Chapter 10 - The Heir Nobody Knew Existed
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode.
"You inherited it."
Avery stared at Ethan.
She almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it was impossible.
"No."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"No, that's not true."
Ethan smiled.
"You really think Victoria spent three years trying to destroy you because she disliked your background?"
He stepped closer.
"She was afraid of you."
Avery looked at Victoria.
The billionaire woman who had always looked untouchable.
The woman who had made everyone afraid to challenge her.
And for the first time...
Avery saw the truth.
Victoria wasn't disgusted by her.
She was threatened by her.
"Liar," Victoria said coldly.
Ethan turned toward her.
"Am I?"
The room remained silent.
Liam looked between his mother and his wife.
"Someone explain this."
Daniel Carter took a deep breath.
"It was supposed to stay hidden."
Avery turned toward him.
"Dad..."
His eyes filled with regret.
"I wanted you to have a normal life."
Avery shook her head.
"A normal life?"
Her voice broke.
"I spent twenty years thinking you abandoned me."
Daniel looked down.
"I know."
"No."
Tears filled her eyes.
"You don't know."
The entire room watched as years of pain finally came out.
"I waited for you."
"I thought I wasn't enough for you to stay."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Avery..."
She pulled back.
"Do you know what it feels like to grow up believing your own father didn't want you?"
Daniel looked destroyed.
"Every day."
His voice cracked.
"Every day I wanted to come back."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Because Victoria threatened you."
Avery froze.
Daniel continued.
"She told me if I returned, she would destroy your future."
Victoria's face remained emotionless.
But everyone knew.
She wasn't denying it.
Liam looked at his mother.
"You threatened her father?"
Victoria finally lost patience.
"You all act like I am the monster."
She looked around.
"I built this family."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
"You controlled it."
Victoria's eyes turned toward Avery.
"You think you deserve this?"
Avery looked at her.
"What?"
"The company."
Victoria laughed.
"You were raised outside this world."
"You don't understand power."
Avery stepped forward.
"Maybe that's why I understand people better than you do."
The guests whispered.
Victoria's expression darkened.
"You think being kind makes you strong?"
Avery looked at Leo.
"No."
She held her son closer.
"But I know hurting people doesn't make you powerful."
Liam watched his wife.
And something changed.
For years, he had seen Avery as someone he needed to protect.
Now he saw something else.
A leader.
Suddenly, Marcus's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
"What happened?"
Everyone looked at him.
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
"Someone accessed the Sterling financial system."
Liam frowned.
"Who?"
Marcus looked at Ethan.
"Ethan."
Ethan smiled.
"Finally."
Liam stepped forward.
"What did you do?"
Ethan looked around the room.
"I started the ending."
Then every screen in the ballroom turned black.
A message appeared.
STERLING FINANCIAL CONTROL TRANSFER INITIATED.
Everyone froze.
Because the transfer wasn't going to Liam.
It wasn't going to Victoria.
May you like
It wasn't going to Ethan.
It was going to Avery.
