Chapter 7 - THE MAN INSIDE MY FAMILY
My uncle David Sterling had spent twenty years standing beside my father.
He was the charming one.
The smiling one.
The man who remembered birthdays, sent flowers after funerals, and knew how to make investors feel like old friends.
He was also vice chairman of Sterling Global.
Dad called him immediately.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Daniel called corporate security.
Two minutes later, his face tightened.
“David left headquarters three hours ago.”
Dad asked, “Where did he go?”
“No one knows.”
Vanessa stared at the floor.
I looked at her.
“You're working with my uncle.”
She didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Look at me.”
Slowly, she did.
“How long?”
Her mouth curled.
“You people always think money makes you smart.”
Dad's face hardened.
“Careful.”
Vanessa laughed.
“David hated being second to you.”
Dad said nothing.
“He built half that company.”
“He was compensated generously.”
“He didn't want compensation. He wanted control.”
I felt sick.
“And Adrian?”
Vanessa glanced at him.
“He was useful.”
Adrian stared at her from beside the officer.
“You approached me because of them?”
She smiled.
“Of course.”
His face collapsed.
Their affair had never been romantic.
Not really.
He had betrayed me for someone who had selected him as a target.
Vanessa continued.
“David knew Claire married a man hungry enough to take risks.”
Dad's fists tightened.
“So you planted yourself near Adrian.”
“He made it easy.”
Adrian looked as though she'd slapped him.
Vanessa shrugged.
“He wanted someone who worshipped him. I worshipped him.”
She laughed.
“Until he believed me.”
I remembered every dinner.
Every business event where Vanessa appeared.
She had first been introduced as a consultant.
Then a friend.
Then someone Adrian said I was “imagining things” about.
“How long have you been sleeping with him?”
She looked at me.
“Eight months.”
Adrian looked away.
I forced myself to keep breathing.
Dad asked the important question.
“What was David's plan?”
Vanessa hesitated.
Daniel said, “You're already exposed. Cooperation may matter.”
She gave him a cold smile.
“You're not my lawyer.”
“No. I'm the man who will make sure prosecutors understand exactly how much evidence exists.”
Her confidence finally faltered.
She looked toward Dad.
“Weston Logistics was the first move.”
“Explain.”
“Adrian buys Weston using fraudulent backing tied to Claire.”
Dad listened.
“Then?”
“The acquisition fails.”
“Why?”
“Because we had contracts lined up to disappear.”
Adrian stared at her.
“You told me those contracts were guaranteed.”
“They were guaranteed to disappear.”
He swore.
Vanessa continued.
“Vale collapses. Claire's trust becomes involved. Sterling Global suffers reputational damage. David pushes for leadership changes.”
Dad's face became unreadable.
“A manufactured crisis.”
“Yes.”
“And you?”
“I get paid.”
Adrian gave a bitter laugh.
“So the pregnancy?”
“Insurance.”
“Against what?”
She looked at him.
“Against you changing your mind about divorcing Claire.”
I felt no satisfaction watching his face break.
Only exhaustion.
Then Dad's phone rang.
He answered.
“Thomas Sterling.”
His expression changed.
“Where?”
He listened.
Then hung up.
“What happened?” I asked.
Dad looked at me.
“Someone just entered the Sterling family archive.”
“So?”
“The archive contains the original trust documents.”
Daniel stood.
“Can they destroy them?”
Dad nodded.
“They can try.”
I looked at Vanessa.
May you like
She smiled faintly.
“You're too late.”
