back.
"Who are you?"
The woman looked at me.
"I am Victoria Sterling."
A pause.
"Julian's mother."
I had seen her name before.
Everyone in Chicago knew Victoria Sterling.
The woman behind Sterling International's expansion into Europe.
The woman who turned a family business into a global empire.
The media called her brilliant.
Elegant.
A genius.
But nobody knew the woman standing in front of me.
The woman who looked at my unborn child like he was a business contract.
"I don't understand."
My voice shook.
"Why is everyone talking about my baby like he's some kind of property?"
Victoria didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she walked toward the table.
She picked up the infant car seat Marcus brought.
Her fingers touched the silver letters.
The name.
The secret name.
"The council was right."
Her voice was quiet.
"She doesn't know anything."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Don't."
Victoria looked at him.
"Still pretending to be a protector?"
Marcus's expression hardened.
"I know what you are."
A faint smile appeared on Victoria's face.
"Do you?"
She placed the car seat down.
"Because you still don't know everything."
The room became tense.
I looked at Marcus.
"What does she mean?"
Marcus remained silent.
That silence hurt.
Again.
Everyone had information.
Everyone had secrets.
And I was the only person whose life was being destroyed by them.
"Marcus."
My voice became firmer.
"Tell me."
He looked at me.
"I will."
Victoria interrupted.
"No."
Everyone turned.
"Because if he tells you, you will hate him."
Marcus's face changed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
My heart sank.
"What did you do?"
Marcus looked down.
The former Marine who had walked into the room like he feared nothing...
Could not look me in the eyes.
"I made a promise."
"To who?"
A pause.
"Your father."
I shook my head.
"That doesn't answer my question."
Marcus finally looked at me.
"Your father asked me to watch you."
"Watch me?"
"Protect you."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
His jaw tightened.
"Because he made me promise I wouldn't reveal the truth unless you were in danger."
I looked around the room.
"I was dragged across the floor by my father-in-law."
My voice cracked.
"I was threatened."
I looked at Julian.
"My husband betrayed me."
Then at Marcus.
"And you still kept secrets."
Marcus closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
Again.
That word.
I hated it.
Because everyone was sorry after hurting me.
Nobody was sorry before.
Victoria stepped closer.
"Clara, you need to understand something."
I looked at her.
"Understand what?"
"The Sterling family does not survive because of money."
She glanced around the penthouse.
"Money is only the outer shell."
She tapped the table.
"The real power is information."
A pause.
"And your father knew too much."
My stomach tightened.
"My father wasn't just a normal businessman, was he?"
Victoria looked at me.
"No."
The answer came immediately.
"He was the most dangerous man who ever worked for this family."
My breathing stopped.
"What?"
Richard laughed bitterly.
"Finally someone says it."
Alexander turned toward him.
"Be quiet."
But Richard continued.
"Daniel Hayes wasn't a victim."
His eyes moved to me.
"He was a thief."
My face changed.
"No."
Richard smiled.
"He stole from Sterling."
"Stop lying."
Richard looked offended.
"You still believe your father was a hero?"
He stepped closer.
"Your father destroyed lives."
Alexander's voice became powerful.
"Enough."
Richard ignored him.
"He took something that belonged to this family."
"What?"
Richard looked at my stomach.
"The original Sterling inheritance code."
The room froze.
I didn't understand.
"What is that?"
Victoria answered.
"The Sterling family trust was created over one hundred years ago."
She walked slowly.
"It was designed with a biological verification system."
I frowned.
"Biological?"
She nodded.
"Only descendants of the original founder can unlock complete control."
My heart raced.
"And my baby..."
Victoria looked at me.
"Your baby has that ability."
Silence.
I placed a hand over my stomach.
My son.
My innocent child.
Everyone was fighting over him before he was even born.
"You're all insane."
My voice trembled.
"He's a baby."
Victoria's expression softened slightly.
For the first time.
"Yes."
A pause.
"That's why he must be protected."
I stared at her.
"Protected from who?"
Nobody answered.
Then Alexander looked toward Richard.
And said:
"From people who would do anything to control him."
Richard's expression changed.
"You cannot blame this on me."
Alexander looked at him.
"I can."
Victoria suddenly looked at her phone.
Her face changed.
"What happened?"
Julian asked.
She turned the screen around.
A security message appeared.
PRIVATE SECURITY BREACH.
SECONDARY FLOOR COMPROMISED.
Marcus immediately reacted.
"Someone entered the building."
Alexander frowned.
"Impossible."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
He looked at Victoria.
"Someone let them in."
Everyone became silent.
Because there was only one way into the Sterling penthouse.
Someone inside had opened the door.
Richard looked around.
"Who?"
Nobody answered.
Then the security system announced:
ELEVATOR ACCESS GRANTED.
Everyone turned toward the private elevator.
But this time...
Nobody moved.
Because the elevator wasn't coming from downstairs.
It was already inside the building.
Someone had been waiting.
The doors opened slowly.
A man stepped out.
Not a stranger.
Not an enemy.
A familiar face.
A person I recognized immediately.
My breath disappeared.
Because standing there...
Was someone who was supposed to be dead.
My father's best friend.
The man who attended my father's funeral.
The man who told me:
"Your father loved you until his final breath."
But now...
He was alive.
And holding a gun.
"Hello, Clara."
His voice was calm.
"Your father left something for you."
He looked around the room.
"And unfortunately..."
May you like
A cold smile appeared.
"I need to take it back."
