Chapter 3 - THE ACCOUNT WITH NO NAME
For several seconds, Alexander couldn’t speak.
He looked at his mother.
Then at Sophia.
Then back at his phone.
“Say that again.”
Michael hesitated.
“The account receiving the monthly payments was not a personal account for Sophia.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened.
“Whose account was it?”
Another pause.
“Victoria Sterling Holdings.”
The hallway suddenly felt smaller.
Colder.
His own mother.
His own company.
His own money.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, sir.”
Alexander slowly lowered the phone.
Victoria watched him carefully.
She knew.
She knew he had found something.
“What did you find?” she asked.
Alexander laughed quietly.
But there was no humor in it.
“You tell me.”
Victoria’s face remained calm.
“You’re misunderstanding.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
She stepped closer.
“Your daughter is emotional. Lauren has always been dramatic.”
Alexander felt anger explode inside him.
“Don’t.”
Victoria stopped.
“Don’t talk about her like that.”
The woman who raised him.
The woman who taught him business.
The woman he trusted more than anyone.
Was suddenly a stranger.
“You stole from your granddaughter.”
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“I protected this family.”
“No.”
Alexander shook his head.
“You protected yourself.”
A few seconds passed.
Then Victoria said something that shocked him.
“You don’t know the truth about Lauren.”
Alexander looked at her.
“What truth?”
Victoria smiled slightly.
And that scared him.
Because it wasn’t the smile of someone defending herself.
It was the smile of someone who still believed she was in control.
“Ask your ex-wife why she really left.”
Alexander’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you hiding?”
Before Victoria could answer, the ballroom doors opened.
Guests began walking out.
Somebody noticed Alexander standing there.
Then they noticed Sophia.
Then the whispers started.
The billionaire’s daughter.
The dumpster.
The food bag.
The rumors began spreading instantly.
Victoria’s face changed.
Not because she was embarrassed.
Because she was afraid.
Alexander saw it.
And he finally understood.
His mother wasn’t worried about Sophia.
She was worried about being exposed.
A waiter approached carefully.
“Mr. Sterling?”
Alexander turned.
“Yes?”
“Your mother’s birthday ceremony is about to begin.”
Everyone looked at him.
Waiting.
Expecting him to smile.
To pretend.
To play the perfect family.
But Alexander looked down at his daughter.
The little girl who had been forgotten.
Then he looked at Victoria.
“No.”
The waiter froze.
“No?”
Alexander held Sophia’s hand.
“Tonight’s celebration is over.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“Alexander, don’t do this.”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“Three years ago, you took my daughter away from me.”
His voice became louder.
“Tonight, I’m taking the truth back.”
The room went silent.
Hundreds of guests watched.
And for the first time...
Victoria Sterling looked afraid.
Because Alexander had just made a decision.
He was going to uncover every lie.
Every hidden account.
Every secret.
No matter who it destroyed.
Then his phone received a new message.
From an unknown number.
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One sentence appeared on the screen:
“If you want the truth about Sophia, find Lauren before your mother does.”
