Chapter 2: The Men Who Arrived in Black SUVs
Chapter 2: The Men Who Arrived in Black SUVs
The gates of the Vale estate swung open.
One...
Two...
Three black SUVs rolled silently up the long driveway.
Their headlights washed across the mansion's towering windows.
Adrian frowned.
"What is this?"
Vanessa slowly set down her champagne glass.
The front door opened before anyone could move.
Six men in dark suits entered, followed by two women carrying medical kits.
No one raised a weapon.
They didn't have to.
Their quiet confidence filled the room.
One of the men looked directly at Evelyn.
"Miss Sterling."
"We're here."
Adrian's expression changed instantly.
"Sterling?"
He looked back at Evelyn.
"You said your father was an accountant."
Evelyn slowly stood despite the pain.
"I never said that."
"You did."
"No."
"You assumed."
The lead security officer stepped aside.
An older man entered the mansion.
Silver hair.
Perfectly tailored navy suit.
Calm eyes.
Richard Sterling.
One of the country's most influential investors and founder of Sterling Global Holdings.
His gaze fell upon his daughter.
The torn dress.
The blood.
The welts across her back.
For several long seconds...
He said nothing.
Then he removed his suit jacket and gently wrapped it around her shoulders.
"I'm sorry you had to wait this long."
Evelyn smiled weakly.
"It was worth waiting."
Richard finally looked at Adrian.
"I warned my daughter years ago."
Adrian swallowed.
"You... know who I am?"
"I know everything about you."
He nodded toward one of his attorneys.
A thick file landed on the marble table.
Inside were copies of offshore transfers...
Forged invoices...
Tax fraud...
Money laundering records...
And the encrypted audio recording captured only minutes earlier.
Vanessa's voice echoed through the room.
"Again. She rolled her eyes at me."
Then Adrian's.
"Two hundred."
The room became silent.
Richard closed the file.
May you like
"You didn't simply destroy your marriage."
"You created enough evidence to destroy your own empire."
