Chapter 7 - The Midnight Strategist
“Mr. Sterling,” I said, keeping my voice guarded. “How did you get this number?”
“I have people, Clara. The same people who helped me piece together Elena’s final years after Beatrice and Julian cut her out of the family registries,” Arthur sighed deeply on the other end of the line. “I am calling to apologize. For the circus tonight, for what Beatrice and Julian put you through, and for thirty years of silence.”
“An apology doesn't rewrite history, Arthur,” I replied, leaning against the kitchen counter. “You watched them tear your daughter apart, and you let them do it from a distance.”
“You’re right. I was a coward wrapped in a bank account,” Arthur admitted, his voice cracking with genuine remorse. “And it’s a mistake I refuse to repeat with Maya. Listen to me carefully, Clara. Julian and Jonathan are already holding an emergency conference call with their corporate defense lawyers. They are going to try to claim that the 1952 charter is legally void or that Maya’s identity cannot be verified without a protracted court battle.”
“Let them try,” I said, a sudden spark of cold defiance rising in my chest. “I’ve spent my entire life working for every penny we have. I’m not afraid of their lawyers.”
“They aren't just fighting for corporate control; they’re fighting for their survival,” Arthur warned. “That’s why I’ve sent Harrison Cole to your front porch. He has the formal independent verification documents and a security detail. Let him in, Clara. The war has already begun.”
May you like
Before I could answer, a sharp, polite knock echoed against our front door.
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